Polymorph

Rule: Polymorph requires a material component.

Replaces: Polymorph and related spells

In Use In: Red Star Chronicles

Synopsis: Any spell that allows a blanket form change requires the caster to have a piece of what he intends to change into as a material component.

Polymorph and the Need for a Focus
Polymorph is widely considered to be one of the most overpowered and broken spells in the entire 3.5 ruleset, and with good reason. In order to limit polymorph's power without absolutely destroying its flavor or utility, it will join the ranks of spells that are regulated by expensive material components.

This rule applies to the following non-exclusive list of spells: alter self, polymorph, polymorph any object, and ''shapechange. ''It also affects a druid's Wild Shape ability, slightly differently.

Whenever a caster wants to shift into a new form, he must have a small sample of that form available to use as a material component for the spell. The cost of this sample is left up to the DM's discretion; the DM is encouraged to be extremely liberal in making use of this limiting factor. Bear fur or troll toenails should be relatively easy to procure, but the fang of an adamantine dragon should be very expensive indeed.

A rough guideline for any "unusual" form is 500 - 1000g per hit die of the subject creature. More typical creatures should be much lower in cost, though the cost should never be lower than 50g.

See the Druid entry for rules on how this change affects wild shape.

Polymorph and Spellcasting
Rule: Polymorph does not grant inherent spellcasting

Replaces: Polymorph does grant inherent spellcasting

In Use In: Red Star Chronicles

Synopsis: Polymorph does not grant any additional spellcasting

Certain creatures, such as some angels and devils, have inherent spellcasting. Since inherent spellcasting qualifies as a "basic" ability, the general consensus of the rules is that polymorph and derived spells grant the caster the ability to cast those spells. Thus, a wizard polymorphing into a solar gains the casting abilities of a 20th-level cleric while retaining his own wizard spellcasting.

This rule removes that quality. Polymorph and all derived spells do not grant any spellcasting that the target form would otherwise have. If the target form is sufficiently humanlike, per the DM's ruling, the caster may retain his own inherent spellcasting ability.