so i will admit that i am 100% stealing this idea from a youtube short i saw...
A magic item that allows the user to transform into any monster from the monster manual, without limitation, once per day.
Current idea:
If character is level 1-5 they roll 1d100 and are transformed into that creature,
If levels 6-10, you may choose to roll up to 2d100's and pick 1 feature of the monster (size, move speed, movement type, etc...); if the monster rolled isn't within one tier of that chosen stat, you may reroll once.
Levels 11-15, you may roll up to 3d100 four times, choose 2 features before rolling; if none of the rolled creatures have the features, you may repeat this process up to two times (keeping the same features).
Levels 16-19: You may choose any monster from the monster manual and become that monster
Level 20: choose a monster, become that monster, but you may add up to two features to the monster.
If two or more creatures exist on the same page, player rolls a dX (X=number of creatures) and becomes that creature. If no creature is on that page the transformation fails.
Sorry but this is complete nonsense, if you can become the creature "without limitation" then they will just go camp in the woods for a week rolling until they get something of CR > 10 and then just stay as that forever and you'll have a party of level 1-5s now with a CR 10+ ally. Though I suppose you could make it not absorb in them so the whole party can use it over the course of a couple of weeks to all become CR 10+ monsters and turn the campaign into a monsters campaign. Though if that's what you want, just let all the players choose a monster they want to play as from the start.
I guess my broader question, is what is the point of this item? Is it supposed to be a whacky Wild-Magic-esque type thing where it's a brief "ha-ha that's so crazy!" type moment? Is it supposed to be a last-ditch hail-mary? Is it supposed to be a game-breaking?
Sorry but this is complete nonsense, if you can become the creature "without limitation" then they will just go camp in the woods for a week rolling until they get something of CR > 10 and then just stay as that forever and you'll have a party of level 1-5s now with a CR 10+ ally. Though I suppose you could make it not absorb in them so the whole party can use it over the course of a couple of weeks to all become CR 10+ monsters and turn the campaign into a monsters campaign. Though if that's what you want, just let all the players choose a monster they want to play as from the start.
I guess my broader question, is what is the point of this item? Is it supposed to be a whacky Wild-Magic-esque type thing where it's a brief "ha-ha that's so crazy!" type moment? Is it supposed to be a last-ditch hail-mary? Is it supposed to be a game-breaking?
I was thinking the transformation only lasts for 10 minute. Plenty of time to finish a fight, while in that fight; no where near long enough to find a fight.
And yeah probably justify it, with the item being a kind of wild magic infused necklace or whatever.
As for why it exists... bit of levity, bit of "seeing how this plays out", and a whole lot of "is this item as good/bad as i think it would be?"
If you just want to see how it plays out and if it would be as good/bad as you think, then why do you want advice balancing it? Just play it and see for yourself how broken it is. But FYI 10 minutes is plenty of time to find a fight when you are an Adult or Ancient Dragon with a 80 ft fly speed, and can carry the entire party on your back.
I mean the item is several times more powerful than the True Polymorph spell starting at the latest at level 16, but probably more like level 11 because with 36 chances it's pretty easy to ensure you get the kind of monster you want by specifying the right two features.
E.g.
Size=Huge or bigger, and has a Breath Weapon : 24 monsters in the MM fit these criteria and 22 of them are dragons of CR 13 or higher.
or
has True Sight and is not a Construct leaves you 18 monsters 15 of which are CR 10 or higher
or simply
Size = Gargantuan guarantees you a monster of CR 11 or higher
But anyway, if the idea is levity and not to be game-breaking powerful I'd recommend:
Necklace of Random Form Very Rare, Attunement
Once per day, you can use an action to activate this necklace and magically transform into a random creature. Draw a number of random numbers between 12-315 equal to your proficiency bonus, then turn to those pages in the Monster Manual, you can choose one monster stat block from any of the selected pages to transform into - if there are no monster stat blocks on any of the pages the transformation fails. You replace all your game statistics with those of the chosen monster but retain your personality and alignment. Any equipment you are wearing or holding is absorbed into the new form and you gain no benefits from it. If the chosen creature has legendary actions or lair actions you cannot use them.
You remain in this form for 10 minutes, or until it is reduced to 0 hit points, any excess damage carries over to its normal form, or you die at which point you revert to your normal form.
If you just want to see how it plays out and if it would be as good/bad as you think, then why do you want advice balancing it? Just play it and see for yourself how broken it is. But FYI 10 minutes is plenty of time to find a fight when you are an Adult or Ancient Dragon with a 80 ft fly speed, and can carry the entire party on your back.
I mean the item is several times more powerful than the True Polymorph spell starting at the latest at level 16, but probably more like level 11 because with 36 chances it's pretty easy to ensure you get the kind of monster you want by specifying the right two features.
E.g.
