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 Natural AC when shapechanging...
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Kyrel
Learned Scribe

151 Posts

Posted - 08 Mar 2013 :  14:15:49  Show Profile  Visit Kyrel's Homepage Send Kyrel a Private Message  Reply with Quote  Delete Topic
Guys,
I'm about to start up a campaign where one of the players will be playing a Young Silver Dragon who'll be in human form most of the time. Last night the player posed me a question I need a bit of help answering.

Dragons have a natural AC and an innate ability to shapechange into human shape. Does the Human form retain the Dragon AC? Or does it loose the Dragon's natural AC?

Based on my understanding of the normal rules for polymorphing (3.5 btw), I'd say that you get the natural AC of the form you change into, but can anyone point me to anywhere in the 3.5 books where this is specifically mentioned?

Kentinal
Great Reader

4687 Posts

Posted - 08 Mar 2013 :  16:52:48  Show Profile Send Kentinal a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:

The creature retains the type and subtype of its original form. It gains the size of its new form. If the new form has the aquatic subtype, the creature gains that subtype as well.
The creature loses the natural weapons, natural armor, and movement modes of its original form, as well as any extraordinary special attacks of its original form not derived from class levels (such as the barbarian’s rage class feature).
The creature gains the natural weapons, natural armor, movement modes, and extraordinary special attacks of its new form.
The creature retains the special qualities of its original form. It does not gain any special qualities of its new form.
The creature retains the spell-like abilities and supernatural attacks of its old form (except for breath weapons and gaze attacks). It does not gain the spell-like abilities or attacks of its new form.
The creature gains the physical ability scores (Str, Dex, Con) of its new form. It retains the mental ability scores (Int, Wis, Cha) of its original form. Apply any changed physical ability score modifiers in all appropriate areas with one exception: the creature retains the hit points of its original form despite any change to its Constitution.
The creature retains its hit points and save bonuses, although its save modifiers may change due to a change in ability scores.
Except as described elsewhere, the creature retains all other game statistics of its original form, including (but not necessarily limited to) HD, hit points, skill ranks, feats, base attack bonus, and base save bonuses.
The creature retains any spellcasting ability it had in its original form, although it must be able to speak intelligibly to cast spells with verbal components and it must have humanlike hands to cast spells with somatic components.
The creature is effectively camouflaged as a creature of its new form, and it gains a +10 bonus on Disguise checks if it uses this ability to create a disguise.
Any gear worn or carried by the creature that can’t be worn or carried in its new form instead falls to the ground in its space. If the creature changes size, any gear it wears or carries that can be worn or carried in its new form changes size to match the new size. (Nonhumanoid-shaped creatures can’t wear armor designed for humanoid-shaped creatures, and vice versa.) Gear returns to normal size if dropped.



As such it would appear Dragon in human form will lose natural armor (which appears to make up most of the AC) and size adjustment (if any).

The quoted is from the SRD 3.5

"Small beings can have small wisdom," the dragon said. "And small wise beings are better than small fools. Listen: Wisdom is caring for afterwards."
"Caring for afterwards ...? Ker repeated this without understanding.
"After action, afterwards," the dragon said. "Choose the afterwards first, then the action. Fools choose action first."
"Judgement" copyright 2003 by Elizabeth Moon
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The Masked Mage
Great Reader

USA
2420 Posts

Posted - 08 Mar 2013 :  17:04:29  Show Profile Send The Masked Mage a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Yeah - you do not retain ANY physical traits when shape changing. Magical abilities you keep.

Also, you really need to be specific as to what for of shape changing being used for good answers to this question. There is a world of difference between a polymorph and a shapechange.
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Kentinal
Great Reader

4687 Posts

Posted - 08 Mar 2013 :  17:16:39  Show Profile Send Kentinal a Private Message  Reply with Quote
The quote above is derived from Alternate Form (Su)which is listed as a Dragon ability.

"Small beings can have small wisdom," the dragon said. "And small wise beings are better than small fools. Listen: Wisdom is caring for afterwards."
"Caring for afterwards ...? Ker repeated this without understanding.
"After action, afterwards," the dragon said. "Choose the afterwards first, then the action. Fools choose action first."
"Judgement" copyright 2003 by Elizabeth Moon
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The Masked Mage
Great Reader

USA
2420 Posts

Posted - 08 Mar 2013 :  17:42:53  Show Profile Send The Masked Mage a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Yeah, that's 3rd or 4th E speak :P - I talk old school bro :P
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