- Casting time
- 1 action
- Range
- 30 feet
- Components
- V, S, M (A drop of mercury, a dollop of gum arabic, and a wisp of smoke)
- Duration
- Concentration, Up to 1 hour
- School
- Transmutation
- Level
- 9
Choose one creature or nonmagical object that you can see within range. You transform the creature into a different creature, the creature into an object, or the object into a creature (the object must be neither worn nor carried by another creature). The transformation lasts for the duration, or until the target drops to 0 hit points or dies. If you concentrate on this spell for the full duration, the transformation lasts until it is dispelled.
This spell has no effect on a shapechanger or a creature with 0 hit points. An unwilling creature can make a Wisdom saving throw, and if it succeeds, it isn't affected by this spell.
Creature into Creature. If you turn a creature into another kind of creature, the new form can be any kind you choose whose challenge rating is equal to or less than the target's (or its level, if the target doesn't have a challenge rating). The target's game statistics, including mental ability scores, are replaced by the statistics of the new form. It retains its alignment and personality.
The target assumes the hit points of its new form, and when it reverts to its normal form, the creature returns to the number of hit points it had before it transformed. If it reverts as a result of dropping to 0 hit points, any excess damage carries over to its normal form. As long as the excess damage doesn't reduce the creature's normal form to 0 hit points, it isn't knocked unconscious.
The creature 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, unless its new form is capable of such actions.
The target's gear melds into the new form. The creature can't activate, use, wield, or otherwise benefit from any of its equipment.
Object into Creature. 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's challenge rating is 9 or lower. The creature is friendly to you and your companions. It acts on each of your turns. You decide what action it takes and how it moves. The GM has the creature's statistics and resolves all of its actions and movement.
If the spell becomes permanent, you no longer control the creature. It might remain friendly to you, depending on how you have treated it.
Creature into Object. If you turn a creature into an object, it transforms along with whatever it is wearing and carrying into that form. 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 its normal form.
How True Polymorph plays
Choose a creature or a nonmagical object you can see within 30 feet. You can turn a creature into another creature, a creature into an object, or an object into a creature. An unwilling creature gets a Wisdom save, and shapechangers aren’t affected at all. The spell needs concentration for up to an hour, and if you hold it for the whole hour, the change becomes permanent.
Creature into creature works like a stronger Polymorph: the new form can be anything with a challenge rating up to the target’s challenge rating or level. The target takes the new form’s statistics, including hit points and mental scores, keeping only its alignment and personality. Object into creature makes a friendly creature of CR 9 or lower, no larger than the object, that acts on your turn. Creature into object turns an enemy, and everything it carries, into a thing with no memory of the time spent that way.
Common questions
How do you make True Polymorph permanent?
Keep concentration on it for the full hour. After that the change stays with no concentration needed, until something ends it.
What can I turn a creature into?
Any kind of creature with a challenge rating equal to or less than the target’s challenge rating, or its level if it doesn’t have one. A 17th-level character can become an adult red dragon, which is CR 17.
What happens if the new form drops to 0 hit points?
The creature reverts to its normal form with the hit points it had before, and any extra damage carries over. As long as that doesn’t reduce its normal form to 0, it isn’t knocked unconscious. Dropping to 0 ends even a permanent transformation.
Does the target keep its mind?
Not its abilities: its Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma are replaced by the new form’s. It keeps its alignment and personality, and it can’t speak or cast spells unless the new form can.
Can Dispel Magic end a permanent True Polymorph?
Yes. The spell itself says a transformation held for the full hour lasts until it is dispelled, and it’s a 9th-level effect, so Dispel Magic needs a 9th-level slot or a DC 19 check. The 2024 version words it the same way.
Did the 2024 rules change True Polymorph?
Yes. In the 2024 version a creature keeps its own hit points and Hit Point Dice and gains temporary hit points equal to the new form’s hit points, instead of swapping to the new form’s hit points.
True Polymorph in the 2024 rules
The 2024 Player’s Handbook revised many spells, and the SRD 5.2 carries the new text. What changed from the 2014 version above:
Same level, casting time, range, components, duration and dice; the text is reworded for the 2024 rules glossary.
- Casting time
- Action
- Range
- 30 feet
- Components
- V, S, M (a drop of mercury, a dollop of gum arabic, and a wisp of smoke)
- Duration
- Concentration, up to 1 hour
- School
- Transmutation
- Level
- 9
- Classes
- Bard, Warlock, Wizard
- Tags
- concentration
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.
Creature into Creature. 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. These Temporary Hit Points vanish if any remain when the spell ends.
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.
Object into Creature. 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.
Creature into Object. 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.
2024 version from the SRD 5.2. Most tables settle on one edition, so check which one yours uses.
