Avlis Policy on: Changelings and Detecting Changelings

[dougnoel]

A changelings may take any form except the following:

1.) Incorporeal undead (ghost, wraith, spectre, allip, etc.)
2.) Inanimate objects (chair, combat dummy, archery target, barrel, chest, box, etc.)

Anything else is fair game, including elementals, oozes, outsiders, constructs and corporeal undead.

Spellcasting that requires speech requires a form that you can speak with per these rules. Your weapons, armor and magic items become part of your form.

You cannot use projectile weapons when in a form without arms and opposable thumbs. Using a projectile weapon is always visible, even if your model does not show it. You are not a quill-shooting porcupine (which is a myth anyway).

Weapons used in non-humanoid forms are not visible, but any elemental damage effects are. This does not mean that you can be identified as a changeling, but it is odd. It would be perfectly reasonable to assume the friendly dog dripping acid from its jaws was carrying a disease or possessed and put the poor creature out of its misery.

Changelings can pick things up in non-humanoid forms by absorbing them into their forms, however if a person can see you they can see you absorbing the items, regardless of the direction of the camera and how stealthy you think you are. Again, they cannot identify you as a changeling, but they may decide you are a threat.

Scrolls, wands and magical staves may not be used in a form that cannot speak. If they are used, the item is visible. Potions, healing kits, traps and thieves tools cannot be used in a form without hands. Powers from other items including rods, any worn item, and weapons, may be activated at will in any form but are visible when being used.

It is not cheesy for a changleing to be lawful, any more than it is cheesy for a dwarf to be chaotic evil, an orc to be chaotic good, or a human to be something other than neutral.

Please also see the information on speaking forms for changelings.

[Ronan]

Detecting Changelings

Summary: Since there are many ways of shapeshifting on Avlis, a successful spellcraft check (as noted below) lets you understand that the shapeshift method being used is a Changeling one, and not a druid ability/succubus shapechange/polymorph self spell being cast, etc. You'll know the spellcraft check, which is made automatically by the engine, has succeeded when you get the extra yellow text appearing.

When a changeling uses the Changeling Special Ability, a message is sent to everyone in the area that the ability has been used. This is an OOC message.

When a changeling changes form, everyone in the immediate vicinity gets to make a spellcraft check (DC 16). This check is made automatically by the engine. If they succeed, they get a message indicating that the user of the power may be a changeling. If they fail, they get no message. If someone changes in front of your face, you do know that they can change form. However you do not know how they are accomplishing this feat unless you succeed in your spellcraft check.

When a changeling memorizes or purges a form, everyone in the immediate vicinity gets to make a spellcraft check (DC 30). This check is made automatically by the engine. If they succeed, they get a message indicating that the user of the power may be a changeling. If they fail, they get no message.

In both the above cases, the changeling does not know if someone made a check or if they succeeded at a check. When a changeling reviews their forms, no one gets to make a spellcraft check to identify a changeling.

This means that anyone without ranks in spellcraft will never be able to identify someone as a changeling. Those with some ranks will be able to identify changelings with a good degree of accuracy whenever they change shape or revert to their true form. Only characters of at least level 6 will have any chance of identifying changelings when memorizing or purging forms, and only epics with any degree of regularity.

If you cannot make spellcraft checks, the only other IC way to find out someone is a changeling is to have someone who ICly knows tell you that person is a changeling. So unless you succeed at a spellcraft check you do not know someone is a changeling, even if they change shape in front of your face.

If you as a player sees a changeling shift in front of you, oocly you know they are a changeling, whether or not you make the check. The checks, however, are to let you know whether your character also knows he's with a changeling. As I understand things, if your character makes the spellcraft check, ICly that does not mean you have physical proof to show someone. All you can do is explain that you know enough of the ways of changelings that you are certain that the person/creature in front of you is a changeling. It's up to everyone else as to whether they believe you or not.

If your doesn't make the check, your character doesn't know - he can suspect, but deep down he would realize that what he saw is not sufficient proof to himself that he is looking at a changeling. The important thing to realize is that these rolls are not there so you can prove to others that someone is a changeling, but so that you as a player knows whether your character knows/believes he is in the presence of a changeling.