What is Polymorph?
Polymorph is a 4th-level transmutation spell in D&D 5e. One of the more whimsical spells in the popular tabletop roleplaying game, Polymorph is a shape-changing spell. It can effectively turn characters (or monsters) into beasts—voluntarily or forcibly. With a wide range of different transformation options, there are plenty of ways to use Polymorph in combat and beyond. Casting time: 1 action Range: 60 feet Target: A creature your character can see within range Components: Verbal, somatic, and material (a caterpillar cocoon) Duration: Up to 1 hour (Concentration) Which classes can cast it? Bards, druids, sorcerers, and wizards
How does Polymorph work?
Polymorph transforms a creature within range into a new form. Your PC (player character) must be able to see the target, and if the creature is unwilling (such as an enemy or non-allied character), they must make a Wisdom saving throw to resist the spell. Choose the new form upon successfully casting the spell; it can be any beast with a challenge rating (CR) equal to or less than the target’s. If your target doesn’t have a challenge rating (because it’s a fellow PC or because your PC is Polymorphing themselves), the new form must be equal to or less than the target’s level instead. In D&D 5e, every creature has a “creature type” and is sorted into one of the following categories: aberration, beast, celestial, construct, dragon, elemental, fey, fiend, giant, humanoid, monstrosity, ooze, plant, or undead. Check the assigned type before you choose a form and ensure it’s classified as a beast since that’s the only type Polymorph allows.
The target takes on the statistics and hit points of its new form. After transforming, targets use the stat block of the creature they’ve turned into; their original hit points and ability scores (including mental ones like Intelligence, Charisma, and Wisdom) are replaced by the beast’s. They can only use actions available to their new form, and can’t speak, cast spells, or do anything requiring hands or speech. However, a Polymorphed creature maintains its personality and alignment—so even if your PC’s statistics change, they remain essentially themselves (even if they can’t speak). For example, say a human wizard with 81 HP is Polymorphed into an owl. That means the wizard would use the owl’s statistics; they’d have 1 HP along with the owl’s ability scores, senses, skills, and movement speed. Similarly, if the Polymorphed wizard had an Intelligence score of 18 before the transformation, it’d become 2 in owl form (since that’s an owl’s Intelligence score).
Polymorph can last for up to an hour with Concentration. However, if the target is reduced to 0 HP before that time is up, the spell will end automatically. Once Polymorph ends, the target reverts to its original form—with the HP and statistics it had before its transformation. When a Polymorphed creature drops to 0 HP, any excess damage will carry over to its original form. For example, let’s say the Polymorphed wizard from above is attacked, taking 9 points of damage from an arrow. Since the wizard had 1 HP as an owl, 9 points of damage would end Polymorph, and the wizard’s human form would take 8 points of damage (the excess amount after applying damage to its owl form), reducing them to 73 HP. Still, a Polymorphed creature that reverts back to its true form won’t be knocked unconscious as long as the excess damage doesn’t reduce its true form to 0 HP. Concentration is a mechanic in D&D. Spells marked as “Concentration” spells require the caster to focus on them to keep them active.
Polymorph won’t work on shapechangers. If you try to cast the spell on a shape-changing creature—such as a doppelganger (a CR 3 monstrosity that takes on the appearance of other humanoids) or a changeling (which is a playable shapeshifting race in 5e)—the spell won’t have any effect. It also can’t be cast on creatures with 0 hit points (meaning they’re unconscious or dead).
Spells that are already cast remain active while you’re polymorphed. You can’t cast spells while Polymorphed, but you can maintain Concentration on a spell cast before transforming (so long as someone else casts Polymorph, since a single PC can’t have two Concentration spells active). Similarly, a spell affecting your PC but cast by someone else (like Haste or Shield of Faith) can remain active during Polymorph. For example, if your PC is concentrating on a spell and then casts Polymorph, the previous spell will drop because you can only Concentrate on 1 spell at a time. Conversely, if a party member casts Polymorph while your PC concentrates on Bless, Bless will remain active while your PC is transformed. Keep in mind that all gear melds into the target’s new form—so if your PC is Polymorphed, they can’t activate or use any of their gear, but they’ll get it back when Polymorph ends.
