Is a simulacrum a construct?

[the Jester]

More specifically, what happens if you bring a simulacrum into an antimagic field? Is it suppressed? Is it treated like a construct, i.e. it still functions but can't use and spells, spell-like or supernatural abilities? Does it collapse into a pile of snow?

Help! Anyone ever see a ruling on this one, and if so, where do I find it?

 

[andargor]

More specifically, what happens if you bring a simulacrum into an antimagic field? Is it suppressed? Is it treated like a construct, i.e. it still functions but can't use and spells, spell-like or supernatural abilities? Does it collapse into a pile of snow?

Help! Anyone ever see a ruling on this one, and if so, where do I find it?

Oooh, good question. The good ole "is it still a magic effect" question. In the same line as Transmute Rock to Mud a cave ceiling to make rubble fall. Why does SR apply, and what would happen if the rubble fell through an Antimagic Field?

I'm ambivalent on this issue...

Andargor

 

[Sollir Furryfoot]

I don't have access to my PHB, but I believe under the simulacrum description, it mentions that the caster creates a construct, or otherwise specifically mentions that it's a construct. For me, that's good enough, and I just apply the construct traits, but they still have the % of hitpoints from the base creature, despite having no con score.

After all, they are made out of snow

 

[Hypersmurf]

More specifically, what happens if you bring a simulacrum into an antimagic field?

Duration is instantaneous, so the simulacrum itself wouldn't be affected by the AMF.

(Although the definition gets into the Hide Life argument, which really, really, really shouldn't be an instantaneous spell.)

-Hyp.

 

[Bauglir]

Hide Life wouldn't be a very good 9th level spell if it just got dispelled or disjoined away at the start of every fight.

Unless they made the little cut off bit dispellable, although it's just as easy to simply destroy it.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Hide Life wouldn't be a very good 9th level spell if it just got dispelled or disjoined away at the start of every fight.

Unless they made the little cut off bit dispellable, although it's just as easy to simply destroy it.

But what happens if a life-hidden mage below zero hit points goes into an AMF? Or what if his life focus is taken into an AMF?

Or what if he's not below zero hit points, but his life focus is destroyed inside an AMF?

But my primary complaints are the phrases "While the spell is in effect" and "If the spell is ended".

If it's an instantaneous spell, it's ended the moment it's cast!

-Hyp.

 

[the Jester]

Sollir: the PH makes no mention of a simulacrum being a construct; it's an illusion (shadow). It doesn't say anything about whether it's subject to critical hits, either, which is another puzzler that's about to become very relevent to my game.

Hypersmurf: the duration is indeed instantaneous; I tend to agree with your take on this but am wondering if there's been a Sage Advice or whatnot that clarified how this works. I am ready with my own ruling, but prefer to match the official rules whenever possible.

Thanks for your help!

 

[Hypersmurf]

Double Post.

-Hyp.

 

[Dr_Rictus]

The spell lists a variety of differences between the original creature and the simulacrum. I choose to believe that that list is inclusive; if there were other differences, they should be listed. Therefore, the simulacrum should have the same creature type as the original.

Really, though, they should have made "simulacrum" a template, in the interest of specificity.

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

Is a Shadow Conjuration (Summon Monster I - Celestial Dog) a magical beast or a construct?

However, a simulacrum is made of ice ...