Did I get this stuff right?

[seebs]

So, for a long time, I've been frustrated by the need to reference back from each polymorph spell in a chain to previous ones, and so on.

So.

I wrote up what I think are the contents of the various polymorph spells.

A couple of questions:

1. Undead Anatomy I says that the form must be vaguely humanoid. The others in the chain don't say that. Does that mean that they don't have that requirement, or that they still have that requirement for small or medium forms but not for others, or that they still have that requirement at all sizes?
2. What natural attacks, if any, do undead forms other than small or medium get?
3. Do the stat buffs listed for elemental body and form of the dragon apply only if you're the largest size the spell permits, or do they just give you the same buffs regardless?
4. Is it intentional that Undead Anatomy IV buffs tiny and large forms, but not the others, in terms of base stats granted?
5. Should Shapechange be able to duplicate Monstrous Physique or Undead Anatomy?
6. Can any of these spells assume a humanoid form that isn't small or medium? (I'm not even sure whether any exist.)

[graystone]

1: all the others have a basic body shape(s) included with their type. Undead could be any shape so they limited it.
2: Mostly what's already listed.
3: IMO Based on spell not size.
4: Don't know
5: Don't see why not.
6: If they do exist, I'd allow shapechange to do it.

[Orfamay Quest]

seebs wrote:

4. Is it intentional that Undead Anatomy IV buffs tiny and large forms, but not the others, in terms of base stats granted?

Undead Anatomy IV grants everything that Undead Anatomy III grants, which in turn is everything that Undead Anatomy II grants.

[seebs]

I think I may not have been clear enough.

On question 1:
Yes, I understand why it's limited. What I don't know is whether it is intended that the higher-tier spells allow forms which are not "vaguely humanoid", or whether it is intended that they allow those only for sizes other than small or medium, or whether it is intended that they do not allow them at all.

On question 2:
Nothing at all is listed for any forms but small or medium. We are given specific attacks granted to small and medium forms. We are not told anything about other forms. Do they get natural attacks? Do they get the same natural attacks? If so, what damage would they do? There's nothing about the natural attacks outside of Undead Anatomy I. I could make a case for claiming that you still get natural attacks, but their damage isn't stated, and I could make one for claiming that you don't get natural attacks, because "works like undead anatomy I" only gives you natural attacks in those two specific sizes.

On question 4:
Undead Anatomy III grants buffs to all sizes.
Undead Anatomy IV increases the buffs for Tiny and Large forms, but retains the lower buffs for Diminutive, Small, Medium, and Huge forms.

I'm not confused about the "grants everything that the previous spells granted". I'm confused about the fact that every size already had listed buffs, and that in no other case has any of the polymorph school spells changed the buffs for an existing size category, but then suddenly Undead Anatomy IV replaces existing stat modifiers with new ones which don't fit in the usual progression at all, but does it for only two of the six sizes that were already being provided by Undead Anatomy III.