Poly Other and spell effects

[Lucius Foxhound]

In our last adventure, I realized that Polymorph Other is not as "insta-death" as I first thought it was!

I was being attacked by a flying Orc-Mage when I hit him with Polymorph Other. I guess I should have said "fish" ... but I said, "snail."

SO *poof*, he's a snail. But my DM ruled that he's still got Fly, Mage Armor, and whatever other spells he'd buffed himself with in effect. So the little snail just flew away and was gone (we had too many other things attacking us to fly after him).

Thinking back, if I'd turned him into a fish, he could've just flew straight for the nearest stream. I'm not sure how he'd get back (I'm not sure how this snail is going to get back to himself), but at least its a chance.

Was my DM right in letting him just Fly away?

 

[AuraSeer]

Sure. There's no reason that a polymorph should dispel magic effects. Fly works on any creature, so the snail was still able to fly; since it maintained its original intellect, it'd be able to control its movement.

I guess some spells could be ended, if they can't apply to the new form. For instance, if someone is under an effect that affects only humanoids (such as Dominate Person), I might rule that the effect would end when he gets polymorphed into a non-humanoid form. Or perhaps it'd just be suppressed, and would resume if he got put back before its duration expired. Either way, it doesn't matter for your question, because Fly doesn't care about the creature type of its target.

 

[Henrix]

For instance, if someone is under an effect that affects only humanoids (such as Dominate Person), I might rule that the effect would end when he gets polymorphed into a non-humanoid form.

Polymorph does not change your type.
An orc polymorphed to a snail is still a humanoid*, and thus susceptible to spells targetting humanoids.


* Rather curiously shaped for a humanoid, but his type is still humanoid, not animal, vermin, or whatever ordinary snails are...

 

[Xarlen]

Too bad you didn't have any Alchemist's Salt.

 

[Lucius Foxhound]

Too bad you didn't have any Alchemist's Salt.

Heh. Good point.

I wonder if my DM is going to bring him back. I assume he could fly back to a mentor's house and squirm around until he made some letters (which might take hours). Of course, if a mentor sees a flying snail, he might be suspicious...

 

[jodyjohnson]

If I were the snail mage I would hang out invisibly in the party's gear until they get hit with a dispel magic. If you're looking for an incidental dispel magic, PC parties get hit with them several times a week.

 

[Tom Cashel]

Checking up on me, eh Lucius?

I was looking at the situation from that Snail Mage's point of view...and beyond flying away I didn't know what the heck to do. He may return, or he may end up squashed...(p.s. I was the DM)