Change Form

When the change form spell is evoked, the caster begins a process that will eventually end with the complete metamorphosis of the recipient into an entirely new creature. The change induced by the spell is total in every respect, both physical and mental. It occurs regardless of the size of the recipient. The resultant creature can be as tiny as an ant, or as huge as a whale. The new form cannot have more Hit Dice than the subject presently possesses, and it must be a living creature native to the Prime Material Plane (thus, tanar'ri, undead baatezu. magical constructs, elemental creatures, and unique entities are not possible choices).

An initial saving throw vs. polymorph is allowed to negate the effects of change form, but if this is failed, only a wish can stop the transformation, which takes place over several weeks. Furthermore, a wish can only stop the process, not reverse it, once the physical phase of the transformation is complete. A second wish can be used to reverse the process, allowing the subject to return to normal at the same rate as the initial change. A third wish speeds up the rate of recovery so that it takes but one day.

If the saving throw is failed then immediately after the spell is completed, all characteristics of the subject, including ability scores, alignment, form, Armor Class, Hit Dice, etc., move one place toward those of the end creature; for every 10 days following the spell's casting, they change one further position. Size is altered at the rate of 1 foot and 40 lbs. of gain or loss per day. For example, an 8th - level fighter who began to change form into a pech would immediately gain a natural Armor Class 9; ten days later he gains AC 8; twenty days later he gains AC 7; and forty days after that, AC 3. During this time, the fighter would have lost four of his Hit Dice, become neutral good, and otherwise assumed the appearance, size, form, and general characteristics of an average pech.

The DM arbitrates these changes. When all of the subject's statistics conform to those of the new form, the individual loses all class abilities. Thus, if we assume that our fighter's change is complete on the 70th day, he then loses his fighting ability and now attacks as a 4 Hit Die monster.

One week after the physical phase of the transformation is complete, the subject loses all previous memories (except for rudimentary facts about himself, such as his name, place of birth, and so forth) and other functions associated with his previous form such as racial abilities. Instead he gains all the special abilities (such as magic resistance, special attacks, special defenses, etc.) of his new form, becoming in every respect a member of his new race.

However, in some cases, the change form spell may not be total: Memories and other mental functions, such as Intelligence and psionics, might be retained in the being's new form if the new form is basically the same as the old form (for example, humanoid to humanoid, avian to avian, etc.).

Once the metamorphosis is complete, the recipient grows and ages normally as a member of his new race. He is able to use all natural abilities of his new form, such as flight and other special movement modes, as if he were born to them, though he may not be able to speak the language of his new form.

The material component of the spell is a vial of acid, in which at least 5,000 gp worth of powdered moonstone has been dissolved during a full moon. The vial must be broken upon the subject within one round of the completion of the spell. The acid causes no damage to the recipient who fails the save, although one who successfully saves takes 2d4 points of damage.