Fastest was for a warforged to get an alternate shape?

[Vizzerdrix]

So Im revisiting old ideas and this was one of them. Building a transformer that has its basic abilities as soon as possable. Those being the ability to take another shape, being non organic in nature, and some sort of energy weapon.
Saddly, Ive lost the notes I had on the subject and must start over from scratch, so I thought I would start this time by picking the collective brains of the playground. I know straight warlock can do this, but lets see what else we can find. We can assume anything short of homebrew is okay.

[Venger]

So Im revisiting old ideas and this was one of them. Building a transformer that has its basic abilities as soon as possable. Those being the ability to take another shape, being non organic in nature, and some sort of energy weapon.
Saddly, Ive lost the notes I had on the subject and must start over from scratch, so I thought I would start this time by picking the collective brains of the playground. I know straight warlock can do this, but lets see what else we can find. We can assume anything short of homebrew is okay.

thrall of jubilex, as detailed in the build of the legendary Gazebo Jones (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=9823824)

warlock cannot do this. mask of flesh is a disguise self effect, not alter self.

[Zaq]

A level in Druid with the (mechanically suboptimal) Shapeshift ACF from PHB2 can grant a (minor but real) transformative ability as early as level 1. It's a bad ACF in general, but it's something. There's also an ACF for Egoist (from the Mind's Eye, I think) that grants the same "minor transformation" ability as a changeling, and it's also available at level 1. It's pretty much a cosmetic difference, but again, it's available pretty much immediately, and Egoists eventually get much better shape-changing abilities. (Plus, it's trivial for a Psion of any stripe to gain some powers that can be described as energy weapons.)

[Venger]

A level in Druid with the (mechanically suboptimal) Shapeshift ACF from PHB2 can grant a (minor but real) transformative ability as early as level 1. It's a bad ACF in general, but it's something. There's also an ACF for Egoist (from the Mind's Eye, I think) that grants the same "minor transformation" ability as a changeling, and it's also available at level 1. It's pretty much a cosmetic difference, but again, it's available pretty much immediately, and Egoists eventually get much better shape-changing abilities. (Plus, it's trivial for a Psion of any stripe to gain some powers that can be described as energy weapons.)

that'd be the egoist's "change shape" (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20070314a) ACF (not to be confused with the ability of the same name (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm#changeShape)) which mimics the changeling's "minor change shape" ability. it is, of course, keyed off of disguise self (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/disguiseSelf.htm) and not the thing it's named after.

if you're in the kind of intrigue-heavy game where you'd actually want this, then it'll more than pay for itself in no time.

[Cerefel]

The otherwise mediocre Mountebank base class in Dragon Compendium gets an Alter Self ability at level 4

[Venger]

The otherwise mediocre Mountebank base class in Dragon Compendium gets an Alter Self ability at level 4

Continuing on the theme of confusing names, complete scoundrel's prestige class, also called mountebank, also mediocre, also imparts a limited version of alter self, but its is at least at will.

[Vizzerdrix]

Hmm... Shame warforged cant get into divine minion. :smallconfused:

[Troacctid]

I would go Shapeshift Druid. It seems like the best way to do this.

[MisterKaws]

Hmm... Shame warforged cant get into divine minion. :smallconfused:

Half-Fiend Warforged.

[D&DPrinceTandem]

Hmm... Shame warforged cant get into divine minion.
incarante construct -2la
divine minion (+1 or +2)

[Troacctid]

I believe OP's intent is to retain the construct type.

[D&DPrinceTandem]

ok maybe
favored soul1(role play porpoises your a PRIME)
lvl1 feat:mad faith(your that one prime)
one flaw:versatile caster(magical prime)
5- 0 lvl spells
4- 1st lvl spells
1- 2nd lvl spell
1- 3rd lvl spell
sacrifice 4 0lvl get 2 more first lvl
1st lvl now has 6
sacrifice 4 get 2 to 2nd lvl
2nd lvl now has 3
sacrifice 2 get one more 3rd lvl
3rd lvl now has 2nd lvl
sacrifice them to get one 4th lvl
4thlvl spell will be polymorph into any 1hd construct you chose

[MisterKaws]

I believe OP's intent is to retain the construct type.

