3.5 - Involuntary Transformations?

[DataPacRat]

I'm a 1st & 2nd edition veteran, and while I've dipped my toes into 3e a few times, I'm not very well-read in it. A character idea has lodged in my imagination, and I'm wondering if 3e happens to already have some rules that can be adapted to fit, or if it should just be handled via flufftext.

Short version: Curious young wizard peeks into too-advanced spellbook, ends up stuck in monstrous shape - eg, something vaguely were-rat-ish.

I'm perfectly fine with saying "statwise, he's just a human, he just has fur, a tail, and CHA 3 now" and going from there, but if there's some optional rule or splatbook or whatnot that's close enough to the concept for government work, I'd be happy to learn of it.

[Ernir]

I think the easiest solution would be to play something exotic as a race.

You could take a look at the anthropomorphic animals in Savage Species, if you have access. There is even an anthropomorphic rat.

[DataPacRat]

I think the easiest solution would be to play something exotic as a race.

You could take a look at the anthropomorphic animals in Savage Species, if you have access. There is even an anthropomorphic rat.

Hm, that looks like it could work, with the actual transformation effect possibly glossed over as some one-off accident.


Let's see... as best as I can figure out from Savage Species and the MM, an anthropomorphic rat would have:

Monstrous humanoid, Size: Small
Str: -4, Dex: +2, Wis: +4, Cha: -4
Darkvision 60 ft, Low-light vision, scent
and Weapon Finesse as a racial bonus feat with a 1d4-4 Bite.

... and would otherwise be statted out through his class normally. Does that look about right?

[Darrin]

Short version: Curious young wizard peeks into too-advanced spellbook, ends up stuck in monstrous shape - eg, something vaguely were-rat-ish.


Craft contingent spell or Greater Glyph Seal + polymorph any object could do this. Humanoid polymorphed to a rat-like humanoid would have a permanent duration. This could be dispelled later with break enchantment or dispel magic. Make the original polymorph caster level really really high (over 40+, for example), and an ordinary non-epic break enchantment/dispel magic won't work. Make it a plot point or character goal to find the original owner of the spellbook, who can dispel the effect.



I'm perfectly fine with saying "statwise, he's just a human, he just has fur, a tail, and CHA 3 now" and going from there, but if there's some optional rule or splatbook or whatnot that's close enough to the concept for government work, I'd be happy to learn of it.

There are two rat-like humanoids in Oriental Adventures: Nezumi (medium size, speed 40', bite and two claws), and Hengeyokai (hybrid rat-form, medium size, speed 30', +4 racial bonus on Hide checks). Were-rat also has a hybrid form. That might work best, actually. Polymorph could change your shape into a were-rat hybrid, but you would not gain the lycanthropy template or shapechanger subtype. You gain some (Ex) abilities from dire rat, but nothing all that overpowered. My best guess on the effects of polymorph:

Medium size, speed 30' (hybrid form doesn't have a climb speed)
Natural armor +1 (from dire rat)
Bite attack, 1d6 damage + disease (from dire rat)
Special Attacks/Qualities: Disease (Ex), Rat Empathy (Ex)
Saves: determined by class levels
Abilities: no change. (Technically, the +6 Dex and +2 Con are granted as part of the lycanthrope template, which you wouldn't get.)
Skills: use your Dex modifier for Climb and Swim checks, +8 racial bonus on Climb and Swim checks, and can always take 10 on Climb checks (from dire rat, although you lose their climb speed, you keep their racial skill bonuses).
Feats: gain Weapon Finesse as a bonus feat (from dire rat).

Polymorphing into another creature doesn't affect your Charisma, but if you want a Charisma penalty, then just add a bestow curse effect: -6 decrease to an ability score (1 minimum).

[DataPacRat]

Craft contingent spell or Greater Glyph Seal + polymorph any object could do this.

From what I can make out from the description, Craft Contingent Spell is supposed to be applied directly to creatures, rather than placed on objects to be triggered.

Greater Glyph Seal seems just about right - save that, from what I can tell from various discussions, it was supposed to hold spells of "5th level or lower" instead of the as-written "5th level or higher", which makes PAO, at 8th level, tricky. But I expect I can get away with the RAW rather than RAI there. :)






There are two rat-like humanoids in Oriental Adventures: Nezumi (medium size, speed 40', bite and two claws), and Hengeyokai (hybrid rat-form, medium size, speed 30', +4 racial bonus on Hide checks). Were-rat also has a hybrid form. That might work best, actually.

