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From: mr-frog@sdcsvax.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.games.frp
Subject: Re: Polymorphing
Message-ID: <659@sdcsvax.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 10-Apr-84 02:42:19 EST
Article-I.D.: sdcsvax.659
Posted: Tue Apr 10 02:42:19 1984
Date-Received: Wed, 11-Apr-84 07:22:18 EST
References: <731@houxz.UUCP>
Organization: EECS Dept., U.C. San Diego
Lines: 49

<>
When the player's handbook first came out (with the revised spell
descriptions) we noticed that polymorph self and poly other had
been changed so that they had different effects.  We determined
that this was absurd, and decided to stick with the older version.

I'll just bet that Gygax, after seeing how useful polymorph
other was, decided to crock it to the point of uselessness.  What
I refer to is uses such as "Oh, a stone wall?  Ok, I'll polymorph
the fighter into an Umber Hulk and he'll dig a passage through."
Now with the new description, there would be a decent chance for
the fighter to permanently change into the umber hulk (kinda bad
for the party's health).

Now, I must admit I exaggerated when I said the new polymorph other
is useless; it's not.  Now, with this new spell, it's possible to
convert icky nasty brutes to faithful worshippers of Bahamut
(and good chess-players to boot)!  Take your average ogre.  Zap
him with the New, Improved Polymorph Other spell, and assuming
he makes his system shock, (and fails his save), there's a 105%
chance you'll have an ancient huge gold dragon on your hands,
Lawful Good alignment included free of charge!  Of course, there
is the other side of the coin -- making Tiamat worshippers
(Ancient Huge Red dragons) out of hapless second level lawful
good clerics...

The chance is derived from the PH pp. 78 "polymorph other" formula.

	100% - (5% x intelligence) + ((dragon_hd - ogre_hd) x 5%)
	100% - (5 x 7) + ((12 - 4) x 5%) = 100 - 35 + 40 = 105%

Since only a fourth level spell can do ALL this, it seems reasonable
to have a lower level spell that simply changes the form,
and not the alignment, hit-dice, mentality, and knowlege of
the target.

I'm saying all this to illustrate a point.  I really don't like
the idea behind the new version -- our "race-change" spell
is ninth level, and IT doesn't change alignment, or imbue the
target with any new knowlege, or give the target hit dice.
The old version of polymorph simply changed the form, and
means of locomotion.  In my book, the new polymorph just does
too much.

Any Gygax-worshippers care to take up the gauntlet?


Dave Pare
ucbvax!sdcsvax!mr-frog