I'm playing a Tiefling Witch and taking the Disguise hex. I already warned my DM that things could get a little strange at times, because of my character being an Outsider. But just how strange?
I'm not taking the hex to do things like this (mostly I'll pass for Human as an Aasimar), but it's interesting to consider. Here are some possibilities:
Invisible Stalker. Unfortunately their Natural Invisibility is an ability which I would not get, but still, a nebulous humanoid-shaped cloud? That's a little odd. There are some other wispy Outsiders as well.
Chaos Beast. A bizarre choice; a constantly shifting mass of tentacles and who knows what-all. Surely that could be useful in certain situations.
Animate Dream. I would expect to have the most trouble with this one, if any. They appear differently to everyone, as something from a personal nightmare.
Basically, I'm curious about what other people would do or have done, either as a character in similar circumstances, or as a DM dealing with it.
Witch: Dress up in a pointy hat and robe, make yourself look old, give yourself a hook nose, and put warts all over your face. You'll look so much like a Witch nobody would ever believe you are one!
Witch: Dress up in a pointy hat and robe, make yourself look old, give yourself a hook nose, and put warts all over your face. You'll look so much like a Witch nobody would ever believe you are one!
Unless they put you on balance across from a duck.
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Did I accidentally post in the Useless Response section?
Well, it's kind of a useless question TBH.
Hardly. But even if that is your opinion, is it a valid reason to derail my thread?
You asked for an "unusual disguise" I gave you one.
But the reason why it's a useless question is that the entire purpose of a disguise is to NOT stand out. Which Chaos Beasts and humanoid clouds of smoke do.
If you were going to disguise yourself (and were locked into Outsiders as your choices) you'd be better off simply disguising yourself as something like an Ifrit or just a different looking Aasimar.
What is the point of using a disguise to take on the appearance of things that are likely to be attacked on sight or greeted with fear?
As a GM, I wouldn't let you disguise yourself as a Chaos Beast, unless you were a very short Tiefling. You can only adjust your height by 1 foot.
And since the Disguise Hex works like the Disguise Self spell:
You cannot change your creature type (although you can appear as another subtype).
You can't even appear as a human. You are limited to Outsiders.
I don't think I would allow an Invisible Stalker either, because you don't know what one looks like, and as a GM I would rule that no one does.
Maybe you both should read the original post more carefully.
Which part?
You asked how I as a DM would deal with it. I answered that.
It's very clear that I know about being limited to Outsiders, and I never mentioned appearing as Human, only using Aasimar to get as close as possible.
Also, what is your source for the specific height range of the Chaos Beast?
It's very clear that I know about being limited to Outsiders, and I never mentioned appearing as Human, only using Aasimar to get as close as possible.
I misread that, as Human or Asimar. Sorry.
Also, what is your source for the specific height range of the Chaos Beast?
The published picture in the Beastiary 2, appears to be a roughly 3 foot sphere shaped blob with tentacles.
It's listed as Medium, and there's nothing else in the picture to give perspective.
The fact that it is medium, or roughly human sized adds its own perspective.
And how does that equate to 3 feet?
If it were bigger, say 4-5 feet in diameter, it would no longer be a medium creature, but a large creature. It would easily with it's tentacles stretch out and take up closer to the 10x10 area of a large creature rather than the 5x5 of a medium.
Perhaps. In any case, I accept that you wouldn't allow the Chaos Beast.
The point, however, was the idea of disguising oneself as something which is constantly changing.
I still don't see the point of disguising yourself as something that is constantly changing, but is only constantly changing from one amorphous mass of tentacles, mouths, and claws to another.
It doesn't matter if someone can't identify exactly what you look like 5 minutes later, there can't be too many things that fit the likely description of "Oh my god it was disgusting! It had all these tentacles and teeth and ugh. Kill it!"
The point of actually doing it is not important. It's an intellectual exercise.
Perhaps. In any case, I accept that you wouldn't allow the Chaos Beast.
The point, however, was the idea of disguising oneself as something which is constantly changing.
That is interesting question, I looked for other monsters with similar abilities, Gibbering Mouther, Shae and Sandman were three I found. All have the Amorphous Ability, but so do other creatures that don't change shape. Obviously Gibbering Mouther wouldn't work, it's an Aberration. I think I would allow Shae and Sandman (in its humanoid form), but a real Shae would recognize you as not being a real Shae because of the lack of Blur. For something like the Chaos Beast though, where there really isn't a form behind it, you would have to present a good argument why the Hex would allow you to continually change shape, allow I might allow it as consciously controlled "Move or Standard Action."
The point of actually doing it is not important. It's an intellectual exercise.
I thought you said it wasn't a pointless question though?
All have the Amorphous Ability, but so do other creatures that don't change shape.
Of course the character would not be able to copy the Amorphous ability itself, so I limited my list to creatures with interesting descriptions of their natural appearances.
All have the Amorphous Ability, but so do other creatures that don't change shape.Of course the character would not be able to copy the Amorphous ability itself, so I limited my list to creatures with interesting descriptions of their natural appearances.
I was trying to determine if the shapeshifting came from the Amorphous Ability, in which case, it wouldn't be allowed.
I agree, and the Corporeal Instability power may support that interpretation.
The most interesting case (that I've found) is the Animate Dream, unless you believe that its appearance is linked to Telepathy. But what if the character had a similar power?
I think in the Animate Dream, you would just appear as the shadowy and often frightful dream figure, but you would pick the figure and it would still have to fit within the restrictions of the Hex. With a telepathy power, you could read someones mind and appear as their nightmare, but you could only appear as one persons nightmare, everyone would see you that way.
It is a bit odd, that none of the shapechanging abilities are listed as to what grants the ability.
you could only appear as one persons nightmare
That would seem to be the case with the creature as well, if its appearance was tied to Telepathy, since it doesn't mention anything different about that version. I don't see any other ability that could explain everyone seeing it differently.
I think you are trying to get too much out of the Hex.
I'm not taking the hex to do things like this, but it's interesting to consider.
It's an intellectual exercise.