Size=Huge or bigger, and has a Breath Weapon : 24 monsters in the MM fit these criteria and 22 of them are dragons of CR 13 or higher.
or
has True Sight and is not a Construct leaves you 18 monsters 15 of which are CR 10 or higher
or simply
Size = Gargantuan guarantees you a monster of CR 11 or higher
Hmmm. So what i'm getting is to make stuff like size work opposite of what one might expect. IE: pick a size, then you are eligible for every monster of that size or smaller. So the bigger you go (for the high rolls) the higher the chance it blows up in your face.
Probably also need to slim down the ability to "get lucky", so maybe the 11-15 bracket only allows you 2 rolls, and 1 reroll, instead of 4 rolls and 2 rerolls.
Also, make it so that if the player's rolls don't hit a creature that works with the limitations they set, the transformation fails. So yeah, you COULD aim for only CR11+ monsters, but with 300+ pages there are still quite a few misses.
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so i will admit that i am 100% stealing this idea from a youtube short i saw...
A magic item that allows the user to transform into any monster from the monster manual, without limitation, once per day.
Current idea:
If character is level 1-5 they roll 1d100 and are transformed into that creature,
If levels 6-10, you may choose to roll up to 2d100's and pick 1 feature of the monster (size, move speed, movement type, etc...); if the monster rolled isn't within one tier of that chosen stat, you may reroll once.
Levels 11-15, you may roll up to 3d100 four times, choose 2 features before rolling; if none of the rolled creatures have the features, you may repeat this process up to two times (keeping the same features).
Levels 16-19: You may choose any monster from the monster manual and become that monster
Level 20: choose a monster, become that monster, but you may add up to two features to the monster.
If two or more creatures exist on the same page, player rolls a dX (X=number of creatures) and becomes that creature. If no creature is on that page the transformation fails.
Sorry but this is complete nonsense, if you can become the creature "without limitation" then they will just go camp in the woods for a week rolling until they get something of CR > 10 and then just stay as that forever and you'll have a party of level 1-5s now with a CR 10+ ally. Though I suppose you could make it not absorb in them so the whole party can use it over the course of a couple of weeks to all become CR 10+ monsters and turn the campaign into a monsters campaign. Though if that's what you want, just let all the players choose a monster they want to play as from the start.
I guess my broader question, is what is the point of this item? Is it supposed to be a whacky Wild-Magic-esque type thing where it's a brief "ha-ha that's so crazy!" type moment? Is it supposed to be a last-ditch hail-mary? Is it supposed to be a game-breaking?
I was thinking the transformation only lasts for 10 minute. Plenty of time to finish a fight, while in that fight; no where near long enough to find a fight.
And yeah probably justify it, with the item being a kind of wild magic infused necklace or whatever.
As for why it exists... bit of levity, bit of "seeing how this plays out", and a whole lot of "is this item as good/bad as i think it would be?"
If you just want to see how it plays out and if it would be as good/bad as you think, then why do you want advice balancing it? Just play it and see for yourself how broken it is. But FYI 10 minutes is plenty of time to find a fight when you are an Adult or Ancient Dragon with a 80 ft fly speed, and can carry the entire party on your back.
I mean the item is several times more powerful than the True Polymorph spell starting at the latest at level 16, but probably more like level 11 because with 36 chances it's pretty easy to ensure you get the kind of monster you want by specifying the right two features.
E.g.
Size=Huge or bigger, and has a Breath Weapon : 24 monsters in the MM fit these criteria and 22 of them are dragons of CR 13 or higher.
or
has True Sight and is not a Construct leaves you 18 monsters 15 of which are CR 10 or higher
or simply
Size = Gargantuan guarantees you a monster of CR 11 or higher
But anyway, if the idea is levity and not to be game-breaking powerful I'd recommend:
Necklace of Random Form
Very Rare, Attunement
Once per day, you can use an action to activate this necklace and magically transform into a random creature. Draw a number of random numbers between 12-315 equal to your proficiency bonus, then turn to those pages in the Monster Manual, you can choose one monster stat block from any of the selected pages to transform into - if there are no monster stat blocks on any of the pages the transformation fails. You replace all your game statistics with those of the chosen monster but retain your personality and alignment. Any equipment you are wearing or holding is absorbed into the new form and you gain no benefits from it. If the chosen creature has legendary actions or lair actions you cannot use them.
You remain in this form for 10 minutes, or until it is reduced to 0 hit points, any excess damage carries over to its normal form, or you die at which point you revert to your normal form.
Hmmm. So what i'm getting is to make stuff like size work opposite of what one might expect. IE: pick a size, then you are eligible for every monster of that size or smaller. So the bigger you go (for the high rolls) the higher the chance it blows up in your face.
Probably also need to slim down the ability to "get lucky", so maybe the 11-15 bracket only allows you 2 rolls, and 1 reroll, instead of 4 rolls and 2 rerolls.
Also, make it so that if the player's rolls don't hit a creature that works with the limitations they set, the transformation fails. So yeah, you COULD aim for only CR11+ monsters, but with 300+ pages there are still quite a few misses.