77
votes
Do dragons smell of lilacs?
Disclaimer: This answer was written before the addition of the 5e tag. The content below may not be applicable to that specific edition of D&D.
D&D 3.5's Draconomicon actually has several ...
59
votes
Accepted
Can you get pregnant while True Polymorphed?
A precedent exists for the answer to possibly be 'yes', but this is still very much a case-by-case/DM's choice basis.
The entry on half-dragons in the Monster Manual cites that they come from (in ...
55
votes
Accepted
Are druids considered "shapechangers" and thus unaffected by the Polymorph spell?
They are not shapechangers.
Shapechanger is a Tag (Monster Manual p.7) given to certain creatures. Becoming a druid doesn't change you from Humanoid (elf) to Humanoid (elf, shapechanger) in the same ...
52
votes
Can you polymorph an unconscious creature that is at 0 HP to wake it up?
No.
From the Polymorph spell description:
This spell can't affect a target that has 0 hit points.
Of note: this caveat was added in the Player's Handbook Errata, as pointed out by Thyzer, after the ...
50
votes
Accepted
Can a Wizard polymorph low-level PCs into over-powered beasts?
Yes.
This may seem overpowered but there are several drawbacks to the spell:
The target's game statistics, including mental ability scores, are
replaced by the statistics of the chosen beast. It ...
50
votes
Accepted
What's the story to "WotC gave up on fixing Polymorph"?
Wizards of the Coast made numerous attempts to errata the unbalanced polymorph spell family in D&D 3.0 and 3.5, before eventually accepting that the spell was inherently broken due to its ...
50
votes
Accepted
Help! My PCs polymorphed my boss enemy! What do I do?
According to this answer, anyone who sees a spell being cast can use a reaction to make an Arcana check with a DC of 15+spell level, with advantage if the spell is on your spell list. Success means ...
49
votes
Accepted
Can Polymorph end spells that require the target to be humanoid?
RaW, unclear. Unofficial Crawford rulings, the spell is suppressed.
There have been conflicting answers about the topic on Twitter. On one hand, you have Mearls saying the spell would stick:
Nope, ...
45
votes
Can you get pregnant while True Polymorphed?
Only your DM knows
The rules of D&D 5e do not cover pregnancy. It is a story element, not a game mechanic. As such, it is entirely decided by each DM.
Do dragons even "get pregnant" in your DM's ...
42
votes
Accepted
If a vampire casts alter self, would they have a shadow?
Alter self only alters one's appearance, it does not change the properties of a vampire.
You transform your appearance.
Polymorph does the same thing, only altering the form.
This spell transforms ...
41
votes
Accepted
Can you escape a Maze spell by turning into a Minotaur?
Yes
The spell monstrous physique iii allows you to polymorph into a monstrous humanoid, which is minotaur's type. Natural Cunning is listed as one of the abilities you can gain from this spell, if ...
40
votes
Can the Polymorph spell turn a character into a dragon?
Polymorph (4th level) is limited in what it can turn things into.
From the spell text (second paragraph):
The new form can be any beast whose challenge rating is equal to or
less than the target’s (...
38
votes
Accepted
Can True Polymorph transform an object (a tree) into the Champion (CR 9) from Volo's?
The true polymorph spell says:
You can turn an object into any kind of creature, as long as the creature’s size is no larger than the object’s size and the creature’s challenge rating is 9 or lower....
37
votes
Accepted
Can Polymorph be used to give a druid new Wild Shape forms?
This is unclear, and it's ultimately the DM's call. Beyond the general "what the DM says goes", it's not spelled out what exactly it means to have seen an animal. There's plenty of room for the DM to ...
37
votes
How does the Death Ward spell interact with the Polymorph spell lasting "until the target drops to 0 hit points"?
The Sorcerer retains their Giant Ape form with 1 HP
The death ward spell description specifies the following (emphasis mine):
The first time the target would drop to 0 hit points as a result of ...
