So, If I transform into a giant toad and eat somebody?

[Skadi]

Obviously this may vary from DM to DM but I am wondering what the rules are regarding eating people while shapeshifted?

First things first, if I currently have somebody swallowed what happens if I try to change form, either back to my original form or to a new form? Same question if my Toad form is reduced to 0 hitpoints and I am forced to revert to my original form.

Second question, if I digest somebody using this swallow attack, what happens to their gear? Am I able to puke it out and still get anything cool they might be carrying or are they digested with the person I swallow?

Third question, if I successfully digest somebody, does this count as a full meal in regards to hunger and exhaustion mechanics?

[Man_Over_Game]

Officially, the effects end when the Polymorph does (the Concentration spells the polymorphed target had been casting don't persist, right?). So all the abilities end, and the narrative fits what happens mechanically.
In this circumstance, the Giant Toad vomits everything up before shifting back.

[Skadi]

(the Concentration spells the polymorphed target had been casting don't persist, right?)

Not sure about polymorph but I am fairly certain the druid can maintain concentration on any spells they cast before shapeshifting though they can't cast spells while shapeshifted (until level 18 at least). Then again when you shapeshift as a druid you retain all of your mental stats and only your physical stats change, not sure about polymorph, with polymorph even the mental stats change right?

[Man_Over_Game]

Not sure about polymorph but I am fairly certain the druid can maintain concentration on any spells they cast before shapeshifting though they can't cast spells while shapeshifted (until level 18 at least). Then again when you shapeshift as a druid you retain all of your mental stats and only your physical stats change, not sure about polymorph, with polymorph even the mental stats change right?

Wild Shape and Polymorph are very different. Polymorph has you lose all of your features. Wild Shape actually has you keep all of your features, only replacing stats that the Wild Shape form overrides. Hell, you still have spell slots, you just can't use them (because there's a clause that specifically states that you can't cast spells while Wild Shaped).

Wild Shape is closer to using Rage. Polymorph is like temporarily replacing your character sheet.

[Dr. Cliché]

Obviously this may vary from DM to DM but I am wondering what the rules are regarding eating people while shapeshifted?

I'm a fan of magic having consequences (especially when it comes to stuff like transformation magic - alter your form at your own risk :smallbiggrin:), so I'll almost certainly play up the icky/dangerous side of this sort of thing:


First things first, if I currently have somebody swallowed what happens if I try to change form, either back to my original form or to a new form? Same question if my Toad form is reduced to 0 hitpoints and I am forced to revert to my original form.

If you change to a form that could still accommodate the swallowed creature, I'd say that they remain inside your stomach. However, they'd likely take less damage than if you stuck with the form that initially swallowed them (if your new form doesn't have Swallow Whole, I'll assume that it isn't well-adapted to quickly digesting large meals).

If you're forced to revert to your original form, then things are about to get . . . unpleasant. I might allow some sort of constitution save. If you pass, then you manage to vomit up the creature just in time. If not, then you'd better hope there's a cleric handy. And someone with a mop. :smallwink:




Second question, if I digest somebody using this swallow attack, what happens to their gear? Am I able to puke it out and still get anything cool they might be carrying or are they digested with the person I swallow?

Just a point but reducing a creature to 0hp isn't the same as digesting it. I'd probably rule that it would take a while longer to dully digest their corpse (maybe an hour or so, depending on your form and the size of the creature), at which point any nonmagical gear will be dissolved along with it. However, any magical gear it had will remain intact.

Of course, getting that gear back might present some different challenges. Attempting to puke up sharp objects is unlikely to be an easy or painless experience. Though it will probably still be preferable to changing back whilst the objects are still inside you and/or hoping that a greatsword is able to navigate your digestive tract.




Third question, if I successfully digest somebody, does this count as a full meal in regards to hunger and exhaustion mechanics?

If you digest an entire person, then I'd likely count as more than one meal. Of course, attempting to accommodate an entire person (albeit a liquefied one) in your human stomach is likely going to be a unpleasant experience. I'd probably make it a Con save to puke up the 'extra' liquid (beyond what your stomach can accommodate), otherwise you'll spend a day or so being unpleasantly full.

On the plus side, you probably won't need to eat for a couple of days. :smallbiggrin:


The last thing I'll say is that none of this is intended to 'punish' druids. These are the rules I would want to use when playing druids myself.

Hell, I'm currently playing a young druid whose first meeting with the party involved her looking pregnant. In fact, it was a result of her eating some meat as a dire wolf without considering the difference in capacity between a human stomach and a dire wolf stomach. The result was a severe bellyache when she turned back.

[tieren]

It will always be a DM call.

Personally the amount of time that has passed would be a big factor for me. If the swallowed creature is still alive and trying to get out and you shift to a form that isn't big enough to contain it, I would say it is expelled during the transformation.

If you've been the toad for an hour or two after swallowing and killing something I would say it is gone and now part of you. I mean if you eat a huge meal then transform into a parakeet you don't say the druid empties the contents of his stomach do you?

If the creature dies I would have all of his gear dissolve in stomach acid, except magical gear, which I would have expell at the next transformation.