My question is this: nowhere in the spell is it clarified who actually decides which beast the target tranforms into. Is it the player or the DM an why?
The new form can be any beast whose challenge rating is equal to or less than the target's (or the target's level, if it doesn't have a challenge rating). The target's game statistics, including mental ability scores, are replaced by the statistics of the chosen beast.
Whenever a choice is referenced in a spell it is naturally the caster's.
And it has to be the Player because the caster can use it on an ally and make them into a Giant Ape, or use it on an enemy and turn them into a scorpion (CR 0 creature with a speed of 10 ft. and 1 hp, Cast Sleep on it next round.)
And it has to be the Player because the caster can use it on an ally and make them into a Giant Ape, or use it on an enemy and turn them into a scorpion (CR 0 creature with a speed of 10 ft. and 1 hp, Cast Sleep on it next round.)
Well, that is my question. Can the caster really do that or is it just a favorable interpretation of the spell?
@DxJxC Is there any other example for this in another spell?
Well, I know 1 spell that the DM does decide creature stats is conjure woodland beings and the only instance of "choose" is on number and CR of summons. But honestly sometimes the rules just aren't very clear and you just have to go with what makes sense.
And true polymorph is very clear on it being a creature or object of the caster's choice. Same for mass polymorph.
5e rules are anything but consistent. I'm sure they were editing and rewording it for word count at some point in development and made it unclear by accident. And no one ever noticed because they just assumed that it said it did what it had always said it did.
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Hi everyone.
My question is this: nowhere in the spell is it clarified who actually decides which beast the target tranforms into. Is it the player or the DM an why?
This gave me a few "hmm"s before I found this:
Whenever a choice is referenced in a spell it is naturally the caster's.
Good looking out though.
And it has to be the Player because the caster can use it on an ally and make them into a Giant Ape, or use it on an enemy and turn them into a scorpion (CR 0 creature with a speed of 10 ft. and 1 hp, Cast Sleep on it next round.)
@DxJxC Is there any other example for this in another spell?
Well, that is my question. Can the caster really do that or is it just a favorable interpretation of the spell?
And true polymorph is very clear on it being a creature or object of the caster's choice. Same for mass polymorph.
Well, I know 1 spell that the DM does decide creature stats is conjure woodland beings and the only instance of "choose" is on number and CR of summons. But honestly sometimes the rules just aren't very clear and you just have to go with what makes sense.
5e rules are anything but consistent. I'm sure they were editing and rewording it for word count at some point in development and made it unclear by accident. And no one ever noticed because they just assumed that it said it did what it had always said it did.