Permanent Polymorph on a PC

[Talakeal]

What happens in a player uses a polymorph any object spell to permanently transform into a new race? Do they have to pay for the ECL somehow? Do they gain racial HD? What if the race has no rules for being a player character?

[Urpriest]

First: there is no well-motivated reason to do a permanent transformation differently than a non-permanent one. Duration is one of those interchangeable bits of a spell that can be messed with independently of the rest with the metamagic system and the like, so changing it shouldn't change the rest of the spell.

Some argue that Polymorph Any Object can do a more complete transformation than Polymorph due to the "This spell functions like polymorph, except that it changes one object or creature into another" clause, but I find that argument somewhat weak. I'd say that a creature permanently PaO'd should have the same traits as if they were Polymorphed (with the exception of the various mental stat changes).

[SowZ]

What happens in a player uses a polymorph any object spell to permanently transform into a new race? Do they have to pay for the ECL somehow? Do they gain racial HD? What if the race has no rules for being a player character?

Super common abuse, especially when starting at high levels. Player picks a race with bad physical penalties or else just be venerable and had a 2 in each physical stat. Then they polymorph into something crazy right away and boom. 16+ in each stat. /:

How you rule it is up to you, POA is one of those poorly written spells IMO. Myself? I just won't let players perma-polymorph but I realize this is house-ruled so if you want RAW you have more trouble. If you want to give them the HD of the creature as RHD or treat the CR of the creature as it's LA, (kind of taking a page from PF a bit,) more power to you. That's fair.

Then the player may try and do the thing where a human can perma change into any type of creature by perma changing into something humanoid but with the same subtype as their intended creature, then perma change into a humanoid with the same subtype and size as the intended creature. Then finally they change into the intended creature. While you are at it you may want to rule that the original creature is always treated as what they were at birth, not their new permanent form.

[eggs]

Then they permanently have the various racial features involved, as specified by Polymorph. That doesn't include LA, HD or any other costs.

The example of "Shrew into Manticore" implies that the HD limit on the target has somehow been removed, but the removal isn't explicitly stated - if you're digging for a limiting factor on PAO, that's the best you're going to find.

But without a contrived explanation for the shrew->manticore morph, that does mean that paying 1200 gp to the friendly neighborhood wizard can permanently turn the level 3 Fighter into a Fire Giant, with all the appropriate stat/size increases. There's a reason Polymorph is broken.

[Urpriest]

Are there stats out there for shrews? They might have advancement that goes up to 6HD.

[Psyren]

Broken or not, you're still one dispel magic away from going back to being a ferret Fighter. Not worth it imo.

I agree though that the HD limit's adjustment is strongly implied at least.

[Tvtyrant]

If I was going this route, I would simply buy a Skin of the Proteus and use 24/day metamorphosis. It is just as OP, but without the pesky dispel weakness (costs more though).