Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Tegemea 09-27-07, 09:24 AM	I am not sure what to make of this, and since there are definitely people on this forum that know the rules better than I, here goes: If a creature has been petrified (as per the medusa entry), could they then be Baleful polymorphed into another form? Would this leave the creature petrified, but in the new form? And what about gear carried by the creature - still stone as per the petrification, or fallen off as per the polymorph? I'm just remembering, i think there was a rules of the game article about polymorph, so i might go look there, too.. but i'll still post this. input welcome!
hovnarr 09-27-07, 09:49 AM	Technically, a petrified character is an object. However, it can be argued that he is also a creature, which would make him targetable by Baleful Polymorph. At any rate, there's nothing to suggest that changing shape by any means cancels a petrification effect.
perdera 09-27-07, 10:52 AM	Technically, a petrified character is an object. However, it can be argued that he is also a creature, which would make him targetable by Baleful Polymorph. At any rate, there's nothing to suggest that changing shape by any means cancels a petrification effect. Well, the Medusa entry says 'turn to stone permanently', so I'd say, at that point, it's a statue and not a valid target for Baleful Polymorph. On the other hand, Flesh to Stone has 'one petrified creature' as a valid target...implying that you're still a 'creature' with the 'petrified' status applied. I'd probably just not allow Baleful Polymorph to apply, I just don't like dealing with Polymorph weirdness...it's either a normal situation and it works, or it's a weird unusual situation (that I don't feel like dissecting) and it fails. Yeah, I know that doesn't help much. If you do allow it to work, at the least I'd have the creature remain petrified, and I'd have the equipment that falls off remain stone and require some sort of Flesh to Something or Dispel or something...I wouldn't make the items just pop off and return to normal form.
Some_call_me_Tim 09-27-07, 12:33 PM	If a creature has been petrified (as per the medusa entry), could they then be Baleful polymorphed into another form?Yes, as a petrified creature is still a creature and a valid target. Although, it does get a saving throw. Would this leave the creature petrified, but in the new form? Yes, nothing suggests otherwise. And what about gear carried by the creature - still stone as per the petrification, or fallen off as per the polymorph? Again nothing in the rules-as-written suggests otherwise. I can also see room for potential abuse so the DM needs to be ready to step in and rule otherwise. For example ruling that since the creature is stone the attempt to polymorph it results in it cracking into a bazillion pieces also destroying the creature's gear.
Tegemea 09-28-07, 03:05 PM	Thanks all - So after some more digging, here is what annoys me about this - in the SRD, neither the flesh to stone or the medusa gaze effect are explicitly defined as giving the victim 'petrified' status, even though they both turn the creature to stone, and the definition of petrified pretty much reads as someone turned to stone. Reading the description of petrified, i can't see why a petrified creature couldn't be the subject of a baleful polymorph. It seems that the victim remaining petrified in its new form is the best interpretation. Like some of you suggest, however, I think i would rule that items worn are still melded into the stone, and wouldn't come popping off unless the petrification is reversed. I'd certainly still welcome further input, if someone finds anything applicable.
Ace_of_time 10-01-07, 03:32 PM	You would want to use Poly any object. Don't know about the stone. Note: They fixed Baleful polymorph spell in the Errata.