Disjunction, Your Familiar, and You

[Fajitas]

So, have been forced last night to make a snap decision on the matter, I now know what *I* think happens to a familiar that gets caught in a Mordenkainen's Disjunction.

Curious if anyone else has an opinion on the matter...

For the record, my ruling was that the spells binding it to its master were broken, ripping the bond from both of 'em. It's a 9th level spell, after all...

 

[AuraSeer]

Nothing happens. Critters of magical nature, like familiars and golems and dragons, are not specially affected by dispel or disjunction.

FTR this is not an opinion, it's the rules.

 

[IcyCool]

So, have been forced last night to make a snap decision on the matter, I now know what *I* think happens to a familiar that gets caught in a Mordenkainen's Disjunction.

Curious if anyone else has an opinion on the matter...

For the record, my ruling was that the spells binding it to its master were broken, ripping the bond from both of 'em. It's a 9th level spell, after all...

Let's run down the Disjunction checklist:

1. Is the bond between a familiar and its master a spell? No.
2. Is it a spell-like effect? Possibly
3. Is it a magic item? No.
4. Is it an anti-magic field or an artifact? No.

So, the only part of Disjunction that might affect the master-familiar bond is #2. As the Familiar entry in the SRD is not listed as a (Sp) ability, I would be inclined to say that #2 doesn't apply. The best description we get is that the bond is magical, and that the master and familiar is practically one being.

I would be inclined to say that no, Mord's Big D doesn't affect the master-familiar bond. At least, not any more than it would affect a golem.

Edit - If you did rule that Disjunction works on the bond, you should at least allow the wizard to roll a Will save vs. the spell.

 

[Scharlata]

2. Is it a spell-like effect? Possibly

I would be inclined to say that no, Mord's Big D doesn't affect the master-familiar bond. At least, not any more than it would affect a golem.

Hi!

I second Icy's conclusion.

I'd like to note that the answer to question #2 IMHO isn't "possibly" but "no", because the Summon Familiar ability doesn't have the (Sp) descriptor nor any other descriptor.

M's Disjunction only disjoins spells and spell-like abilities. Not one subability of Summon Familiar has the (Sp) descriptor - only (Ex), (Su), or no descriptor at all.

I assume a familiar is not affected by a M's Big D.

Kind regards

 

[calypso15]

So would you also rule that M's Disjunction also breaks the bond between a druid and animal companion, or a paladin and warhorse?

Calypso

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Well, the paladin summoned mount is a Spell-like ability in 3.5 ...

 

[IcyCool]

Well, the paladin summoned mount is a Spell-like ability in 3.5 ...

Interesting, so if your paladin's mount were around, he'd be unsummoned by MD (ending the spell-like effect). However, I don't think that it would permanently remove your ability to summon it.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Interesting, so if your paladin's mount were around, he'd be unsummoned by MD (ending the spell-like effect). However, I don't think that it would permanently remove your ability to summon it.

Nope, it'd just kick him back to whatever Heaven he crawled out of - along with whatever gear he was carrying at the time.

The better question is whether or not the paladin riding him counts as gear!

 

[IcyCool]

Nope, it'd just kick him back to whatever Heaven he crawled out of - along with whatever gear he was carrying at the time.

The better question is whether or not the paladin riding him counts as gear!

Eek, don't start that one up again.