Shapechange

Not to be confused with Shapeshift.

Description[]

Gameplay[]

The caster directs this spell upon oneself only.

When the spell casting is finished, a 3d graphic effects renders over the caster's sprite for a few seconds.

A text displays reading "Shapechange abilities have been added to your Special Abilities menu".

Selecting the Special Abilities menu using the cursor or the F12 key will have added the various forms at the end of any other previously attained abilities.

The new abilities are selectable with the cursor or a F-key number (which varies depending on how many abilities the character now has).

From left to right are the following menu buttons - Shapeshift: Mind Flayer, Natural Form, Iron Golem, Giant Troll, Greater Wolfwere, Fire Elemental, and Earth Elemental.

The caster may select a form at will and change to another form at will by selecting from the menu. This includes reverting to the character's natural form as well. There is no limit to how many different forms can be selected, and when the spell expires the polymorph session is over with - however, only one form change per round is achievable.

While shapechanged the caster may access their inventory screen as normal.

While shapechanged the caster may use items placed in the "Quick Items" slots, such as scrolls, potions or wands as normal.

While shapechanged the caster may not cast Wizard or Priest spells (except via scrolls from the quick item slot).

Once shapechanged, the caster may not change or try to equip a main hand or off-hand weapon/shield, neither ammo - this is met with a text reading "You may not equip weapons while shapechanged".

While shapechanged the caster may unequip, reequip or change any of the following items: armor (when not in combat), gauntlets, helmet, amulet, rings, cloak and boots.

While shapechanged, the caster's Main-hand attack weapon is made dormant and replaced with the form's specific shapechanged weapon.

A shield equipped before shapechanging will provide its benefits after shapechanging, although there are exceptions (see the Notes).

All non main-hand weapon equipment items function as normal while shapechanged, off-hand weapons do not attack or roll for damage.

If the caster has a magically created weapon active, such as Melf's Minute Meteors, Phantom Blade, or from Chill Touch etc. then when shapechanged the magically created weapon is destroyed and replaced by the form's weapon.

Forms table[]

Notes[]

All Forms...[]

• ... grant some (but not necessarily all) of the assumed form's abilities, resistances, and status immunities.
• ... ignore dead magic, wild magic, and silence effects.
• ... allow innate abilities (e.g. Set Spike Trap), item-granted abilities (e.g. Illbratha's Mirror Image) and consumables (e.g. potions, scrolls, or wands) to be used.
• Item-granted abilities are still castable when transformed. Effects from equipped offhand weapons (e.g. +1 APR from Belm) require saving the game and reloading to be applied after transforming, except for the case of the Giant Troll form, that gets those bonuses without requiring a reload.
• ... benefit from Sword and Shield Style when equipped with a shield, Single Weapon Style when the offhand is empty and no weapon style at all when a weapon is in the offhand.
• ... do not override base THACO, meaning pure mages will have a hard time hitting with their attacks.

Mind Flayer[]

• Normally, Mind Flayers have 90% MR and 100% elemental resistance; this is absent from the corresponding Shapechange form.
• The Mind Flayer's melee attack will drain 5 points of Intelligence per hit; combined with the Mind Flayer's 4 APR, an enemy in the Helpless state (e.g. affected by Psionic Blast or during Time Stop) will be automatically drained of 20 INT per round with no save, killing most enemies in a single round once their Intelligence drops below 1.
  • Note enemies killed in such a manner will not grant experience, and some enemies are immune to ability scores falling below a minimum, such as Kangaax in EE.
• Psionic Blast is party-friendly, has a (small) area of effect, ignores MR, and bypasses spell protections like Globe of Invulnerability, making it a great option for immobilizing enemy mages. If paired with Improved Alacrity and the Amulet of Power, casters can switch to and from the Mind Flayer form, casting and renewing Psionic Blast instantly and repeatedly. Doing these enough times (20+) guarantees that opponents susceptible to stun are immobilized for a full turn, even with low Saves vs Spell and especially if paired with Greater Malison.

Iron Golem[]

• Normally, Iron Golems possess a variety of status effect immunities, such as immunity to fear and sleep; these are absent from the respective Shapechange form.
• This form's 100% magic resistance makes the caster effectively immune to a Beholder's eye-rays, making this form useful when dealing with these enemies.
• Thieves in this form can backstab, which can result in some incredibly high backstab damage, especially when paired with Kai and/or Righteous Magic.
• Blades can utilize Offensive Spin to maximize this form's massive amounts of variable damage.

