D&D 5E Polymorph: T-Rex and Giant Ape

[Prakriti]

In my own campaign, players can only polymorph others into beasts they have seen. As such, most exotic creatures, such as T-rexes, giant apes, and mammoths, are off the table.

This is for two reasons: (1) Balance. These beasts are VERY powerful. (2) Genre. I play traditional fantasy, and these beasts don't really exist in my world.

I'm curious, though, how other tables handle polymorph and exotic creatures.

 

[Oofta]

Well, my player has seen a T-Rex so I voted yes. No giant apes. Yet.

I'm not too concerned about it though, the spell is powerful but has disadvantages as well. I let people have fun, and it's not game breaking.

 

[Henry]

I've allowed it. T-rexes are damaging, but they're squishy - and they can't use both attacks on the same target in a round, so that mitigates it somewhat.

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

In my own campaign, players can only polymorph others into beasts they have seen. As such, most exotic creatures, such as T-rexes, giant apes, and mammoths, are off the table.

This is for two reasons: (1) Balance. These beasts are VERY powerful. (2) Genre. I play traditional fantasy, and these beasts don't really exist in my world.

I'm curious, though, how other tables handle polymorph and exotic creatures.

I wasn't sure how to vote because (1) I don't have a problem with it in principle; (2) no one has ever tried it in actual play.

They haven't seen a T-Rex specifically as far as I remember but they have run into other dinosaurs in the land of the Enkidus.

 

[pming]

Hiya!

Your title confused me; I read it, saw the poll, and voted "Yes". Then I was going to come here and explain why...but I read your OP to go with the poll and then realized that your Title should have been "Polymorph - Must have seen/encountered, or not?" or something like that.

I have no problem with any PC polymorphing into a t-rex, giant ape, or any other creature...as long as the PC has actually encountered it before. I mean, it's like me saying "I'll polymorph myself into an Ili Pika!"...have I ever seen one? Nope. Do I know what they sound like? Nope. Do I know what they smell like? Nope. Do I know what colour hair they have? Not really. Do I know the pattern, if any, that they have on their fur on their backs? Nope.

So..."Yes, if your PC has encountered one. Yes, if your PC has heard of one...but that requires a Nature check. No, if you are only naming t-rex because you, the Player, saw it's stats in the MM". And by "...has encountered one", that only counts in my game. Saying "Yeah, in a game that Steve ran...no, you don't know Steve...my PC was fighting dinosaurs all the time!"...doesn't cut it.

That said, we've never had a PC with Polymorph as a spell, so...yeah. I also allow Druids to Wild Shape into any animal that they've seen...and yes, that means a 2nd level druid can wild shape into a hawk and fly, or into a squid and swim, or into a rat, or a horse, etc. I pretty much ignore the 'movement' and 'size' limits of the ability.

^_^

Paul L. Ming

 

[Mecheon]

... How are giant apes not 'Traditional fantasy'?

I understand Rexes (And I'd allow Rexes because I'm a crazy dinosaur nerd), but giant apes are as fantasy pulp as all get out. Along with mammoths

 

[thethain]

I allow them if for no other reason than the fact there's not other selections for high CR beasts. Thematically I pretend its just an animalistic dragon. Polymorph is a 4th level spell, meaning even the first access to it you are supposed to be able to use CR7 creatures. Also these big guys can't even pretend to fit into dungeons, so its not always available.

 

[Corwin]

I'm just curious who's deciding what creatures a particular PC spellcaster has seen...

 

[cbwjm]

There aren't any dinosaurs in my campaign setting so no, they can't change into one. If they know of apes though, through seeing one in person or reading a treatise on apes that happens to be in the mage guild's library then sure.

 

[Yunru]

I don't see the point in having to have seen them. They're not the ones turning themselves into the beasts, magic is. And magic is a far higher construct than a punny adventurer.