Best polymorph shape to disable and enemy?

[etrpgb]

I was wondering what shape do you suggest to disable an enemy via polymorph.

In the former session I used the rat (https://roll20.net/compendium/dnd5e/Rat) as it is slow and has pretty much no attacks; it sounded a good idea.
The bad guy friend just kicked the rat, even an unarmed attack worked to do 1 hit point damage against a 10 AC target and so the bad guy promptly returned active.

At the end we won the battle and the game continued as usual, it was a fun session btw.
But still, I am a bit bothered; what is the best shape to disable an enemy?

Basically it should have no attacks, no movements, but plenty of hit points and AC?

[Afrodactyl]

Something small and put it in a lockbox? It can't escape then, and if he does somehow change back, well he's in a small locked metal box.

My favourite of these was changing a fire elemental into a rat, stuffing it into a sack and throwing it off of a cliff into the sea. One very dead elemental.

[Tanarii]

Apparently that's not the intended use of the spell in 5e. Clearly it's supposed to be buff spell, because changing your allies into Int 2 dinosaurs means they'll be much more tactically effective, and should remain under full control of the player.

Seriously thoug, Killer Whale is traditional. Land speed 0, doesn't have the Water Breathing trait so it won't die in a round or two, has Hold Breath instead.

[Demonslayer666]

Turn them into a newt.

[Sigreid]

Turn an ally into a naked whatever they are into. I believe Naruto called this his "Sexy Juitsu".

[No brains]

Probably the best for disabling an enemy would be a sea horse. No attacks, no land speed. For disabling an enemy for a full hour, frog might be better, provided you can catch them.

As your DM if you can get creative and use animals not listed in stat blocks. A tortoise would be slow, weak, yet with a good amount of hp to counter reverting. A sea sponge or coral isn't going anywhere. A sloth would also be an amusing option.

[nickl_2000]

Probably the best for disabling an enemy would be a sea horse. No attacks, no land speed. For disabling an enemy for a full hour, frog might be better, provided you can catch them.

As your DM if you can get creative and use animals not listed in stat blocks. A tortoise would be slow, weak, yet with a good amount of hp to counter reverting. A sea sponge or coral isn't going anywhere. A sloth would also be an amusing option.

"I polymorph him into a Dire Sloth."

Gigantic Size
Razor Sharp Claws
No attack since that would be to much work
Walking Speed 1 ft
Climbing Speed 2 ft
AC 8 due to dexterity being so low
HP: 250

[Tanarii]

Probably the best for disabling an enemy would be a sea horse. No attacks, no land speed. For disabling an enemy for a full hour, frog might be better, provided you can catch them.Also has 1 hp so allies can one shot it, cannot breath, and dies from suffocation in -1 (negative one) round, meaning it changes back at the start of its next round.

A giant seahorse has more hit points, but also dies from suffocation in 0 (zero) rounds, changing back at the start of its next round.

[kamap]

An ant its small and hard to spot, other small and hard to spot animals so the bad guys friend will first have to find the animal before he can kill it.

[No brains]

Also has 1 hp so allies can one shot it, cannot breath, and dies from suffocation in -1 (negative one) round, meaning it changes back at the start of its next round.

A giant seahorse has more hit points, but also dies from suffocation in 0 (zero) rounds, changing back at the start of its next round.

I must not be understanding the drowning rules properly. I'm probably hung up on the assumption that a fish can't stop holding its breath because gills don't work that way, even though that's technically the only way gills work. Look for puddles, I guess?

Though using a 1hp critter is not always a bad thing for detaining someone- it can still lower the ac/ saves and mobility of a creature for an ally to wind up for a powerful blow to knock them out the old-fashioned way.

Also if an ally can spot a slot of Animal Friendship, any beast with -2 wisdom makes a good lock-down option. Giant boar, giant centipede, giant fire beetle, or quipper (with a fishbowl) all make potential candidates. Boars, camels, toads, all have -1 wisdom. I'm not certain it's allowed, but a Swarm of Rot grubs has -4 wisdom. You can talk them into anything!

Edit:

"I polymorph him into a Dire Sloth."

Gigantic Size
Razor Sharp Claws
No attack since that would be to much work
Walking Speed 1 ft
Climbing Speed 2 ft
AC 8 due to dexterity being so low
HP: 250

Megatherium/ Megalonyx is not one with whom to mess.

[Blacky the Blackball]

My favourite is the tortoise.

They're slow so they can't run, and they're not quite so delicate as mice or the like. Also, they can't squeeze through small openings because of their shell - and the shell also enables you to pick them up without them being able to scratch/bite you.

[Tanarii]

I must not be understanding the drowning rules properly. I'm probably hung up on the assumption that a fish can't stop holding its breath because gills don't work that way, even though that's technically the only way gills work. Look for puddles, I guess?It can't breathe out of water. So it never gets a breath to hold. It dies in Con modifier rounds.


Though using a 1hp critter is not always a bad thing for detaining someone- it can still lower the ac/ saves and mobility of a creature for an ally to wind up for a powerful blow to knock them out the old-fashioned way.It does have the advantage of requiring an action for the ally to one shot, but that's a level 4 slot for removing a single enemies action. When that rally sucks is if there are mooks around to do it. But there's little carryover damage because unarmed attacks do 1+Str damage.

[nickl_2000]

Megatherium/ Megalonyx is not one with whom to mess.

Thank you for facilitating the Wikipedia binge that I just did learning more about these cool creatures.

[No brains]

It can't breathe out of water. So it never gets a breath to hold. It dies in Con modifier rounds.

You would rule that 'breath' between forms does not carry over? Does that mean a PC has to be submerged when they cast polymorph if they want to explore some place as a fish?

[Tanarii]

You would rule that 'breath' between forms does not carry over? Does that mean a PC has to be submerged when they cast polymorph if they want to explore some place as a fish?Or enter water within one round. Of course.