Greywander
2020-01-15, 03:47 AM
I was recently looking at a yuan-ti paladin build, and while reading through the section in Volo's on yuan-ti I stumbled across this gem under "Unusual Abilities" (page 98):
Shapechanger (Pureblood Only). The yuan-ti can use its action to polymorph into a Medium giant poisonous snake, or into a Large constrictor snake, or back into its true form. Its statistics are the same in each form, except for the size change noted. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying isn't transformed. It doesn't change form if it dies.
When I saw that, I thought, "Hey, that's a pretty cool and flavorful ability. I think I'd like it on this character." Now, this build is a DEX paladin, so they're not really suited to either unarmed fighting or grappling (meaning, it wouldn't be OP on my character). I don't currently have a group that I play with, but should I get the opportunity to play this character my plan was to ask the DM to work it into the story for me to get that ability at an appropriate point.
Turns out, however, that it might not be necessary to depend on the DM for a handout, as the Expanded Racial Feats supplement has a feat that gives you almost something identical:
Serpent Form
You have unlocked more of your serpentfolk heritage. You gain the following benefits:
Increase your Intelligence or Charisma score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
You can use an action to polymorph into a Medium snake or back into your true form. Your statistics are the same in each form. Any equipment you are wearing or carrying isn't transformed. If you die, you stay in your current form.
While in snake form, you gain a bite attack as a natural weapon, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with it, you deal piercing damage equal to 1d4 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strick. When you hit with a bite attack, you can choose to deal 2d6 additional poison damage to the target. Once you deal this poison damage, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest.
Neat! When so many abilities seem to be resource gated, it's refreshing to have an ability that you can use at-will without having to worry about "saving it for later". Shapechanging at will is a nice, and is sure to lead to a lot of fun RP moments that you might have missed if you were trying to conserve resources. This looks like a fun and flavorful ability, and the only reason I'm talking it up so much is because I'm about to tear it a new one.
So, I do have one question about this feat. What exactly am I supposed to do with it?
Aside from the obvious RP potential, what exactly is the purpose of the ability? What benefits does it bring to my character? Under what circumstances would I be encouraged to shapeshift into a snake? When it comes to shapeshifting abilities, I can think of three potential uses for such an ability.
Combat, e.g. using your other form's superior stats
This is bread and butter of Moon druids. Turn a squishy caster into a hulking monster and go to town. However, this one doesn't apply in this case, since we retain our own stats in snake form. Sometimes it's not about raw stats, it could be that your new form grants you some kind of special ability, which is our next topic.
And yes, I'll talk about the bite attack in a moment.
Utility, e.g. gaining the other form's unique abilities
This could be movement speeds, special senses, innate spellcasting, teleportation, invisibility, any number of special abilities that you wouldn't normally have access to, but your alternate form does. Now, turning into a snake gives you... nothing? I mean, most snakes in the MM have a swim speed, but it looks like we don't even get that. As far as I can tell, mechanically speaking the ability might as well read, "You strip naked and cut off both your arms." You can't wear armor (unless made for a snake, or magical armor that adjusts to fit you), you can't wield a weapon (yes I'm getting to that bite attack), this clearly isn't a combat form. Without hands, a lot of normal options are out of reach for you. It's unclear if you can produce somatic components for spells, or grapple. In a complete reversal of what you'd expect from a utility form, you actually have fewer things you can do, not more, and certainly not anything you couldn't do before.
Stealth, e.g. hiding in plain sight
Generally, this comes in two flavors. In the first, you make yourself look like someone who is supposed to be there, e.g. looking like a cultist so you can infiltrate their hideout. In the second, you turn into something harmless and innocuous that most wouldn't look twice at. Because a giant snake is the first thing that comes to mind when I think "harmless" and "innocuous". If you're in a situation where giant snakes are so commonplace that no one would consider them unusual or noteworthy, you've probably got bigger problems on your plate. In any other setting, you'll stick out like a sore thumb.
Now, that said, shapeshifting of any kind does present a sort of benefit in this regard. As long as you can keep your shapeshifting secret, any act you commit while shapeshifted can't be traced back to the "real" you. But really, if you're worried about this, you could get the Magic Initiate feat instead and pick up Disguise Self. Gets the job done just as well, if not better, and gives you two cantrips to boot.
