Getting access to Polymorph as a Cleric

[Delta_tea]

Best option I've been able to figure out so far...

1) Buy a Plane Shift (450 gold) ride to The Were Glade (pg 164 Planar Handbook)
2) Kill stuff in the Glade (hope it's not a werewolf lord)
3) Link an item to the Planar Touchstone (250 gold)
4) Gain Shapechanger subtype
5) Buy a Plane Shift ride back to material plane (450 gold)
6) With Shapechanger subtype, Cleric now qualifies for Transformation Domain (Races of Eberron pg 180)
7) Cast Substitute Domain for Transformation Domain (this domain doesn't have a deity)

Does this all sound right? As far I can figure, I don't need to burn a feat slot, I basically buy one through the attunement process.

Also, under Higher-Order Abilities, I can change into a werewolf and take on a lot of the template. Do I also get the +2 wisdom, Scent and +2 natural armor bonus in all forms? That's how the template normally works...

[Saintheart]

1. Buy Domain Draught of Transformation domain
2. Be runecaster level 8
3. Drink Draught
4. Have access to all Transformation domain spells for 24 hours
5. Select chosen form
6. Create permanent rune of Polymorph in 10 minutes
7. Press rune whenever you want to skinsuit life.

[Gruftzwerg]

Why not just go for a Changeling (Shapechanger subtype)? Or is this for a character that you already have?

[Silly Name]

Do you specifically need to have polymorph on your spell list somewhere? Is this an already existing character, or are you still building them?

Because a far more straightforward way to cast polymorph as a cleric is to have the Spell domain and use greater anyspell to prepare polymorph. Of course, the Spell domain may not be available to you.

Polymorph is also outright on the domain list of the Alteration domain, but it's mystics only. Still, you can also get divine scrolls of it crafted by a high-level adept.

[Anthrowhale]

Substitute domain can't be used to acquire the Transformation since no deities offer it.

There are several other methods beyond those mentioned.

The Arcane Disciple cleric variant (Dragon #311) can access polymorph directly.
In addition to Changeling, there is Hengeyokai with the shapechanger subtype.
A spontanteous cleric could use Dragonblood Spell-pact.
The feat Channel Charge could work with a staff.
A Hathran can use cleric spell slots to cast off-list spells from a level of wizard.

[RandomPeasant]

Because a far more straightforward way to cast polymorph as a cleric is to have the Spell domain and use greater anyspell to prepare polymorph. Of course, the Spell domain may not be available to you.

Note that if you're doing this, you want to prepare draconic polymorph instead, since it doesn't cost anything extra to have greater anyspell emulate a 5th level spell instead of a 4th level spell, and you gain some additional benefits.

[Delta_tea]

Why not just go for a Changeling (Shapechanger subtype)? Or is this for a character that you already have?

Character already exists. Dragonspawn (Sea Dragon), type: Dragon, level 6 (ECL 8).


Do you specifically need to have polymorph on your spell list somewhere? Is this an already existing character, or are you still building them?

Because a far more straightforward way to cast polymorph as a cleric is to have the Spell domain and use greater anyspell to prepare polymorph. Of course, the Spell domain may not be available to you.

Polymorph is also outright on the domain list of the Alteration domain, but it's mystics only. Still, you can also get divine scrolls of it crafted by a high-level adept.

I don't specifically need it, but it would be nice to be able to shift into a Deva, Monadic (10 HD) at some point to pick up all of those immunities. Especially against level/ability drains. If that isn't possible then something like a Firbolg could be useful. Alter Self is capped at 5 HD so it won't work. It sounds like I may have to go the Anyspell route based on feedback so far. I just hate delaying picking it up.

Polymorph spell level 4
Anyspell, spell level 3, can cast up to spell level 2 spells - don't work for this
Anyspell, Greater, spell level 6 can cast up to spell level 5 spells - works, but 2 tier delay, won't be available until character level 11.


Substitute domain can't be used to acquire the Transformation since no deities offer it.

There are several other methods beyond those mentioned.

