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Bassikpoet
2009-03-17, 02:10 AM
So one of the female PCs in our last campaign got petrified. The cleric decided to have a little fun and "enhance" the petrified woman with "Stone shape." She was then brought back to her normal living form.

Is such a thing possible? What would be the consequence to the shaped person?

Kobold_Love
2009-03-17, 02:21 AM
I just have to ask. How many bust sizes did she go up?


(Hey, I am not the one who did it...)

Kylarra
2009-03-17, 02:25 AM
by RAW I don't think it works that way, but by DM fiat it's hilarious. :smalltongue:

Coidzor
2009-03-17, 02:39 AM
Hmm, for such comedic purposes, I'd wonder whether that meant she was suddenly lacking in the booty or something to account for the re-arranged stone...

As far as what the spell does... Hmm, well, there would've been a 30% chance of it failing due to including moving parts :smallwink:

The srd entry doesn't mention what kind of stone (if any) it's limited to...


Stone Shape
Transmutation [Earth]
Level: Clr 3, Drd 3, Earth 3, Sor/Wiz 4
Components: V, S, M/DF
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: Stone or stone object touched, up to 10 cu. ft. + 1 cu. ft./level
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No

You can form an existing piece of stone into any shape that suits your purpose. While it’s possible to make crude coffers, doors, and so forth with stone shape, fine detail isn’t possible. There is a 30% chance that any shape including moving parts simply doesn’t work.
Arcane Material Component

Soft clay, which must be worked into roughly the desired shape of the stone object and then touched to the stone while the verbal component is uttered.



Seems to imply that it either wouldn't work, by RAW, or... her flesh would be rearranged somehow so she'd be missing flesh in places in order to make up for what had been moved to her breasts, meaning gods knows what complications if anything other than fatty tissue got distributed there... If she was touching stone already, I think that might count as a possible source for the stone but that stone would just become meat, possibly becoming her meat, possibly not...

Suffice to say, the decision to go along with it for hilarity's sake was probably the best decision.

Jayngfet
2009-03-17, 02:44 AM
Just grow your hair out REALLY long beforehand and use the extera hair for "dimensions".

Ascension
2009-03-17, 05:20 AM
Just grow your hair out REALLY long beforehand and use the extera hair for "dimensions".

This could turn into a whole industry of magical cosmetic surgery, with the likelihood of such usage of the spell increasing as your setting's use of magic approaches its Tippyverse theoretical limit.

I don't think the moving parts failure rate would apply to shaping petrified humans since they can't move while they're still stone. The penalty would be for shaping stone constructs or other stone devices that include moving parts in their stone forms. Still, though, given some people's willingness to undergo risky bargain basement cosmetic surgery, I think the excessively vain would accept the risks even at a 30% failure rate.

Zephyros
2009-03-17, 05:45 AM
Petrify -> Stoneshape would be the magical cosmetic surgery for the poor and illegal one at that :smallbiggrin:

The richer ladies would trust PAO-Makeover :smallbiggrin:

MickJay
2009-03-17, 05:49 AM
I remember an argument that the petrified person still counts as a person for the purpose of spells cast on it, and not as a stone (so animating them or stone shape shouldn't work). Of course that was only one of the opinions, and I think sourcebooks supported both this and the opposite interpretation.

Still, what would probably happen with stone shape (if it was allowed) would be that after the petrification was over, the person would have huge wounds in places from which the "stone" was moved, and from the place where the "stone" was moved to, chunks of meat would fall off. In other words, stone shaping would allow to move petrified flesh (but not replace the skin) and would not actually make the flesh "meld" into the place where it was moved.

Ascension
2009-03-17, 05:53 AM
Petrify -> Stoneshape would be the magical cosmetic surgery for the poor and illegal one at that :smallbiggrin:

The richer ladies would trust PAO-Makeover :smallbiggrin:

I keep forgetting Polymorph Any Object can be permanent. Still, I don't see why petrifying people for cosmetic reasons would be illegal in a high magic setting... after all, we inject botulism into people now.

Tempest Fennac
2009-03-17, 07:44 AM
I remember someone telling me that this trick could be used to give someone extra arms if more stone was provided. I'm guessing it would be up to the DM whether this would work or not, though.

