Shattered Kingdoms

then answer me this. What's the point of even being able to polymorph into a nonplayable race if everyone you meet instantly knows you're a sorc that's polymorphed? There are creatures / NPC's in the realm that has pets. The warlock in the yed temple in garazul will actually summon an elemental. There's other NPC's with daemonic / shadow guardians and such.

While it's out of place that a humanoid might roam into an inn, yes but perhaps there are reasons it'd do it? Remember a few years ago when those crazy NPC ghouls or whatever would invade random inns and kill everyone? How could someone look at a humanoid and -automatically- know icly hat it's a polymorphed sorc? Just because it has a pet in front of em? Lots of NPC's have pets / guardians. A NPC in the north has pet sand tigers. Just because people -know- what polymorph is capable of doesnt mean that they could straight up look at something and -instantly- know that it's a polymorphed sorc just because it has a pet or is wearing something. A lot of NPCs wear something. The only distinction is that NPC's don't move and that's simply a game mechanic unless it's a NPC possessed by an imm currently.

It's the exact same with a certain cabal spell. Why does it even work on NPC's if people mystically know who you are without any proof or evidence. It's the same as polymorph. It's not deductive reasoning, it's merely using ooc mechanics to prove your statements.

Polymorph has much more useful applications than playing dress-up.

Kin, your next character should be the re-born space-emperor of Pyrathia. When people fail to bow down to you and worship you (as they obviously should given the rp of the character) you should keep lots of logs and send them off to the appropriate imms.

Like say changing into something immune to blunt damage so barehanded NPCs can't hurt you? Yeah, I'm aware of those applications. This is exactly whats wrong with the player base. Everyone sees mechanics and thats it. And you people wonder why it's not ranked anymore..

Change the motto to where "Tactics and Mechanics collide" cause it sure as hell doesn't have much if any RP left in the world. I'm done

Polymorph is a level 26 spell for a class that is considered by the help files to be "the most common of the wizardly professions."

Locate object is a spell that lets you know who is polymorphed/disguised/mimicked as what. Seriously, characters with locate object are border-line omniscient if their players are smart.

Keep these two things in mind when getting upset about people going OOC to know you are a sorcerer.

That being said, I'm sure most people's characters are influenced by OOC understanding of game mechanics (like knowing that NPCs don't just walk around talking to people). My advice would be to get over it, and enjoy what RP you end up generating, whether or not it is the RP you had envisioned.

Edit: And what kind of sorcerer or scroll-user or wand-user is going to polymorph in order to limit blunt damage? Improving stats or avoiding BoG or basic magical damage seem like much more useful applications.

People are going to treat your sorc polymorphed as a unicorn differently than a unicorn in the Zhefnur forest. Until you start treating the scripted Zhensh guards the same way that you treat a PC talon that greets you on the street, let it be. Last I checked carrying long drawn-out conversations with NPCs was just about as boring as talking to a talking badger who you OOCly (And in most cases, ICly) know is just a sorc screwing around.

I polymorphed often into non-playable races, like plants and elementals. I did so in the inn, for fun. Other sorcerers joined in the fun. People weren't sure who -I- was, but of course they knew it was a sorc. No one really "demanded" I do anything because I wasn't trying to harass anyone while polymorphed.

Disguise, hide, polymorph, mimic and the like are not infallible, nor should they be. Intelligent characters are going to figure out what's what. It's not perfect, it's going to be a risk when you polymorph into a non-playable race, you're the only sorc around, and if you RP a certain way. I doubt anyone would bother you if you polymorphed as a cat and just sat down in an inn and meowed.

It all depends on intention. The more you involve yourself while polymorphed, or use it in order to try to manipulate someone - the more of a risk you take. It's silly to assume that players won't know it's a polymorphed player. They'd probably think Harlie/polymorph before they thought IMM as well, and IMMs might not try to hurt people as much.

HTFU

I don't know about you guys, but my character has been fighting against a chimera, a half-wolf, and a faceless nymph for twenty years now. Demons and seraphs can suck a fat one; he's seen it all by now.

Wow, here I've tried to be nice and really explain myself but you've just turned on the good ol' eye-geysers there, haven't you?

So let me put it this way, your reasoning is moronic.



No, because you are OUT OF PLACE. I think 10 people before me have said this, but you don't seem to listen. If, for example, you had polymorphed into something in the likeness of one of those "crazy NPC ghouls or whatever" most people wouldn't have suspected a sorc, not at first glance at least.

...Instead, they would've killed you. And then you would've come running to the forums crying about it, no?




Go to an area where the race you want to polymorph to is more common, and you'll be fine. Those facets of the spell are circumstancial, but you can wreak a lot of havoc if you figure out someone's in a special area and polymorph to something like other things in the area.

You just blow a gasket when things doesn't go your way. It doesn't tip you off that not a single person has agreed with you? Welcome, DA #2...