Half-Fiendish Divine Minion Dustform Soulfused Warforged?

[unseenmage]

Greater Humanoid Essence from Races of Eberron turns any Construct into a Humanoid for the duration.

Get vampired or werewolfed or whatever while under its effects and viola.

FYI, constant effects that normally wouldnt affect Constructs remain after GHE wears off because if changing type ended effects the GHE spell would end itself as soon as it changed thd Construct into a Humanoid.

[D&DPrinceTandem]

favored soul1(role play porpoises your a PRIME)
lvl1 feat:mad faith(your that one prime)
one flaw:versatile caster(magical prime)
5- 0 lvl spells
4- 1st lvl spells
1- 2nd lvl spell
1- 3rd lvl spell
sacrifice 4 0lvl get 2 more first lvl
1st lvl now has 6
sacrifice 4 get 2 to 2nd lvl
2nd lvl now has 3
sacrifice 2 get one more 3rd lvl
3rd lvl now has 2nd lvl
sacrifice them to get one 4th lvl
4thlvl spell will be polymorph into any 1hd construct you chose
this does work right

[Exocist]

Ranger 5 (Wild Shape ACF)/Master of Many Forms 10/Warforged Juggernaut 5

Don't actually try this - you'll get DMGs thrown at you.

[Exocist]

this does work right

No actually. Versatile Spellcaster only lets you sacrifice to cast a spell, it doesn't give you spell slots which you need to power versatile spellcaster.

Also, there's the added problem of you not actually knowing the spell (You only learn 4th level spells at 8th level as a Sorcerer/Favoured Soul).

Versatile Spellcaster only lets you cast the next level of spells if you have a fixed list (Such as Warmage, Dread Necro, etc.) or you have a way to get a high-level spell on your list ahead of time. Otherwise, you're stuck with metamagicking.

[Troacctid]

Versatile Spellcaster only lets you cast the next level of spells if you have a fixed list (Such as Warmage, Dread Necro, etc.) or you have a way to get a high-level spell on your list ahead of time. Otherwise, you're stuck with metamagicking.
Actually, it doesn't work if you have a fixed list, either. Fixed-list casters don't know their entire spell list—they only know the spells that they're high enough level to cast.

[Exocist]

Actually, it doesn't work if you have a fixed list, either. Fixed-list casters don't know their entire spell list—they only know the spells that they're high enough level to cast.


When a warmage gains access to a new level of spells, he automatically knows all the spells for that level listed on the warmage's spell list.

DM Fiat, because it's debatable what this actually means. With Versatile Spellcaster you'd technically "Have access" to a new level of spell, as you can cast them, which means you'd know all the spells of that level.

[Troacctid]

DM Fiat, because it's debatable what this actually means. With Versatile Spellcaster you'd technically "Have access" to a new level of spell, as you can cast them, which means you'd know all the spells of that level.
Even if Versatile Spellcaster counted as being able to cast spells of that level, you'd still have to know spells of that level in order to use it, and you don't, so you can't. Catch-22.

[Exocist]

Even if Versatile Spellcaster counted as being able to cast spells of that level, you'd still have to know spells of that level in order to use it, and you don't, so you can't. Catch-22.

That's what I'm saying here: Does being able to cast spells of that level qualify for the "Gains access to a new level of spell"? Technically, you do have access to a new level of spell - you just don't know any spells of that level yet. But because you do have access, you now know all the spells of that level on your list.

Someone else could just say "Gains access means you actually need to know a spell of that level" - in which case the class actually doesn't function as written, because you'll never know a spell of that level (Without Advanced Learning/Extra Spell/Runestaff/etc.) so you'll never gain access to your next level of spell.

DM Fiat.

[Troacctid]

You're overthinking it. The "—" in a class's spells per day table means you cannot cast spells of that level through that class. That's what the text is referring to.

[Exocist]

You're overthinking it. The "—" in a class's spells per day table means you cannot cast spells of that level through that class. That's what the text is referring to.

It's quite unclear, however. While I agree this is the most likely answer from designer intent, it's DM fiat on what it actually means.

[Cerefel]

It's quite unclear, however. While I agree this is the most likely answer from designer intent, it's DM fiat on what it actually means.

This is a tabletop RPG. EVERYTHING is DM fiat