The Arcane Disciple cleric variant (Dragon #311) can access polymorph directly.
In addition to Changeling, there is Hengeyokai with the shapechanger subtype.
A spontanteous cleric could use Dragonblood Spell-pact.
The feat Channel Charge could work with a staff.
A Hathran can use cleric spell slots to cast off-list spells from a level of wizard.


Interesting ideas but I don't think they'll work for my character. Being a Cleric, I can't use the arcane versions directly and need some way to convert them over to divine casting.


Note that if you're doing this, you want to prepare draconic polymorph instead, since it doesn't cost anything extra to have greater anyspell emulate a 5th level spell instead of a 4th level spell, and you gain some additional benefits.

That's interesting. For some reason I thought it had something to do with Dragons. But after re-reading it, its just Polymorph only better. 20 HD cap instead of Polymorph's 15 HD cap.

[Rebel7284]

Range: Personal
Vs.
Range: Touch
Is the biggest difference between Draconic Polymorph and Polymorph.

[Anthrowhale]

Interesting ideas but I don't think they'll work for my character. Being a Cleric, I can't use the arcane versions directly and need some way to convert them over to divine casting.

As a cleric, you can use any wand or staff by making a DC 20 Use Magic Device check. This is easily done using Guidance of the Avatar or a few more ranks + Divine Insight. Alternatively, you could get the magic domain either natively or via the substitute domain spell.

Given that skill check, you could also use the feat Channel Charge (Lost Empires of Faerun) with a wand or staff containing polymorph at level 9. The DC 22 UMD check could again be passed relatively easily. If you want Use Magic Device as a class skill, consider picking up the feat Apprentice[Spellcaster]. A wand of polymorph with one charge left costs only 420gp.

[Delta_tea]

As a cleric, you can use any wand or staff by making a DC 20 Use Magic Device check. This is easily done using Guidance of the Avatar or a few more ranks + Divine Insight. Alternatively, you could get the magic domain either natively or via the substitute domain spell.

Given that skill check, you could also use the feat Channel Charge (Lost Empires of Faerun) with a wand or staff containing polymorph at level 9. The DC 22 UMD check could again be passed relatively easily. If you want Use Magic Device as a class skill, consider picking up the feat Apprentice[Spellcaster]. A wand of polymorph with one charge left costs only 420gp.

I'm not so much worried about making a UMD check. As a Dragonspawn, I get 1 level of Sorcerer. So that I don't need to worry about UMD. Also, since I'm doing DWK, I have to have Magic Domain which helps with UMD checks if I ever do have to make one. The reason I want to be able to cast it instead of use an item, is so I can extend and persist it. Why spend a non-renewable resource if I can just be amazing for 24-48 hours with one spell slot and some turn undead charges (which I have a lot).

Channel Charge feat, does that allow an arcane spell to be cast as a Divine spell? Divine are the only high level slots I have. If so, that would be really nice option. Maybe I can make the case that since its my spell slot, I can use metamagic on it...

[Anthrowhale]

Channel Charge feat, does that allow an arcane spell to be cast as a Divine spell?
No. You can use a divine slot to cast an arcane spell though a wand or staff though.

For your purpose(DMM persistent spell), Customize Domain[Trickery] seems good (and Greater Anyspell does not work, since the spell cast that way is divine). Can you get access to Trickery? Since you have Sorcerer 1 access, Polymorph is "on a spell list you have access to". Since Polymorph changes your appearance, it is a valid substitution on the Trickery domain. This gives you access to Polymorph at Cleric level 7 and/or Draconic Polymorph at Cleric level 9. Note that Draconic Polymorph is easier to persist.

[Delta_tea]

No. You can use a divine slot to cast an arcane spell though a wand or staff though.

For your purpose(DMM persistent spell), Customize Domain[Trickery] seems good (and Greater Anyspell does not work, since the spell cast that way is divine). Can you get access to Trickery? Since you have Sorcerer 1 access, Polymorph is "on a spell list you have access to". Since Polymorph changes your appearance, it is a valid substitution on the Trickery domain. This gives you access to Polymorph at Cleric level 7 and/or Draconic Polymorph at Cleric level 9. Note that Draconic Polymorph is easier to persist.

