Wizardry: Body Control Spells III

Wizardry: Body Control Spells III

Here we have four similar shapechanging spells. Alter Self and Polymorph are limited to physical traits and same body morphologies. The former is a self-only buff, and the latter is a proper buff. Shapechange is a self-only spell that does not have such limitations. Baleful Polymorph is a curse that permanently turns an enemy into a harmless (probably) animal.

 
    Alter Self
    Keywords: Buff.
    Full Cost: 35 points or more.
    Casting Roll: Skill.
    Components: V, S.
    Cost: 2 FP.
    Casting Time: 4 seconds.
    Range: Self.
    Duration: 3 hours.
 
    You assume the form of a creature of the same body type as yours – you must have the same number and arrangement of limbs, the same posture, body layout, etc. Your new form’s Size Modifier may differ from your native Size Modifier by no more than one. Physical traits of your racial template are replaced with physical traits of the racial template of the assumed form. Thus, you cannot gain any mental or supernatural abilities, but you may gain new biological abilities. This spell includes the ability to make cosmetic changes. Thus, you are able to assume a form of another member of your own species. Your gear is not affected.

The change of physical form is a traumatic experience. When this spell comes into effect, make a HT roll. If you fail, you lose 2 HP and are physically stunned. You may roll again every second to recover from stun after that. Likewise, when the duration runs out or the spell is cancelled prematurely make a HT roll with the same effects.
    By default, you may assume any racial template (adjusted by removing mental and supernatural abilities) worth no more than your native racial template (likewise adjusted). If you want to assume more powerful forms, you have to pay extra points equal to the difference. Thus, Alter Self (10) costs 10 extra points but allows you to assume any racial template worth no more than 10 points more than your native one.
    You can always take on the form of a being you can see or touch, provided its racial template meets the requirements outlined earlier. Once you have assumed a form, you can opt to memorize it by concentrating for one minute. This allows you to shapeshift into that form at any time by casting Alter Self. You can memorize a number of forms equal to your casting skill. If all your “slots” are full, you must overwrite a previously memorized form (your choice) to add the new form.
    Statistics: Affliction 1 (HT; Accessibility, Self Only, -50%; Advantage, Alter Self, +300%; Costs Fatigue, 2 FP, -10%; Extended Duration, 60x, +70%; Fixed Duration, +0%; Magical, -10%; Requires Gestures, -10%; Requires IQ Roll, -10%; Requires Magic Words, -10%; Takes Extra Time 2, -20%) [35]. Note: “Alter Self” is Morph (Accessibility, Size limit, -10%; Accessibility, Only physical traits, -10%; Aftermath, Costs Hit Points 2 and Stunning, Resistible, -5%; Backlash, Resistible, 2 HP and Stunning, -15%; Magical, -10%; Retains Shape, -20%) [30].

 
Baleful Polymorph
Keywords: Resisted (HT).
Full Cost (Touch): 50 points.
Full Cost (Short-Range): 53 points.
Full Cost (Ranged): 58 points.
Casting Roll: Skill.
Components: V, S.
Cost: 2 FP.
Casting Time: 2 seconds.
Range: Touch – Unlimited (-1/yard) - Unlimited (standard).
Duration: Permanent.
 

The caster transforms the subject into an animal. The point value of the animal template cannot be higher than that of the subject’s native racial template. Clothing and gear weighing no more than his BL change with him. If the new form would prove fatal to the subject (for example, if the caster polymorphed a landbound target into a fish, or an airborne target into a toad), the subject gets a +3 bonus to HT when resisting the spell.

This spell cannot be dispelled by Dispel Magic – it requires Remove Curse. Each animal form is a different spell, to be learned separately. The caster may only learn the form of an animal with which he is familiar.

The subject retains his intelligence, but gains all the physical attributes of the new form. However, the subject must make an IQ roll each full day it spends polymorphed. If he fails, his IQ is reduced by 1. Once the subject’s IQ reaches the native IQ of the animal form, his racial template is fully replaced with that of the animal form, including mental traits, until this effect is dispelled.

Statistics: Affliction 1 (HT; Advantage, Baleful Polymorph, +140%; Based on IQ, Own Roll, +20%; Cosmic, Immune to Dispel Magic, +50%; Costs Fatigue, 2 FP, -10%; Extended Duration, Permanent, +150%; Magical, -10%; Malediction 1, +100%; Melee Attack, Reach C, -30%; No Signature, +20%; Requires Gestures, -10%; Requires Magic Words, -10%; Takes Extra Time 1, -10%) [50]. The Short-Range version removes Melee Attack, Reach C, -30% [+3]. The Ranged version replaces Malediction 1, +100% with Malediction 2, +150% [+5]. Note: “Baleful Polymorph” is Alternate Form (Animal; Magical, -10%) [14].

