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I think the sections you linked to present the answer to your question: Familiars: "Only a normal, unmodified animal may become a familiar." Animal Companion: "A (...) druid’s companion is completely typical for its kind except as noted below." A polymorphed animal cannot be considered either "normal, unmodified" or "typical for its kind": It is a ...

Wizards of the Coast explain this problem here. The ways this spell is used and abused are summarized here. As some examples of this whole subschool being broken: Alter Self into Avariel - you just got yourself a cheaper and longer version of Fly two levels early Start as an outsider and Alter Self into Ravid - you just got yourself +15 of Natural Armor ...

The main issues with Polymorph are: Monsters aren't designed for PC use. Many monsters have abilities that are overpowered or disruptive in the hands of PCs, as they were designed primarily as opponents and weren't balanced with polymorph in mind. Versatility is power. Polymorph is by far one of the most versatile spells in the book. A more versatile ...

First, from the SRD: Rust (Ex): A rust monster that makes a successful touch attack with its antennae causes the target metal to corrode, falling to pieces and becoming useless immediately. The touch can destroy up to a 10-foot cube of metal instantly. Magic armor and weapons, and other magic items made of metal, must succeed on a DC 17 Reflex save or be ...

The word "broken" has different meanings to different people. Polymorph fits a few of those, which is why we have a lot of people saying it about the spell. In core 3.5, the fundamental problem is that the spell's power is not bounded by the contents of the spell description, it is bounded by the power of the monsters available. This has a few consequences: ...

Polymorph Effects Are Dangerous It is a very good idea to limit them. At the extreme, changing into a Sarrukh from Serpent Kingdoms while using Assume Supernatural Ability (Savage Species) or shapechange is the opening gambit for becoming Pun-pun, a character with +Yes to everything and every ability ever published (and arguably abilities not published, as ...

In my opinion, you should at least have encountered the creature before to polymorph into it. You might even have to examine a body. Reading about it in a book or rolling Knowledge should only let you recognize it. It lets the DM prohibit creatures with abilities that are broken in the hands of PCs, or creatures which don't exist in his game world. It adds ...

Another broken aspect is that it messes up point-buy for ability scores. You can choose to dump your physical stats when you make your character, focusing entirely on mental stats, and then use polymorph to give yourself great physical stats as well. And that's just one spell to do it; you still have plenty more.

Yes, it is plausible to restrict polymorph to creatures that the players have encountered. This is one of the commonly discussed polymorph house-rule. I think the minimum knowledge would be determined by a knowledge skill check for that monster. If the monster does not exist in your multi-verse this check would be impossible to complete. Basic knowledge of ...

I've taken to a risk v reward method for Polymorph. I make only one simple alteration. If you nat-1 on a Polymorph, you accidentally summon whatever you were trying to alter yourself or others into. Nice and tidy, it deters anyone from doing anything too terrible or dangerous and is rare enough that occasional massive risk can result in great fortune. It ...

Although the iron golem is specifically described as being affected normally by a rust monster's Rust attack, the effect of the Rust attack on a creature isn't explicitly given. Since it instantly destroys a 10-foot cube of iron, it would be reasonable to treat it as a disintegrate spell, dealing 2d6 damage per hit die of the familiar (i.e. your caster ...

I assume that you are referring to Slimy Transmutation (level 1 wizard daily from the red box) It's effect line reads: As a toad, the target is dazed and the only actions it can take are to move its speed or shift. As per the effect line of the power, a spell caster would not be able to cast most, if not all, their spells. In general, the only ...

You need to consider where the Familiar ability involves SUMMONING a familiar or MAKING a Familiar. The former you spend your 100 GP and 24 hours, focus on the type of familiar you want and it will come to you. The latter is the same as former except it assume that you have the creature in front of you and the ritual turns it into your familiar. The rules ...

I don't see a Polymorph power for wizards in the compendium, perhaps the name is different? I would assume that the power you are referring to is a Polymorph effect. The effect says nothing about affecting spellcasting ability. Unlike previous editions of D&D, there is no requirement for casters to have their hands or mouths free to cast. Note that ...

Because the link you provided specifically lists that the generated elf would have an INT, WIS, and CHA of 10 (average for the creature in question). Therefore, I would say that your initial assertion of bodily awareness would be correct, and that learned behaviors would be gone. Quite frankly, this would seem to fall into the "clone" clause unless you ...

No - A spellcaster transmuted by Foe to Frog may not cast spells. Now that the question has been clarified; Foe to Frog ddi reads: [...] Effect: As a Tiny beast, the target is dazed, and the only actions it can take are to move its speed or shift. [...] Similar to what Simon Withers indicated is also the case for Slimy Transmutation.

It's possible to place a Baleful Polymorph in the distant past of a Familiar or Druid Companion's, maybe as a back-story. The baleful polymorph spell results in a creature which cannot be normally distinguished from other average members of its species, and, for the spells to be able to know that the now normal creature has a spotty past, they would have ...

The stats received imply quite a lot: Average intelligence -- The polymorphed creature shouldn't be perceived as a simpleton or ignorant. No penalty to knowledge checks implies an average level of knowledge. Average wisdom -- Should appear to operate on basic common sense (knows when to come in from the rain). No penalty to sense motive checks implies not ...

It depends The intent of the rules suggest that there is no way to have anything other than a mundane beast as a familiar. The easiest way is with a combination of Item Familiar and Polymorph-any-objecting yourself into a sandwich (or functional equivalent) (While the link to "Improving a sandwich" is dead and gone, this at least summarizes the process). ...