D&D 5E Polymorph vs. Petrified

[ECMO3]

Does 5e no longer have the specific spell Stone to Flesh, to deal with this?

I don't think it does, Greater Restoration is normally used for this.

In any case, were it me I'd rule two things: one, a petrified "creature" is now made of solid stone; and two, polymorphing it would only work if you can somehow otherwise polymorph a piece of rock.

You can polymorph any creature, including one made of rock (or fire, or wood, or glass ....). A petrified stone PC, a wooden twig blight, a stone golum, a fire elemental- what they are made of is not relevant to the spell and they can all be polymorphed.

However a stone creature like a Stone Golem is not petrified before the polymorph, while the PC is, so IMO the PC stays petrified after you transform him into a mouse (a small stone mouse), while the stone golem becomes a flesh, blood and fur mouse. The exception would be if the creature you polymorph him to is immune to petrified, in that case the PC would not be petrified while polymorphed, but I don't think that applies to any beasts that would be available with the Polymorph spell.

 

[Reynard]

I'm team "they are an object now" regardless of what RAW says. I am also generally against giving players "get out of jail free" cards. Curing their party member should be an ordeal. Otherwise, why include the possibility or petrification at all?

 

[ECMO3]

And I guess the converse question would be whether stone shape would work on a petrified creature, and what sort of body horror might ensure if they were subsequently unpetrified.

RAW it does not work as this spell targets an object. If the creature died due to being attacked or suffocating or something else then it would work on the stone corpse as that is an object.

 

[ECMO3]

I'm team "they are an object now" regardless of what RAW says. I am also generally against giving players "get out of jail free" cards. Curing their party member should be an ordeal. Otherwise, why include the possibility or petrification at all?

It is not a whole lot of help. In the case noted they can polymorph the PC into a tiny petrified beast so they can carry him for a total of 1 hour for every 4th level slot they have, and the beast is still petrified. It is making him easier to carry for a few hours a day but does not overcome the main problem and that is finding a Greater Restoration spell and the diamond to fuel it.

 

[Zubatcarteira]

I'd say Polymorph works normally. If the person turned into an object, then even Greater Restoration wouldn't help since it says it targets a creature.

 

[Reynard]

I'd say Polymorph works normally. If the person turned into an object, then even Greater Restoration wouldn't help since it says it targets a creature.

Yeah, but sometimes rules are dumb and don't make sense.

 

[Steampunkette]

Stone Golems cannot breathe.

PCs turned into Stone Golems cannot breathe.

Does a PC turned into a Stone Golem die of suffocation?

No. Because a stone golem does not need to breathe.

You know what else doesn't need to breathe? A statue.

Petrified people don't suffocate because they don't have to breathe.

(TECHNICALLY Stone Golems don't have a 'no breathing' trait, but its implied)

 

[Umbran]

I’d say a petrified creature is an object (and has no thoughts, but that’s another argument).

But Greater Restoration says it removes the "Petrified" condition, and targets "a creature you touch".

Ergo, petrified creatures are still creatures, or the spell couldn't remove the condition.

 

[el-remmen]

But Greater Restoration says it removes the "Petrified" condition, and targets "a creature you touch".

Ergo, petrified creatures are still creatures, or the spell couldn't remove the condition.

I never let pedantic adherence to rule language get in the way of what makes sense to me.

 

[General_Tangent]

What caused the Petrified condition to be applied to the PC?