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Following on from this question, where it's established that druids do not count as 'Shapechangers' for the purposes of effects which relate to them: Are druids "shapechangers" for the purpose of a Polymorph spell saving throw?

If a druid is in beast form using Wild Shape and is affected by the Moonbeam spell, failing his/her save, the following occurs:

When a creature enters the spell's area for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there, it is engulfed in ghostly flames that cause searing pain, and it must make a Constitution saving throw. It takes 2d10 radiant damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

A shapechanger makes its saving throw with disadvantage. If it fails, it also instantly reverts to its original form and can't assume a different form until it leaves the spell's light.

It's not clear to me whether this bolded section means any creature that fails its save reverts to its original form, or only shapechangers revert to their original form.

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1 Answer 1

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No, the druid does not revert.

A shapechanger makes its saving throw with disadvantage. If it fails, it also instantly reverts to its original form and can't assume a different form until it leaves the spell's light.

As this is a new paragraph separate from the first paragraph of the spell description, and the paragraph exists to describe the specifics of what happens to a shapechanger, the "it" in the quoted passage can only refer to the shapechanger mentioned in the previous sentence.

Most creatures don't change out of their original form, so it wouldn't make sense to refer specifically to shapechangers in the opening sentence of the paragraph then clarify that all creatures return to their original form.

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    \$\begingroup\$ This would mean Moonbeam cannot revert the form of any creature who is magically polymorphing, such as night hags, dragons, oni, druids, deva, etc, nor anyone using any shapechanging spell. That's a very significant change to how I believe the spell is currently being used. \$\endgroup\$
    – Temp
    Commented Mar 31, 2017 at 12:32
  • \$\begingroup\$ @Zso Unless any those creatures have the shapechanger tag. \$\endgroup\$ Commented Mar 31, 2017 at 12:33
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    \$\begingroup\$ Yes, outside of that rare instance \$\endgroup\$
    – Temp
    Commented Mar 31, 2017 at 12:33
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    \$\begingroup\$ You beat me to it(+1). While English 101 is a thing, I do realize that not all of our members are native speakers and that even among native speakers there is a reluctance to go back to basics. (It doesn't help that we RPGers now and again overanalyze things to death ...) \$\endgroup\$ Commented Mar 31, 2017 at 12:33
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    \$\begingroup\$ @Zso LegendaryDude has it exactly right: Jeremy Crawford's tweeted before that a creature isn't a shapechanger unless some text says it is. \$\endgroup\$
    – Doval
    Commented Mar 31, 2017 at 14:29

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