Alter Self Help

[chrisgray86]

Hey Guys I have a few questions. This is my first dnd game ever so I am extreamly new. My dm runs everything out of 3.5. I am a Level 5 Human Sorcerer took alter self and I am wondering a few things. If I change into a Crucian can I still cast spells or do I get a penality? Also Does mage armor stack on the +8 that creature already gets? And finally everyone says the tren is a good choice because of the +9 and the swim bonus it gets (which I know we will need later in our game) but is the Tren anywhere in 3.5 or is it only in 4

[Gavinfoxx]

http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=2811

That is the handbook for Alter Self. It has the sources. And Alter self gives you exactly what it says...

Here is the writeup of the spell:

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/alterSelf.htm

And here is a link that helps you keep the various different polymorphing spells and abilities straight:

http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=3479.0

[Clistenes]

Hey Guys I have a few questions. This is my first dnd game ever so I am extreamly new. My dm runs everything out of 3.5. I am a Level 5 Human Sorcerer took alter self and I am wondering a few things. If I change into a Crucian can I still cast spells or do I get a penality? Also Does mage armor stack on the +8 that creature already gets? And finally everyone says the tren is a good choice because of the +9 and the swim bonus it gets (which I know we will need later in our game) but is the Tren anywhere in 3.5 or is it only in 4

The Armor Bonus of the Mage Armor stacks with the Crucian Natural Armor.

Your charisma doesn't decrease when your appearance becomes that of a Crucian, so you suffer no spellcasting penalty.

You get the racial skill bonuses and movement speeds of the new form, but not the skill points coming from HD, so I think you get the 40 ft swim speed of the Tren, but not the +10 to swim (which comes from HD). You would also get a +4 racial bonus to Hide, but nothing more.

Try to convince your DM to allow you to change into an Avariel elf, and you get free wings.

[TuggyNE]

You get the racial skill bonuses and movement speeds of the new form, but not the skill points coming from HD, so I think you get the 40 ft swim speed of the Tren, but not the +10 to swim (which comes from HD). You would also get a +4 racial bonus to Hide, but nothing more.

Minor correction: having a swim speed gives you +8 racial to swim right there (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm#swim).

[Clistenes]

Minor correction: having a swim speed gives you +8 racial to swim right there (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm#swim).

Good point. The Tren entry don't list the +10 to swim as racial, so I automatically assumed it came from HD. My wrong.

[chrisgray86]

Good point. The Tren entry don't list the +10 to swim as racial, so I automatically assumed it came from HD. My wrong.

So are the Tren a 3.5 class or is it a 4e

[eggs]

So are the Tren a 3.5 class or is it a 4e
It's a 3.5 race

(http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/iw/20040613a&page=4)

[chrisgray86]

It's a 3.5 race

(http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/iw/20040613a&page=4)

Can you give me a book please DM likes to be a stickler

[Gavinfoxx]

Can you give me a book please DM likes to be a stickler

It's all in the handbook I linked you to...

[chrisgray86]

It's all in the handbook I linked you to...

Ok I didnt see that Gavinfoxx thanks

[Urpriest]

If you're using things like Alter Self as a new player, you really really need to read my Monster Handbook (link in sig). Otherwise you won't understand what the terms in the spell mean.

[chrisgray86]

Ok last question, If alter self is used to turn into a tren do you get the stench ability. I know alter self does not give special abilities such as dark vision or multi attack, but Stench an ability baised on an oil the body lets out when scared.

[Urpriest]

Ok last question, If alter self is used to turn into a tren do you get the stench ability. I know alter self does not give special abilities such as dark vision or multi attack, but Stench an ability baised on an oil the body lets out when scared.

Games in general don't work that way. The appropriate logic to apply to know what happens in a game is based on its rules, not what it would imply were it in the real world.

More specifically, most Extraordinary Abilities are based on bodyparts. You still only get them if the spell says so.

[TuggyNE]

Ok last question, If alter self is used to turn into a tren do you get the stench ability. I know alter self does not give special abilities such as dark vision or multi attack, but Stench an ability baised on an oil the body lets out when scared.

No, you don't. It's an Ex special attack not based on "gross physical qualities", but rather on highly specific details of physiology that the spell does not imitate. (It is based on yucky physical qualities, of course. :smalltongue:)