Curious on the benefits from this spell. So beginning of my turn, as a free action, I turn it off. Now I act out my turn normally and at the end of my turn, as a free action, I turn it off. My question is about the disadvantages while its turned on and not my turn.
For example, I would guess i lose my Dex to AC. For that matter would anyone attacking me auto-hit? Do I lose my ability to get a reflex save? Lets say a fireball hits. I auto fail the save? Does the Hardness count off the damage of the fireball? I would assume this would nullify AoO's. Could someone push you over? Would you get your normal CMD? Ack, I have more but I think addressing these could be extrapolated to most of the others. I know its a 7th level spell, so it should be a good one but when i look at this all i see is possible problems.
Thanks in Advance
You become an object of your normal size. If you are medium sized, you have an AC of 3.
Uhm, you'd use the object rules for making reflex saving throws.
Unattended Non-Magical Items: Non-magical, unattended items never make saving throws. They are considered to have failed their saving throws, so they are always fully affected by spells and other attacks that allow saving throws to resist or negate. An item attended by a character (being grasped, touched, or worn) makes saving throws as the character (that is, using the character's saving throw bonus).
I'm not sure if you're magical or not. The rules probably weren't made with Statue in mind.
When energy attacks hurt you, you first divide their damage by two, and then apply hardness.
Objects don't get AoOs, so yes, you wouldn't be able to make AoOs.
If they could push a statue of your size and weight normally, yes.
The only CM you can make against objects is Sunder I think, so consult those rules.
I would guess i lose my Dex to AC.
Smashing an Object: "Objects are easier to hit than creatures because they don't usually move, but many are tough enough to shrug off some damage from each blow. An object's Armor Class is equal to 10 + its size modifier (see Table: Size and Armor Class of Objects) + its Dexterity modifier. An inanimate object has not only a Dexterity of 0 (–5 penalty to AC), but also an additional –2 penalty to its AC. Furthermore, if you take a full-round action to line up a shot, you get an automatic hit with a melee weapon and a +5 bonus on attack rolls with a ranged weapon."
Do I lose my ability to get a reflex save?
"Saving Throws: Nonmagical, unattended items never make saving throws. They are considered to have failed their saving throws, so they are always fully affected by spells and other attacks that allow saving throws to resist or negate. An item attended by a character (being grasped, touched, or worn) makes saving throws as the character (that is, using the character's saving throw bonus).
Magic items always get saving throws. A magic item's Fortitude, Reflex, and Will save bonuses are equal to 2 + half its caster level. An attended magic item either makes saving throws as its owner or uses its own saving throw bonus, whichever is better.
Animated Objects: Animated objects count as creatures for purposes of determining their Armor Class (do not treat them as inanimate objects)."
Does the Hardness count off the damage of the fireball?
"Energy Attacks: Energy attacks deal half damage to most objects. Divide the damage by 2 before applying the object's hardness. Some energy types might be particularly effective against certain objects, subject to GM discretion. For example, fire might do full damage against parchment, cloth, and other objects that burn easily. Sonic might do full damage against glass and crystal objects."
I would assume this would nullify AoO's.
In order to make an AoO, you would have to stop being a statue, which is a free action, which means you can only do so on your turn.
The rest of your questions all look like they are subject to GM discretion. I think a creature in statue form should be considered magical and probably attended.
Thank you Cheapy and Grick for your input.
I've asked this question before. After much discussion, the conclusion I came to was that there is nothing in the spell that says you turn into an inanimate stature and are helpless. It's essentially a more powerful version of stoneskin. It makes no sense for a 7th-level spell to make you helpless, after all.
It does heavily imply that you cannot take actions in stone form, however. (Which is still completely different from being helpless and unable to defend yourself with AC 3.)
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From my old-school perspective, the uses of this spell are thus:
-hiding in plain sight, as a statue in a gallery sort of thing
-being able to turn back from statue form, even if petrified by an attack
-defense in combat
While your AC is trash, I would still consider the statue an attended object and allow it to make Reflex saves (with Dex 0) - even paralyzed/sleeping/etc chracters get those, sometimes you're just lucky and in a less damaging part of the effect. So against most energy attacks it's half damage, with a save for half again, and applying hardness to the damage.
And you're not helpless, you're an object, so no critical hits or sneak attack. Can't coup de grace an object either. I suppose if you were taking bleed damage, or were poisoned, etc, you could turn to stone to stop the clock on those effects as well.
It's an extremely situational spell. Being fundamentally immune to petrification effects is not terrible at a level where enemies might toss a persistant flesh to stone your way. Probably best to sit it on a scroll and save for a rainy day.
I've asked this question before. After much discussion, the conclusion I came to was that there is nothing in the spell that says you turn into an inanimate stature and are helpless. It's essentially a more powerful version of stoneskin. It makes no sense for a 7th-level spell to make you helpless, after all.
It does heavily imply that you cannot take actions in stone form, however. (Which is still completely different from being helpless and unable to defend yourself with AC 3.)
I like this alot more. But due to the fact that you can turn it on and off as a free action I assumed there would be some drawback to being in the statue form. How do yall run it in your game Ravindork?
I run it that you can't take actions while in statue form, but that you are not helpless or otherwise defenseless.
That's it. The only drawback is you cannot take any actions except to change back. Your AC, saves, and other stats remain the same.
I play it this way because it is a 7th-level spell, and because it doesn't share any language remotely similar to flesh to stone (which is what everyone seems to want to make this into). I believe it was meant to act more like stoneskin or iron body.
EDIT: I might allow purely mental actions.
I would only have to guess that they didn't say you are an inanimate statue because they assumed it would be common sense that a solid stone statue would be an object.
Consider the vast difference in the way stoneskin (an abjuration spell) is written and the way statue (a transmutation spell) is written.
I highly doubt the intent is that you aren't an actual statue.
All these silly 3e holdover spells, written as if the game was 2e. Sigh.
In any case, I've asked James Jacobs for clarification. He's pretty good at getting back to me on such things.
(God I love these designers for that!)
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All these silly 3e holdover spells, written as if the game was 2e. Sigh.
Well, statue is a 1e holdover. I think it's another victim of the hp inflation of 3e and later; being made of stone is a lot more useful when your average 14th level fighter hits for 1d8+6 or so, and you only have ~30 hp (at level 14) yourself.
It was certainly the intent in older editions that the caster was inanimate.
I'm on-board with the idea that the caster can't move and is considered pretty much inanimate, just not that he's helpless with AC 3.
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I'm on-board with the idea that the caster can't move and is considered pretty much inanimate, just not that he's helpless with AC 3.
I could see an argument that the caster's Dex may be 0, but they should still benefit from natural armor, deflection bonuses, etc. Nothing says all their magic items and ongoing spell effects turn off.