Now about that bite attack
Here it is, the final piece of this trainwreck of a feat. At first blush, it's not so bad. 1d4 is in line with other feats like Tavern Brawler, it's about what I'd expect for an unarmed attack. But wait, it's STR based? If you look at the stat blocks of most snakes in the MM, they seem to be using DEX for both attack and damage rolls, except the constrictor snakes. But we don't get a constriction ability, we get a venomous bite ability, so it stands to reason this is based off the "poisonous" (venomous) snake, not the constrictor snake. Speaking of venom, what the actual flumph? 2d6 damage? Once per long rest? Who actually thought this was a good idea? When am I ever supposed to use this? Oh, and after I've blown my load of venom, I'm supposed to just keep fighting, but without any arms or armor.
About the only build I can think of that could make this work would be a monk or barbarian, and even then I don't see any reason to use the snake form over the humanoid form.
"Fixing" the feat
The first fix I'd suggest is to keep the INT or CHA bump, but replace the rest of the feat with a copypasta of the trait I posted above from Volo's. At least now you're actually turning into specific snakes with a stat block. Although you retain your own stats, I at least assume that you get the swim speed and can use the bite and/or constrict attacks of each respective snake (what about blindsight?). Now, this might accidently turn yuan-ti into some of the best grapplers by allowing them to turn into a Large creature, who can then be hit with Enlarge/Reduce to turn them Huge, allowing them to grapple even Gargantuan creatures. YMMV on if you think this is a problem, but let's pretend that it is and come up with a new feat that only has one form that combines aspects of both the poisonous snake and the constrictor.
But first, what purpose will this form serve? Combat? Utility? Stealth? I think stealth is out, I just can't see a way of spinning a giant snake as "harmless and innocuous". So combat and utility is the way to go. Since this is at-will shapeshifting, it shouldn't be too strong. Changing shape should be a tradeoff; we lose some abilities in order to gain different ones. By turning into a snake, we naturally lose our arms, as previously mentioned, so that's probably sufficient.
Serpent Form
You have unlocked more of your serpentfolk heritage. You gain the following benefits:
Increase your Intelligence or Charisma score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
You can use an action to polymorph into a Medium snake or back into your true form. Your statistics are the same in each form. Any equipment you are wearing or carrying isn't transformed. If you die, you stay in your current form.
While in your snake form, you gain the following benefits:
You gain a swim speed equal to your walking speed.
You gain blindsight out to 10 feet.
You may use the tip of your tail to perform somatic components for spells. Likewise, you can speak and perform verbal components while in snake form.
Natural Armor. Your tough scales protect you from damage. While not wearing armor, your AC is 11 + your Dexterity modifier.
Dust Eater. As a snake, you are adept at crawling across the ground on your belly. Crawling doesn't cost you any extra movement, and you don't suffer disadvantage on attack rolls from being prone.
Camouflage Pattern. You can attempt to hide even when you are only lightly obscured by foliage, heavy rain, falling snow, mist, and other natural phenomena.
Bite. You gain a bite attack as a natural weapon, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. You may use your choice of Strength or Dexterity for the attack roll, and on a hit the bite deals 1d4 + your Strength or Dexterity modifier piercing damage instead of the normal bludgeoning damage. When you hit with a bite attack, you can choose to deal 2d6 additional poison damage to the target. Once you deal this poison damage, you can't do so again until at least 1 minute has passed.
Constrict. You gain a constriction attack as a natural weapon, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. On a hit, you deal 1d6 + your Strength modifier bludgeoning damage, and the target is grappled. Until the grapple ends, the creature is restrained, and you can't constrict another target.
This gives us a swim speed and blindsight for utility. We can still use our spells, though material components may be trickier. I can see the appeal of playing a trickster who's frequently in snake form. We do get a literal stealth bonus, and aren't hindered as much by being prone. Some natural armor makes the lack of armor slightly more bearable. Bite attack now allows DEX, and poison attack should be once per fight. Constriction is a nice STR build option. Still, I feel like this is perhaps too messy, and possibly too strong.
