Possible abuse of "Change Shape"

[Notabrick]

From what I understand, you can only be under the effects of one Polymorphic effect at a time. Change Shape, as written, is as per alter self (polymorph). This means that characters with this trait cannot be targeted by any polymorph effects that they don't want to be.

Also, because this is an at-will supernatural ability, a clever player might find ways to circumvent limitations of other polymorph spells & abilities they might use.

I'm not sure if this is a serious concern or not, but I thought it worth mentioning.

[JoelF847]

In this case, you can't be under the effect of more than one polymorph spell at once means that the most recent one takes effect, not that you're immune to any polymorph spells while you're under another one. However, if you have the change self ability, you likely can use it at will or 3/day, so if you are hit with a hostile polymorph spell, you can spend an action to use your own change shape ability and go back to a form you prefer.

And yes, this means that using baleful polymorph on a shapechanger isn't a good strategy (though if you don't know they're a shape changer, that could give them away).

[Matthew Morris]

Buried in the Baleful Polymorph spell description "a creature with the shapechanger subtype can revert to its natural form as a standard action."

So I guess my question would be, does the change shape option add the 'shapechanger subtype'? It would be good to know for bane weapons and the like.

[Umbral Reaver]

Dragons have change shape and don't have the shapechanger subtype.

[Bwang]

Depending on the campaign, the change shape option can be worth far more than 6 points, and far less. I lobby for differing levels of the ability, perhaps approaching a doppelganger's.

[Mikaze]

In the absence of different grades of Change Shape, I'd err towards keeping the shapechanger type out of it. Or at least put in a line declaring "this does not make you immune to polymorph effects".

Right now Change Shape is the only option for races that may have two forms they can switch between, and I can't really see that making them immune to those spells.

After all there's plenty of things in the game that can change shape that don't have the shapeshifter type.

[Bwang]

Actually, they aren't completely 'immune', they have to take a standard action to undo the change, I think.

[Matthew Morris]

If I understood the OP correctly, I'd be for keeping the shapechanger subtype in.

I think he's seeing it like this.

Evil witch throws Baleful Polymorph.

Race with change shape ability. "Oh noes, I am undone! Wait, my change shape power works like alter self since only the most recent polymorph effect takes effect I'll use my change shape to turn into a gnome, and I'll be free!"

That aspect is going to work regardless of the subtype.

If you take the shapechanger subtype, you're going to be vulnerable to bane weapons, anti-shapeshifter spells, etc. In addition to being immune to Baleful Polymorph .

Again, if I understand his logic correctly.*

*

Spoiler:

IMC, if you fail the mental save and think you're a squirrel, subtype or not, you aren't going to know you can do the shapeshift out of it trick.