Polymorph any Object and Imps

[Val'bryn2]

Bit of a strange question, but here we go. Say I have a caster with Polymorph Any Object. They take an imp and turn it into devilskin armor, basically an opposite alignment version of angelskin armor. I think that would qualify for permanent change, being same kingdom, lower intelligence, and related. Do you think the imp would still have access to its change shape ability, now treating the armor as its default form?

If I did a Dretch instead, would the armor possess the telepathy ability?

As a side question, PaO can't be used to make magical armor, but what does everyone think of having the newly created armor enchanted?

[Fuzzy-Wuzzy]

Well, since PAO gives "Sheep to wool coat: 2 days" as an example, I have to think "imp to impskin armor" would be the same.

Ignoring that, the armor is an object, not a creature, and I believe has no Int, Wis, or Cha; more importantly, it has no volition. So any supernatural abilities it might retain that aren't always on will never be used.

But if you did use PAO to get mwk armor with a permanent duration, I don't see why it couldn't be enchanted normally.

[Val'bryn2]

I'm not certain you're entirely right in terms of it lacking mental ability scores, the only mention of changing ability scores is that it grants in case it had been a nonability. Since that isn't the case, it stays the same, unless when a wizard polymorphs into a fox it becomes an Int 2 character for the duration. I agree it can't take physical actions, but I don't see why it couldn't perform purely mental actions, as a Str, Dex, and Con - creature.

[Meirril]

PAO specifically says "This spell cannot create material of great intrinsic value, such as copper, silver, gems, silk, gold, platinum, mithral, or adamantine. It also cannot reproduce the special properties of cold iron in order to overcome the damage reduction of certain creatures."

So if you used PAO to create something to craft with, it doesn't have any special properties. The resulting armor would have no material properties.

PAO acts like greater transformation, and a laundry list of other spells. The only spell that transforms a living creature into an inanimate object is Flesh to Stone which would be the most appropriate guide on how to treat the newly transformed Imp. It would be a non-aware object until the transformation is undone, and the process of enchanting it would be a grey area. The easiest solution would be to declare the Imp dead, but if the GM is feeling playful anything is fine.

The difference between a Fox and a suit of armor is extreme. A fox is at a bare minimum a living creature capable of having a will and exercising it. An inanimate object is inanimate, by definition. If this was a spell that allowed transformation into Undead you might try for a possessed suit of armor, but that is beyond the scope of Greater Transformation which is the default ability of PAO to transform from one creature to another.