At level 12 I plan to start Contemplative, which will give me a free domain. So Trickery could be a valid option. Sounds like I need to burn a feat to make "Customize Domain" work.

So I could in theory do something like this?

Trickery Domain
Granted Power: Add Bluff, Disguise, and Hide to your list of cleric class skills.
Spells



1. Swift Invisibility
2. Alter Self
3. Arms of Plenty (grow 2 claws)
4. Polymorph
5. Draconic Polymorph
6. Stone to Flesh
7. Channel Celestial (not sure if this changes appearance) / Doppelganger Transformation (if CC doesn't apply)
8. Polymorph Any Object
9. Shapechange

[Anthrowhale]

So I could in theory do something like this?

Yes. If you can use the spell 'Substitute Domain' to get access to Trickery, then it would work as soon as level 7.

Another alternative is Customize Domain[Magic] which has unrestricted choices of spells at 1 level higher than normal. That would give you access to Polymorph at level 9.

[Delta_tea]

Yes. If you can use the spell 'Substitute Domain' to get access to Travel, then it would work as soon as level 7.

Another alternative is Customize Domain[Magic] which has unrestricted choices of spells at 1 level higher than normal. That would give you access to Polymorph at level 9.

How does Travel Domain help? I'm not seeing it.

[Anthrowhale]

How does Travel Domain help? I'm not seeing it.

I meant Trickery---edited.

[Godofallu]

Well Transformation domain has been mentioned. As has the anyspell spells from either magic or spell domain (I forgot which it was).

Has Phylactery of Change been mentioned yet? 11200 Phylactery of Change (AEG). 11200GP, head slot. All-day Polymorph up to 7HD.

If you need a new domain contemplative PRC is a good way to grab it.

[Fizban]

Has Phylactery of Change been mentioned yet? 11200 Phylactery of Change (AEG). 11200GP, head slot. All-day Polymorph up to 7HD.
If your DM allows that item, they should be allowing 3.0 Polymorph Self and Polymorph Other. Because that's what it is: formula price 1/day use of 3.0 Polymorph Other, which was permanent (despite the item claiming to use Polymorph Self, which lasted only 1/hour level, but allowed you to change forms as many times as you wanted). Except they also let you return to your normal form at-will. So it's still busted even with the 3.0 spells. Though they would at least give a chance for a disorientation penalty.

[Bronk]

Well Transformation domain has been mentioned. As has the anyspell spells from either magic or spell domain (I forgot which it was).

Has Phylactery of Change been mentioned yet? 11200 Phylactery of Change (AEG). 11200GP, head slot. All-day Polymorph up to 7HD.

If you need a new domain contemplative PRC is a good way to grab it.

Also the Psychoactive Skin of Proteus, which is more expensive, but has the advantage of being in the SRD.

[Feldar]

No. You can use a divine slot to cast an arcane spell though a wand or staff though.

For your purpose(DMM persistent spell), Customize Domain[Trickery] seems good (and Greater Anyspell does not work, since the spell cast that way is divine). Can you get access to Trickery? Since you have Sorcerer 1 access, Polymorph is "on a spell list you have access to". Since Polymorph changes your appearance, it is a valid substitution on the Trickery domain. This gives you access to Polymorph at Cleric level 7 and/or Draconic Polymorph at Cleric level 9. Note that Draconic Polymorph is easier to persist.

That's only true if the spell is also a divine spell. Polymorph is not. However, I'm not familiar with Channel Charge, so that might allow the substituion.

I did see Greater Anyspell mentioned, but Miracle should also do the job...

[Calthropstu]

Staff of transformation +umd
Planar Ally call a creature with polymorph
Scrolls + umd
Custom magic item able to cast x times per day
Note: as a cleric you can cast planeshift
Also note, you don't need to worship a deity to get cleric spells or domains. Simply convert to the worship of shapeshifting in general and get the domain.

[Thurbane]

If you could get into the Hexer PrC, you could add Polymorph to your Cleric spell list.

Doing so, without specifically building a character around it, would be next to impossible though.