SHAPECHANGE feature

[PowerWyrm]

This is a neat feature, but currently has two big flaws:

1) High level monsters shapechanging into low level monsters

Maia of Ulmo, level 65 -> cold vortex, level 21

This sounds like stupid for a guy that will give a hard fight (4700 hps, TERRIFY/PARALYZE/ACID attacks, BA_WATE/BO_MANA/BO_WATE/S_AINU) to change into something that will be oneshot by a level 20 char...

2) Monsters shapechanging into uniques

Maiar of Oromë -> Huan, Wolfhound of the Valar

Sorry, but this sounds ridiculous...

Unless there is something I don't get...
How's mob death handled? What do monsters get when shapechanging? Seems the code just swaps "race" and doesn't reset the mob completely...

[Huqhox]

Perhaps the logical approach here is to assign forms based on some trait they give the monster, exactly analogous to the player forms. It might mean tweaking (or more...) the monster AI so that it can a) choose a suitable form (or when to revert) and b) can use that form effectively

So give it a 'fast' form so it can run away when it wants to
If it's a spell caster, give it a high hp/high damage melee form

etc

[Hounded]

Agree to some extent but there's also the potential for some truly unexpected gameplay.

I had one character that got hit from offscreen for a good chunk of damage. I danced around until I got a look at my attacker. A measly cold vortex and in I charged to put it out of my misery.

The #$%^#@ thing wouldn't die! No cold vortex should take this long. After several rounds of me hitting it and wondering why it's HP weren't dropping like they should it shifted back into it's Maia form. Gulp! Phase door and re-evaluate strategy.

[Pete Mack]

I would agree with the OP under the original spell list, when almost everyone has double cold resist. Now that potions are the only option for most chars, cold is a bigger risk. (And yes, do carry those potions. They make a huge difference.)