Questions on SQ change shape

[ntin]

I want to introduce a silver dragon NPC into a campaign and want to make sure I am doing this correctly. Silver dragons have the SQ change shape as polymorph, does this have duration like the polymorph spell? When it changes shape it loses its natural attacks and flight but does it lose its natural armor, immunities, and weaknesses as well?

[James Jacobs]

ntin wrote:

I want to introduce a silver dragon NPC into a campaign and want to make sure I am doing this correctly. Silver dragons have the SQ change shape as polymorph, does this have duration like the polymorph spell? When it changes shape it loses its natural attacks and flight but does it lose its natural armor, immunities, and weaknesses as well?

It's not as clear as it should be... but no. The duration of the change shape ability is more or less permanent—it lasts as long as the monster wants it to.

In the case of a silver dragon, it can use the ability once per day, which means that if it turns into a humanoid and then back to a dragon, it has to wait a day before using the ability again to become a humanoid.

When it changes shapes, it loses its natural attacks and flight and its natural armor. It does not lose its immunities or weaknesses.

At least, if you want it to work that way. The effects are relatively vague, which means that the GM gets to pick the version he prefers. I've listed my preference above, in any case.

[jack.sqat]

I have a few similar questions I was wondering if anyone knew the answers to:

1. If a dragon has the feat Multi-Attack, is that dragon unable to make use of the feat in a humanoid form that does not have natural weapons (since dragons can't use natural weapons in this case, I assume the answer if yes but I want to be sure)?

2. And if that is the case, would that dragon simply be unable to use that feat, or would it choose a different feat that it could only make use of in it's humanoid form instead?

3. Also, the change shape ability states that the creature would gain all other SQ from the race it changes into other than ability score changes, but does that include things like Weapon Familiarity and abilities like: Elven Magic, Elven immunities, Stability, or Stonecunning?

Maybe I am a little confused on what qualifies as a Special Quality, I'll do more research but if anyone can help me out I would be very grateful!