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The Antipathy/Sympathy spell has a duration of 10 days, and its description states:

[...] You target something within range, either a Huge or smaller object or creature or an area that is no larger than a 200-foot cube. Then specify a kind of intelligent creature, such as red dragons, goblins, or vampires. You invest the target with an aura that either attracts or repels the specified creatures for the duration. Choose antipathy or sympathy as the aura's effect.

Antipathy. The enchantment causes creatures of the kind you designated to feel an intense urge to leave the area and avoid the target. When such a creature can see the target or comes within 60 feet of it, the creature must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or become frightened. [...]

Say an 18th-level spellcaster casts Antipathy/Sympathy on himself, choosing antipathy to Gray Slaads, as he prepares for a battle against the Big Bad. Then, as they walk into the battle, he casts True Polymorph upon himself and turns into a Goristro.

Would the Slaads need to make a saving throw when they see or approach the Goristro because of the Antipathy spell? Or does the "aura" only protect the spellcaster in his normal form?

The reason for my question is that it seems like polymorphing changes the nature of the "Target" of the spell. The creature targeted for the spell is no longer that creature when true polymorphed. If that's true, then I believe the Antipathy effect would no longer be active while that target is polymorphed. However, I'm not sure if this interpretation is correct.

V2Blast
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EEArmstro
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    Is there a reason you would think that polymorphing would change the Antipathy spell? – MivaScott Nov 22 '21 at 07:27
  • @MivaScott, I don't believe polymorphing would change the Antipathy spell per se, as much as it would change the nature of the "Target" of the spell. The creature targeted for the spell is no longer that creature when true polymorphed. – EEArmstro Nov 22 '21 at 13:58
  • Related, in a way: "Can Polymorph end spells that require the target to be humanoid?" – Exempt-Medic Nov 22 '21 at 14:25
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    Minor note regarding the phrasing of your question: It seemingly doesn't matter who cast the antipathy/sympathy spell or the true polymorph spell (i.e. whether it's one spellcaster targeting themself with both spells, or 2 different spellcasters targeting a 3rd character). The core of the question is simply this: If someone with antipathy/sympathy cast on them is then transformed by the true polymorph spell, does the Antipathy effect persist? – V2Blast Nov 30 '21 at 20:47

2 Answers2

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Yes

The target of the spell is a "huge or smaller object or creature."

As long as the caster polymorphs themself into a huge or smaller object or creature (which includes the goristo, a huge fiend) then the effect of the spell is still active.

The rules are unclear on the situation where the spell or effect only targets humanoiuds and the caster polymorphed into a fiend (Can Polymorph end spells that require the target to be humanoid?) but in this question, the caster is still a valid target for the spell so the spell still applies.

Greenstone Walker
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Yes, the Grey Slaads would need to succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or become frightened as per the Antipathy spell's effect.

The spell applies an aura to the target, and the aura has the effect on the slaads. The slaads are not directly affected by the target, so changing the form of the target is not relevant to the effect.

Ludohistorian
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    I think the contentious issue is here is whether the effect of antipathy persists on the caster when they are polymorphed, and it doesn't seem you have addressed that point. Yes, if that happens, your answer is correct, but demonstrating that actually happens is the salient point here. – Thomas Markov Nov 30 '21 at 13:28
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    That said, welcome to the stack! Take the [tour] when you have a moment, and review some of the [help] articles for a more in depth look at how we do things here. I saw your edit concerning the Forgotten Realms timeline, excellent work. – Thomas Markov Nov 30 '21 at 13:30
  • Thanks! My claim here is that the effect of antipathy persists does not persist on the caster, because the caster does not have the effect in the first place. By way of analogy: the continual flame spell, when cast on an object, does not make that object shed light. Continual flame produces a flame, and the flame sheds light (so, to hide that light, you have to hide the flame and not the object). The light spell, on the other hand, makes the object itself shed light. I am treating antipathy and its aura as equivalent to continual flame rather than light. – Ludohistorian Nov 30 '21 at 13:50
  • Ah, I see what you mean. There is some information in a comment that needs to be worked into the question. In this comment, OP specified that the caster of antipathy is casting it on himself, and then polymorphing. – Thomas Markov Nov 30 '21 at 13:56
  • I understand, but I don't think it matters. Whe you cast Antipathy/Sympathy you target an object, creature or area in range; the target is “invest[ed]” with an aura; and then the caster chooses whether “the aura's effect” is antipathy or sympathy. By my analogy, the caster isn't casting light on themselves to make themselves and then polymorphing to make themself glow, they're casting continual flame on themselves and then polymorphing into a different shape of giant, novelty candle. Another analogy might be faerie fire, which creates a glowing outline around a creature. – Ludohistorian Nov 30 '21 at 14:07
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    I'm not super clear on what your argument is there, but I do think you should explain it in the answer. – Thomas Markov Nov 30 '21 at 15:02