Quick Q: Shapechange's type change and leveling

[Jigokuro]

Shapechange, I've just noticed, includes this line:
You also gain the type of the new form (for example, dragon or magical beast) in place of your own.Does this mean if you were shapechanged into a true dragon when you leveled up (pretty easy to time if the SC is extended and persisted) you could qualify for all the true dragon related shenanigans? e.g. automatically qualifying for a lot of classes, etc.

Note: I'm working on a TO build, and only care about RAW, not that this is ridiculous by any reasonable standard, which I know.

[Rhynn]

Seems about as legit as letting magic items qualify you for feats, etc., which I think is standard for TO. (And neither of which I'd ever allow at the table.)

[Vaz]

By RAW, yes. The only mention of losing Class Features if you don't qualify later on is in Complete Arcane, and Warrior, I believe the other one is.

The True Dragon related classes have only 2 accessible prior to 20th Level qualification; Hide Carved Dragon which requires lots of magic items to make the NAB available, and the much easier Dispassionate Watcher of Chronepsis.

The Dispassionate Watcher was used in the Iron Chef, funnily enough; if you rule that racial spellcasting is an Ex ability, (which TO worked out as "yes it was") if you Shapechange into something with Racial Spellcasting (such as a 25HD True Dragon), then that ability is permanently lost, and then added to your Divine Casting level.

When the Shapechange or PAO ends, you have the Cleric increase, it's not then lost. So, cast as often as you like to gain Arbitrary high Caster Levels.

Having said that, there's a limit of exactly how much TO you can do without just saying "build Pun Pun".

[Xervous]

Also, you can obtain NI charisma. Obtain the animal type, cast awaken.

[Flickerdart]

Also, you can obtain NI charisma. Obtain the animal type, cast awaken.
Awaken takes...a while to cast. You're better off with PAO instead of Shapechange.

[Xervous]

Ok, lets make it take two rounds then, for the whole deal.

StP erudite, linked power. Bam.