Polymorphism (D&D)

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Unofficial rules compendium

Transformation spells that change form and the new polymorphism subschool are a headache that is not well resolved in 3.5.

Shape-Changing Subschool

Shapechange is a new subschool of spells based on the polymorph template.

• The following spells fall in this category: Alter, Alter Self, Alter, Mass, Amorphous Form, Animal Growth, Animal Shapes, Animal Shapes, Lesser, Aspect Of The Earth Hunter, Aspect Of The Wolf, Baleful Polymorph, Bite Of The Werebear, Bite Of The Wereboar, Bite Of The Wererat, Bite Of The Weretiger, Bite Of The Werewolf, Body Of War, Celestial Aspect, Elemental Body, Enlarge Person, Fiendform, Ghostform, Holy Transformation, Lesser, Immortal Shape, Infernal Transformation, Lesser, Legendary Shape, Nature's Forms, Plant Body, Polymorph, Polymorph Any Object, Primal Form, Reduce Animal, Reduce Person, Reduce Person, Greater, Reduce Person, Mass, Shapechange, Spider Curse, Spider Shapes, Spiderform, and Wild Runner, as well as the druids Wild Shape ability and abilities based on any of these spells. There are most likely more shapechange spells that remain to be classified as such.
• Note that the spells in the polymorph subschool are not included; the two subschools are mutually exclusive.

These rules apply to the shapechange subschool.

• Spells from the shapechange subschool are incompatible with each other, with the higher-level spell taking precedence and countering any lower-level spells in the group.
• If a shapechange spell is used to permanently assume another form, the target must make a Will save each day or become a creature of that form, assuming all abilities of that form as well as it's ECL modifier.

Polymorph Subschool

The spells from the polymorph subschool changes the target into a typical example of the creature in question, including hit points and abilities. Example spells include Aquatic Escape, Displacer Form, Dragonshape, Extract Water Elemental, Holy Transformation, Infernal Transformation, Liveoak, Megalodon Empowerment, Trollshape, and Winged Watcher.

• All gear you wear is absorbed by the new form.
• All spells and effects on the target are suppressed except the polymorphism school spell.
• Any damage the target has taken is temporarily ignored.
• All gear carried is absorbed into the new form.
• Any gear worn or carried by a typical creature of the type appears with the new form.
• The target loses all normal abilities, including class and racial abilities and hit points.
• The target keeps its own personality, motivation and alignment, as modified by the new type and ability scores.

A polymorphism spell ends when the assumed form is killed or the target is otherwise transformed, such as if the spell is suppressed or it is polymorphed again. When the spell ends, the target instantly reverts to its own form, including all equipment and any spells whose duration is still running.

• Any damage the target had taken in its own form returns.
• All spells or conditions applied to the new form disappear, including death, level drain, or disintegration. The one exception is polymorphism and shapechange school spells, spell-like and supernatural abilities, whose effects remain.
• If the target is standing in an effect that affects an area, any continuing area effect will continue to affect you. Examples include entangle and incendiary cloud.
• Any parts of the assumed form or gear that appeared along with the new form disappears, including lost items and separated body parts.
• Any items or objects picked up in the new form falls to the ground in the target's space.
• If the target returns to its own form in a space that cannot accommodate its body, such as inside a solid stone, it is violently expelled into the nearest suitable space, taking 1d6 damage per 5 ft.