If someone polymorphs a person into a panther/tiger, how different is that from a Druid shapeshifting?
Druidic forms are gained via blessing from a given spirit or Wild God, and are more abstract, you change into the idea of that animal, that’s why the forms look different and still retain aspects of the Druid’s race. It’s sort of like having a battle form, as opposed to literally becoming that animal in entirety. A bear form druid is much more powerful than a normal bear.
Polymorphing directly changes someone into that animal, no blessings, no boosts, no special aspects.
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The Warcraft II description for polymorph outright stated that a polymorphed target was forever transformed into a wild creature in both mind and body… but this doesn’t appear to be the case anymore. Other than that, what Poised said.
I think a polymorphed target is still classified as a Humanoid or whatever they were before even when polymorphed, while shapeshift actually changes ones classification to Beast type.
Getting polymorphed is also a pretty painful/unpleasant experience. I don’t think proper druid shapeshifting has been described as uncomfortable.
This question is funny, as I believe a shapeshifted druid in an animal form can not be polymorphed.
Sorceresses in WC3 had a 1 or 2 minute poly. Druids of the talon had a long cyclone too. I believe WC 3 sorceress could poly a Druid Bear or Druid of the Talon in bird form.
Comparing the two most recent games, it may depend on skill level. A Sorceress unit pumped out of an Arcane Sanctum probably could not poly the leader of the Druid Order in an animal form.
The difference would be the use of many abilities.
The way that I have always seen it is that the druid shapeshifts on his will and breaks it on his will.
A mage polymorphs you then you have to have a stronger will to break yourself out.
Like how Medivh would turn himself into a raven and what not. Even mages in Warcraft 3 polymorphed themselves to hide.
Yeah, I think if I polymorphed a normal citizen, they’d probably stay like that for a while, if not permanently because eventually they would go insane, believe they’re truly just an animal, and stop trying/forget to turn themselves back. Most people we polymorph are tough enough opponents to have the willpower to break free.
Ooh, that kinda makes me want to make an RP character who was accidentally polymorphed for way too long before getting rescued by a wizard or something. No! Fight it.
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Can’t say for how Blizzard intended it, but I feel like we can safely use D&D as a reference, as it is likely that is from where Blizzard drew their inspirations.
Cross referencing with various editions of the game, a druid’s shapechange is essentially the druid taking the form of a known creature, typically a beast but sometimes even elementals or fey creatures (A Worgen, for a Warcraft example). The Druid attains all the physical characteristics of the creature, while maintaining the mental characteristics of their original form. Thus, a Druid in an animal form still maintains their ability to understand speech, read, think critically and recall information all the same as they would as their unchanged selves.
That is a pretty consistent interpretation across all editions of D&D, Polymorph is less consistent.
Ill use 5th edition Polymorph, as it is more like what we see in WoW.
“This spell transforms a creature with at least 1 hit point that you can see within range into a new form. An unwilling creature must make a Wisdom saving throw to avoid the effect (Can resist the magic). A Shapechanger automatically succeeds on this saving throw. (A shapechanger would be things like Werewolves, Doppelgangers, Mimics, so on.)”
Unlike a druid’s shapechange, a polymorphed creature adopts both the physical and mental characteristics of the new form. So if you are polymorphed into a sheep, you are as intelligent as a sheep. If you are a druid who shapechanged into a sheep, you are a very smart sheep.
This is pretty consistent with the way the two abilities are depicted in WoW. The interesting thing is, in WoW, Polymorph is mostly used defensively. A Mage using it to turn a threatening creature into something less threatening. In D&D, while the spell can be used that way, it is more often used to do the opposite. To turn an ally, or one’s self, into a significantly dangerous beast to vanquish their foes.
The Druid is taking on a shape of their own volition in which they have full control. The Mage Polymorph spell also renders the target mindless, making it essentially a prison.
Both are forms of Transmutation magic, but the application is distinctly different. Druids utilize their empathic bonds with nature to transmute/transform themselves into different animal shapes, while mages utilize the arcane to alter reality. Nature magic is quite unlike arcane magic, and the two varying types of magic will yield different results.
The Schools of Arcane Magic - Transmutation
<Penned by the skilled hand of Archmage Ansirem Runeweaver>
The ninth and final school of magic is transmutation. It is among the most popular and useful of all of the schools, allowing a mage to manipulate time and space. Perhaps the most iconic Transmutation spell is
[Polymorph], which allows a mage to turn something - or someone - into something else. Fortunately for many of my students, the effects are not permanent. I’ve seen more than one unwary apprentice turned into a sheep, pig, or worse - don’t even ask what “worse” means.
The second most famous use for transmutation magic is teleportation. The most basic teleportation spell is
[Blink], and it remains among the most useful. Blink can be used to quickly escape a foe - or save a mage who has accidentally fallen off a cliff. Do not attempt to use blink to escape falling to your death unless absolutely necessary. This is the kind of trick you can only fail once.
Make absolutely certain you know your destination before attempting to teleport. There’s a reason we have very specific spells to teleport to certain locations - attempts to cast a teleportation “on the fly” often result in one very dead mage inside a wall, chair, or another mage. And I don’t mean in a fun way.
Spells that manipulate time also fall into this category. The ever-popular slow fall spell is an excellent alternative to falling to your death (and much more reliable than Blink at this function). More advanced practitioners of the arcane arts can also learn a spell that slows the movements of their enemies. I’ve heard rumors of a spell that increases movement speed as well, but I’ve never seen it in practice.
