Humanoid HD1 Alter Shape Forms

[Josh the Aspie]

Hey there all!

I am currently playing in a campaign where I have taken then Precocious apprentice feat on my Wizard, and I selected Alter Shape for my 2nd level spell, due to it being a long term buff. Woe be me, when I recalled that the majority of the best forms I am familiar with (Troglodyte, Lizardman) are all 2hd or above.

Is anyone out there aware of any fairly good defensive or utility 1HD Alter Form shapes to tide me over till then?

[imperialspectre]

In core, kobold is your best bet. Small size and +1 natural armor means you get a free +2 to AC and bonuses to Stealth without the annoying kobold weaknesses.

Outside of core, avariel (wasn't reprinted after Races of Faerun to my knowledge, therefore 3.5 legal IIRC) gets you free flight. Forestkith Goblin (MM 3) gets you the same bonuses as the kobold.

Other than that, nothing's coming to mind.

[arguskos]

Raptorans are an LA 0 humanoid race that get natural flight, at least, I do remember them being humanoid. Can someone with the book on hand check please?

[Curmudgeon]

Just start with the [3.5]Forms for Alter Self (http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=176246) and start searching through The Hypertext d20 SRD (http://www.d20srd.org/).

[imperialspectre]

Also, Arguskos is right; raptorans are humanoid. The problem is, raptorans' flight is keyed off of HD, and doesn't work as actual flight until 10 HD (at 5 HD, you can fly, but only for [CON, min 1] rounds before being fatigued). So it doesn't help at this low of a level, aside from being a free [Ex] feather fall.

[Josh the Aspie]

Thank you all!

And I am aware of the 'good races for Alter Shape' thread, the problem is that it focuses primarily on higher HD creatures, and I was hoping they left lower HD creatures out, in favor of more powerful ones of higher HD, and folks would know of good 1 hd ones.

[tyckspoon]

You can turn into a mer-folk if you need a Swim speed. Other than that, pretty much all of the combative forms are higher HD; 1 HD Humanoids just aren't monstrous enough to have decent armor/natural weapons.

[Tempest Fennac]

While this isn't perfect at all, page 27 of http://crystalkeep.com/d20/rules/DnD3.5Index-Races.pdf contains some ret-conned Kobold stats (this version has 3 natural weapons). Alternatively, if the DM is fine with homebrew, I have LA 0 Gnoll and Rakasta (humanoid cat) stats which I use when I want to use those races which have natural weapons:

Gnoll: +2 Str and Con, -2 Int and Cha, +1 Natural Armour, Darkvision 60', 1d6 bite attack, Spot and Listen are always inclass.

Rakasta: +2 Dex, -2 Wis, Darkvision 60', 2 1d4 Claw attacks, +2 to Balance, Jump and Move Silently checks and Blind Fight as long as whiskers are intact.

(Both of them are medium sized with a movement speed of 30'.)

If those won't work, you could look at this 3.5 Anachu conversion: http://www.enworld.org/cc/converted/view_c.php?CreatureID=851 .

[sebsmith]

Human, and use your extraordinary feat for dodge or similar defensive feat.

[Josh the Aspie]

While this isn't perfect at all, page 27 of http://crystalkeep.com/d20/rules/DnD3.5Index-Races.pdf contains some ret-conned Kobold stats (this version has 3 natural weapons). Alternatively, if the DM is fine with homebrew, I have LA 0 Gnoll and Rakasta (humanoid cat) stats which I use when I want to use those races which have natural weapons:

Gnoll: +2 Str and Con, -2 Int and Cha, +1 Natural Armour, Darkvision 60', 1d6 bite attack, Spot and Listen are always inclass.

Rakasta: +2 Dex, -2 Wis, Darkvision 60', 2 1d4 Claw attacks, +2 to Balance, Jump and Move Silently checks and Blind Fight as long as whiskers are intact.

(Both of them are medium sized with a movement speed of 30'.)

If those won't work, you could look at this 3.5 Anachu conversion: http://www.enworld.org/cc/converted/view_c.php?CreatureID=851 .

:P I'm actually the DM, which is one of the reasons I will not allow any homebrew specifically for my own sake. I'm already the wizard, I'm not going to aggravate it further and pitch headlong into DMPC territory.

Yes, I have a PC, yes, I'm the DM. I started up a thread trying to get a game together where I would get to play the wizard. I wound up being the only one willing and able to DM too (with the assistance of another player).

[Tempest Fennac]

Sorry about that (I didn't realise this was the game you mentioned before). I guess you could ask the players if they have any homebrew stuff which they want to try in order to balance you using homebrewed stuff.

[Emy]

While this isn't perfect at all, page 27 of http://crystalkeep.com/d20/rules/DnD3.5Index-Races.pdf contains some ret-conned Kobold stats (this version has 3 natural weapons).

Those kobold improvements are from the second part of the Races of the Dragon Web Enhancement (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20060420a).

[Josh the Aspie]

Sorry about that (I didn't realise this was the game you mentioned before). I guess you could ask the players if they have any homebrew stuff which they want to try in order to balance you using homebrewed stuff.

Not a problem, I didn't mention it specifically. Perhaps I should start doing so.