This does beg the question, though: aren't snakes always prone? I mean, maybe not if they're climbing up a tree, for example, but they have no limbs to stand with. The closest they can get is to rear up their head, but that's not the same thing as standing up, at all.
Shapechanger (Pureblood Only). The yuan-ti can use its action to polymorph into a Medium giant poisonous snake, or into a Large constrictor snake, or back into its true form. Its statistics are the same in each form, except for the size change noted. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying isn't transformed. It doesn't change form if it dies.
When I saw that, I thought, "Hey, that's a pretty cool and flavorful ability. I think I'd like it on this character." Now, this build is a DEX paladin, so they're not really suited to either unarmed fighting or grappling (meaning, it wouldn't be OP on my character). I don't currently have a group that I play with, but should I get the opportunity to play this character my plan was to ask the DM to work it into the story for me to get that ability at an appropriate point.
Turns out, however, that it might not be necessary to depend on the DM for a handout, as the Expanded Racial Feats supplement has a feat that gives you almost something identical:
Serpent Form
You have unlocked more of your serpentfolk heritage. You gain the following benefits:
Increase your Intelligence or Charisma score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
You can use an action to polymorph into a Medium snake or back into your true form. Your statistics are the same in each form. Any equipment you are wearing or carrying isn't transformed. If you die, you stay in your current form.
While in snake form, you gain a bite attack as a natural weapon, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with it, you deal piercing damage equal to 1d4 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strick. When you hit with a bite attack, you can choose to deal 2d6 additional poison damage to the target. Once you deal this poison damage, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest.
Neat! When so many abilities seem to be resource gated, it's refreshing to have an ability that you can use at-will without having to worry about "saving it for later". Shapechanging at will is a nice, and is sure to lead to a lot of fun RP moments that you might have missed if you were trying to conserve resources. This looks like a fun and flavorful ability, and the only reason I'm talking it up so much is because I'm about to tear it a new one.
So, I do have one question about this feat. What exactly am I supposed to do with it?
Aside from the obvious RP potential, what exactly is the purpose of the ability? What benefits does it bring to my character? Under what circumstances would I be encouraged to shapeshift into a snake? When it comes to shapeshifting abilities, I can think of three potential uses for such an ability.
Combat, e.g. using your other form's superior stats
This is bread and butter of Moon druids. Turn a squishy caster into a hulking monster and go to town. However, this one doesn't apply in this case, since we retain our own stats in snake form. Sometimes it's not about raw stats, it could be that your new form grants you some kind of special ability, which is our next topic.
And yes, I'll talk about the bite attack in a moment.
Utility, e.g. gaining the other form's unique abilities
This could be movement speeds, special senses, innate spellcasting, teleportation, invisibility, any number of special abilities that you wouldn't normally have access to, but your alternate form does. Now, turning into a snake gives you... nothing? I mean, most snakes in the MM have a swim speed, but it looks like we don't even get that. As far as I can tell, mechanically speaking the ability might as well read, "You strip naked and cut off both your arms." You can't wear armor (unless made for a snake, or magical armor that adjusts to fit you), you can't wield a weapon (yes I'm getting to that bite attack), this clearly isn't a combat form. Without hands, a lot of normal options are out of reach for you. It's unclear if you can produce somatic components for spells, or grapple. In a complete reversal of what you'd expect from a utility form, you actually have fewer things you can do, not more, and certainly not anything you couldn't do before.
Stealth, e.g. hiding in plain sight
Generally, this comes in two flavors. In the first, you make yourself look like someone who is supposed to be there, e.g. looking like a cultist so you can infiltrate their hideout. In the second, you turn into something harmless and innocuous that most wouldn't look twice at. Because a giant snake is the first thing that comes to mind when I think "harmless" and "innocuous". If you're in a situation where giant snakes are so commonplace that no one would consider them unusual or noteworthy, you've probably got bigger problems on your plate. In any other setting, you'll stick out like a sore thumb.
Now, that said, shapeshifting of any kind does present a sort of benefit in this regard. As long as you can keep your shapeshifting secret, any act you commit while shapeshifted can't be traced back to the "real" you. But really, if you're worried about this, you could get the Magic Initiate feat instead and pick up Disguise Self. Gets the job done just as well, if not better, and gives you two cantrips to boot.