Lady Jaina Proudmoore is a skilled practitioner of transmutation magic. She has developed a powerful variation of the popular mass-teleport spell that is capable of moving a significant percentage of her army with minimal effort. This spell helps make her extremely unpredictable on the battlefield.
The Warcraft Encyclopedia/Druid
A druid’s empathy with the creatures of the wild also allows him to shapeshift into the forms of other animals. For example, a wounded druid whose magical energies are running low might abruptly take on the form of a bear in order to better withstand further injury. Alternatively, the druid might shift into the form of some large cat, sneak up behind an enemy, then pounce and deliver a fierce flurry of melee attacks. Even the deepest oceans can be explored by a druid, who can simply shift into an aquatic creature, allowing him to stay underwater as long as needed.
On druidis transmutation (aka Shapeshifting)
It's also fun to note that mages do typically abide by certain Rules & Regulations for polymorphing in particular.
Polymorphic Rules & Regulations
Species altercation has the highest potential for abuse and disaster, and is the source of the most number of complaints to the Kirin Tor. Polymorphic study has been under constant scrutiny and threat of removal for years, but only recently have these tribulations increased exponentially. In order for this spell to continue to be sanctioned certain guidelines must be put in place to throttle the increasing number of tragedies reckless polymorphs have caused.
Rule# 1: Do not turn a creature of lesser intelligence into a creature of higher intelligence - Cerebral brain function rarely translates in a polymorph… But sometimes it does. Voracious creatures such as serpents and wolves need not have their predatory instincts honed with a human mind. We feel obligated to quote Small Claims Disaster Case 12651-B, Labeled, “Bartholomew: The Bear who Bears Arms.”
Rule# 2: Use simplified creatures for polymorphs - Many rogue mage disciples sanction exotic creature polymorphic studies. But in a desperate effort to lower Kirin Tor insurance claims we are ceasing to support these types of creatures. Sheep are acceptable creatures for any situation. But there are several other common creature types that are supported (Read the latest edition of the Kirin Tor Monthly for an up-to-date list). Polymorphing into creatures like oozes, ethereals, silithid, and worst of all dragonkin is severely punishable which brings us to…
Rule# 3: Polymorphic debaucheries are to be disposed of in a timely and DISCREET manner - The Public need not bear witness to the horrendous abominations wrought from a botched polymorph. Accidents happen, and the Kirin’Tor understands this. However public viewing of creatures like the Were-Whale, Mur-Elf, Amphibious Worgen, Flying Ooze, Grypho-Hippo-Wyvern, Qiraji Bunny, and the infamous “Blue-Checkered Cube” give us all a bad reputation.
Rule #4: Do not polymorph a creature into another more powerful creature - While this looks like plain common sense, we feel obligated to quote Mildly Severe Claims Disaster Case 8791-E, Labeled, “Magus John Quint: Liquefied by Sickly Deer turned Violently Confused Molten Giant.”
Rule #5: Do not polymorph anything that is halfway through a portal - This has yet to not cause an explosion. This is also covered in “Thinking with Portals: A Memorandum on Proper Portal Usage.”
Rule #6: Do not polymorph inanimate objects! - We can’t believe the Kirin’Tor is receiving reports of this, but such a heinous act caused the development of the brand new Highly Severe Claims Disaster Case 1-A, “My Kingdom For A Horse: The One Hundred and Fifty Reasons Why A Kingdom Should Not Be Turned Into A Horse.”
<This goes on for hundreds of pages>
Yeah I read those books on my chase for the achievement, it’s pretty hilarious actually. But that states that polymorph does come with added strength, which means that it could be used as sort of a druid shapeshift
I wouldn’t say it could be used as a “sort of druid shape”, when the two magics are innately different. Druids get their magic from nature, or spirits of nature, and they train specifically with the skill. This gives them total control over their forms, and allows them to utilize the instincts and abilities of the animals they transform into - without the room for error commonly known in arcane transformations.
However, I would argue and agree that there can sometimes be benefits to arcane transmutation, as seen with Medivh, who transforms himself into a raven to travel swiftly across great distances. Medivh is a particularly skilled practitioner of the arcane arts, and might not be the ideal standard for all mages and generic arcane transmutation magic. The above books on Polymorph Rules & Regulations also alludes to pitfalls with polymorphing that do not transfer to druidic nature transformations, such as:
- Cerebral brain function rarely translates in a polymorph… But sometimes it does [This is based on chance, and implies that intelligent creatures turned into less-intelligent creatures (or objects) typically lose intelligence or vice-versa]
- Polymorphing into creatures like oozes, ethereals, silithid, and worst of all dragonkin is severely punishable… [followed by, see below]
- Accidents happen, and the Kirin’Tor understands this. However public viewing of creatures like the Were-Whale, Mur-Elf, Amphibious Worgen, Flying Ooze, Grypho-Hippo-Wyvern, Qiraji Bunny, and the infamous “Blue-Checkered Cube” give us all a bad reputation. [This passage suggests that more difficult creature shapes are punishing, and can lead to disaster and possibly death]
- Do not polymorph inanimate objects! - We can’t believe the Kirin’Tor is receiving reports of this, but such a heinous act caused the development of the brand new Highly Severe Claims Disaster… [This is yet another implication of original intelligence not being transferable when polymorphing]
So, where druids retain their personality and intelligence when transforming, it’s not the same for polymorphing. If a human is turned into a cat, it suddenly has the intelligence of said cat. Of course, the “benefit” of polymorph may come from risking more dangerous shapes such as a dragonkin (which are vastly intelligent creatures). But according to the references of this in the lore, it seems more likely that luck would not be on the side of the arcanist attempting to do such.