How to stop shape change / polymorph etc.

[Zuke]

Hi guys and girls,

I have a quick question, what ways are there to stop or cancel shape changing / wild shape / polymorph / alterself etc... When it's on someone ales .

[torrasque666]

Anti-magic zone. It suppresses all Magic and/or Psionic effects, and all Spell-Like, Psi-Like, and Supernatural abilities.

[TuggyNE]

(Greater) dispel magic is useful for dealing with any effects that aren't Su.

I believe there are spells that lock out the natural abilities of creatures with the [shapeshifter] subtype, but I can't remember the names.

[HunterOfJello]

Dispel Magic can remove the effect of any spell with a duration.

Wild Shape is a supernatural ability, so you'll need to use an anti-magic field to take off that one.

There's likely a spell or two in the game that reverses shapechanging. I'll look around for one. It would most likely be in one of the Eberron books or one of the later books (Complete Mage, Dragon Magic, Races of the Dragon).


*edit*

Force Shapechange from Races of Eberron is a spell from the Truth Domain that forces the target to resume their natural form if they are using an Ex or Su ability to take on a new form. It would work on Wild Shape, but not on spellcasters who have altered their form using spells.

[Nettlekid]

It's pretty niche, but the Church Inquisitor's 7th level ability is a Force Shapechange that makes a Dispel check on the target and if it works, not only does it remove the target's shapeshifted state but it prevents them from changing their form for 1d6 rounds. Not the easiest thing in the world to gain access to, but Church Inquisitor is a pretty good class and offers early entry for a Cleric, Archivist, or Favored Soul.

[torrasque666]

Dispel Magic can remove the effect of any spell with a duration.

Wild Shape is a supernatural ability, so you'll need to use an anti-magic field to take off that one.

There's likely a spell or two in the game that reverses shapechanging. I'll look around for one. It would most likely be in one of the Eberron books or one of the later books (Complete Mage, Dragon Magic, Races of the Dragon).


*edit*

Force Shapechange from Races of Eberron is a spell from the Truth Domain that forces the target to resume their natural form if they are using an Ex or Su ability to take on a new form. It would work on Wild Shape, but not on spellcasters who have altered their form using spells.

From what I can see, most if not all Change Shape abilities are SUpernatural in nature and thus supressed by an AMZ.

[Nettlekid]

From what I can see, most if not all Change Shape abilities are SUpernatural in nature and thus supressed by an AMZ.

Yes, your suggestion was made, we hear you. But often people like to continue making suggestions that are specific to the question as opposed to the veritable nuke of AMF or MDJ.

[TuggyNE]

From what I can see, most if not all Change Shape abilities are SUpernatural in nature and thus supressed by an AMZ.

Well, yes, that was already mentioned. Several times, in fact.

AMF is not, in general, a particularly wonderful spell to try to use to debuff a foe, because it's such a small range and such high collateral damage (it shuts off the spellcasting and buffs of a primary spellcaster? do not want).

[Forrestfire]

It's very useful if you have Selective Spell, at least. Lets you run into melee to turn off their stuff, but unless you can do something in melee, it's gonna be dangerous.

[Jeff the Green]

It's very useful if you have Selective Spell, at least. Lets you run into melee to turn off their stuff, but unless you can do something in melee, it's gonna be dangerous.

In this particular instance, antimagic ray is a far better choice.

[AnonymousPepper]

In this particular instance, antimagic ray is a far better choice.

I came in to say this. An antimagic ray will ruin a spellcaster's day like nothing else. It's better than Mordenkainen's Disjunction - even when using the Pathfinder buff to the latter - for screwing over a caster.

To specifically wreck Polymorph, a targeted Greater Dispel will work if that's the only effect on him, or if you're a DM and can fiat it.

Better still, however, is Spell Theft from Complete Scoundrel. You can yoink the effect off of the opposed caster and onto you with a successful roll. If your players' wizard is abusing Polymorph too hard, one or two of those - suddenly reducing him to a harmless (and very confused) elf/human/strongheart halfling/etc. who is being confronted by a very angry hydra - will get him to be much more careful about using it.

[Togo]

Set the fight in a series of 3ft corridors.

Most of the best forms are large or larger. Medium creatures can squeeze in. Trolls can't.

There are counters to this, but most of them slow down the party and/or make stealth impossible.