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Banndon 08-19-06, 05:27 PM

Our gaming group is divided over the interpretation of alter self. Since polymorph, wildshape and many other spells and abilities are interconnected and all refer to this one spell, alter self, there quite a lot of argument going on. In alter self it is specified that: "A body with extra limbs does not allow you to make more attacks (or more advantageous two-weapon attacks." Some say that this means that, for exemple, even if you're polymorphed into a girallon you won't be able to use all 4 arms, only 2, because those would be extra limbs. That would also apply to giant squids that normally have 8 slam attacks, if you're polymorphed into one you would only get two slams attacks. Others (including myself), think that you gain all natural attacks of the form you're in. Since alter self says: "You acquire the physical qualities of the new form..." (which includes natural weapons) and that in the Monster Manual they define a natural weapons as: "...as weapons that are physically part of a creature" it is resonnable to think that the extra attacks refered to in the description of alter self are attacks made with manifactured weapons. In the same description of Natural Weapons and in the most recent FAQ p.63 they clearly state that naturals attacks are not handeled in the same way as attacks made with manifactued weapons. Natural weapons/attacks depend on the morphology of the creature (If you've got horns you got a gore attack, if you've got paws you've got a claw attack, etc.) Manifactured weapons depend on your feats and your BAB. I'm looking for an official ruling of some sort here, since this applies to organized play (LG).