This gives me a variety of options to pick from. After a quick read, my initial leaning is to build something around Nezumi - maybe I'll check the Unearthed Arcana for a modified race template.



Polymorphing into another creature doesn't affect your Charisma, but if you want a Charisma penalty, then just add a bestow curse effect: -6 decrease to an ability score (1 minimum).

Works for me; thank you.

[Telonius]

You might want to check out the "Lycanthropy as an Affliction" section of the monster manual. SRD version here (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/lycanthrope.htm):

Lycanthropy As An Affliction

When a character contracts lycanthropy through a lycanthrope’s bite (see above), no symptoms appear until the first night of the next full moon. On that night, the afflicted character involuntarily assumes animal form and forgets his or her own identity, temporarily becoming an NPC. The character remains in animal form, assuming the appropriate alignment, until the next dawn.

The character’s actions during this first episode are dictated by the alignment of its animal form. The character remembers nothing about the entire episode (or subsequent episodes) unless he succeeds on a DC 15 Wisdom check, in which case he becomes aware of his lycanthropic condition.

Thereafter, the character is subject to involuntary transformation under the full moon and whenever damaged in combat. He or she feels an overwhelming rage building up and must succeed on a Control Shape check (see below) to resist changing into animal form. Any player character not yet aware of his or her lycanthropic condition temporarily becomes an NPC during an involuntary change, and acts according to the alignment of his or her animal form.

A character with awareness of his condition retains his identity and does not lose control of his actions if he changes. However, each time he changes to his animal form, he must make a Will save (DC 15 + number of times he has been in animal form) or permanently assume the alignment of his animal form in all shapes.

Once a character becomes aware of his affliction, he can now voluntarily attempt to change to animal or hybrid form, using the appropriate Control Shape check DC. An attempt is a standard action and can be made each round. Any voluntary change to animal or hybrid form immediately and permanently changes the character’s alignment to that of the appropriate lycanthrope.
Changing Form

Changing form is a standard action. If the change is involuntary, the character performs the change on his next turn following the triggering event. An afflicted character who is not aware of his condition remains in animal form until the next dawn. An afflicted character who is aware of his or her condition (see above) can try to resume humanoid form following a change (voluntary or involuntary) with a Control Shape check, but if he fails his check, he remains in animal (or hybrid) form until the following dawn.
Curing Lycanthropy

An afflicted character who eats a sprig of belladonna (also called wolfsbane) within 1 hour of a lycanthrope’s attack can attempt a DC 20 Fortitude save to shake off the affliction. If a healer administers the herb, use the character’s save bonus or the healer’s Heal modifier, whichever is higher. The character gets only one chance, no matter how much belladonna is consumed. The belladonna must be reasonably fresh (picked within the last week).

However, fresh or not, belladonna is toxic. The character must succeed on a DC 13 Fortitude save or take 1d6 points of Strength damage. One minute later, the character must succeed on a second DC 13 save or take an additional 2d6 points of Strength damage.

A remove disease or heal spell cast by a cleric of 12th level or higher also cures the affliction, provided the character receives the spell within three days of the lycanthrope’s attack.

The only other way to remove the affliction is to cast remove curse or break enchantment on the character during one of the three days of the full moon. After receiving the spell, the character must succeed on a DC 20 Will save to break the curse (the caster knows if the spell works). If the save fails, the process must be repeated.

Characters undergoing this cure are often kept bound or confined in cages until the cure takes effect.

Only afflicted lycanthropes can be cured of lycanthropy.

You could fiddle with the wording a bit to make the curse less cure-able than standard lycanthropy, take effect under different circumstances, and so on.

[awa]

since when do nezumi get a bite and two claws? they get one bite or claw that can not be used as a secondary weapon.

[Darrin]

since when do nezumi get a bite and two claws? they get one bite or claw that can not be used as a secondary weapon.

That's somewhat... indeterminate. The Rules Compendium now says that all natural weapons can become secondary attacks. However, I'm not sure if the Nezumi stat block trumps the general rules.

[awa]

im away from by books this week but i believe it specifically states it can't be used as a secondary attack so i believe that trumps a general rule