Can you awaken a polymorph?

Can You Awaken a Polymorph?

Polymorph is a powerful spell in Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) that allows a caster to transform into a beast or plant, taking on its physical characteristics and abilities. But what happens if you’re in a situation where you want to awaken a polymorphed creature? Can you do it, and if so, how?

The Legitimate Target

According to the official D&D 5th edition rulebook, the legitimate target of the Awaken spell is a "beast or plant". While polymorphed, the creature is a legitimate target and Awaken works. This means that if you’ve polymorphed into a beast or plant using the Polymorph spell, you can still be targeted by the Awaken spell.

Concentration and Duration

The duration of the Polymorph spell is concentration, which means that the caster must maintain their concentration to keep the spell active. If the caster’s concentration is broken, the spell ends and the caster reverts to their original form. If the caster maintains the concentration for the full duration, the spell becomes permanent. This means that if you’ve polymorphed into a beast or plant, you can choose to remain in that form permanently.

Limitations and Exceptions

There are some limitations and exceptions to consider when it comes to awakening a polymorphed creature. The creature is limited in the actions it can perform by the nature of its new form, which means that if you’ve polymorphed into a beast or plant, you may not be able to perform certain actions or cast certain spells. Additionally, mimics, which are creatures that can polymorph themselves, are not affected by the Awaken spell.

Can You Reverse Polymorph?

If you’ve polymorphed into a beast or plant and want to return to your original form, you may be able to use other spells or effects to reverse the polymorph. True Polymorph can only be removed with other spell effects, such as Remove Curse, Dispell Magic, Antimagic Sphere, etc.. This means that you may need to use other spells or effects to awaken a polymorphed creature and return it to its original form.

What Happens to the Polymorphed Creature?

If you awaken a polymorphed creature, what happens to it? The creature will reverts to its original form, which means that it will return to its natural state and lose any abilities or characteristics it gained while polymorphed. If the creature was a beast or plant, it will return to its natural habitat and behavior.

Can You Awaken a Polymorphed Creature That’s Not a Beast or Plant?

If you’ve polymorphed into a non-beast or non-plant creature, such as a humanoid or a magical construct, can you awaken it? The answer is no, as the Awaken spell only affects beasts and plants. If you’ve polymorphed into a non-beast or non-plant creature, you will not be able to awaken it using the Awaken spell.

Conclusion

In conclusion, awakening a polymorphed creature is possible, but it’s not always straightforward. The creature must be a beast or plant, and the caster must maintain their concentration to keep the spell active. If the caster maintains the concentration for the full duration, the spell becomes permanent, which means that you can choose to remain in that form permanently. True Polymorph can only be removed with other spell effects, which means that you may need to use other spells or effects to awaken a polymorphed creature and return it to its original form.

Table: Polymorphed Creatures and the Awaken Spell

References

• Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition Player’s Handbook, page 272
• Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition Monster Manual, page 312
• Official D&D 5th edition website, "Polymorph" spell description

I hope this article has provided you with a better understanding of how to awaken a polymorphed creature in D&D.