Can someone teach me how to use alter self?

[sorcererlover]

This is all I got so far.

Humanoid
Defense: Crucian, 8 Natural AC
Flight: Avarial
Offense:???

Outsider
Defense: Ravid or Dwarven Ancestor, 15-17 Natural AC
Flight: Mephits
Offense:???

[Menzath]

Don't forget you can be an elan for early aberration forms(choker), or dragonwrought kobold for psudeodragon and a few of the other odd ones. Killoran can take fey forms.

And I don't recall if their are any undead forms that are worth it.
Also afb but there is a pretty big monster list to go through.

[gorfnab]

Here's a handbook that might help: 3.5 Forms for Alter Self (http://minmaxforum.com/index.php?topic=2811)

[Zombulian]

Don't forget you can be an elan for early aberration forms(choker), or dragonwrought kobold for psudeodragon and a few of the other odd ones. Killoran can take fey forms.

And I don't recall if their are any undead forms that are worth it.
Also afb but there is a pretty big monster list to go through.

Is a choker without (ex) abilities really that good though?

[Menzath]

Is a choker without (ex) abilities really that good though?

Alot of monsters aren't. But most are still better than your base form.

[sorcererlover]

Here's a handbook that might help: 3.5 Forms for Alter Self (http://minmaxforum.com/index.php?topic=2811)

I can't make heads or tales out of that.

All I see is natural ac, flight, random bonus skills for niche situations, and that's it.

I still have no idea how to use alter self offensively.

[Tvtyrant]

I can't make heads or tales out of that.

All I see is natural ac, flight, random bonus skills for niche situations, and that's it.

I still have no idea how to use alter self offensively.

Look at the natural attacks sections. Trogs get you +6 NA, claws, bites and multiattack. Tren bumps NA to +8 with the same abilities.

And if you are an Aberration, there is Grell for 10! Tentacle attacks, a bite, improved grapple, improved grab and flight.

[ericgrau]

Outsider
Defense: Ravid or Dwarven Ancestor, 15-17 Natural AC
Flight: Mephits
Offense: Xorn
That's the best I know for offense in core. Splatbooks may have better. Looks like someone already posted a link to dig through. Have fun.

But generally I'd use spells for your offense and pick defense and/or utility forms only. Offensive forms are more for gishes. The guides may not tell you so you'll have to look up offensive abilities yourself. Even in a gish you might pick a defensive form with maybe a bite attack and fight with weapon + bite.

[emeraldstreak]

Alter Self is more about defense and movement than offense.

[Zaq]

Huh. It’s been a long time since I actually looked at Alter Self. I forgot that it explicitly says that you gain “racial bonus feats” but also that you lose any “extraordinary special attacks and qualities [. . .] from your normal form that are not derived from class levels.”

How exactly does that work when ASing to or from being a human? The human bonus feat isn’t called out as being Ex, so I don’t think it’s lost, but do you gain a (temporary) feat when ASing into a human? Or is the human feat at 1st level not a “bonus” feat but rather an “extra” feat or something?

[sorcererlover]

Alter Self is more about defense and movement than offense.


Look at the natural attacks sections. Trogs get you +6 NA, claws, bites and multiattack. Tren bumps NA to +8 with the same abilities.

And if you are an Aberration, there is Grell for 10! Tentacle attacks, a bite, improved grapple, improved grab and flight.

Ok. Thanks. I think I get the picture.