D&D 5E True Polymorph

shadowoflameth · Jul 1, 2019

New Question. Can you use True Polymorph on yourself?

jaelis · Jul 1, 2019

Yes, as long as you can see yourself anyway.

If you turn yourself into an object, though, you would not be able to concentrate and the spell would immediately end.

shadowoflameth · Jul 2, 2019

Makes sense. It seems to imply though that although you get the creature's mental ability scores, you would still know your spells and be able to use them if you're in a form that can speak, make somatic gestures etc.

WaterRabbit · Jul 2, 2019

My question is what do you get out of this that Shapechange doesn't provide? The creature changes are essentially the same. And if it is ruled that you cannot concentrate while an object, it just seems Shapechange does all of this (for yourself anyway). Also, because Shapechange does exist, it does imply that True Poly may not be able to target self.

jgsugden · Jul 2, 2019

Shapechange allows you to switch forms. True Polymorph does not.

Shapechange allows you to retain your alignment and Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores. You also retain all of your skill and saving throw proficiencies, in addition to gaining those of the creature. If the creature has the same proficiency as you and the bonus listed in its statistics is higher than yours, use the creature's bonus in place of yours. You retain the benefit of any features from your class, race, or other source and can use them, provided that your new form is physically capable of doing so. You get the best of both world's basically.

With True Polymorph, your game statistics, including mental ability scores, are replaced by the statistics of the new form. You retain your alignment and personality only. You lose your spellcasting abilities, although you may retain the ability to concentrate on an existing spell (if someone else casts this on you - if you cast it on yourself, you can concentrate on it). Essentially you become the target creature.

True Polymorph can become permanent while Shapechange ends after an hour.

gyor · Jul 2, 2019

The true use of True Polymorph is to creature new creatures IMHO. Everything else is gravy

jgsugden · Jul 2, 2019

gyor said:
The true use of True Polymorph is to creature new creatures IMHO. Everything else is gravy

It is also useful for storing captured enemies indefinnitely as objects.

WaterRabbit · Jul 2, 2019

jgsugden said:
Shapechange allows you to switch forms. True Polymorph does not.

Shapechange allows you to retain your alignment and Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores. You also retain all of your skill and saving throw proficiencies, in addition to gaining those of the creature. If the creature has the same proficiency as you and the bonus listed in its statistics is higher than yours, use the creature's bonus in place of yours. You retain the benefit of any features from your class, race, or other source and can use them, provided that your new form is physically capable of doing so. You get the best of both world's basically.

With True Polymorph, your game statistics, including mental ability scores, are replaced by the statistics of the new form. You retain your alignment and personality only. You lose your spellcasting abilities, although you may retain the ability to concentrate on an existing spell (if someone else casts this on you - if you cast it on yourself, you can concentrate on it). Essentially you become the target creature.

True Polymorph can become permanent while Shapechange ends after an hour.

While all true, completely irrelevant to the question about applying to ones self. Are you for example, implying a caster could use True Poly on themselves to gain a permanent change? That seems sketchy at best to me.

jgsugden · Jul 2, 2019

WaterRabbit said:
While all true, completely irrelevant to the question about applying to ones self. Are you for example, implying a caster could use True Poly on themselves to gain a permanent change? That seems sketchy at best to me.

My response was to the immediately prior comment, primarily:

Of course they can cast it on themsleves, maintain concentration for an hour and make it permanent. However, they can't just dismiss it. They have to 'injure themselves out' or get it dispelled.

See: https://www.sageadvice.eu/2014/09/01/true-polymorph-self/

WaterRabbit · Jul 2, 2019

jgsugden said:
My response was to the immediately prior comment, primarily:

Of course they can cast it on themsleves, maintain concentration for an hour and make it permanent. However, they can't just dismiss it. They have to 'injure themselves out' or get it dispelled.

See: https://www.sageadvice.eu/2014/09/01/true-polymorph-self/

The comment before was mine and it was in the context of casting it on one's self.

My question is why bother casting it on one's self instead of just using Shapechange? I don't really see what the advantage that is being sought?

In AD&D, an elf would look to do something like this so they could be raised, but I don't really see the value in 5e.