What creatures with Change Shape, etc., gain abilities from using it?

[Coidzor]

So far I've got all forms of Ancient Metallic Dragons and Adult Bronze, Silver, and Gold Dragons in addition to Couatls and Devas.

Then for two unique NPCs we have a boss from Storm King's Thunder and Portentia Dran from Acquisitions Incorporated.

All of them will either gain some abilities of new forms if they don't already possess them or swap out part of their game statistics for the game statistics of whatever they turn into.

Grey/Green/Death Slaadi and Oni, on the other hand, have their statistics the same regardless of form and don't gain any of the abilities or capabilities of what they turn into.

[strangebloke]

I assume we're not looking at lycanthropes here because they have two set forms (with the same stats but different abilities) rather than simply being able to turn into what they like?

the Archdruid is the only one I can think of that actually has the 'change shape' ability. And yes it does gain stats from the new form.

[MaxWilson]

Add Sul Khatesh (from Rising From the Last War) to your list.

[Coidzor]

I assume we're not looking at lycanthropes here because they have two set forms (with the same stats but different abilities) rather than simply being able to turn into what they like?

the Archdruid is the only one I can think of that actually has the 'change shape' ability. And yes it does gain stats from the new form.

Ahh, thank you, I definitely overlooked the Archdruid.

Yeah, keeping the same statistics regardless of form isn't really what I'm interested in, since this interest grew out of an attempt to make a list of "things your couatl can do for you if you use Conjure Celestial."


Add Sul Khatesh (from Rising From the Last War) to your list.

Ah, thank you. So that's 3 highly unique individuals, 2 types of relatively low-ranking celestial, dragons old enough to be semi-unique NPCs in many settings, and however we'd want to classify Archdruids.

[Unoriginal]

Ahh, thank you, I definitely overlooked the Archdruid.

Yeah, keeping the same statistics regardless of form isn't really what I'm interested in, since this interest grew out of an attempt to make a list of "things your couatl can do for you if you use Conjure Celestial."



Ah, thank you. So that's 3 highly unique individuals, 2 types of relatively low-ranking celestial, dragons old enough to be semi-unique NPCs in many settings, and however we'd want to classify Archdruids.

Does it count if the only thing that changes is the kind of actions the NPC has access to?

Like the Lizardfolk Shaman, who can turn into a crocodile in order to gain a grappling bite, at the cost of not being able to cast spells or use their regular attacks in that shape.