(True) Polymorph and Legendary Actions

[nickl_2000]

So I'm looking at the Tome of Beasts and there is the Spinosaurus (CR 13, pg 117). If I'm polymorphing a level 13 ally into it, would the ally get it's legendary actions?


Or if I True Polymorph someone do they get it?

[Malifice]

Nope.

Errataed MM.

'If a creature assumes the form of a legendary creature, such as through a spell, it doesn't gain that form's legendary actions, lair actions, or regional effects.'

[MaxWilson]

So I'm looking at the Tome of Beasts and there is the Spinosaurus (CR 13, pg 117). If I'm polymorphing a level 13 ally into it, would the ally get it's legendary actions?


Or if I True Polymorph someone do they get it?

No. You never get legendary actions when polymorphing, only legendary resistances.

[nickl_2000]

Nope.

Errataed MM.

'If a creature assumes the form of a legendary creature, such as through a spell, it doesn't gain that form's legendary actions, lair actions, or regional effects.'

That makes sense, it seemed to be WAY to powerful for a PC to get that. Thanks.

[MaxWilson]

That makes sense, it seemed to be WAY to powerful for a PC to get that. Thanks.

The weird thing is that since legendary actions are included in CR, polymorphing into a CR X creature without legendary actions will always be more powerful than polymorphing into a CR X creature with legendary actions, since you're not getting the full CR X package of abilities.

It's kind of similar to how polymorphing into a monster with class abilities like a Matron Mother results in an underpowered Matron Mother without any spells. (If your DM even allows Matron Mother as a valid target, vs. just "drow." Stat blocks and species are not the same thing and need not have a 1:1 correspondence.)

[Malifice]

The weird thing is that since legendary actions are included in CR, polymorphing into a CR X creature without legendary actions will always be more powerful than polymorphing into a CR X creature with legendary actions, since you're not getting the full CR X package of abilities.

It's kind of similar to how polymorphing into a monster with class abilities like a Matron Mother results in an underpowered Matron Mother without any spells. (If your DM even allows Matron Mother as a valid target, vs. just "drow." Stat blocks and species are not the same thing and need not have a 1:1 correspondence.)

Yeah. A dude in my campaign tried to Polymorph into an 'Archmage'.

He turned into a 'Human' instead.

[Kadesh]

The weird thing is that since legendary actions are included in CR, polymorphing into a CR X creature without legendary actions will always be more powerful than polymorphing into a CR X creature with legendary actions, since you're not getting the full CR X package of abilities.

It's kind of similar to how polymorphing into a monster with class abilities like a Matron Mother results in an underpowered Matron Mother without any spells. (If your DM even allows Matron Mother as a valid target, vs. just "drow." Stat blocks and species are not the same thing and need not have a 1:1 correspondence.)

I don't know if it's a rule or not, but I tend to approach it on a case-by-case scenario. If someone wanted to take the form of a Quaggoth, they could, or they could take the form of a Quaggoth Thonot (if they'd observed one using its powers), or perhaps a Dragon with Spellcasting (although I get to choose to the spells), while a Matron Mother is just a Spellcaster with the normal traits.

I don't know if there are rules for that, but it's how I run it.