Flea vs Dragon 1-0

[Anders]

A very inventive player thought of this odd use of the shapechange spell in our high level campaign:

1. Change into a flea.
2. Enter the earlobe of a monster/NPC.
3. Change into a Huge Rock.
Result: Dead opponent, no save (head explosion).

This caused a major balance issue.
Being the DM I had to disallow such abuse by stating that the shapechange spell could not be used to take larger shapes in any sort of smaller confinements (such as the afore mentioned earlobe).

What do you think?

 

[Jack Haggerty]

1. Cast Ploymorph Self.
2. Change into a flea.
3. Get swatted when the enemy gains an Attack of Opportunity as you, now a Fine-sized insect, enter his threat range to fly into his ear, so you can "attack" him, since you have no threat range.
4. Die.

Result: Dead PC, squashed flat, no save.

 

[Anders]

Polymorph self does not allow you to take the shape of a flea.

Shapechange does however, and it wouldn't be too hard to enter a earlobe of say a non-blindsighted creature while invisible and then make the shift into a serious amount of metal (or rock), thus killing the creature.

There's actually nothing in the standard rules that contradicts or prohibits that sort of clever abuse.

And, I forgot, the player can take a serious amount of AoO damage (hp 150+), thus she will not usually die from such an attack.

Maybe I should mention that this Munchkin-player is a woman*.

_____________
*) In my opinion, she's more rules-bending than any man I've ever played with.

 

[Jack Haggerty]

Polymorph... Shapechange... Same difference.

Rule-0: Use your common sense.

Thus, a swatted bug dies, regardless of the amount of damage dealt.

Whether the player is male or female is beside the point, don't confuse the issue.

 

[hong]

Polymorph... Shapechange... Same difference.

Rule-0: Use your common sense.

Thus, a swatted bug dies, regardless of the amount of damage dealt.

Ah, but this is a Jedi bug.

"Common sense" would also demand that when a human being gets breathed on or swatted by an 80' long red dragon, they're toast. However, this tends to happen a lot less often than might be thought. The same principle applies to human beings polymorphed into fleas, which are clearly tougher than your average flea.

Getting back to the original, I wouldn't have a problem ruling that shapechange only allows you to take a form that's limited by the space you're in. There are plenty of other ways to cheese the spell....

 

[Bonedagger]

To try and solve the instant kill factor in the polymorphspells I came up with a little twist to the polymorphspells you can read about here .

It can still be done but it requires a lot more work.

By the way... Wouldn't a dragon hear an insect crawling around near it's ear and try to brush it away. Maybe they snap for insects like cats and dogs

 

[Xarlen]

Wouldn't the dragon's Blindsight alert it?

Wouldn't the dragon be too Big to hit the flea?

 

[Taloras]

Is there no limit on size differential on the spell?

The dragon would most likely not even notice a flea, as there would most likely be several around. Unless, by chance, he had detect magic on and saw a magic flea. i think hed breath on it then.

 

[Ealli]

Anything you can do...

Your decision was probably the best choice. I think your ruling was very sensible.

When confronted with such cheese, the best option is to outright ban it. It doesn't work, no explanation needed, it is magic after all. If the players insist, hand them 4d6 and tell them to roll a new character, an enemy mage did it to them first. I wouldn't want to go down the path of instakilling player characters with no warning, so fairness dictates that the players can't do it to NPCs.

 

[Thanee]

I wouldn't allow that either.

I would probably had her show me the rule, where it says, that you get instantly killed by that.

My ruling would probably been, that she gets ejected while polymorphing, causing no damage, but probably getting the attention of said dragon.

Your ruling is pretty good, too, and works similar to the reduce or enlarge spell.

Bye
Thanee