I'm wondering what abilities an Imp Consular would or wouldn't gain when using Change Shape to assume the form of a Tiny or Small animal. The rules for Change Shape say that you gain "any other abilities of the creature it mimics", but I'm not 100% sure whether that means you get all of the creature's physical abilities or just whatever the spell equivalent power you're using would normally entitle you to. For the Imp Consular that's Beast Shape II and the list of abilities is: climb 60 feet, fly 60 feet (good maneuverability), swim 60 feet, darkvision 60 feet, low-light vision, scent, grab, pounce, and trip.
I'm guessing that the latter interpretation is what's intended, but the former would be pretty cool since it would let an Imp who turns into a skunk use Musk. This would make the roleplaying angle of turning my PC's skunk familiar into an Imp work a little better. If that won't pan out I can probably figure out a way for him to cast Drunkard's Breath (only not "breath" exactly). This doesn't need to be effective. I just figure that a skunk should be able to stink. This particular skunk just died and needs to come back from Hell better this time though ("Ah! Smell the brimstone! Mr. Stinkums has returned!")
Anyhow, here are the rules for Change Shape...
Change Shape (Su)
A creature with this special quality has the ability to assume the appearance of a specific creature or type of creature (usually a humanoid), but retains most of its own physical qualities. A creature cannot change shape to a form more than one size category smaller or larger than its original form. This ability functions as a polymorph spell, the type of which is listed in the creature’s description, but the creature does not adjust its ability scores (although it gains any other abilities of the creature it mimics). Unless otherwise stated, it can remain in an alternate form indefinitely. Some creatures, such as lycanthropes, can transform into unique forms with special modifiers and abilities. These creatures do adjust their ability scores, as noted in their descriptions.
Format: change shape (wolf, beast shape I); Location: SQ, and in Special Abilities for creatures with a unique listing.
"One in every thousand imps possesses the ability to communicate telepathically with creatures within 50 feet and the power to change its form into that of any Small or Tiny animal, as per the spell beast shape II."
Beast Shape II: "If the form you assume has any of the following abilities, you gain the listed ability: climb 60 feet, fly 60 feet (good maneuverability), swim 60 feet, darkvision 60 feet, low-light vision, scent, grab, pounce, and trip."
Ok, that's pretty much what I thought, but the "although it gains any other abilities of the creature it mimics" was vague enough it seemed worth asking in case anybody had heard of a different ruling.
Ok, that's pretty much what I thought, but the "although it gains any other abilities of the creature it mimics" was vague enough it seemed worth asking in case anybody had heard of a different ruling.
It's vague because the spell used varies by creature. For instance a normal imp looks at the Beast shape I chart while the Consular is the Beast Shape chart, a Bronze dragon uses the polymorph chart and the Doppelganger uses the alter self chart. It's basically telling you to use the options from the spell mimicked minus the stats.
I'll admit my complaint is rather a petty one, but they could have explicitly stated that you gain all abilities normally granted by the spell in question except for the ability score changes.
I'll admit my complaint is rather a petty one, but they could have explicitly stated that you gain all abilities normally granted by the spell in question except for the ability score changes.
I think they did when they said "This ability functions as a polymorph spell, the type of which is listed in the creature’s description". Functioning as the type of spell listed means "gain all abilities normally granted by the spell in question". What other reason is there for listing a certain spell is you aren't meant to check it for what abilities you get? If it was just "gains any other abilities of the creature it mimics" without the limits of the stated spell then the stated spell has no reason for being there.
So having a spell listed in Change Shape IS your explicate statement of abilities gained.
Ok, they couldn't have possibly written it any better.