How to Use Polymorph
Transform allies (or yourself) to get an edge in combat or exploration. Many of the beast forms available via Polymorph can be super helpful depending on the situation—whether you need to scout ahead, get a bird’s eye view of an enemy stronghold, sneak past guards, or buff yourself with extra HP in a fight. Consider using Polymorph to navigate scenarios that might be tougher in your regular form. For example: Owls have a 60-foot fly speed, 120-ft darkvision, and keen hearing and sight, making them excellent aerial scouts no matter the time of day. Rats can be super handy despite their weak statistics because they’re so commonplace—so you could easily sneak into a restricted area without arousing suspicion. Giant sharks are powerful swimmers, so if you’re getting into an underwater battle (or scouting underwater), it’s one of the best Polymorph forms available. Mammoths can carry other PCs or haul heavy objects when needed—and have a Trampling Charge ability in combat. Tyrannosaurus Rex dinosaurs are one of the highest-CR beasts you can polymorph into with a ton of power and utility in combat.
Polymorph enemies to trap or defeat them more easily. On the other hand, if an enemy is causing lots of trouble on the battlefield, transforming them into a harmless animal (like a frog or crab) can shift the odds in your favor. Polymorph can give you time to defeat the other enemies, prepare a trap for the transformed creature, or even escape the battle and run away. If you’re fighting a vampire commanding a pack of wolves, you could Polymorph the vampire into a lizard, defeat the wolves, and heal the party before the vampire reverts to its original form. If you’re struggling to defeat a powerful frost giant, you could Polymorph it into a goat and spend the next hour escaping, so the giant won’t be a threat when it reverts to its true form. Fighting a formidable bandit leader or master assassin? Just Polymorph them into a weasel and toss them into prison before the spell ends! Depending on the environment, you could use Polymorph to transform an enemy into something much weaker than its true form and then drop it off a cliff or into a pool of lava (or something similar).
All Polymorph Beast Forms
CR 0 through ½ A creature’s Challenge Rating (CR) measures how difficult it is to defeat. CR 0 is the lowest possible rating, with CR ⅛, ¼, and ½ each being incrementally more challenging (though still quite weak). In 5e, possible CR values range from 0 to 30, although no beasts are above CR 8. For CR 0 through ½, Polymorph options include: CR 0: Baboon, badger, bat, cat, crab, cranium rat, deer, eagle, frog, giant fire beetle, goat, giant fly, hawk, hyena, jackal, lizard, octopus, owl, quipper, rat, raven, scorpion, sea horse, spider, vulture, and weasel CR ⅛: Blood hawk, camel, dolphin, flying snake, giant crab, giant rat, giant weasel, mastiff, mule, poisonous snake, pony, and stirge CR ¼: Axe beak, boar, constrictor snake, cow, deep rothe, draft horse, elk, giant badger, giant bat, giant centipede, giant frog, giant lizard, giant owl, giant poisonous snake, giant wolf spider, hadrosaurus, ox, panther, pteranodon, riding horse, rothe, and wolf CR ½: Ape, black bear, crocodile, giant goat, giant sea horse, giant wasp, reef shark, and warhorse
CR 1 CR 1 beasts are still quite weak, and there aren’t many forms in this category that have more utility than the better CR 0 through ½ options (like owls or flying snakes). Still, there are a couple of solid options for scouting, including the giant eagle and giant octopus. For CR 1, Polymorph options include: Brown bear Deinonychus Dire wolf Giant eagle Giant hyena Giant octopus Giant spider Giant toad Giant vulture Lion Nyxborn lynx Tiger
CR 2 CR 2 consists mainly of weaker combat forms; by the time your PC can cast Polymorph (since it’s a 4th-level spell), you’ll likely have better forms at higher CRs available. However, the Quetzalcoatlus form can be helpful in combat and while traveling long distances. CR 2 Polymorph options include: Allosaurus Aurochs Cave bear Giant boar Giant constrictor snake Giant elk Hunter shark Plesiosaurus Polar bear Quetzalcoatlus Rhinoceros Saber-toothed tiger
CR 3 There aren’t many creature options in the CR 3 category, but the forms available include combat options a step above CR 2 in terms of effectiveness. They include: Ankylosaurus Giant scorpion Killer whale
CR 4 Like CR 3, CR 4 is sparse in terms of options—but the ones available might be handy if you’re trying to make your PC large and intimidating! CR 4 beast options include: Elephant Stegosaurus
CR 5 The few CR 5 options available include a couple of surprisingly capable creatures in combat despite their relatively low CR level: the brontosaurus and the giant shark. All CR 5 options are: Brontosaurus Giant crocodile Giant shark Triceratops
CR 6 There’s a single CR 6 beast option: the mammoth. If you want to use Polymorph to turn into a combat-ready creature, the best options for that start at CR 6. As mentioned above, mammoths can charge enemies and carry heavy loads—in addition to having 126 hit points and a couple of different attacks in combat.
