Hi!
I'm playing an Alchemist and currently, when needed, I assume the form of a Troglodyte, so I can benefit from the +6 Natural Armor Bonus, besides three attacks.
I've been thinking about other possible forms, so I can increase my AC.
Do you know of better Natural Armor bonuses out there? If so, specify the creature.
Thanks!
I'm not sure what class feature or spell you're using to do this; maybe I'm just dumb, but the closest Alchemist or Alchemist Archetype feature to something that lets you do this is the Beastmorph Alchemist archetype feature, and that doesn't work like that at all. (You don't have to pick a specific creature, and you just get some of the abilities listed under Alter Self or Beast Shape in any combination; you never get natural armor and you can pick combinations that are not found on any single creature.)
Alchemists do get the Monstrous Physique spells as formulas, but the natural armor bonus depends entirely on the size of the creature you turn into, and is independant of its actual natural armor.
If you do somehow have the ability to gain a humanoid's NA bonus, a Jotund Troll's is +23.
Thanks!
I am still curious about what feature you're using to get the natural armor of any humanoid. That sounds extraordinariliy powerful, and not in line with how PF handles shapechanging in general.
You do not get the natural armor bonus when you use alter self. You only get what the spells themselves say you get, and alter self doesn't list a natural armor bonus so basically you get natural armor 0 (which you already had).
Edit: I'm assuming you're using alter self and trying to claim the natural armor bonus since it is a polymorph spell and polymorph spells, as a general rule, grant natural armor bonuses. Its a common mistake.
I see your point.
Can you please send me the link where such conception is made? I'm having trouble in figuring out why I can not apply the Transmutation subschool statement to Alter Self. Is this some kind of commom knowledge or a specific rule?
Thanks
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Actually, the problem is that you're reading the polymorph subsection with an implication that isn't there. I'll explain.
page 211 of the core rulebook.
"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."
Nowhere does it say that these bonuses are based on the creature. You're assuming that the bonuses are from the creature chosen, but that's not part of the entry here. The section below this one covers that.
"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."
These are the abilities that you might be able to get from the form itself, as long as they're listed in the polymorph spell in question.
You're looking for a "tell me where it says I can't", when in this case it's a "show me where it says I can". For example, if someone wanted to use fireball to freeze a person in place, the question isn't "where does it say fireball can't freeze a person in place". It's "show me where the spell allows you to do that".
It is also general knowledge that the polymorph spells were revamped purposely to prevent unbalanced bonuses and abilities from being available to players. A +6 natural armor bonus from a second level spell would fall into that category. Even barkskin, which ONLY does natural armor, is capped at +5 at max caster level, and it's a 2nd level spell as well.