Hi,
if I Beast Shape I into an eagle (original fly speed 80 ft.):
a) can't I do this, because the Spell only confers fly speeds up to 30 ft.? So no shapechange at all?
b) or it works, but I only get an exceptionally slow eagle with fly speed 30 ft.?
I personally would assume a) is correct, but is there any hint on how to read this?
b) is the correct answer.
From PRD -> Magic -> Spell Descriptions -> School (Subschool):
"Polymorph: A polymorph spell transforms your physical body to take on the shape of another creature. While these spells make you appear to be the creature, granting you a +20 bonus on Disguise skill checks, they do not grant you all of the abilities and powers of the creature. Each polymorph spell allows you to assume the form of a creature of a specific type, granting you a number of bonuses to your ability scores and a bonus to your natural armor. In addition, each polymorph spell can grant you a number of other benefits, including movement types, resistances, and senses. If the form you choose grants these benefits, or a greater ability of the same type, you gain the listed benefit. If the form grants a lesser ability of the same type, you gain the lesser ability instead. Your base speed changes to match that of the form you assume. If the form grants a swim or burrow speed, you maintain the ability to breathe if you are swimming or burrowing. The DC for any of these abilities equals your DC for the polymorph spell used to change you into that form."
Now, since an Eagle is a small animal with a Fly speed of 80 ft. (Average Maneuverability), and Beast Shape I allows you to assume the shape of a Small Animal but grants you only a Fly speed of 30 ft. (Average Maneuverability), you can indeed take such a shape - but you would gain only the lesser form of movement among the two (in this case, Fly 30 ft. Average).
As a counter, if you would use Beast Shape III to assume the same Eagle form, you would end with a Fly speed of 80 ft. Average - the lesser between that of the Eagle form and the 'Fly 90 ft. good' granted by the spell.
(as a final case, with a Beast Shape II you would end with a mix of the two, taking the lesser among each one - between '80 ft. Average' from Eagle and '60 ft. Good' from the spell you would end with '60 ft. Average')
b) is the correct answer.
From PRD -> Magic -> Spell Descriptions -> School (Subschool):
"Polymorph: A polymorph spell transforms your physical body to take on the shape of another creature. While these spells make you appear to be the creature, granting you a +20 bonus on Disguise skill checks, they do not grant you all of the abilities and powers of the creature. Each polymorph spell allows you to assume the form of a creature of a specific type, granting you a number of bonuses to your ability scores and a bonus to your natural armor. In addition, each polymorph spell can grant you a number of other benefits, including movement types, resistances, and senses. If the form you choose grants these benefits, or a greater ability of the same type, you gain the listed benefit. If the form grants a lesser ability of the same type, you gain the lesser ability instead. Your base speed changes to match that of the form you assume. If the form grants a swim or burrow speed, you maintain the ability to breathe if you are swimming or burrowing. The DC for any of these abilities equals your DC for the polymorph spell used to change you into that form."
Now, since an Eagle is a small animal with a Fly speed of 80 ft. (Average Maneuverability), and Beast Shape I allows you to assume the shape of a Small Animal but grants you only a Fly speed of 30 ft. (Average Maneuverability), you can indeed take such a shape - but you would gain only the lesser form of movement among the two (in this case, Fly 30 ft. Average).
As a counter, if you would use Beast Shape III to assume the same Eagle form, you would end with a Fly speed of 80 ft. Average - the lesser between that of the Eagle form and the 'Fly 90 ft. good' granted by the spell.
(as a final case, with a Beast Shape II you would end with a mix of the two, taking the lesser among each one - between '80 ft. Average' from Eagle and '60 ft. Good' from the spell you would end with '60 ft. Average')
Thanks! I wasn't reading these "abilities" as also meaning movement speeds, but as you mention it, it's clearly correct what you say. They talk about "movement types" and "benefits".
So now I can morph into the famous slow motion eagle... :-)
