Questions about undeads and Polymorph Self

[Conradine]

If a lich ( or a Skeletal Mage / Cleric ecc. ) polymorph into a living being ( human, elf, dwarf, orc, ecc. ) does he becomes vulnerable to things like sneak attacks, criticals, bleeding, poisons, suffocation ecc.?
What about mental effects ( fear, symbol of pain, effects of rage ecc. ) ?

On a roleplaying side, can a Lich polymorph into human and enjoy coffee ( or wine, food, beer, sex, drugs ecc. ) ?

[Kaleph]

Consider that only the most powerful spells (e.g. shapechange) may let an undead change ist type.

Anyhow, when it happens, the caster should lose the undead type, gain the augmented undead subtype and the humanoid type (or whatever you're shapechanging into).

The augmented subtype is described in the monster handbook; it says that features (e.g. number of skills, HP per HD) are retained, by the traits are lost; so now, check in the undead type entry in the monster manual. Everything that is listed as a "trait" is lost.

PS: the traits of the new type are obviously gained.

[Falontani]

Some undead creatures gain Undead Traits as both a type benefit, and a race benefit. If this is the case for your undead creature then you retain benefits and draw backs of the undead type even if you lose it through different means. It's not extraordinary usually however, so if is lost upon polymorph is definitely weird.

[Duke of Urrel]

If a lich ( or a Skeletal Mage / Cleric ecc. ) polymorph into a living being ( human, elf, dwarf, orc, ecc. ) does he becomes vulnerable to things like sneak attacks, criticals, bleeding, poisons, suffocation ecc.?
What about mental effects ( fear, symbol of pain, effects of rage ecc. ) ?

On a roleplaying side, can a Lich polymorph into human and enjoy coffee ( or wine, food, beer, sex, drugs ecc. ) ?

The spell you are referring to is called Polymorph Self only under the version 3.0 rules. It's called the Polymorph spell under the version 3.5 rules. If you're using Pathfinder, I declare ignorance.

This is what the Player's Handbook v. 3.5 says about the Polymorph spell.


The new form may be of the same type as the subject or any of the following types: Aberration, Animal, Dragon, Fey, Giant, Humanoid, Magical Beast, Monstrous Humanoid, Ooze, Plant, or Vermin. […] The subject's creature type and subtype (if any) change to match the new form (see the Monster Manual for more information).

So I conclude that you do assume the vulnerabilities of your target form if you change from Undead to any creature type that has these vulnerabilities.

On the other hand, I believe you also gain the natural abilities of your target form, including the ability to enjoy all the various pleasures of the flesh that you mention.

[Conradine]

Why Xykon don't just polymorph if he misses coffee?

[Kaleph]

Why Xykon don't just polymorph if he misses coffee?

As I said, an undead cannot use polymorph. Polymorph works only on living creatures. You have to use PAO or shapechange.
I dunno if Xykon can cast 8th-9th level spells (probably yes, but not sure).

[JNAProductions]

As I said, an undead cannot use polymorph. Polymorph works only on living creatures. You have to use PAO or shapechange.
I dunno if Xykon can cast 8th-9th level spells (probably yes, but not sure).

He's en Epic Caster, so he definitely can... If he has them as spells known.

He'd also need to realize he could do that, and given his short attention span...

[Duke of Urrel]

As I said, an undead cannot use polymorph. Polymorph works only on living creatures. You have to use PAO or shapechange.
I dunno if Xykon can cast 8th-9th level spells (probably yes, but not sure).

I should have acknowledged this point in my first posting. Kaleph is generally right; the Polymorph spell works only on living creatures and not on creatures of the Undead type. However, the following text appears in the description of the lich on page 167 of the Monster Manual v. 3.5:


Immunities (Ex): Liches have immunity to cold, electricity, polymorph (though they can use polymorph effects on themselves), and mind-affecting attacks.

I have emboldened the phrase that shows the exception to the general rule. According to this text, liches are even immune to the Polymorph Any Object spell, unless they cast it on themselves.


Why Xykon don't just polymorph if he misses coffee?

I have no explanation for this. According to the same page of the Monster Manual, "A lich can cast any spells it could cast while alive." Maybe Xykon just never learned the Polymorph spell.