If I were to cast polymorph on a wizard necromancer who as has several skeletons active using the animate dead spell, would they be able to issue commands mentally? Or would they just default to defence/ last order issued?
Polymorph stipulates changes of core abilities to that of the chosen beast, and that they are unable to physically speak, use equipment or benefit from feats. But it says nothing about telepathy granted from a previously cast, non concentration spell.
A creature affected by polymorph is limited in the actions it can perform by the nature of its new form, and it can't speak, cast spells, or take any other action that requires hands or speech.
The caster of an animate dead spell on each of your turns, you can use a bonus action to mentally command any creature you made with this spell if the creature is within 60 feet of you.
One doesn't seem to interfere with the other since it's mentally done.
I was leaning that way as well. It was just 'the nature of its new form' part of polymorph that was loosely interpretive enough to confuse me. It makes sense that polymorph shouldn't affect intellect in a way that it would affect actual character decision making.
Just one man’s two coppers, but using Polymorph for this seems like a case of trying to be too clever. Something like Tasha’s Hideous Laughter or Hold Person will incapacitate the target- preventing it from using their action or bonus action- and leave them vulnerable to other players while targeting the same save at lower spell levels. Also, if the enemy issues a general command like “kill them”, then the “Once given an order, the creature continues to follow it until its task is complete” part of Animate Dead means they won’t really need any further orders to keep attacking.
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If I were to cast polymorph on a wizard necromancer who as has several skeletons active using the animate dead spell, would they be able to issue commands mentally? Or would they just default to defence/ last order issued?
Polymorph stipulates changes of core abilities to that of the chosen beast, and that they are unable to physically speak, use equipment or benefit from feats. But it says nothing about telepathy granted from a previously cast, non concentration spell.
Just curious how to rule it
A creature affected by polymorph is limited in the actions it can perform by the nature of its new form, and it can't speak, cast spells, or take any other action that requires hands or speech.
The caster of an animate dead spell on each of your turns, you can use a bonus action to mentally command any creature you made with this spell if the creature is within 60 feet of you.
One doesn't seem to interfere with the other since it's mentally done.
I was leaning that way as well. It was just 'the nature of its new form' part of polymorph that was loosely interpretive enough to confuse me. It makes sense that polymorph shouldn't affect intellect in a way that it would affect actual character decision making.
One way i could see a DM disallowing it is if it ruled that the beast's Intelligence score is too low (1) for such mental task for example.
Just one man’s two coppers, but using Polymorph for this seems like a case of trying to be too clever. Something like Tasha’s Hideous Laughter or Hold Person will incapacitate the target- preventing it from using their action or bonus action- and leave them vulnerable to other players while targeting the same save at lower spell levels. Also, if the enemy issues a general command like “kill them”, then the “Once given an order, the creature continues to follow it until its task is complete” part of Animate Dead means they won’t really need any further orders to keep attacking.