Polymorphed Cleric

[Sponson]

So I'm a cleric with a con score of 8. I won't bore you with my RP, but basically I have a persistent Divine Power on me, while my wizard buddy turns me into an 11 headed hydra.

Now my question is a question about intent really. Since I'm level 9, my new Con score of 20 (+5) would have it so that I gain a net +6 hp per HD, so I would gain 54 HP. I have about 105 HP after being polymorphed, and in the most recent encounter I took 90 damage while polymorphed.

I am the only one that can heal myself. Yet the moment polymorph is either dismissed or wears off, I instantly disintegrate due to having negative 40+ hp. Which begs the question, what exactly does an temporarily increased CON grant, aside from an improved Die Hard? Okay I killed the creature, and now I will die in 10 minutes. What, aside from healing, can over come this? And what is the point of having hp that won't save you from dying?

[Jack_Simth]

So I'm a cleric with a con score of 8. I won't bore you with my RP, but basically I have a persistent Divine Power on me, while my wizard buddy turns me into an 11 headed hydra.

Now my question is a question about intent really. Since I'm level 9, my new Con score of 20 (+5) would have it so that I gain a net +6 hp per HD, so I would gain 54 HP. I have about 105 HP after being polymorphed, and in the most recent encounter I took 90 damage while polymorphed.

I am the only one that can heal myself. Yet the moment polymorph is either dismissed or wears off, I instantly disintegrate due to having negative 40+ hp. Which begs the question, what exactly does an temporarily increased CON grant, aside from an improved Die Hard? Okay I killed the creature, and now I will die in 10 minutes. What, aside from healing, can over come this? And what is the point of having hp that won't save you from dying?Well, first off, the change in Con giving you more HP is debatable. However, ways to get around it:

1) You're a cleric. I suggest being a spontaneous curer, given your situation. Also: Pick up Still & Silent spell. They'll be quite useful, here.
2) Your buddy is a Wizard with Polymorph. With Polymorph, every time it's cast on you, you regain HP as though you rested for a night... so while it's expensive, it's arcane healing.
3) Potions! They're pretty much made for this kind of situation - healing when you don't have a healer.
4) Reserve Feats! They're supernatural, and so don't require verbal or somatic components. They're not racial, and thus stick around when you change forms. Touch of Healing (Complete Champion) is your friend, here.
5) You're already persisting spells. See if you can get the original version of Delay Death persisted (the Spell Compendium version is ineligible without extra investment) and Beastland Ferocity as well. That way, you'll be able to heal yourself up when you drop to -40 HP after the polymorph expires (although your DM WILL start throwing dispels at you if you do this...).

[ahenobarbi]

Which begs the question, what exactly does an temporarily increased CON grant, aside from an improved Die Hard? Okay I killed the creature, and now I will die in 10 minutes. What, aside from healing, can over come this? And what is the point of having hp that won't save you from dying?

Extra time for (persisted Vigor/healer buddy/items/regeneration) to heal you. Also rules consistency (think +CON items).

[Garwain]

How do you turn into a 11-headed hydra when you have only 9HD?
And even though you receive a new CON score, your HP remains the same (see Alter Self).

[Sponson]

How do you turn into a 11-headed hydra when you have only 9HD?
And even though you receive a new CON score, your HP remains the same (see Alter Self).

Turns out we totally didn't read the part in parentheses where it says the lower of the HD. We were using the Wizard's Arcane Thesis'd Polymorph level.

Gaining Con doesn't increase your current hp? Never realized that, I've always played it so that it does, I mean if your character is considered "beaten and bloodied" RP wise at half HP, and I get a whole buncha CON by donning an item while at full HP, am I sudden beaten and bloodied?

@ Jack_Smith
Great suggestions, but I am a spontaneous curer, but I thought you can't cast spells while polymorphed?

Potions are a good idea, but equipment on me is melded into my form as I am polymorphed, right? Does that include the potions in my bag? Or do I just hand them off the to wizard and hope he stays by me? Can I actually use potions as a hydra?

I have no room for more feats, though when I do I'll see if I can pick up that Reserve Feat.

I'm persisting Divine Power so that I can Melee things as a hydra, since I'm the fighter of the party (party consists of a non-optimized warlock, a ranger who uses his standard to multi-shot, a transmutation/illusionist wizard, and a straight blasty sorc that isn't the mailman).

If I ened up persistent spelling something else, I would simply persistent spell Mass Sanctuary or Mass Lesser Vigor and tell the wizard to polymorph someone else, since without Divine Power I'm just as good a candidate for being a hydra as anyone else.


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What was the original delay death? And what seems so bad about the Spell Compendium one? It would seem that a persistent Delay Death and a persistent lesser vigor on the fighter/barbarian would still make a stupid combo (Persistent Lesser Vigor ticks once a round for 1 hp, 10 rounds in a minute, 60 minutes in an hour, 24 hours in a day = 14,400 ticks or hp)

[Deadline]

Gaining Con doesn't increase your current hp? Never realized that, I've always played it so that it does, I mean if your character is considered "beaten and bloodied" RP wise at half HP, and I get a whole buncha CON by donning an item while at full HP, am I sudden beaten and bloodied?

Normally, yes it does. However, in the specific case of Polymorph (Wildshape, Alternate Form, etc), it doesn't. I think this was in the errata (and is now in the SRD), so if you are looking in the book, you won't see it.

Basically, taking on a new form which grants you an new Con score modifies everything the Con score would modify except for hitpoints.