Animal-affecting spells on caster or Animal Companion [Archive] - Wizards Community

Animal-affecting spells on caster or Animal Companion [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Pliskit
04-29-05, 05:53 AM In the Priest-challenge concerning Druids, to my surprise I found no protests against players using for example Animal Growth on themselves and on Animal Companions.

My gnome druid is not allowed to use animal-affecting spells on himself because he´s not an animal but a gnome, and he can´t cast this on his animal companion because the moment it became his animal companion it is no longer considered an animal but a magical beast.

PHB36: "A druid´s animal companion is different from a normal animal of its kind in many ways. The companion is treated as a magical beast, not an animal..."

Hmmm... while reading the description on the Polymorph spell upon which Wildshaping is based, I have to admit casting animal-affecting spells on caster would work: PHB263: "The subject´s creature type and subtype (if any) change to match the new form..."

Okay, so the question rests at: what is your opinion on using a spell that has "animal" in the Target-description on animal companions?
Enaloindir
04-29-05, 06:34 AM Animal Companion
Player’s Handbook, page 36
Contrary to the text, a druid’s animal companion is not treated as a magical beast; it remains an animal. Trim the first paragraph of the sidebar so that it reads as follows:
A druid’s animal companion is superior to a normal animal of its kind and has special powers, as described below.

According to the errata, your animal companion is still an animal, so casting animal growth on it is perfectly legal :).

Now, for casting animal growth on yourself:Wild Shape (Su): At 5th level, a druid gains the ability to turn herself into any Small or Medium animal and back again once per day. Her options for new forms include all creatures with the animal type. This ability functions like the polymorph spell, except as noted here. The effect lasts for 1 hour per druid level, or until she changes back. Changing form (to animal or back) is a standard action and doesn’t provoke an attack of opportunity. [...]

Looking at polymorph:Polymorph: This spell functions like alter self, except that you change the willing subject into another form of living creature. The new form may be of the same type as the subject or any of the following types: aberration, animal, dragon, fey, giant, humanoid, magical beast, monstrous humanoid, ooze, plant, or vermin. The assumed form can’t have more Hit Dice than your caster level (or the subject’s HD, whichever is lower), to a maximum of 15 HD at 15th level. You can’t cause a subject to assume a form smaller than Fine, nor can you cause a subject to assume an incorporeal or gaseous form. The subject’s creature type and subtype (if any) change to match the new form . [...]

So, your type changes to animal when you wild shape into an animal (or to plant when chaning into a plant), allowing you to benefit from animal growth.

In conclusion, both uses of the animal growth spell are perfectly legal. :)

Enaloindir
Pliskit
04-29-05, 06:51 AM As for casting on caster: I had that covered in my original post, but thanks for thinking along ;)
As for casting on animal companion: thanks for the tip and God bless the errata!
Enaloindir
04-29-05, 06:55 AM As for casting on caster: I had that covered in my original post, but thanks for thinking along ;)

Oops! Must've glanced over that part :)

Enaloindir
Pliskit
04-29-05, 07:02 AM Hehehe no problem :)
Moon-Lancer
04-29-05, 07:26 AM now would it be over powerfull if a druid used feats like exalted wildshape or dragon wildshape, but still used animal growth even though the type is no longer animal?
MaverickWolf
04-29-05, 08:35 AM now would it be over powerfull if a druid used feats like exalted wildshape or dragon wildshape, but still used animal growth even though the type is no longer animal?
Not only that, it'd be against the rules. Dragon Wildshape would give them the Dragon type, which doesn't qualify for Animal Growth. Most (if not all, I don't remember of the top of my head) of the Exalted Wildshape forms are of the Magical Beast type, which also doesn't qualify for Animal Growth.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Pliskit 04-29-05, 05:53 AM	In the Priest-challenge concerning Druids, to my surprise I found no protests against players using for example Animal Growth on themselves and on Animal Companions. My gnome druid is not allowed to use animal-affecting spells on himself because he´s not an animal but a gnome, and he can´t cast this on his animal companion because the moment it became his animal companion it is no longer considered an animal but a magical beast. PHB36: "A druid´s animal companion is different from a normal animal of its kind in many ways. The companion is treated as a magical beast, not an animal..." Hmmm... while reading the description on the Polymorph spell upon which Wildshaping is based, I have to admit casting animal-affecting spells on caster would work: PHB263: "The subject´s creature type and subtype (if any) change to match the new form..." Okay, so the question rests at: what is your opinion on using a spell that has "animal" in the Target-description on animal companions?
Enaloindir 04-29-05, 06:34 AM	Animal Companion Player’s Handbook, page 36 Contrary to the text, a druid’s animal companion is not treated as a magical beast; it remains an animal. Trim the first paragraph of the sidebar so that it reads as follows: A druid’s animal companion is superior to a normal animal of its kind and has special powers, as described below. According to the errata, your animal companion is still an animal, so casting animal growth on it is perfectly legal :). Now, for casting animal growth on yourself:Wild Shape (Su): At 5th level, a druid gains the ability to turn herself into any Small or Medium animal and back again once per day. Her options for new forms include all creatures with the animal type. This ability functions like the polymorph spell, except as noted here. The effect lasts for 1 hour per druid level, or until she changes back. Changing form (to animal or back) is a standard action and doesn’t provoke an attack of opportunity. [...] Looking at polymorph:Polymorph: This spell functions like alter self, except that you change the willing subject into another form of living creature. The new form may be of the same type as the subject or any of the following types: aberration, animal, dragon, fey, giant, humanoid, magical beast, monstrous humanoid, ooze, plant, or vermin. The assumed form can’t have more Hit Dice than your caster level (or the subject’s HD, whichever is lower), to a maximum of 15 HD at 15th level. You can’t cause a subject to assume a form smaller than Fine, nor can you cause a subject to assume an incorporeal or gaseous form. The subject’s creature type and subtype (if any) change to match the new form . [...] So, your type changes to animal when you wild shape into an animal (or to plant when chaning into a plant), allowing you to benefit from animal growth. In conclusion, both uses of the animal growth spell are perfectly legal. :) Enaloindir
Pliskit 04-29-05, 06:51 AM	As for casting on caster: I had that covered in my original post, but thanks for thinking along ;) As for casting on animal companion: thanks for the tip and God bless the errata!
Enaloindir 04-29-05, 06:55 AM	As for casting on caster: I had that covered in my original post, but thanks for thinking along ;) Oops! Must've glanced over that part :) Enaloindir
Pliskit 04-29-05, 07:02 AM	Hehehe no problem :)
Moon-Lancer 04-29-05, 07:26 AM	now would it be over powerfull if a druid used feats like exalted wildshape or dragon wildshape, but still used animal growth even though the type is no longer animal?
MaverickWolf 04-29-05, 08:35 AM	now would it be over powerfull if a druid used feats like exalted wildshape or dragon wildshape, but still used animal growth even though the type is no longer animal? Not only that, it'd be against the rules. Dragon Wildshape would give them the Dragon type, which doesn't qualify for Animal Growth. Most (if not all, I don't remember of the top of my head) of the Exalted Wildshape forms are of the Magical Beast type, which also doesn't qualify for Animal Growth.