Baelful Shadow Transmutation: Rat bombs?

[Jack_Simth]

Hello all,

I was looking through Illusion(Shadow) spells for my Shadow Oracle, and stumbled across something odd: Baleful Shadow Transmutation (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/b/baleful-shadow-transmutation/). The line I found particularly odd: "gain the alignment, special abilities, and Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores of its new form" (Emphasis added). As far as I'm aware, that's pretty much unique for Pathfinder.

Looking through the various humanoids, I ran across The various Dark creatures and their Death throes. Of note: The Dark Creeper (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/humanoids/dark-creeper/) causes temporary blindness. The Dark Empath (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/humanoids/dark-empath/), Confusion. The Dark Slayer (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/humanoids/dark-slayer/), 1d8 sonic damage and Deafness. The big 'winner' in terms of death throes, though, is the Dark Stalker (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/humanoids/dark-stalker/) (3d6 fireball).

Suppose I take a bunch of rats (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/animals/rat/rat-common/) (1 cp each, purchase price (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/equipment/goods-and-services/animals-animal-gear/)), and use both Charm Monster (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/c/charm-monster/) (via Greater Shadow Enchantment (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/s/shadow-enchantment/) in my specific case) and Baleful Shadow Transmutation (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/b/baleful-shadow-transmutation/) on them. Charm Monster means that they're my friends (for now...), while Baleful Shadow Transmutation turns them into Dark Stalkers. Now, their HP total (4) doesn't change, but they pick up the ability to deal a 3d6 blast of fire on death - in a 20 foot radius. I now pack a bunch of them together, get them to gather around my target, and Flame Strike the lot (I don't tell them I'll be doing this). These things don't have Fire Resistance, and that fireball does an average of 10.5 damage... so with just, say, 4-5 in range of each other, you get a cascade, and they all go off. Yes, it takes a lot of prep work - but Charm Monster lasts days/level, and Greater Shadow Enchantment on a weak critter is likely to last around 20 days on average (more, once they figure out that resisting the 'curse' is a bad idea).

Also of note is the Dark Caller (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/humanoids/dark-caller/): Specifically the Shadow Ritual, which gets you a real Owb (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/outsiders/owb/). Or, you know, several castings of Shadow Conjouration over the course of their lifespan (till they figure out that they're actually just common rats).

[Almarck]

that's definitely odd. just make sure your enemy doesn't trigger the rats on you insteadt


also so many shadow spells these days

[Kallimakus]

It does seem fairly unique, and I do believe you can achieve every step of that plan, but it really depends on the GM for the purposes of Charm Monster.
As a cruel and nitpicking GM, I can see a few flaws:
First, the target of Charm Monster needs to be able to understand either speech or gestures. (inherited from Charm Person). Rats can do neither (at least not for anything more complicated than 'go there now').
Second, while they are your friends, they will never obey suicidal orders. So I would say they would never engage an enemy independent of you (unless it is an enemy they think their physical rat form can defeat, or if they don't think that the target is hostile to them).
Third, most of them will likely fail their Fort saves and assume the physical form of a Dark Stalker, at least until it passes the Will save to end the effect
Fourth, they gain both the alignment (CN) and average mental stats. Once they regain their 'true' (in their opinion) form as a Dark Stalker, they might find it odd that their friend keeps them in a bright environment, or insists that they should stay around him and (insert whatever you'll have them do while you build up the numbers) rather than part ways.

Now you can work around most of these, and a cooperative GM could certainly let that happen and work. The big part is that they'll only be rats with Dark Stalkers' abilities for the day you cast the spell on. After that, they likely either shapeshift or disbelieve. The third option is highly unlikely.

[Jack_Simth]

It does seem fairly unique, and I do believe you can achieve every step of that plan, but it really depends on the GM for the purposes of Charm Monster.
As a cruel and nitpicking GM, I can see a few flaws:
First, the target of Charm Monster needs to be able to understand either speech or gestures. (inherited from Charm Person). Rats can do neither (at least not for anything more complicated than 'go there now').
Should have quoted the entire spell text, rather than just linking. Among other things, when they fail the save, they gain the mental ability scores of the new form, so yes, they understand a language. Tongues is fine.

Second, while they are your friends, they will never obey suicidal orders. So I would say they would never engage an enemy independent of you (unless it is an enemy they think their physical rat form can defeat, or if they don't think that the target is hostile to them).Again, I should have posted the full text. Among other things, when they fail the save, they fully believe themselves to be the creature in question. And, of course, in not telling them I plan to kill them all, I don't actually need them to engage in combat, just get a bunch of them close to my target. I imagine I'll be rolling some bluff checks and/or opposed Charisma checks, but that's not much of a problem for a Charisma-based caster working on something with no ranks in Sense Motive and a Charisma score of 13.

Third, most of them will likely fail their Fort saves and assume the physical form of a Dark Stalker, at least until it passes the Will save to end the effect
Sorry, forgot to mention that. I'm assuming that they'll each take up a five-foot square. There's a lot of those in a 20 foot radius from the real target, so that's not much of a prob.


Fourth, they gain both the alignment (CN) and average mental stats. Once they regain their 'true' (in their opinion) form as a Dark Stalker, they might find it odd that their friend keeps them in a bright environment, or insists that they should stay around him and (insert whatever you'll have them do while you build up the numbers) rather than part ways.
I've got a wonderful prank to play on the guy that cursed you all.... I do, however, need you all to distract him for a while after I finish freeing your compatriots. I just need all'y'all to rush up and ask for his autograph at the same time....

Also: I plan to have Darkvision, so no worries about a brightly lit environment.

[Kallimakus]

Not going to quote you on My phone, but I did take note of both. The spell gives mental attributes, but not languages. Certainly, they do have the ability to understand it.

And it is fine that you won't have them engage in combat, but I consider approaching a hostile adversary to be engaging in combat. So unless the guy is just staying there while swarmed by dark folk, that will likely be combat. Depends on circumstances. And honestly, I don't see many circumstances where this is applicable.