3.5 - how does ability damage interact with polymorph effects?

[Talya]

Say you have 8 strength, and a Shadow hits you for 4 strength damage. Then you transform into something with 20 strength using a polymorph effect of some kind.

Now, normally Polymorph effects have the strength of the new form replace that of your old form. Does that mean the 20 strength replaces the damaged 4 strength? or does it replace the 8 strength and then you apply the 4 strength damage afterward, making your new strength 16?

[The Viscount]

That's an excellent question with no clear answer. If I had to weigh in, I'd say that your strength remains at 20. While we're on the subject, we might as well approach from the other direction. If you polymorph into a creature with strength 20 and then get hit by a shadow for 2 damage you are brought down to 18. Once the spell ends and you return to your normal form, you would have a strength of 6, or at least that's how I see it.

[BWR]

Snarky answer: play Pathfindder and you don't have to worry about that.

Serious answer: I'd rule that ability damage in one form is applied to ability scores in all forms. In the example of the OP the polymorphed effect would grant 20 Strength, which is reduced to 16.
The WOTC article about polymorphing says it doesn't heal temporary ability reduction or damage, and the general consensus on ENworld was that ability damage carries over to each form.

[Talya]

Snarky answer: play Pathfindder and you don't have to worry about that.


I do like Pathfinder, but honestly, i hate how pathfinder has done Polymorph. The spells (and wildshape forms) are really useless now, for the most part. It used to be spellcasters would occasionally melee for fun. now they don't bother, as all melee is pointless - it's not worth hobbling your spellcasting so you can be a little better at melee when you use a polymorph effect. Better to just use spells to defeat everything.

[Duke of Urrel]

I have house-ruled my own solution to this very thorny problem. First, here's what I consider to be a relevant passage from the rules of the Polymorph subschool, which appears on the final page of the last printing of the Player's Handbook.


Unless otherwise noted in the spell's description, the subject of a Polymorph spell takes on all the statistics and special abilities of an average member of the assumed form in place of its own, except as follows. In all other ways, the subject's normal game statistics are effectively replaced by those of the assumed form. The subject loses all the special abilities it has in its natural form, including its class features, even if the assumed form would normally be able to use these class features.

My commentary and house rule:

All statistics are theoretically polymorphable, that is, removable and replaceable by spells of the Polymorph school. However, I consider polymorphable statistics to include only the permanent attributes a creature may have, that is, all attributes that a creature will have until it undergoes another permanent change. For example, when an ability score changes due to ability drain, aging, experience, a feat, or an inherent bonus, this is a permanent attribute and therefore also a polymorphable statistic. In contrast, I consider a creature's polymorphable statistics not to include any temporary harms, such as temporary ability damage or penalties, or lethal or nonlethal damage to Hit Points. I also consider them not to include any temporary benefits, such as temporary ability bonuses, temporary Hit Points, or effects of spells or spell-like abilities with timed durations.