CR 7 Again, there’s currently only one CR 7 beast option: a giant ape. Still, it’s actually a great option for combat! Giant apes have a faster-than-average walk and climb speed, 157 hit points, and a multiattack action that deals impressive damage (an average of 22 bludgeoning damage per hit or 44 bludgeoning damage per round).
CR 8 There are two options for CR 8: the tyrannosaurus rex and the sperm whale. Both are fantastic in their respective biomes; on land, a tyrannosaurus should be the go-to combat option with a huge damage output (an average of 53 points of damage per round) and a grapple ability. Sperm whales excel underwater, where they can swallow enemies and deal tremendous attacks against enemy ships. CR 8 is the highest challenge rating currently available to Polymorph casters. While there are certainly creatures with a higher CR, none fall under the “beast” category, which is the type required for Polymorph.
Related Spells
D&D 5e also features the Mass Polymorph and True Polymorph spells. However, both are 9th-level spells (compared to Polymorph, which is 4th-level), meaning Polymorph will be available to you much sooner than Mass Polymorph or True Polymorph. Additionally, Mass Polymorph and True Polymorph have slightly different class restrictions. True Polymorph is available to bards, wizards, and warlocks. With it, you can change any creature or non-magical object into any other creature (not necessarily a beast), and the change lasts until dispelled if you maintain Concentration for 1 hour. Mass Polymorph is available to bards, sorcerers, and wizards. Its mechanics are the same as the basic Polymorph spell, except you can transform up to 10 creatures, and the spell’s range increases to 120 feet.
Advice for DMs
Use multiple encounters to prevent players from abusing Polymorph. If you're a DM worried about players avoiding (or ruining) combat with Polymorph, it's important to remember that players can only cast Polymorph as many times as they have spell slots. So, adding multiple encounters throughout a single in-game day should stop them from using Polymorph in every single one. Additionally, keep in mind that Polymorph is restricted to beasts, which goes a long way toward balancing the spell. For example, players can't go transforming into fire giants, earth elementals, or dragons with Polymorph—none of them are beasts. Polymorph also has a tendency to get less useful as players level up since there aren't any beast forms above CR 8—so even if they use it often at low levels, they'll probably switch to different spells at higher levels.
Burn legendary resistances to keep boss enemies in the fight. It's every DM's nightmare: you prepare a battle with a challenging, high CR enemy, but then a player casts Polymorph early on, and your monster fails its initial saving throw. That's what legendary resistances are for! Choose to have your monster automatically succeed and burn a legendary to continue the fight. Also, if your monster runs out of legendary resistances, don't be afraid to fudge the saving throw roll if you're worried about an important battle being ruined. Legendary resistance is a mechanic that applies to most high-CR monsters with a legendary reputation. Legendary monsters get a certain number of resistances per day and can use them to succeed in saving throws.
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