Polymorph Explained

[blackjack50]

Level 4 spell. Level 7 characters. I can turn into, or someone else, into a CR 7 creature? Like a giant ape? It may just help for a combat situation I have coming up. So I am wondering if that is true and worth it?

[Galithar]

That's the whole of it. It is VERY useful/worth it.

[KorvinStarmast]

That's the whole of it. It is VERY useful/worth it. Seconded. :smallcool:

[PhantomSoul]

Where creatures are specifically Beasts, yes! It's an amazing spell (utility, emergency HP solution, changing up combat style). And it gets even more powerful/versatile if your DM boosts the number of creatures and if the DM's world has all official creatures as existing (and known).

[Guy Lombard-O]

I can turn into, or someone else, into a CR 7 creature? Like a giant ape? It may just help for a combat situation

Pro tip: It's especially helpful when the target is already severely damaged, is surrounded or in a similar bad situation, or has already expended most of their resources.

[KorvinStarmast]

How many people are in your party? We found, the one time we used it at level 7, that turning a squishy into a giant ape was good fun because the caster who cast the spell kept concentration, and stayed the heck out of the way as best he could. (Elf, wizard). My warlock went all King Kong for a bit, got HP whittled away, and then transformed into a full up warlock who used fly to get up and out of the fight ... meanwhile, our martials were wrecking the enemy who had been somewhat concerned with the punching and rock throwing that Kong was doing ... his grapple of the enemy spell caster was his last attack, I never got to throw the enemy (intended on the next round) since my ape HP went to 0 at that point.

[Bilbron]

Level 4 spell. Level 7 characters. I can turn into, or someone else, into a CR 7 creature? Like a giant ape? It may just help for a combat situation I have coming up. So I am wondering if that is true and worth it?

Be aware that the CR limit of Polymorph is tied to the TARGET'S CR/Level and NOT THE CASTER'S. So you can't turn, say, your familiar or a Tiny Servant into a Giant Ape.

[blackjack50]

Be aware that the CR limit of Polymorph is tied to the TARGET'S CR/Level and NOT THE CASTER'S. So you can't turn, say, your familiar or a Tiny Servant into a Giant Ape.

Yes. That I understood. And it will probably need to be explained.

[blackjack50]

Seems like the best tactic is for me to cast this on a fellow teammate even though I am the squishy. One of the others is not great at melee

[Gignere]

Seems like the best tactic is for me to cast this on a fellow teammate even though I am the squishy. One of the others is not great at melee

Best tactic is if one of the melee or really anyone gets low on health use polymorph and the target will have lots of hitpoints.

[PhantomSoul]

Seems like the best tactic is for me to cast this on a fellow teammate even though I am the squishy. One of the others is not great at melee

And ideally waiting until that teammate is effectively a squishy (depleted resources including low HP); it can be decent on yourself in combat if you've got access to a high-con beast like the T-Rex, the Giant Ape, the Mammoth or the Giant Shark (while not being great at concentration yourself) and are running low yourself, though.

[Bilbron]

Seems like the best tactic is for me to cast this on a fellow teammate even though I am the squishy. One of the others is not great at melee
It's a good tactic but not always well-received by players who prefer to use their class abilities. You may have to cast it on yourself, in which case Giant Ape has excellent ranged attacks (albeit requiring available boulders). If you have a party Paladin, you can stand next to him for that Saves bonus to your +4 Con for good concentration checks.

[Guy Lombard-O]

It's a good tactic but not always well-received by players who prefer to use their class abilities. You may have to cast it on yourself, in which case Giant Ape has excellent ranged attacks (albeit requiring available boulders). If you have a party Paladin, you can stand next to him for that Saves bonus to your +4 Con for good concentration checks.

Or just wait until that player's character is battered to a near pulp, or basically out of spell slots. When the character is in those dire straits, I've yet to see the proffered Polymorph turned down. And if waiting reveals that the character never reaches those straits? Well then, the spell was never really needed in the first place.

[Gignere]

Or just wait until that player's character is battered to a near pulp, or basically out of spell slots. When the character is in those dire straits, I've yet to see the proffered Polymorph turned down. And if waiting reveals that the character never reaches those straits? Well then, the spell was never really needed in the first place.

In one game our rogue got double critted from full to 4 health. I polymorphed him into a giant ape and immediately he proceeded to roll double crits back on the mobs that bought him down to 4 health, one shotting two critters. Pretty much turned the whole battle around from one that was oh crap what do we do to now we outnumber you.

[Bilbron]

Or just wait until that player's character is battered to a near pulp, or basically out of spell slots. When the character is in those dire straits, I've yet to see the proffered Polymorph turned down. And if waiting reveals that the character never reaches those straits? Well then, the spell was never really needed in the first place.If you're only using the spell as a panic button, it will go uncast more often than an alternative option that is more applicable in more battles. I don't consider that to be an efficient use of a spell prep. I stopped carrying Polymorph a while back and I haven't missed it, and have only brought it back to use with my new Shield Guardian and occasionally on myself (combined with Haste from my familiar, and standing next to my Paladin).