Greater Wolfwere[]

• While possessing relatively poor physical protections and attack skills, the Greater Wolfwere form is most notable for its incredibly high regeneration rate of 8hp/second, which is doubled to 16 hp/second while under the effects of Improved Haste.
  • Fighter/Mages might benefit from having access to this form's regeneration on-demand: if low on health, transforming into this form and running around kiting enemies for a round will net the caster 96 hit points from regeneration if Hasted. Given that most Fighter/Mages will probably be affected by some form of Haste and that Shapechange lasts for 5 turns, having the option available to effectively "cast" an uninterruptible 96 point heal once a round for 5 turns bears consideration.

Where to obtain its scroll[]

BG2[]

• Ribald Barterman special stock available in Baldur's Gate II Chapter 6.
• Throne of Bhaal
  Classic & Enhanced
  This icon indicates content from the Throne of Bhaal campaign of both the original and the enhanced editions.: Arcana Archives.

Trivia[]

The Advanced Dungeons and Dragons 2nd Edition ruleset has no Wizard spell titled "Shapechange". Some of what the BG game is implementing would in part fall under the Polymorph Self Wizard Spell - however that spell most likely wouldn't permit a shapechange to the size of an Iron Golem.

Gallery[]

Gorion's Ward casts Shapechange on self.

Shown on the screenshot is the Ward's Special Abilities menu with all the shapechange buttons added for selection.

The Ward selects the Iron Golem button and instantly assumes that form - notice that the previously cast Mirror Image spell works on the new form as well. Time to go crush some enemies!

The Mind flayer form protected with MI launches a Psionic Blast that seems to land on several undead. Can undead even be stunned though? Maybe not.

Not to worry, as the flayer's Devour Brain attack is slowly making a Mummy brain dead from repeated tentacle strikes.

Mod content[]

This section is about unofficial content that is only available via fan-made mods.

Spell Revisions mod has changed this arcane spell, revising its duration, effects, and description. See below:

Shapechange
Level: 9
School: Alteration
Range: Personal
Duration: 5 turns
Casting Time: 1 round
Area of Effect: Caster
Saving Throw: None

With this spell, a wizard is able to assume the form of a powerful creature: that of an iron golem, a mind flayer, a greater wolfwere, or a spirit troll. The spellcaster becomes the creature he wishes and gains almost all of its natural abilities. The caster’s mental attributes are not affected, but physical attributes are changed to adhere to the new form. All clothes and equipment he was wearing will mold into the new form and continue to function, unseen. When the wizard returns to his natural form, they will also return to their previous state. Each alteration in form requires only a second, and no system shock is incurred.

Iron Golem
STR 24, DEX 9, CON 9; AC 3, THAC0 -2
2 Attacks Per Round, 2d10+16 Crushing Damage (Fist +4)
Immune to weapons lower than +3 enchantment
Immune to backstab & poison effects
Magic Resistance 100%
Acid, Cold, & Electrical Resistance 100%, Fire Resistance 125%
Slashing, Piercing, & Missile Resistance 40%, Crushing Resistance 20%

Greater Wolfwere
STR 21, DEX 20, CON 25; AC -4, THAC0 1
3 Attacks Per Round, 2d8+12 Slashing Damage (Paw +3)
Immune to weapons lower than +1 enchantment
Regeneration: 2 hp/sec
Magic Resistance 40%; Elemental Resistance 50%

Mind Flayer
STR 12, DEX 14, CON 12; AC 3, THAC0 9
1 Attack Per Round, 1d4+2 Damage + Devour Brain (Touch +2)
Devour Brain: -4 to target’s intelligence
Psionic Blast: stuns opponents within 15’ radius (save vs. spell negates)
Magic Resistance 90%
Spellcasting isn’t disabled while in this form

Spirit Troll
STR 19, DEX 18, CON 2; AC -4, THAC0 8
2 Attacks Per Round, 2d4+9 Slashing Damage + Drain (Claw +2)
Ability Score Drain: -1 to target’s strength (save vs. death negates)
Improved Invisible; Immune to normal weapons
Regeneration: 3 hp/round; Cold Resistance 100%

External links[]

Shapechange on the Forgotten Realms Wiki, a wiki for the Dungeons & Dragons campaign setting Forgotten Realms.