Naiityan Rakshasa and polymorph shenanigans.

[Dusk Eclipse]

I was just wondering what is the general opinion of the forum on Naityan Rakshasa (ToB 151) as a melee form, their physical stats are not that good for a 9 HD Outsider form (Str 16, Dex 13 & Con 17), but I think that the Style Shape ability would be certainly interesting in a gish build. Ideally you would want to add swordsage levels in the build since the RAW is stupid and it lets you maintain two stances at the same time, one from the form itself and one from Swordsage levels... only Swordsage levels, so I'm guessing a Psychic Warrior or Ardent base would be the best option as Metamorphic Transfer is better than Assume Supernatural ability and there is some Wis synergy.

I don't know, I feel that at this point I'm just rambling, but I dunno it seemed like an interesting idea.

[Venger]

I was just wondering what is the general opinion of the forum on Naityan Rakshasa (ToB 151) as a melee form, their physical stats are not that good for a 9 HD Outsider form (Str 16, Dex 13 & Con 17), but I think that the Style Shape ability would be certainly interesting in a gish build. Ideally you would want to add swordsage levels in the build since the RAW is stupid and it lets you maintain two stances at the same time, one from the form itself and one from Swordsage levels... only Swordsage levels, so I'm guessing a Psychic Warrior or Ardent base would be the best option as Metamorphic Transfer is better than Assume Supernatural ability and there is some Wis synergy.

I don't know, I feel that at this point I'm just rambling, but I dunno it seemed like an interesting idea.

What exactly are you asking?

I'd be happy to help, but are you looking for like a build, or polymorph shapes, or maneuvers? I'm a little confused.

it's a pretty disappointing form at 9hd since some realy great stuff opens up at that stage, like cave troll.

I can sort of see interpreting that as swordsage only, but it's pretty clear they were just on swordsage since it's the favored class. talk to your gm if you want to use warblade or crusader.

psywar is probably your best bet, but you'll need to wait until really late in the game for this combo to come online to nab metamorphosis through expanded knowledge, and longer still for metamorphic transfer.

I don't know that ardent would help much for this trick.

[Dusk Eclipse]

Not really sure myself, I was just leafing through my ToB copy and I it caught my eyes, and I started to wonder how it could be used. I agree that it isn't that good of an option by pure stats, but I thought the maneuvers could tip the balance a bit.

I know that it is worded that way due the Favoured class thing, but the RAW is stupid as usual.

Psywar can get Metamorphosis at level 10 with the mantled warrior ACF (just get the Natural World mantle) and he can get Metamorphic transfer at level 9th or 8 with either normal or bonus feats. I mentioned Ardent because it is Wis based, gets Metamorphosis natively, and you can get 9th level powers without much trouble.

Finally, I just asked due curiosity, I don't have a game right now where I could use this, so in that way it is a moot point.

[Venger]

Not really sure myself, I was just leafing through my ToB copy and I it caught my eyes, and I started to wonder how it could be used. I agree that it isn't that good of an option by pure stats, but I thought the maneuvers could tip the balance a bit.

I know that it is worded that way due the Favoured class thing, but the RAW is stupid as usual.

Psywar can get Metamorphosis at level 10 with the mantled warrior ACF (just get the Natural World mantle) and he can get Metamorphic transfer at level 9th or 8 with either normal or bonus feats. I mentioned Ardent because it is Wis based, gets Metamorphosis natively, and you can get 9th level powers without much trouble.

Finally, I just asked due curiosity, I don't have a game right now where I could use this, so in that way it is a moot point.

you're not wrong, I just figured you wouldn't want metamorphic transfer before metamorphosis since it doesn't do anything.

fair enough. the "1 maneuver/round" really hurts though, it'll make it tricky at best to take advantage of it