37
votes
Accepted
Does a creature die outright if they drop below negative max hit points of their polymorphed form?
No, you transform back before you can be instantly killed
The rule for instant death says:
Massive damage can kill you instantly. When damage reduces you to 0 hit points and there is damage remaining,...
36
votes
How large a snake can a Yuan-Ti Abomination become?
In this context "Large" means of the Large size category (Player's Handbook p.191), meaning it occupies a 10' by 10' space. The exact phrase is the following:
The yuan-ti can use its action to ...
36
votes
Accepted
True Polymorph: can a player use legendary actions of its new form?
No
The rule on this was changed in the Monster Manual errata (and recent printings):
If a creature assumes the form of a legendary creature, such as through a
spell, it doesn’t gain that form’s ...
36
votes
Accepted
If a character takes the (accurate) form of an aboleth, does the character gain their ancestral-genetic memories?
No, because you don't have any aboleth ancestors.
An aboleth has a flawless memory of the memories of all of its aboleth ancestors, and you do gain this ability when you turn yourself into one. ...
32
votes
Accepted
Does the mind flayer's Extract Brain affect polymorphed or Wild Shaped humanoids?
The extraction can't be done
Both Polymorph and Wild Shape tell their target to assume the new form's game statistics, which includes (Monster Manual, page 6) the creature's type (Humanoid, Beast, ...
31
votes
Can you continue to play an Adventurers League character who was True Polymorphed into a monster?
No (kinda1), because you can't stay True Polymorphed after the session ends - the effect is always dispelled.
During the session, you can keep playing the character. It's still the same entity/person, ...
31
votes
Accepted
Can a Ranger bond with a beast that’s secretly an Angel in disguise?
What's important to you here, the fluff or the crunch?
"Fluff" is the game world that the DM describes and the players interacts with. "Crunch" is the actual game rules mechanics. ...
31
votes
Accepted
Which beast should I choose to most effectively remove an enemy from a fight using the Polymorph spell?
Pick an underwater creature.
There is an undeniable correlation between health and damage, making it impossible to pick a tank that deals no damage.
However, you can pick something, such as a killer ...
31
votes
Accepted
Are pixies overpowered for CR 1/4?
Frame challenge : CR isn't a good metric regarding danger level for pixies
As noticed in other answers, the pixie is an unusual creature in that it has very strong tools with very strong weaknesses. ...
30
votes
Accepted
Does damage that caused concentration on polymorph to break carry over to the HP of the normal form?
No.
It may help to consider this in a step by step approach:
The giant ape gets hit for 50 damage while maintaining concentration on a Polymorph spell.
The giant ape attempts to make a concentration ...
29
votes
Accepted
Can you destroy a powerful creature with True Polymorph, Turning, and Destroy Undead?
Turn 'em and Burn 'em
This will work exactly as described in your question. True Polymorph is concentration, so that will use up your concentration during this event. Turn Undead does NOT require ...
29
votes
Accepted
Does Polymorph break attunements with prerequisites?
Rules as written, unfortunately so.
You've found an interaction that seems undeniably correct from a strict reading of the rules. For example, should a magic item require attunement by an elf, and you ...
28
votes
Can you permanently True Polymorph into yourself?
No, you can't true polymorph into yourself.
True Polymorph (PHB, p. 283):
If you turn a creature into another kind of creature, the new form can be any kind you choose.
The word "kind" ...
28
votes
Accepted
Does a sentient weapon polymorphed into a creature retain the sentience's personality/alignment?
The first sentence in the description of true polymorph says "Choose one creature or nonmagical object that you can see within range." Based on this, I don't think it's possible to cast true polymorph ...
27
votes
Accepted
Does a True Polymorphed player character continue to gain experience?
The spell doesn't prohibit the gaining of experience, so it doesn't… at least not automatically.
You bring up some examples where it might make sense to not gain XP though: the sub-human intelligence ...
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