Anthropomorphic Animal and Awaken

[EisenKreutzer]

On the surface, Anthropomorphic Animal and Awaken seem made for each other. The possibility of these spells combined with Permanency would open up some fun routes for playable races.
Sadly, the two spells by RAW can't be cmbined. Anthropomorphic Animal can't be cast on a magical beast, and Awaken can't be cast on an animal with Int greater than 2.

Is there any way to make these two spells work by RAW, short of GM fiat?

[ranagrande]

Add another spell in between. One way is to cast, in order: Anthropomorphic Animal, Touch of Idiocy, and Awaken.

[facelessminion]

Whatever the methods, you're making a bunch of furries that are going to be rather confused and likely more than a little perturbed by their new existence.

[Daishain]

There's an anthropomorphic animal spell? I was under the impression that it was just a template to be applied at creation.

Regardless, the touch of idiocy trick won't work either, since the creature is classified as a monstrous humanoid after the first step.

RAW, It looks like you're going to need to use the independent research rules for it. Come up with a spell that combines polymorph and awaken with an appropriate caster level requirement and material component cost. Call it "Seed of Humanity" or something. Get your DM to approve it and have your character conduct the research.

EDIT: On second thought, don't call it Seed of Humanity, that's just asking for dirty jokes. Spark of humanity? Yeah, that works.

[EisenKreutzer]

There's an anthropomorphic animal spell? I was under the impression that it was just a template to be applied at creation.

Regardless, the touch of idiocy trick won't work either, since the creature is classified as a monstrous humanoid after the first step.

Actually, Anthropomorphic Animal specifically says it does not alter the animals type. It's in Ultimate Magic if you want to look it over.

[Necroticplague]

There's an anthropomorphic animal spell? I was under the impression that it was just a template to be applied at creation.

Regardless, the touch of idiocy trick won't work either, since the creature is classified as a monstrous humanoid after the first step..

In pathfinder, it is a spell. Notably, it doesn't make the creature a Monstrous Humanoid, it even specifies that its type stays the same. So casting Anthropomorphic Animal->(Something that reduces its INT for at least 24 hours, any ability damage will do)->Awaken is completely legit.

Most notably is that a Vivisectionist Alchemist gets access to both the required spells as extracts, and can make Anthropomorphic Animal permanent, suggesting this is actually something that was meant to be done. The INT decreasing can probably be done with a poison, which would be like putting someone under for a surgery.

Surgeon General Warning: Use uplifting capabilities only as directed. Excessive use may cause god-complexes, existential crisis, and witch-burnings.

[Dalebert]

Regardless, the touch of idiocy trick won't work either, since the creature is classified as a monstrous humanoid after the first step.

It says nothing about it taking on the monstrous humanoid type. The closest it comes is saying the form it takes is "similar" to lycanthrope hybrid forms. What it says is it has both animal as a type (making it still qualify for awaken) and humanoid as a new type in addition. It keeps animal type and that's what matters for Awaken.

That doesn't remove the problem entirely though. You still have the dark cloud of potential dispels hanging over your head. One successful dispel and you are in a bind for getting your hands back since the order needs to be Anthro THEN Awaken and there's no easily going back from Awaken.

Since you're going to need to DM approval to play one of these anyway, you may still want to go the route of a custom version of Anthro that doesn't have the limitation of only affecting non-magical animals. Then you can always get it recast if it gets dispelled but you'll retain your human-like mind.

I don't really see any implication that Awaken causes you to be all effed up about your new state of existence. It appears that acceptance of it is part of the spell for all practical purposes. What it does mention is about being screwed up if you were abused by your master and now having very mixed and confused feelings about that. I hope not too many druids are being abusive toward their companion animals. I would expect them to tend to treat them more like an equal than most folks.

[Daishain]

Ah, missed the Pathfinder tag up top. Thought we were speaking of the equivalent found in 3.5E. Just ignore what I said.