Is there a way to not loose a level when cloning?

[Drelua]

Don't polymorph effects generally turn you into a typical example of the creature you're becoming? That would mean you gain the Int of an average Sarrukh, not their racial bonus applied to your initial Int score.

I think they typically only change physical scores, but PAO specifies that "polymorph any object does grant the creature the Intelligence score of its new form." Not sure if there's a clear answer to how that works exactly, but it does sound like it gives the creatures actual score, not its modifier to its score. It does use the same wording as polymorph does about changing physical scores.

On the other hand, I don't know if 'form' is clearly defined. You would be in that form if you were naturally a sarrukh, and then you could put an 18 in INT and start at 38. So this might just be a gm call either way?