Polymorph Other

[cirerrek]

Not sure if this a bug or not, might fall under unknown developer intent:

 

SpWi415 - Polymorph Other

 

description doesn't mention bonus to save, but all effects have +2 bonus to save vs polymorph/petrification

[CamDawg]

Polymorph Other seems to have a few issues. There's the save issue you mentioned, plus one of the EFFs applied (PLYRATE) sets attacks per round to zero. I know I've seen Poly Other work, but the EFFs are all targeted at 'object.ids / fourth nearest enemy of' which, uh, seems a bit odd. Since it's working, I'm loathe to mess with it.

 

I've patched spwi415 to not have save bonuses and PLYRATE.eff to set attacks to 1 per round instead of zero. I also included the wild surge version of Poly Other in this as well.

 

Added to the wiki.

 

// poly other shouldn't have save bonuses
COPY_EXISTING ~spwi415.spl~ ~override~
             ~spwm183.spl~ ~override~
 READ_LONG  0x64 "abil_off"
 READ_SHORT 0x68 "abil_num"
 READ_LONG  0x6a "fx_off"
 FOR ("index" = 0; "%index%" < "%abil_num%"; "index" = ("%index%" + 1)) BEGIN
   READ_SHORT ("%abil_off%" + 0x1e + (0x28 * "%index%")) "abil_fx_num"
   READ_SHORT ("%abil_off%" + 0x20 + (0x28 * "%index%")) "abil_fx_idx"
   FOR (loops = abil_fx_num; loops > 0; loops = loops - 1) BEGIN
     WRITE_LONG ("%fx_off%" + 0x28 + (0x30 * ("%abil_fx_idx%" + ("%loops%" - 1)))) 0 // save bonus
   END
 END
 BUT_ONLY_IF_IT_CHANGES

// Polymorph other was setting victim's attacks per round to zero; adjusted to one. See spwi415.spl for one other fix.
COPY_EXISTING ~plyrate.eff~ ~override~
 WRITE_LONG 0x1c 1
 BUT_ONLY_IF_IT_CHANGES

[cirerrek]

Can a squirrel attack? Since that is what Polymorph Other does. Turns the victim into a squirrel permanently, until dispelled.

 

Come to think of it, for a 4th level spell, that is pretty powerful. Maybe a save bonus isn't outside the realm of reason.

 

Yeah, with NI at least, there are still a ton of unknowns in the .EFF files. And as you say, it seems to work as advertised or at least mostly.

 

What always got me about all the shapechange/polymorph spells was that there are like 6 different transform to normal form spells, with a high % of overlap.

 

You would think that you would do it one of two ways.

 

1) No overlap, each form has its own revert spell

2) 100% overlap, one spell will transform any form back to their normal form.

[Kish]

Can a squirrel attack?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes, I'm inclined to think it's not a bug that it sets attacks per round to zero--a squirrel's physical attack is negligible to an adventurer.

[CamDawg]

Poly Other equips the victim with a squirel paw for a weapon (1d2 melee, no strength bonus). I think it's a bit inconsistent that it would bother with one if melee attacks weren't supposed to be possible with the new form.

[cirerrek]

If the spell goes to all the trouble of adding an attack item, then the attacks per round should probably be at least 1.

 

And I know a gal in Cleveland that can give you an ear full about the dangers of squirrels.