D&D 5E Polymorph Scenario

[Oofta]

[MENTION=6670153]gyor[/MENTION] [MENTION=6801845]Oofta[/MENTION], [MENTION=6812267]Ganymede81[/MENTION]

If my DM did this, I would be very disappointed about wasting my spells. I'd feel like the DM was just a fun-killer.

I would let my player know what's going to happen. But my players also know that if they abuse spells I will use the same tactics on them.

Purple worms specifically regurgitate swallowed contents based on damage, the sphere specifically states that it can only contain large creatures. I'm basing my reasoning on the description of the creature/spell.

In addition, I don't believe in save or die (with a few exceptions like disintegrate) - for monsters or PCs.

 

[ro]

I would let my player know what's going to happen. But my players also know that if they abuse spells I will use the same tactics on them.

Purple worms specifically regurgitate swallowed contents based on damage, the sphere specifically states that it can only contain large creatures. I'm basing my reasoning on the description of the creature/spell.

In addition, I don't believe in save or die (with a few exceptions like disintegrate) - for monsters or PCs.

I'm cool with no save-or-die, and if the spell would make clear that this would happen, that's ok. In general I would want some consequence though, not just an "it appears next to the other one". At least it should be damaged or something, or too tired to fight for a few rounds, or something worthy of multiple spells, one at 4th-level.

But yes, as long as the players know in advance what will happen, there's no problem. That way they can choose to do something different instead.

 

[Ganymede81]

[MENTION=6670153]gyor[/MENTION] suggested this as well. Can you explain how this works in terms of in-game narrative? No teleportation magic is being used, and the Otiluke's Resilient Sphere wouldn't even allow that. To quote from that spell: Nothing - not physical objects, energy, or other spell effects - can pass through the barrier, in or out, though a creature in the sphere can breathe there.

Especially for the second scenario seems like a cop-out that ignores both the mechanical and in-game effects of the spell, and stomps over player agency and creativity.

Easy.

I envision Polymorph causing a target to dissappear with a "BAMF" and instantly reappear in its new form, much like how stage magicians might transmute eggs into doves. Others might imagine the target melting into protoplasmic goop and reforming into the new shape, or even transitioning from one shape to another like in a Michael Jackson music video; the spell certainly leaves the nuts and bolts of the transformation up to the imagination of the reader.

The only issue with the resilient sphere (or any other enclosed space) is that two objects cannot occupy the exact same space. I resolve that by having the spell shunt the target's reappearance in its original form to the nearest available space.

I like it because it is super simple. You could go complicated with it if you want, I guess, but then you have weird stuff like a giant polymorphed into a mouse occupying the center of mass of the former giant in mid air, falling to 0 HP from the ensuing fall damage, and immediately turning back into a giant.

If you still have issues with this, we can set up a time to talk about it after you roll your character for my campaign. Remember pizza money.

[MENTION=6670153]gyor[/MENTION] [MENTION=6801845]Oofta[/MENTION], [MENTION=6812267]Ganymede81[/MENTION]

If my DM did this, I would be very disappointed about wasting my spells. I'd feel like the DM was just a fun-killer.

Oh, no. If I didn't immediately catch on and nip it in the bud before it happened, I'd rewind things a bit to let the players have their spells back (aside from the original Polymorph, anyways; turning a big baddie into a fish is already a win).

 

[jgsugden]

The PCs are heroes. We're telling their heroic story. I like to reward fun solutions, but I try to prevent creating a scenario where the heroes will repeat the 'clever idea' over and over, turning cleverness into a cheap trick.

To that end, I'd be excited as a DM as I described the swallowing worm suddenly stopping dead - thrashing around violently, and then seeing it awkwardly regurgitating a rapidly growing worm from its mouth. Both creatures would be damaged by the incident (25% max hp), and I'd have them effectively stun each other for a round as they disentangle completely.

Of course, had the wizard missed on the attack roll to throw it in the mouth of the other worm, I'd have had the polymorphed worm take damage from the impact and revert immediately...

 

[Oofta]

I'm cool with no save-or-die, and if the spell would make clear that this would help, that's ok. In general I would want some consequence though, not just an "it appears next to the other one". At least it should be damaged or something, or too tired to fight for a few rounds, or something worthy of multiple spells, one at 4th-level.

But yes, as long as the players know in advance what will happen, there's no problem. That way they can choose to do something different instead.

I could also see this trick doing some damage. If I had time to think about it I'd probably base it off the DMG guidelines for spell damage for a 4th level spell. So 7d6 to both worms for scenario 1, 6d10 damage for the sphere.

Maybe a little less because you're also taking you opponent out of commission for a round.

 

[Mouseferatu]

Don't shapechangers automatically make their save vs polymorph?

Is that still a rule in 5E? If so, I either missed or forgot it.

Either way, it made for a fun ending to the combat.

 

[MechaTarrasque]

I don't have the book in front of me, but isn't it "if the worm takes so much damage, the swallowed prey can escape"? If so, I would have the swallowing worm take the damage, the swallowed worm take the normal damage from being swallowed, then escape. At that point, the two worms would start fighting (or mating).

 

[Oofta]

I don't have the book in front of me, but isn't it "if the worm takes so much damage, the swallowed prey can escape"? If so, I would have the swallowing worm take the damage, the swallowed worm take the normal damage from being swallowed, then escape. At that point, the two worms would start fighting (or mating).

The rule is:

If the worm takes 30 damage or more on a single turn from a creature inside it, the worm must succeed on a DC 21 Constitution saving throw at the end of that turn or regurgitate all swallowed creatures, which fall prone in a space within 10 feet of the worm.​

I would assume that in the polymorph/swallow routine the swallower could automatically fail their save and regurgitate the swallowee.

 

[Uller]

Without reading other replies and ruling as if I were at the table:

1) Second worm explodes in a bloody mess. 1st worm is unharmed.

2) Resilient sphere spell fails.

Edit...after reading the other replies, I think for 1) the best answer is PW2 takes 30 damage, automatically fails its save and ralphs up the other worm as it grows. For 2) I'm still thinking RS would fail. But the PW stopping its growth at Large would be fine too. Spending two level 4 slots to get RS to work on a gargantuan creature seems fair. But I'd worry that could get abused.

 

[Kenn Durrence]

Thank you all for your replies. My DM ruled it that they both took damage.

I would have ruled it that the Purple Worm that "ate" the one thrown down its gullet was killed by the rapidly expanding un-polymorphed worm. The expanding one would have taken a good deal of damage, but would survive. Say 10d10 damage, not nearly enough to kill a fully healthy Purple Worm. This way the inventiveness of the idea is rewarded as I feel it's all about the players feeling like they are the main focus of the story.