Innocuous Shape - save or die at 4th lvl?

[Xavram5]

This seems like a pretty overpowered spell, especially for a 4th level spell, so I'm wondering if we're playing this right.

"This spell transforms a creature into a Medium or smaller animal or humanoid of no more than 1 Hit Die. If you use this spell to cause the target to take on the form of an animal, the spell functions as beast shape II. If the form is that of a humanoid, the spell can function as alter self, youthful appearance, or both, such that you can transform a creature into a generic, youthful humanoid of any type."
"Any creature that interacts with the target of this spell must succeed at a Will saving throw (using the DC of the spell) or view the target in the most innocuous possible light. On a failed saving throw, the creature views all of the target’s actions as inoffensive and no cause for concern unless the target becomes an obvious threat. The creature can otherwise act normally, and feels no compunction to obey or ignore the target; it simply assumes none of the target’s actions are dangerous or malicious unless shown evidence that proves otherwise."

Player casts this on the big bad NPC and poof, they're a rabbit or turtle. End of fight.

Can the NPC do/use any of his abilities after failing against this spell? Or is it pretty much, fight is over, as the dragon/giant/evil wizard is now something with <10 hp and no abilities?

[Mark Hoover 330]

Wait... the target is considered innocuous on a failed save by creatures interacting with it. So, if this was cast on a villain, and the PCs failed their saves while interacting with said villain... wouldn't THEY view the villain as "innocuous?"

This spell, I thought, was a combo of those other potential Alteration spells with the Sanctuary spell. You use this to make yourselves seem like a harmless kid or animal or whatever, and as long as you don't take any aggressive actions towards those that fail their saves, they ignore you as a potential threat. Am I misreading this?

[Diego Rossi]

You need to touch the target, it has a save and a duration. As with all Pholymorp spells, the target retains his hp, plus its intelligence is unaffected. Some BEEG will be greatly inconvenienced, others will have little trouble. Plys, as Mark said, there is a chance that you and your party members will fail the save and consider it harmless for the spell duration.

"OH, how fun, the BEEG turned into a turtle is trying to push that lever. What do you think will happen when it pushes it? Let's wait and look!"

[Xavram5]

Diego, so what abilities does it keep? Obviously, the NPCs natural attacks are gone...what about Extraordinary, Spell Like, or Supernatural abilities?

[Derklord]

General polymorph rules. Everything not dependent on form is kept, which includes all SLAs and most SUs.

[Xavram5]

ah okay...so no Extradordinary abilities, but still has "non form reliant" SL and SU abilities...so could use a Breath Weapon (assumes its SL/SU) but not say, a Gaze attack that is EX.

That's helpful to know, appreciate the insight guys. Sounds like a pure melee BEEG is a lot more impacted by this than someone who has SL/SU abilities or spell casting.

[AwesomenessDog]

I don't think this is mean to be used as an offensive spell as a cheapified Baleful Polymorph. Insead, it's more a more powerful Innocence spell.

The target of the spell seems innocuous but doesn't lose any abilities. A human wizard 10 is "a humanoid of no more than 1 HD" as opposed to a boggard which is a humanoid that has a monster listing with 3 HD. Even if you decide to turn yourself into a child, the child can still technically be a 10th level wizard and use all of its abilities. If you turn into a bunny, you might have issues with verbal components or things you might want to wield, but this shouldn't matter in the normal use of the spell because its basically an infiltration spell, and even used offensively it doesn't have the "you lose your abilities" line that the Baleful Polymorph spell has.

Baleful Polymorph wrote:

If the spell succeeds, the subject must also make a Will save. If this second save fails, the creature loses its extraordinary, supernatural, and spell-like abilities, loses its ability to cast spells (if it had the ability), and gains the alignment, special abilities, and Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores of its new form in place of its own.

[Diego Rossi]

Almost certainly the intended RAI is that Innocupus shape is meant for infiltration and espionage and not as an offensive spell. Sadly, the RAW lacks the "this spell work only on willing targets" text needed to make it so.
I am thinking to add that line and use it in my home games in the modified form.
I suspect that some contributors think that the (harmless) tag counts as "this spell work only on willing targets", but it doesn't do that.

[Derklord]

Xavram5 wrote:

ah okay...so no Extradordinary abilities, but still has "non form reliant" SL and SU abilities...so could use a Breath Weapon (assumes its SL/SU) but not say, a Gaze attack that is EX.

Whether it's Ex or Su doesn't matter, only whether it's form dependent. A [Su] Breath Weapon would likely be lost (if it's a racial ability), whereas an [Ex] class feature is retained.
SLAs should never be form dependant, as they're basically spells cast with your mind.

AwesomenessDog wrote:

I don't think this is mean to be used as an offensive spell as a cheapified Baleful Polymorph.

Well, "not meant as" ≠ 'can't be used as'. It's one spell level below Baleful Polymorph, but also a weaker effect, shorter duration, and requires touch range. I don't think it's particularly imbalanced as-written.

Of course, figuring out which ability is form dependent can be a major headache, I certainly couldn't blame anyone for changing the spell for that reason alone.

[AwesomenessDog]

There is the fact that it doesn't have the second save to see if you only remember the abilities and gain the mental stats of your new form. You can turn a dragon into a tiny adorable kitty, but it can still blast you if it passes the second save. So as long as someone isn't saying the lack of the second save means it gets no chance to remember and use non-form abilities, I don't have too much of a problem with it.

[Pizza Lord]

Diego Rossi wrote:

I suspect that some contributors think that the (harmless) tag counts as "this spell work only on willing targets", but it doesn't do that.

I am inclined to believe that this is the case as well. I think the designer assumed (harmless) meant willing only. That and the fact that it emulates other polymorph spells that are almost always Personal or You, which, by their nature, don't usually allow saving throws or resistance.

Unfortunately, the way it's written it can be used offensively, so a GM will either have to rule it differently or just be prepared.