Cabinet Trickster use of 5th level ability

[Parlik]

I have a character in an Eberon Campaign who is about to get the 5th and final level in a prestige class called Cabinet Trickster from Races of Eberon (Making him Rogue 6/Trickster 5)

Now on gaining this, they get the supernatural ability to change shape into any small or medium humanoid, gaining size, natural weapons, movement modes and extraordinary special attacks of the new form (Basically a slightly modified version of Alter Self).

My question is if anyone know of some usefull shapes to assume in combat or otherwise, only have access to MM1 myself (Since I GM now and then) and in that only Harpy (Because of Speed Fly 80) and Medusa (Because of the Poison (EX) attack) struck me as usefull in combat. Are there any other races I have overlooked with usefull stuff in either MM1 or later MM's?

Note that the Character have so far been mostly centered around Bluff, Dimplomacy and such skills, so not to pick up another Prestige class that can capitalize on anything gained in this one, but merely to make the most of it once the group does find itself in combat.

[Bears With Lasers]

Troglodyte gets you +6 Natural Armor. Raptorans and Avariel are humanoids with flight (keep in mind that humanoids are different from Monstrous Humanoids).

[Parlik]

Won't get defenses which the Natural armor of the Troglodyte falls under, and it makes no disctinctions between humanoids and monstrous humanoids as far as I can tell.

[Piccamo]

Humanoid and Monstrous Humanoid are of different types.

change shape into any small or medium humanoid,

[Bears With Lasers]

Won't get defenses which the Natural armor of the Troglodyte falls under, and it makes no disctinctions between humanoids and monstrous humanoids as far as I can tell.

Natural Armor is one of the specific things listed in the Alter Self spell that uou get.


You acquire the physical qualities of the new form while retaining your own mind. Physical qualities include natural size, mundane movement capabilities (such as burrowing, climbing, walking, swimming, and flight with wings, to a maximum speed of 120 feet for flying or 60 feet for nonflying movement),b] natural armor bonus (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/theBasics.htm#naturalArmorBonus),[/b] natural weapons (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm#naturalWeapons)

And "Humanoid" is a creature type. "Monstrous Humanoid" is a different creature type. You can turn into creatures of your own type. Monstrous Humanoids are not of your type.

[Dark Tira]

Actually, the change shape ability the Cabinet Trickster has does not mimic alter self in that manner. The monsterous humanoid/humanoid thing is correct though.


On closer inspection the Cabinet Trickster's ability is nearly identical to the doppleganger change shape ability which can be found here. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm#changeShape)