Now about that bite attack
Here it is, the final piece of this trainwreck of a feat. At first blush, it's not so bad. 1d4 is in line with other feats like Tavern Brawler, it's about what I'd expect for an unarmed attack. But wait, it's STR based? If you look at the stat blocks of most snakes in the MM, they seem to be using DEX for both attack and damage rolls, except the constrictor snakes. But we don't get a constriction ability, we get a venomous bite ability, so it stands to reason this is based off the "poisonous" (venomous) snake, not the constrictor snake. Speaking of venom, what the actual flumph? 2d6 damage? Once per long rest? Who actually thought this was a good idea? When am I ever supposed to use this? Oh, and after I've blown my load of venom, I'm supposed to just keep fighting, but without any arms or armor.
About the only build I can think of that could make this work would be a monk or barbarian, and even then I don't see any reason to use the snake form over the humanoid form.
"Fixing" the feat
The first fix I'd suggest is to keep the INT or CHA bump, but replace the rest of the feat with a copypasta of the trait I posted above from Volo's. At least now you're actually turning into specific snakes with a stat block. Although you retain your own stats, I at least assume that you get the swim speed and can use the bite and/or constrict attacks of each respective snake (what about blindsight?). Now, this might accidently turn yuan-ti into some of the best grapplers by allowing them to turn into a Large creature, who can then be hit with Enlarge/Reduce to turn them Huge, allowing them to grapple even Gargantuan creatures. YMMV on if you think this is a problem, but let's pretend that it is and come up with a new feat that only has one form that combines aspects of both the poisonous snake and the constrictor.
But first, what purpose will this form serve? Combat? Utility? Stealth? I think stealth is out, I just can't see a way of spinning a giant snake as "harmless and innocuous". So combat and utility is the way to go. Since this is at-will shapeshifting, it shouldn't be too strong. Changing shape should be a tradeoff; we lose some abilities in order to gain different ones. By turning into a snake, we naturally lose our arms, as previously mentioned, so that's probably sufficient.
Serpent Form
You have unlocked more of your serpentfolk heritage. You gain the following benefits:
Increase your Intelligence or Charisma score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
You can use an action to polymorph into a Medium snake or back into your true form. Your statistics are the same in each form. Any equipment you are wearing or carrying isn't transformed. If you die, you stay in your current form.
While in your snake form, you gain the following benefits:
You gain a swim speed equal to your walking speed.
You gain blindsight out to 10 feet.
You may use the tip of your tail to perform somatic components for spells. Likewise, you can speak and perform verbal components while in snake form.
Natural Armor. Your tough scales protect you from damage. While not wearing armor, your AC is 11 + your Dexterity modifier.
Dust Eater. As a snake, you are adept at crawling across the ground on your belly. Crawling doesn't cost you any extra movement, and you don't suffer disadvantage on attack rolls from being prone.
Camouflage Pattern. You can attempt to hide even when you are only lightly obscured by foliage, heavy rain, falling snow, mist, and other natural phenomena.
Bite. You gain a bite attack as a natural weapon, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. You may use your choice of Strength or Dexterity for the attack roll, and on a hit the bite deals 1d4 + your Strength or Dexterity modifier piercing damage instead of the normal bludgeoning damage. When you hit with a bite attack, you can choose to deal 2d6 additional poison damage to the target. Once you deal this poison damage, you can't do so again until at least 1 minute has passed.
Constrict. You gain a constriction attack as a natural weapon, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. On a hit, you deal 1d6 + your Strength modifier bludgeoning damage, and the target is grappled. Until the grapple ends, the creature is restrained, and you can't constrict another target.
This gives us a swim speed and blindsight for utility. We can still use our spells, though material components may be trickier. I can see the appeal of playing a trickster who's frequently in snake form. We do get a literal stealth bonus, and aren't hindered as much by being prone. Some natural armor makes the lack of armor slightly more bearable. Bite attack now allows DEX, and poison attack should be once per fight. Constriction is a nice STR build option. Still, I feel like this is perhaps too messy, and possibly too strong.
This does beg the question, though: aren't snakes always prone? I mean, maybe not if they're climbing up a tree, for example, but they have no limbs to stand with. The closest they can get is to rear up their head, but that's not the same thing as standing up, at all.