 

    Polymorph
    Keywords: Buff.
    Full Cost: 54 points or more.
    Casting Roll: Skill.
    Components: V, S.
    Cost: 2 FP.
    Casting Time: 4 seconds.
    Range: Touch.
    Duration: 10 minutes.
 
    The subject, who must not be an incorporeal or diffuse creature, assumes the form of a creature of the same body type as his – he must have the same number and arrangement of limbs, the same posture, body layout, etc. Physical traits of the subject’s racial template are replaced with physical traits of the racial template of the assumed form. Thus, the subject cannot gain any mental or supernatural abilities, but he may gain new biological abilities. This spell includes the ability to make cosmetic changes. Thus, it is possible to make the subject assume a form of another member of his own species. The subject’s gear is not affected.

The change of physical form is a traumatic experience. When this spell comes into effect, the subject makes a HT roll. If he fails, the subject loses 2 HP and is physically stunned. He may roll again every second to recover from stun after that. Likewise, when the duration runs out or the spell is cancelled prematurely, the subject makes a HT roll with the same effects.
    By default, you may make the subject assume any racial template (adjusted by removing mental and supernatural abilities) worth no more than his native racial template (likewise adjusted). If you want to make him assume more powerful forms, you have to pay extra points equal to the difference. Thus, Polymorph (10) costs 10 extra points but allows you to make the subject assume any racial template worth no more than 10 points more than his native one.
    You can always make the subject take on the form of a being you can see or touch, provided its racial template meets the requirements outlined earlier. Once the subject has assumed a form, you can opt to memorize it by concentrating for one minute. This allows you to shapeshift any subject into that form at any time by casting Polymorph. You can memorize a number of forms equal to your casting skill. If all your “slots” are full, you must overwrite a previously memorized form (your choice) to add the new form.
    Statistics: Affliction 1 (HT; Accessibility, Only nonvolitional or non-resisting subjects, -20%; Accessibility, Only non-diffuse and corporeal creatures, -10%; Advantage, Polymorph, +400%; Based on IQ, Own Roll, +20%; Costs Fatigue, 2 FP, -10%; Extended Duration, 3x, +20%; Fixed Duration, +0%; Magical, -10%; Malediction 1, +100%; Melee Attack, Reach C, -30%; No Signature, +20%; Requires Gestures, -10%; Requires Magic Words, -10%; Takes Extra Time 2, -20%) [54]. Note: “Polymorph” is Morph (Accessibility, Only physical traits, -10%; Aftermath, Costs Hit Points 2 and Stunning, Resistible, -5%; Backlash, Resistible, 2 HP and Stunning, -15%; Magical, -10%; Retains Shape, -20%) [40].
 
    Shapechange
    Keywords: Buff.
    Full Cost: 72 points or more.
    Casting Roll: Skill.
    Components: V, S.
    Cost: 2 FP.
    Casting Time: 4 seconds.
    Range: Self.
    Duration: 30 minutes.
 
    You can assume the form of any creature. Your racial template is replaced with traits of the racial template of the assumed form, but you may omit any mental disadvantages. This spell includes the ability to make cosmetic changes. Thus, you are able to assume a form of another member of your own species. Your gear is not affected.

The change of physical form is a traumatic experience. When this spell comes into effect, make a HT roll. If you fail, you lose 2 HP and are physically stunned. You may roll again every second to recover from stun after that. Likewise, when the duration runs out or the spell is cancelled prematurely make a HT roll with the same effects.
    By default, you may assume any racial template (adjusted by removing mental abilities) worth no more than your native racial template (likewise adjusted). If you want to assume more powerful forms, you have to pay extra points equal to the difference. Thus, Shapechange (10) costs 10 extra points but allows you to assume any racial template worth no more than 10 points more than your native one.
    You can always take on the form of a being you can see or touch, provided its racial template meets the requirements outlined earlier. Once you have assumed a form, you can opt to memorize it by concentrating for one minute. This allows you to shapeshift into that form at any time by casting Shapechange. You can memorize a number of forms equal to your casting skill. If all your “slots” are full, you must overwrite a previously memorized form (your choice) to add the new form.
    Statistics: Affliction 1 (HT; Accessibility, Self Only, -50%; Advantage, Shapechange, +700%; Costs Fatigue, 2 FP, -10%; Extended Duration, 10x, +40%; Fixed Duration, +0%; Magical, -10%; Requires Gestures, -10%; Requires IQ Roll, -10%; Requires Magic Words, -10%; Takes Extra Time 2, -20%) [72]. Note: “Shapechange” is Morph (Aftermath, Costs Hit Points 2 and Stunning, Resistible, -5%; Backlash, Resistible, 2 HP and Stunning, -15%; Magical, -10%) [70].