True Polymorph
Level 9 · Transmutation
- Concentration
- Save
- Buff
A 9th-level spell in the transmutation school, True Polymorph appears on the bard, warlock, and wizard lists. Cast time: Action. Range 30 feet, components V/S/M, duration up to 1 hour. Material: a drop of mercury, a dollop of gum arabic, and a wisp of smoke. Marked concentration. Effect: Choose one creature or nonmagical object that you can see within range.
Stat Block
- Level
- 9
- School
- Transmutation
- Casting Time
- Action
- Range / Area
- 30 feet
- Components
- V, S, M
- Duration
- up to 1 Hour
- Ritual
- No
- Concentration
- Yes
- Classes
- Bard, Warlock, Wizard
- Material
- a drop of mercury, a dollop of gum arabic, and a wisp of smoke
Description
Choose one creature or nonmagical object that you can see within range. The creature shape-shifts into a different creature or a nonmagical object, or the object shape-shifts into a creature (the object must be neither worn nor carried). The transformation lasts for the duration or until the target dies or is destroyed, but if you maintain Concentration on this spell for the full duration, the spell lasts until dispelled.
An unwilling creature can make a Wisdom saving throw, and if it succeeds, it isn't affected by this spell.
If you turn a creature into another kind of creature, the new form can be any kind you choose that has a Challenge Rating equal to or less than the target's Challenge Rating or level. The target's game statistics are replaced by the stat block of the new form, but it retains its Hit Points, Hit Point Dice, alignment, and personality.
The target gains a number of Temporary Hit Points equal to the Hit Points of the new form. The spell ends early on the target if it has no Temporary Hit Points left.
The target is limited in the actions it can perform by the anatomy of its new form, and it can't speak or cast spells.
The target's gear melds into the new form. The creature can't use or otherwise benefit from any of that equipment.
You can turn an object into any kind of creature, as long as the creature's size is no larger than the object's size and the creature has a Challenge Rating of 9 or lower. The creature is Friendly to you and your allies. In combat, it takes its turns immediately after yours, and it obeys your commands. If the spell lasts more than an hour, you no longer control the creature. It might remain Friendly to you, depending on how you have treated it.
If you turn a creature into an object, it transforms along with whatever it is wearing and carrying into that form, as long as the object's size is no larger than the creature's size. The creature's statistics become those of the object, and the creature has no memory of time spent in this form after the spell ends and it returns to normal.
5e (2014) vs 2024 changes
This spell has both a 5e (2014) and 2024 Player's Handbook version. Doungim shows the current 2024 stat block above. Differences between editions typically affect components, range, or scaling — check both source books for the table.
Doungim Lore
School Fit
The Transmutation tradition reshapes matter. Stone becomes mud, mud becomes stone, a humanoid becomes a tyrannosaurus. True Polymorph is Transmutation because the spell rewrites a property of a body, an object, or terrain. Top-tier slots like the one True Polymorph uses are deployed once or twice per campaign arc, not per session.
Class Fit
- Bard: A Bard prepares True Polymorph from the known list, which means it stays on the sheet for several levels of play before retraining is an option. True Polymorph reaches 30 feet, which lets the caster stay clear of the front line.
- Warlock: Eldritch Blast is the Warlock's default action. True Polymorph only competes with Eldritch Blast if it does more than scale-damage to one target. 30 feet is enough range that True Polymorph doesn't pull the caster forward.
- Wizard: Arcane Recovery returns one or two slots on a short rest. True Polymorph's slot cost is therefore not exactly what the slot column says. Keep in mind that True Polymorph ends the moment the caster takes concentration off it for any reason.
Related Spells
Frequently Asked Questions about True Polymorph
- What level spell is True Polymorph?
- The spell True Polymorph is a level 9 spell in the Transmutation school. Bard, Warlock, Wizard all have access to it.
- What is the range of True Polymorph?
- From the caster's position, True Polymorph reaches 30 feet.
- Is True Polymorph a concentration spell?
- True Polymorph runs on concentration for up to 1 hour. The caster can drop it on their next turn or lose it to a failed save after taking damage.
- What components and casting time does True Polymorph need?
- For True Polymorph: the spell uses V, S, M components; on top of that, Material component: a drop of mercury, a dollop of gum arabic, and a wisp of smoke.