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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Egres" data-source="post: 2725891" data-attributes="member: 23200">Can you become advanced versions of creatures withpolymorph* (Player’s Handbook, page 263), or just the mostbasic as presented in the Monster Manual?The rules don’t explicitly prevent this, but for speed of play(and reasons of sanity) it’s entirely reasonable for a DM todisallow any forms other than those detailed in the MonsterManual (or other allowed volumes of monsters). If the DMchooses to allow advanced creatures, the player must supplyfull statistics for the advanced version before play begins.Remember that the Hit Die limit for the various polymorphspells still applies (a 7th-level wizard can’t use polymorph toassume the form of a 10-HD advanced sahuagin).*The question and answer uses “polymorph” to refer to allspells of the polymorph spell chain (including alter self,polymorph, baleful polymorph, polymorph any object, andshapechange), as well as to other effects that refer to spells inthe chain (such as the druid’s wild shape class feature).Can you use polymorph* to turn into a creature with atemplate?Again, the rules don’t explicitly prevent this—and in fact,some creatures whose forms are possible to assume withshapechange (such as vampires) exist only as templatedcreatures—but a player who wants to use this option isresponsible for providing full statistics for the templatedcreature to avoid slowing game play. As always, you must stillabide by the rules for the spell in question (for example, an elfwizard can’t use alter self to become a half-dragon orc, sincethat’s a dragon, not a humanoid).*The question and answer uses “polymorph” to refer to allspells of the polymorph spell chain (including alter self,polymorph, baleful polymorph, polymorph any object, andshapechange), as well as to other effects that refer to spells inthe chain (such as the druid’s wild shape class feature).Please, note that this answer directly contradicts the <a href="http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/rg/20040525a" target="_blank">Rules of the Game article on Polymorph.</a>When my human is polymorphed* into anothercreature, he loses any extraordinary special attacks andqualities. Does this include his bonus feat and bonus skillpoints? If so, how do I figure out which feat and skill pointsare derived from his racial traits?A human’s bonus feat and bonus skill points—like mostother racial traits—are considered extraordinary qualities, andthus are lost when the character would lose such abilities(including when polymorphed). This is a good reason to keeptrack of which feat is your human bonus feat, since it mighthave wide-reaching effects. (For instance, if Dodge was yourbonus feat, you’d lose the benefits of any other feats that haveDodge as a prerequisite, such as Mobility and Spring Attack.)Keeping track of where your bonus skill points are spent ismore onerous, and likely less significant to play. If most ofyour skills are maxed out (that is, their rank equals your level+3, or half that for a cross-class skill), it’s probably easiestsimply to designate one skill as the repository for all yourbonus skill points.For ease of play, some DMs ignore this side effect, butdoing so represents a clear benefit granted to humans. Be awarethat players of nonhuman characters may resent this “freebie.”When you use two polymorph* spells in succession, doyou keep any of the abilities gained from the first spell’sform?No. This falls into the category of “one effect makesanother irrelevant” (see page 172 in the Player’s Handbook). Apolymorphed elf wizard who then casts shapechange wouldn’tretain any of the abilities gained from polymorph—only thewizard’s original form (elf) and new form (from shapechange,the last spell cast) matter.*The question and answer uses “polymorph” to refer to allspells of the polymorph spell chain (including alter self,polymorph, baleful polymorph, polymorph any object, andshapechange), as well as to other effects that refer to spells inthe chain (such as the druid’s wild shape class feature).What kind of spells work on characters polymorphed*into creatures of different types than their own? Can youcast hold person on a humanoid who is polymorphed into adire bear or would hold monster be required?If a creature’s type changes (such as from a polymorphspell), it is affected by spells according to its new type. An elfpolymorphed into a dire bear is immune to hold person (sinceshe is now an animal), but could be affected by hold animal orhold monster.If, while under the effect of a spell that depends on type(such as hold person), my character is polymorphed* into adifferent creature type, does the spell’s effect remain?Yes. A spell only checks to see if you are a legal targetwhen it is cast. If you become an illegal target later (such as viathe polymorph spell), the spell remains in effect.Note: Hypersmurf, with his famous Shillelagh example, wins.<img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />Polymorph* grants the extraordinary special attacks ofthe creature that you become. What happens when youswallow whole an opponent who does not then escape yourbelly before the spell expires?Alter self states that “any new items you wore in theassumed form and can’t wear in your normal form fall off andland at your feet” which sounds like a pretty closeapproximation of what’s happening with swallow whole. Sinceyour normal form (assumedly) isn’t capable of swallowingcreatures whole, any swallowed creature would appear adjacentto your space and prone.*The question and answer uses “polymorph” to refer to allspells of the polymorph spell chain (including alter self,polymorph, baleful polymorph, polymorph any object, andshapechange), as well as to other effects that refer to spells inthe chain (such as the druid’s wild shape class feature).</blockquote>

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