D&D 5E Polymorph....wut?

[Motorskills]

This spell is one of the most iconic, both in terms of its historical fantasy usage, but also in its being a cornerstone of a D&D's wizard repertoire since the game's early days.

That said, I'm really not that familiar with it myself. At AL, I've most often seen it used to turn a friendly ally into a raging stompbeast (T-Rex, Giant Ape, etc), or to turn an enemy into a harmless plushie.

It makes sense for a 4th level spell to be powerful, so I have no basic argument with that. What I've been struggling with is this bit:

The target's game statistics, including mental ability scores, are replaced by the statistics of the chosen beast. It retains its alignment and personality.

I don't understand:

i) why personality (and by extension alignment) are unaffected. Your mental faculties surely are directly associated with your personality

ii) what your personality has to do with your tactical awareness. Why is a T-Rex or a Giant Ape able to perform so well in a mass fight, i.e. coordinating with the party?
Should not creatures with animal-level INT simply just run away, or maybe just attack anything and everything in range?

 

[jaelis]

It means you (the player) get to keep playing the creature, and direct it as you think is appropriate. A good player should role-play the adjusted stats, and a DM might flat-out require you to. But they put this in so there's no question of "Well, the T Rex is hungry so it decides to eat your downed ally instead of continuing to attack."

 

[iserith]

This spell is one of the most iconic, both in terms of its historical fantasy usage, but also in its being a cornerstone of a D&D's wizard repertoire since the game's early days.

That said, I'm really not that familiar with it myself. At AL, I've most often seen it used to turn a friendly ally into a raging stompbeast (T-Rex, Giant Ape, etc), or to turn an enemy into a harmless plushie.

It makes sense for a 4th level spell to be powerful, so I have no basic argument with that. What I've been struggling with is this bit:

I don't understand:

i) why personality (and by extension alignment) are unaffected. Your mental faculties surely are directly to your personality

ii) what your personality has to do with your tactical awareness. Why is a T-Rex or a Giant Ape able to perform so well in a mass fight, i.e. coordinating with the party?
Should not creatures with animal-level INT simply just run away, or maybe just attack anything and everything in range?

Low mental ability scores apply their respective penalties to ability checks, saving throws, and attack rolls tied to those ability scores. They do not affect the choices a player makes for his or her own character with regard to personality and strategy or tactics unless the player chooses to allow them to.

 

[Lucas Blackstone]

Magic and so the spell can have more applications then I turn an enemy into a mouse are the the answers.

 

[Motorskills]

These three answers don't really align, but they're all good, thanks.

 

[jaelis]

These three answers don't really align, but they're all good, thanks.

I think we were all basically getting at the same thing Iserith and I are trying to explain what it means, Lucas is saying why it works that way

 

[MechaTarrasque]

I think polymorph is meant to be used on your enemy not your buddy (for old schoolers it is really baleful polymorph). Shape change and animal shapes are the spells you use on your friends (if you want them to stay your friends), as seen by lines like "the target retains its alignment and Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma scores."

 

[Motorskills]

Thanks all. I was playing (DM-ruling) as you guys have described, but I have a better argument in my head now.

 

[Motorskills]

Thanks all. I was playing (DM-ruling) as you guys have described, but I have a better argument in my head now.

 

[The Crimson Binome]

I don't understand:

i) why personality (and by extension alignment) are unaffected. Your mental faculties surely are directly to your personality

ii) what your personality has to do with your tactical awareness. Why is a T-Rex or a Giant Ape able to perform so well in a mass fight, i.e. coordinating with the party?
Should not creatures with animal-level INT simply just run away, or maybe just attack anything and everything in range?

You're still you, even if you're a dinosaur. You still have the same goals and motivations. You don't forget who your allies are, or why you're there. You're just an idiot for a little while. Idiots can still be good at fighting and tactical coordination; they're just not going to be good at math or arcane theory.