If my transmuter polymorphs himself into a dog, can he still communicate with his party and vice versa?
Naturally, he won't be able to talk, but could he paw directions in the dirt or something similar? If his party told him to distract the ogre guard, would he even be able to understand their verbal directions?
I'm seeing a LOT of posters who are saying you basically lose yourself because you are limited to animal intelligence and stats which I, frankly, think is a silly way of handling it.
Yes even though it wouldn't be able to talk a character polymorphed into a dog retains its personality and should still be able to understand speech and do anything with its body to otherwise communicate or indicate things.
The full extent of how it works will depend on the group and the DM. But the spell's description is pretty clear.
I'm not sure it's very clear, really. The description says both "The target's game statistics, including mental ability scores, are replaced by the statistic of the chosen beast" and "It retains its alignment and personality".
I would imagine a character's personality is linked fairly closely to those ability statistics, especially intelligence, which is singled out as being especially relevant in the description. How an 18 intelligence wizard, who relies heavily upon it, can retain his personality when he is polymorphed into a cat (Int 3) is beyond me.
As it is written now, I see polymorph as being an offensive spell, rather than one to use on other party members, for example. I think it loses some of its usefulness that way and would be "better" (a completely arbitrary word) if the creature retained its intelligence (and perhaps wisdom?) ability score.
It's magic. Logic isn't really a necessity when you try to figure out the effects. The effects for polymorph are there to let you know it's not the same as wild shape. You gain the beast form mental attributes, but have the same personality and alignment. In this sense they want you to know that you do not become a mindless beast with no clue what is going on, but simply a version of yourself with new mental statistics ( and the other listed changes ). Int 3 is listed for a mastiff. Dogs work quite well with people and can understand many commands. With an int of 2, I don't see a big issue with letting a magic spell allow for the same diminished capacity.
There's many cases where magic doesn't follow logic. Or some character abilities don't follow logic in regards to magic and other effects. Just part of the game really.
Reius wrote:
RavingDork wrote:
RavingDork wrote:
I think the polymoph spell is oddly powerful compared to the druid's wild shape ability, which is only 1/3 of it's level (for moon druid).
One of the benefits a druid has is however retaining it's intelligence, wisdom and charisma scores, as well as skills and saving throws in addition to the creature's if those are better and retain class and racial features.
If you offer roughly the same benefits to a wizard casting polymorph while allowing much more powerful creatures you kinda steal it's spotlight.
As is I am totally fine allowing one to keep the mental ability scores but I'd cut the CR to 1/2 wizard level, if you dont it should have consequences, now I dont think you have to start humping legs if we wuld play this by the book, but you would lose your skills, racial features, class features, saving throws and whatever else druids specifically keep. You retain a somewhat human personality though and your alignment does not change, your memories wont be lost as such. I
t does feel like voluntarily casting (a lesser) feeblemind on yourself:
"On a failed save, the creature’s Intelligence and Charisma scores become 1. The creature can’t cast spells, activate magic items, understand language, or communicate in any intelligible way. The creature can, however, identify its friends, follow them, and even protect them."
I'd stick to this, and extrapolate from here. If your form is more intelligent or charismatic you might be able to do more extensive communication, understand a few words and possibly activate a magical item (if it isnt class restricted).
If there is no Druid in the party, I would allow inter-PC polymorphing to substitute for wild shape. After all heroes are supposed to be able to do stuff the common folk can't.
But try to polymorph somebody else and you just might get a dumb animal with an appetite and an attitude. Their personality feels like this happened: 
If there IS a Druid in the party ... don't step on his toes. One of the classic complaints against Wizards is "they aren't members of a party, they just bring along sidekicks."
RavingDork wrote:
That's not what I'm lamenting at all.
It's just that if I effectively lose control of, or debuff my transmuter, every time I cast polymorph, then I'm not going to do it. That means that the only effective shapechanging magic (the kind that isn't inherently a debuff or causes me to lose control of my character) available to me is really only available at the highest levels of play--making any transmuter of less than 15th-level seem, well, not very skilled in their chosen field of magic.
mellored wrote:
El_Condoro wrote:
Yes, but could you as an articulate, experienced, mature and world-aware person retain your personality if you became a 1-year-old? You might be happy, curious and stubborn like your son (I have no idea if you are) but it's those 'adult' characteristics that are going to be useful when you're in a polymorphed state - curiosity just kills the cat unless it has the experience to avoid danger! 