D&D 5E d&d 5e polymorph a familiar

[animal chubs]

d&d 5e what happens if you polymorph a familiar, Will it still be unable to attack or does polymorph override the familiar?

– The transformation lasts for the duration, or until the target drops to 0 hit points or dies. The new form can be any beast whose challenge rating is equal to or less than the target’s (or target’s level, if it doesn’t have a challenge rating). The target’s game statistics, including mental ability scores, are replaced by the statistics of the chosen beast. It retains its alignment and personality.
– The target assumes the hit points of its new form. When it reverts to its normal form, the creature returns to the number of hit points it had before it transformed. If it reverts as a result of dropping to 0 hit points, any excess damage carries over to its normal form. As long as the excess damage doesn’t reduce the creature’s normal form to 0 hit points, it isn’t knocked unconscious.

so let me know what you think and thanks!

 

[TarionzCousin]

I think that your user name disturbs me.

Also, it's like putting a bag of holding inside a portable hole: the universe implodes within a couple of yards/meters, aka "bad stuff happens."

 

[animal chubs]

that sounds bad but would the familiar be able to attack!!

 

[Nebulous]

Well, i might not even allow a familiar to be polymorphed. It's not a real animal, it's a ball of shadowstuff or ethereal ectoplasm given semblance of life. Then again, i guess you could argue that polymorph can shape shadowstuff, so there ya go.

 

[animal chubs]

Well, i might not even allow a familiar to be polymorphed. It's not a real animal, it's a ball of shadowstuff or ethereal ectoplasm given semblance of life. Then again, i guess you could argue that polymorph can shape shadowstuff, so there ya go.

thanks for the input but it sill didn't quite answer my question XD

 

[Nebulous]

Well, the answer is, it attacks if you want it to. There's no rule for this, it's your call, and there's no right or wrong answer. But i know that if you rule even once that it can be polymorphed into an attack animal, then players with that option available will always polymorph it into an attack animal that can't die, it's just reborn.

Does that help?

 

[animal chubs]

yeah it does, thanks for all the help! i'll just tell the DM that its up to him.

 

[diaglo]

have no idea about where polymorph lies in the spell arena for 5e. but in previous editions it was pretty much a higher lvl spell. so if that is still the case that means a higher lvl magic user wants to cast a high lvl spell. why not make it work the way he wants within reason.
i would allow a familiar to be polymorphed and attack. i might make adjustments to its attack roll though. since it and the caster who's familiar it is don't know how to attack in the new form while still retaining their own connection. aka they still think they are familiar and caster.
make them use the attack matrix as caster not the new form but let them up the damage based on size or new untrained weaponry like say wings or talons or bite or swallow or whatever the different form has and why you chose it.

 

[ktkenshinx]

that sounds bad but would the familiar be able to attack!!

Short answer: Yes

Longer answer: If you Polymorph the familiar, its stat block is replaced by that of the chosen beast. It can perform all actions that this beast would be able to perform, which would include both the Attack action, and (more likely) the "Multiattack" action. So long as your concentration wasn't broken, it would be that creature for as long as you wanted, at least through the duration of the spell.

 

[Joe Liker]

Short answer: Yes

Longer answer: If you Polymorph the familiar, its stat block is replaced by that of the chosen beast. It can perform all actions that this beast would be able to perform, which would include both the Attack action, and (more likely) the "Multiattack" action. So long as your concentration wasn't broken, it would be that creature for as long as you wanted, at least through the duration of the spell.

I disagree.

It's not the familiar's stat block that says it cannot attack -- it's the find familiar spell itself. In fact, most familiars have attacks listed in their natural stat blocks, but they aren't allowed to use them because of the spell that summons them.

So no, a polymorphed familiar still cannot attack, unless you are a chain pact warlock, in which case you have to use your action to make the familiar attack as its reaction.