D&D 5E Poll: Polymorph Shenanigans

Which class abilities would a shadow monk Polymorphed into a tyrannosaur retain?

  • Deflect (Catapult) Missiles: reaction to negate a missile hit

    Votes: 0 0.0%

Remember that while polymorph can be used as a buff, it can also be a debuff. Making an enemy drop all of its gear is, IMO, more powerful than a 4th level spell ought to be.

According to the polymorph text, gear becomes a nonfunctional part of your new form. So the toad still has whatever they were wearing and holding, they just can't actually use it and it has no effect. Unless BBEG dropped the mace before transforming (such as from a battlemaster's disarming attack manuever!), they'll reappear with the mace when they come back.
 

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According to the polymorph text, gear becomes a nonfunctional part of your new form. So the toad still has whatever they were wearing and holding, they just can't actually use it and it has no effect. Unless BBEG dropped the mace before transforming (such as from a battlemaster's disarming attack manuever!), they'll reappear with the mace when they come back.

I was referring to [MENTION=92511]steeldragons[/MENTION] proposed house rule where magic items don't get absorbed.

Yeeeah, no. That's a lot more permissive than I am inclined to be. Magic items, in general, I probably would not have/get 'morphed.
 

I was referring to [MENTION=92511]steeldragons[/MENTION] proposed house rule where magic items don't get absorbed.

Sure sure, just folllowing the chain for my own edification. :)

Fanaelialae said:
Come to think of it, assuming that a mouse uses the same stats as a rat, the BBEG can break polymorph pretty easily if he understands how it works. He just needs to bite himself for 1 dmg while the fighter is trying to drown him and he'll revert to his original form.

I think that in general I'd rule that because of the mental ability score shift, things like "understanding how polymorph works" is beyond the ken of most normal mice and rats (and most beasts). Your enemy can't turn the effect into a one-round debuff by being clever - they're no more clever than your average rat. :p
 

None of the above.

And I'm not a big fan of polymorph of the non-baleful variety. 3e-style Polymorph is the fastest way to bring gameplay to a crawl.
"We are fighting an XYZ!? Time to bust out Monster Manuals 1-5 and find a countermeasure." (This is almost a verbatim quote from a session I was playing in.)
 

I think that in general I'd rule that because of the mental ability score shift, things like "understanding how polymorph works" is beyond the ken of most normal mice and rats (and most beasts). Your enemy can't turn the effect into a one-round debuff by being clever - they're no more clever than your average rat. :p

That's fair.

I allow my players to use a reasonable degree of tactics while polymorphed, so for that reason I'd at least give the BBEG an Int/Wis check to do the same.

Polymorph is strange to me because it states that you take on the mind of your animal form, but you retain your alignment and personality. How can a rat be lawful if it can't conceive of what is legal or honorable? If a paladin marks his church while polymorphed into a dog, does he need to atone for doing so? Or would the fact that he retains his alignment and personality preclude him from doing so in the first place?

If one of the BBEG's personality traits is "I will survive no matter what the cost", how does that interact with the fact that he might no longer be intelligent enough to realize that hurting himself is exactly what he needs to do in order to survive?

The way I've handled it up til now is that I tend to give a lot of leeway, based on the fact that while it can be difficult for animals to learn certain things, once they do learn it they can demonstrate surprising capabilities. If the target of the polymorph was formerly intelligent, they've already accomplished the learning part, so IMO they'd be at least capable of functioning at the level of an exceptionally smart animal. If you could teach a rat that biting itself on the paw will chase away predators, I suspect it would do it. Therefore, I'd at least give the BBEG a chance.

Of course, the players could simply get around the issue by polymorphing the BBEG into a frog like I originally suggested. Can't drown it, but it can't bite itself either. ;)
 

invisible Invulnerable Dinosaur: 4 ki (Empty Body) for resistance to damage and invisibilitynot a spell, so yeah. (The 8kp astral is a no go, as it's a spell.
Deflect (Catapult) Missiles: reaction to negate a missile hitDoesnt say it requires hands, so perhaps it could bite... or leam sideways, and kick it back
Stunning Bite for 1 kiheadbutt. sure
Extra Attack: extra bite on attack actionit's an unarmed attack...
Dino Dodge: Half/no damage on Dex saves (Evasion)yep
Diamond Dino: +6 proficiency on all saves + ki rerollabsolutely
Extra movement: 90' movement (Mobile + monk bonus)not a spell, and always on. Scary to think of...
Hit and Run: doesn't provoke opp attacks if made melee attack (Mobile)yep
Exploit distraction: reaction bite attack when adjacent creature is hit (Opportunist)yep
Cliffjumper: subtract 100 from fall damage w/ reaction (Slow Fall)sure
Look Behind You!: can teleport 60' in dim light or darkness as bonus action (Shadow Step)yep. not a spell

What's lost: not a lot.
Shadow Arts
Astra Projection

Polymorphed martial types don't lose much.

Now, the Elemental monks are somewhat more hosed.
 

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