Wand of polymorph

Version 0.28: This article may not be up to date for the latest stable release of Crawl.

Type	Wand
Name	Wand of polymorph
Icon

A magical device which causes a creature to be transmogrified into another form. It is especially effective against shape-changing creatures.

A wand of polymorph will attempt to permanently transform one monster into another. Unless resisted, the creature will evaporate and instantly reform as another random creature; this will drop all of their equipment (though their new form may be capable of picking it back up) and will also heal them significantly and clear any ongoing status effects. Their new form will be one out of three monsters of the same holiness. This is displayed when targetting the wand, and is designated for every individual monster. Polymorph has no effect on the undead, but demons are still affected.

Normal casters lose their spells when polymorphed, and polymorph will never turn a monster into an "actual" spellcaster: you can get monsters with innate magical abilities such as dragons, but not casters such as orc wizards. Note that most demons' spells are considered innate abilities, and will always be maintained. Uniques retain their name, and they also retain their spells as long as they are polymorphed into a form that can speak.

When targeting a player, it temporarily transforms them into a bad form. While some of these have useful traits, you'll most likely become something more or less helpless in combat.

Followers of Zin incur piety loss and penance if they zap this wand.

Strategy

Use with caution. While this wand can turn dangerous monsters into creatures that are easier to deal with, it will backfire with some by turning them into even worse monsters.

Good targets

• S Electric eel: They'll turn into a less dangerous flying or water-capable creature.
• y Hornet: Despite how dangerous they are, hornets have fairly low HD and willpower.
• H Harpy: Same as above, though harpies always come in flocks and thus require multiple shots to take care of all of them.
• g Boggart (and other low-HD summoners): Although fragile, summoners can bring lethal reinforcements into play. Fortunately, they have low enough HD that the polymorph results are usually pretty pathetic.
• o Orc wizard and o Orc priest: Usually you'll have better ways to deal with these guys, but polymorph tends to make them into something less dangerous.
• S Anaconda: They have moderately high HD, but low willpower, and whatever they polymorph into is at least likely to be something you can more easily escape from.
• x Unseen horror: If you can get them in a corridor to line up the shot, this is a good way to make them visible. Despite their name and glyph, they are natural monsters and have only modest HD, making polymorph pretty safe.
• k Death drake: They have low HD and will; whatever they turn into is almost certainly going to be less dangerous than something that constantly spews miasma.
• y Moth of wrath: They have very low will for a Zot monster and can be quite dangerous when they start berserking Orb Guardians right next to you. Polymorph is a good option for characters needing an instant way to take one out at range.
• Y Ice beast (or other elementally-attuned monsters): If you're fighting something that resists all of your spells, turn it into something you can actually fight.
• @ Sigmund (and other well-armed uniques): If he turns into anything but a humanoid, his branded scythe, spells, and wands will be useless.

Bad targets

• D Hydra: High HD, meaning there's a reasonable chance you could get a dragon. Most characters can run away from hydras (and should if they lack a means to kill them).
• Y Death yak: Also high HD, and has unusually high willpower as well.
• y Ghost moth: High will means that it's better to just kill them.
• w Gastronok: He has HD 20. This means he can become a titan. You don't want to fight Gastronok the titan.
• A Mennas: High HD and being holy give him a near guaranteed chance of turning into an extremely dangerous pearl dragon. Worshipers of good gods may want this anyway, as the dragon's holy breath will deal significantly less damage to them and you'll get rid of his sword and shield.

History

• Prior to 0.26, wands of polymorph could change monsters into any eligible monster of the same holiness. Though it heavily favored forms of similar HD, monsters with few options could get weird results, like Grinder turning into a hellephant. There was also no indication of what a monster might turn into.
• Prior to 0.21, wands of polymorph could have at most 24 charges.
• Wands of polymorph was added in 0.12, replacing the very similar wand of polymorph other. The latter would inflict permanent bad mutations on you instead of temporary bad forms.

See Also

• Polymorph