Poly self

[Anditch]

Do you need to have of seen the creature in the flesh before you can actually be able to turn into that creature when casting polymorph self?

 

[Anditch]

poly self

Has anybody got any other ideas on this spell. ANy suggestions are welcome

 

[vanguard13]

Polymorph Self

My suggestion is going along with the same rules that apply to Scrying and Teleport spells. The caster must have a good understanding of the creature itself before being able to morph into it.
If I battled a behir before then I would have a "good understanding" since my memory of its shape, size and abilities is pretty clear from being in a life or death situation with the creature.
If I saw a picture of a creature in an old book with an obscure description of its shape, size and abilities, I would have a hard time morphing into the creature as I am unsure of its true aspects. I could try it but I might morph into some weird never before seen mutated monster. This could be a good clue to any potential enemy spellcasters that this weird creature is in fact a morphed wizard.
Most of the normal animals that are present in everyday life should work fine for the spell.
It is the other monstrous creatures that present the problem.

 

[LokiDR]

Depends on group and play style.

If you want to keep this powerful spell from being abused, tell them they must have fought it. Or further limit it to have focus (or material component) of a piece of thing you want to turn into.

If you are open, and the players don't abuse spells such as polymorph, but want flavor, just require them to have knowledge. Knowledge nature, plane, or arcana would work, depending on the monster. DC of something like 15 or 20 + CR.

Technically, you only need to know about a creature to polymorph into it, so this is all really house rule stuff.