Polymorph Hooliganism

[dbb]

Suggestions for obscure choices for an 8th-level wizard who's already an Outsider to polymorph into?

So far, I'm liking the look of the Ferrumach Rilmani (FF, NA +7, Str 24, Dex 13, Con 28, medium size, humanoid shape) for general hitting-stuff-with-a-reach-weapon purposes, the Warden Archon (BED, NA +12, Str 27, Dex 11, Con 17, large size, humanoid shape) for hitting-stuff-when-even-more-reach-is-needed purposes, and the Movanic Deva (FF, +8 NA, Str 17, Dex 18, Con 15) for airborne-sniper purposes. For airborne spellcasting, I'll just stick with the Alter Self to Ice Mephit rather than waste a polymorph.

The Hydra also has some pretty sweet potential depending on exactly how the DM houserules the Dire Wolf Fu vs. Octopus Fu question, but that's more for turning fighters into than for personal use, as a Hydra is ill-suited to spellcasting.

--d.

[Oberoni]

I've found
[counturl=24]this thread[/counturl] started by Funny Slaughter on WotC very helpful.

[Username17]

There are certain problems with that thread. The Yagnoloth, for instance, has a Strength Dependent DC for its Stunning Blow, so you can jack the DC up higher. Much higher. But yeah, that thread is a good jumping off point. It doesn't comprehensively list all the goodies you get (there are glaring ommissions in the Sword Archon write-up), but it does list a bunch of the forms which are good.

Also, it lacks any of the MM3 data, which is a travesty. But here are some of the goodies:

[*] Locust Swarm. It's in the basic Monster Manual. It's considered a dimminutive creature, and it is not incorporeal or gasseous, so you can turn into it without problem. The immunity to weapon damage is a subtype ability, so you get it when you transform into one.

[*] Feral Yowler. Str 18, Dex 17, Con 27. NA +3, Trip. MM3, p. 51
Sometimes you need a Con of 27. Not needed for an outsider, but good for others to think about.

[*] Harpoon Spider. MM3, p. 81. Check out that harpooning ability you get. It's more than a little complicated, but the long and the short of it is that knocking people over and getting free bite attacks on them while they are prone is practically guaranteed.

[*] Lhosks. MM3, p. 90. It gets entangling webs. And can cast spells.

[*] Poison Dusk Lizard Folk. MM3, p. 97. They get poison use for some reason. Stats suck, but you check for the poison use ability when applying poison to your weapons, not when attacking with them or carrying them in your quiver for weeks on end.

[*] Lurking Strangler. MM3, p. 100. Str 5, Dex 19, Con 13. Bonus alertness. You also get the "lash" natural weapon, which inflicts a d4-3 damage and instant death with no save. I'm not even making that up.

[*] Runehound, MM3, p. 147. Stats are unimpressive, but you get an EX acid or web effect that scale in damage/DC to your level.

[*] Snowflake Ooze, MM3, p. 161. This gives you a decent enough grapple-based attack pattern. But the big deal here is that you can inflict automatic cold damage to everyone near you. Polymorph clears brown mold...

[*] Splinterwaif Knave. You get a climb speed, a dex of 21, and bonus improved initiative. Always consider this form for magic duels.

[*] Thorn. MM3, p. 172 Polymorphing into one gives you Sleep Arrows.

[*] Canoloth. MM3, p. 200. Paralysis on the tongue attack lasts for dozens of combat rounds, making it effectively a death attack.

-Username17

[dbb]

I am so buying a Monster Manual 3.

--d.

[RandomCasualty]

1124786248[/unixtime]]
[*] Lurking Strangler. MM3, p. 100. Str 5, Dex 19, Con 13. Bonus alertness. You also get the "lash" natural weapon, which inflicts a d4-3 damage and instant death with no save. I'm not even making that up.

How's this one work. As far as I can tell the strangle abiltiy only works on helpless targets and takes 3 rounds to accomplish.

[MrWaeseL]

It knocks 'em down to 0 hp in 1 round, so it's okay. IMO it's overall slightly worse than having the ability to perform a CdG as a standard action that doesn't provoke an AoO.