Does animate = life?

[NuSair]

[h=2]Minor Servitor[/h]'You imbue an inanimate object with mobility and a semblance of life.
The object gains an Intelligence score (roll 3d6) and a Charisma score (roll 1d3) from the spell.
Other statistics for animated objects are found in the Monster Manual.'

So, if the thing in question has intelligence, is it alive? With intelligence, is it capable of independent thought?

If it's alive, and you animate it, can you then awaken it?

 

[GSHamster]

Well, "semblance" means "The outward appearance or apparent form of something, esp. when the reality is different."

So if you give something the "semblance" of life, it implies that you did not give it life. It appears to be alive, but is not really alive.

On the other hand, I really liked Beauty and the Beast, and sentient household items would be awesome.

 

[NuSair]

At first, that was my take on it, but then more I thought about it- why give it an intelligence (and to a lesser extent charisma) score. Doesn't intelligence denote life (or unlife in the case of the undead)?

 

[GSHamster]

I think the intelligence and charisma score is just a guideline to tell the DM exactly how it smart or dumb it appears. Or a guide to how other people react to it.

 

[am181d]

Well, "semblance" means "The outward appearance or apparent form of something, esp. when the reality is different."

So if you give something the "semblance" of life, it implies that you did not give it life. It appears to be alive, but is not really alive.

On the other hand, I really liked Beauty and the Beast, and sentient household items would be awesome.

It is hard to argue with this ^^^^^.

 

[Greenfield]

Can you Awaken an intelligent Animated Object?

Why?

It already has 3D6 for Intelligence, 3 D6 for Wisdom and 3 D6 for Charisma.

What will the Awaken spell give it that it doesn't already have?

Now, if you do it to, say a wooden puppet, he could spend a career trying to find the Blue Fairy...

 

[GX.Sigma]

At first, that was my take on it, but then more I thought about it- why give it an intelligence (and to a lesser extent charisma) score. Doesn't intelligence denote life (or unlife in the case of the undead)?

According to the 3e rules, a Constitution score denotes life. Plenty of non-living things can be very intelligent (like, I dunno, vampires).

 

[NuSair]

Yeah, I was thinking along of the lines of awaken, if that was needed, ect...

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

In D&D terms, Intelligence, life, independent thought have nothing to do with each other.

-Undead can be intelligent or not, not-alive (hence undead category) and capable of independent thought or not. Some can be capable of independent thought, but have a very low Intelligence score.
-Constructs can be intelligent or not, not-alive (Hence the "Living Construct subcategory) and capable of independent thought or not. Some are intelligent but not capable of independent thought in that they can be given an instruction and problem solve how to accomplish that task, but have no independent will of their own.
-Vermin can be unintelligent, alive and incapable of thought beyond instinct.
-Plants can be intelligent or not, alive and and capable of independent thought or not.
-Oozes are unintelligent (mostly), some sort of alive, and incapable of thought beyond instinct (mostly).

Another way to blur the line of defining "alive" is the existence of a soul in D&D terms. While Undead and Constructs possess no soul to resurrect or pass along to the outer planes, it's easy to declare them not alive. However, Elementals have no soul that would persist or be resurrected, and they're intelligent and possess independent thought.

 

[Jacob]

People are getting this spell confused with Awaken as if it's something entirely different, when in reality it IS the same spell, but just for inanimate objects. So in answer to the original question if a target would have independent thought, the answer would be yes. With a 3d6 Intelligence roll, it will at least have a score of 3, which is the minimum needed in order to comprehend and use language. Anything with a 2 is no better than a dog, while a boulder targeted with this spell could conceivably write a book. With assistance, of course.

And given it's a Savage Species spell, it would be best to leave it alone because there be plenty of broken material in that book as it stands. Still, this is a fun spell with many possibilities, so it could stick around just for that reason? D&D be blurring so many lines with living, undead, intelligent, animated, etc. creatures.