Demon Idol

A gamist Advanced Dungeons & Dragons interpretation.

User Tools

Site Tools

Trace:
polymorph

Differences

This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.

Link to this comparison view

Both sides previous revisionPrevious revision
Next revision		Previous revision
polymorph [2023-12-16 03:05] – Add rule about harvesting items poemspolymorph [2024-12-22 15:53] (current) – external edit 127.0.0.1
Line 6: Line 6:
  
 The caster of a polymorph spell does not need to have encountered a creature to be able to turn a target into that creature.((This is a common house rule but nowhere in the books does it say this is the case. The only related text is on DMG 45, on //phantasmal force//: "The magic-user must know of and understand the force/creature he/she is making an illusion of. Thus, if the caster has never cast a fireball or has never seen a dragon turtle, his illusion of such will be very poor." However, //phantasmal force// is both an illusion (not an alteration), and lower level. So it is not sufficient precedent to restrict polymorph spells similarly.)) However, the caster must at least know something of the creature to be able to picture it in their mind. It can be assumed that adventurers will know enough about the monsters in the monster books to be able to polymorph into their forms. However, consider the situation where a caster is on an adventure and is warned by a traveler of hhgninflorfers in the cave ahead, the hhgninflorfer being a monster devised by the DM and who live only in that particular cave. It can be reasonably said that the caster cannot manifest a hhgninflorfer simply be hearing the word. Any restriction on the spell beyond the "hhgninflorfer example" is undue restriction of the spell.((Further explanation of this ruling: There are  cases in swords & sorcery literature where a spellcaster cast a spell without an understanding of the form they were manifesting. Sometimes the caster of the spell wasn't even a trained spellcaster. And in old-school D&D, magic comes from other planes, and we do not view it as a science like it is depicted in some fantasy. Magic in AD&D is more about channeling unimaginable powers from other planes. Sure, the caster might be //carefully// and //precisely// channeling it, but we don't believe that a magic-user is biologically forming, say, a dragon, through //biology// when they cast polymorph. They're using //magic!// They don't need to completely understand the form they're calling forth.)) The caster of a polymorph spell does not need to have encountered a creature to be able to turn a target into that creature.((This is a common house rule but nowhere in the books does it say this is the case. The only related text is on DMG 45, on //phantasmal force//: "The magic-user must know of and understand the force/creature he/she is making an illusion of. Thus, if the caster has never cast a fireball or has never seen a dragon turtle, his illusion of such will be very poor." However, //phantasmal force// is both an illusion (not an alteration), and lower level. So it is not sufficient precedent to restrict polymorph spells similarly.)) However, the caster must at least know something of the creature to be able to picture it in their mind. It can be assumed that adventurers will know enough about the monsters in the monster books to be able to polymorph into their forms. However, consider the situation where a caster is on an adventure and is warned by a traveler of hhgninflorfers in the cave ahead, the hhgninflorfer being a monster devised by the DM and who live only in that particular cave. It can be reasonably said that the caster cannot manifest a hhgninflorfer simply be hearing the word. Any restriction on the spell beyond the "hhgninflorfer example" is undue restriction of the spell.((Further explanation of this ruling: There are  cases in swords & sorcery literature where a spellcaster cast a spell without an understanding of the form they were manifesting. Sometimes the caster of the spell wasn't even a trained spellcaster. And in old-school D&D, magic comes from other planes, and we do not view it as a science like it is depicted in some fantasy. Magic in AD&D is more about channeling unimaginable powers from other planes. Sure, the caster might be //carefully// and //precisely// channeling it, but we don't believe that a magic-user is biologically forming, say, a dragon, through //biology// when they cast polymorph. They're using //magic!// They don't need to completely understand the form they're calling forth.))
 +
 ===== Body part restoration ===== ===== Body part restoration =====
  
Line 21: Line 22:
  
 Polymorphed creatures do not yield items of value, such as skins (see [[Treasure List]]), nor can they be harvested for magic item components (such as scroll ink).<sup>Ex</sup> Polymorphed creatures do not yield items of value, such as skins (see [[Treasure List]]), nor can they be harvested for magic item components (such as scroll ink).<sup>Ex</sup>
 +
 +===== Reproduction =====
 +
 +Acts of reproduction committed while polymorphed will not result in the birth of new creatures.
 +
 +===== Level caps =====
 +
 +A polymorphed creature is limited by the level caps of its true form. Polymorph is not a permanent enough change -- it can be dispelled.
polymorph.1702695956.txt.gz · Last modified: 2024-12-22 15:53 (external edit)

Page Tools

Except where otherwise noted, content on this wiki is licensed under the following license: CC Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International

Demon Idol acknowledges all copyrights, trademarks, and registered trademarks detailed on this page that do not belong to Demon Idol and makes no challenges to the ownership of said property rights.

CC Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International Driven by DokuWiki