DrizztFan24
2009-03-17, 08:58 AM
Extra arm's thing I would have to give the 30% failure...and the recipient would have to have enough dex to use them with any finesse, or spend time learnign how to use the two new appendages.

Gorbash
2009-03-17, 09:01 AM
fine detail isn’t possible.

I'd say boobs are fine details. :smallbiggrin:

Person_Man
2009-03-17, 10:38 AM
Why would you bother with Stoneshaping cosmetic surgery? For the same cost you can presumably afford a Hat of Disguise, which essentially accomplishes the same thing. Heck, a custom ring of Alter Self wouldn't be that expensive either, and you could experiment with being a different race (though not type), the opposite sex, etc.

Zephyros
2009-03-17, 11:13 AM
^^" STOP ROCKING THE BED!!! You won't like it if my hat falls off..'
"Wat?! ... MY GOD!"

Hzurr
2009-03-17, 11:48 AM
This is an interesting idea. In theory (if you allowed petrify -> stoneshape to work in your world), this is an excellent way to change your identity. I mean, if someone is looking for you, and they're a high enough level, they'll most likely have a method to detect illusions or magic. I mean, 1 casting of "true seeing" or "detect magic" will do you in if you're relying on a hat of disguise or a ring of alter self, as was suggested.

The petrify approach, however, wouldn't leave a magical trace (in my mind). You can change your build, change your facial structure, change...whatever (depending on what limits the dm would allow).

From a DM's perspective, this could be an awesome way to hide an enemy to infiltrate the party. As far as they can tell, Billy-the-new-guy doesn't register any magical disguise, but somehow has all the knowledge and abilities of Garlack-the-destroyer. This could be useful.

Flickerdart
2009-03-17, 11:55 AM
I'd say boobs are fine details. :smallbiggrin:

Super-fine detail. :smallwink:

The thing is, look at how you cast the spell. You have to shape the body parts you want from clay. Which makes a hilarious mental image, but also means you can see how the boobs will play out relative to your hand rather well.

Darth Stabber
2009-03-17, 11:55 AM
It says there is a 30% failure rate for moving parts, but when petrified the parts aren't moving. So I would say you are safe from that.

As a GM I would probably assign some sort of con and/or dex ability burn(as per XPH). This would reflect the fact that it would take your body a while to get acclimated to it's new dimensions, and ability damage is to easy to undo. A restoration spell could be used to undo the change of shape should the need be.

So RASI (rules as Stabber Interprets) you can do it, When the subject is unpetrified they take 1d4 dex burn and 1d4 con burn. a restoration spell effect of 4th lvl or higher can undo the shape change (but not the ability burn).

Heliomance
2009-03-17, 11:58 AM
The problem is the no fine detail clause.

Keld Denar
2009-03-17, 12:03 PM
Why would you bother with Stoneshaping cosmetic surgery? For the same cost you can presumably afford a Hat of Disguise, which essentially accomplishes the same thing. Heck, a custom ring of Alter Self wouldn't be that expensive either, and you could experiment with being a different race (though not type), the opposite sex, etc.

Obligatory OotS (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0365.html) reference!

The Rose Dragon
2009-03-17, 12:18 PM
The problem is the no fine detail clause.

Fine detail? You just add stone to the area.

If anything, she should have that part carved out to be less... prominent.

Darth Stabber
2009-03-17, 01:24 PM
The spell really should have a clause to allow a Craft(sculpture) check to attempt fine detail.

JackMage666
2009-03-17, 02:37 PM
Interesting idea...

Now, I think the trick is to not use Stoneshape and add in a few more spells. The best way to go about it would be...

Flesh to Stone - To petrify the person. This is the best way for PCs, or you could have a pet Cockatrice. Either way, petrification is the goal.
Transmute Rock to Mud - The wording of this is vague enough that you could argue that you could convert the stone into a pliable clay.
Craft (Sculpture) - Shape as desired. You could argue that you could add more mud to the sculpture, but DM might rule against it.
Transmute Mud to Rock - To return to statue form.
Stone to Flesh - Or other petrification fixer.

There might be better ways. If I remember correctly, Sandstorm as Flesh to Sand or something, and Sandshape... I'm not sure though.