Uses for Polymorph I haven't thought of?

[MarkVIIIMarc]

I am looking for alternative uses of Polymorph which may not have thought of.

What is going on is I have a Lore Bard which has been Level 7 for quite some time. Polymorph is my Level 4 spell and I end most adventuring days with my Level 4 slot unspent.

Since its a save or suck spell I decided the best use is to wait until one of our party members is near death then transform them into a Giant Ape. I've been what passes as the party healer anyway so the 100+ hit point meat shield seems great compared to pop a mole Healing Word.

Trouble is my party members grumble about being a beast. I get it, we're there to play our halfling fighter, dragonborn monk or drow rogue not a tiger or ape or SOMEDAY maybe a T-rex....well, maybe that would be fun....

But yeah, Polymorph seems fun to me, I've used it out of combat enough and its not like I can swap it out until we level anyways so I'm open to ideas.

[nickl_2000]

Your party is grumbling because you turn them into a beast when they are on the brink of death? Seems silly to me, but you could always just let them fall instead. One time being knocked out would probably end the complaining about being polymorphed.


With the restriction of the CR of the polymorphed beast being the same or less than the original level/CR there isn't much you can do to abuse it.

[xroads]

You could leverage it as a utility spell.

For example:

Need to fly somewhere? Polymorph into a bird.
Does the heavily armored fighter need to sneak into position somewhere for an ambush? Polymorph the fighter into a rat.
Does the rogue need to scout something out underwater? Polymorph the rogue into an octopus.

[Wildarm]

There are various grappling forms which are good for Polymorph but Giant Ape is the form I would recommend the most. With a 7 Int your front liners can function pretty well and it has a ranged attack. Anything with 2 or less intelligence is just as likely eat a friend or foe(at least that's how I run it in my games). You run into the same problem with utility forms. Very few have high enough intelligence to make effective use of their utility.

I'd stick with your Giant Ape for an ally and offensively something can easily pick up and put in a pouch, throw off a cliff or have a familiar fly 200' in the air with and drop. Turtle is generally my favorite.

[Rhedyn]

Trouble is my party members grumble about being a beast. I get it, we're there to play our halfling fighter, dragonborn monk or drow rogue not a tiger or ape or SOMEDAY maybe a T-rex....well, maybe that would be fun....FYI, T-rex is worse than the Giant Ape.

Polymorph starts with and ends with it's best form; Giant Ape.

[dejarnjc]

Your party is grumbling because you turn them into a beast when they are on the brink of death? Seems silly to me, but you could always just let them fall instead. One time being knocked out would probably end the complaining about being polymorphed.

I dunno, using polymorph this way always seems really cheesy to me even though my character has done it multiple times. Also frequent use might make martials feel a little redundant from like level 7 till the mid-teens.

In the games I run, I just house rule a restriction that the beast CR maximum is half your character level. Still lets it work to save people but doesn't make martial characters feel redundant.

[MarkVIIIMarc]

FYI, T-rex is worse than the Giant Ape.

Polymorph starts with and ends with it's best form; Giant Ape.

I can see where the Ape is better, especially inside or where a brain helps.

Just the sheer terror of a T-Rex though lol. Well maybe in a world that's seen a Kraken or something like that the effect would be less.

To you all, thanks for the tips, we don't have a Druid so it does have some utility.

[Mr.Spastic]

Good uses include mobility. Flight water breathing, and climb speeds can be very helpful. The big thing I can think of is turning into giant eagles and flying away with one or two party members.

[MarkVIIIMarc]

Good uses include mobility. Flight water breathing, and climb speeds can be very helpful. The big thing I can think of is turning into giant eagles and flying away with one or two party members.
https://donjon.bin.sh/5e/monsters/

CAN a giant eagle carry two of my partners? That would be useful as can be

[MaxWilson]

T Rex is good at kiting, and restraining enemies.

You could turn people into poisonous snakes during downtime and then milk the venom, using DMG rules on milking poison. The poison might or might not remain behind when the spell ends but it costs you nothing to try. If it works, give the poison to the party archer, for their arrows in tough adventures.

[Aembrosia]

Acquire a vagabond hireling with a serious transmittable disease. Polymorph into a mosquito or stirge. Take a sip of thier bloo- whats that about alignment you say?