D&D 5E Magic Jar: is it a pc spell?(update 2, the continuing saga - how it's working for my character)

[TaranTheWanderer]

If people haven’t guessed from a couple other threads I’ve posted, I have a wizard who is 11th. I’m waffling on spells.

I’ve always loved magic jar as a spell, especially as a challenge for the PCs but I’ve never tried it AS an actual PC.

Is it doable? What’s the best way to use it?

my idea is this: Summon my Leomands Secret Chest, crawl in it so I have full cover then go and possess one of the enemies. (I’m small enough to fit in the chest. )

wreck havoc from the possessed body and jump back in my body if they get too hurt.

But that’s just brain storming. There’s probably better ways.

Thoughts?

 

[Nefermandias]

Your DM will be delighted to hear that!

 

[Mort]

If people haven’t guessed from a couple other threads I’ve posted, I have a wizard who is 11th. I’m waffling on spells.

I’ve always loved magic jar as a spell, especially as a challenge for the PCs but I’ve never tried it AS an actual PC.

Is it doable? What’s the best way to use it?

my idea is this: Summon my Leomands Secret Chest, crawl in it so I have full cover then go and possess one of the enemies. (I’m small enough to fit in the chest. )

wreck havoc from the possessed body and jump back in my body if they get too hurt.

But that’s just brain storming. There’s probably better ways.

Thoughts?

Your party would have to lug around the spell vessel and your body for for the adventure, otherwise the 1 minute initial casting time prevents combat use.

Would certainly be an interesting/novel way to approach an adventure.

 

[Steampunkette]

There's a few really great uses for it, in fact! You got one right there, but here's another:

Steal the soul of the BBEG during the Big Fight, automatically toward the end thanks to that casting time unless you're in a jar when the fight starts. Say your goodbyes and "I love you"s to your companions... then take the jar, walk 105ft or more away from your body, and break it. Instantly sacrificing yourself, nobly, to defeat the terrible evil.

Alternatively, stay within 100ft and give yourself the -chance- to Survive by willingly allowing your party to kill the BBEG's body and then hope you succeed your saving throw to get back into your body.

 

[TaranTheWanderer]

Your party would have to lug around the spell vessel and your body for for the adventure, otherwise the 1 minute initial casting time prevents combat use.

Would certainly be an interesting/novel way to approach an adventure.

No one would have to lug anything. Leomands chest is in the eatheral plane. Round 1. Summon it and crawl in
Round 2 possess people
After combat, renter my body that’s in the chest, crawl out of the chest and dismiss the chest back to the ethereal plane

There's a few really great uses for it, in fact! You got one right there, but here's another:

Steal the soul of the BBEG during the Big Fight, automatically toward the end thanks to that casting time unless you're in a jar when the fight starts. Say your goodbyes and "I love you"s to your companions... then take the jar, walk 105ft or more away from your body, and break it. Instantly sacrificing yourself, nobly, to defeat the terrible evil.

Alternatively, stay within 100ft and give yourself the -chance- to Survive by willingly allowing your party to kill the BBEG's body and then hope you succeed your saving throw to get back into your body.

I’m a Divination wizard. I might save a good portent roll to survive.

overall I just wanted to try it. Seems like a great way to sneak into places too by pretending to be other people

 

[Quartz]

If the other players are willing you could MJ their PCs and use movement magic like Dimension Door to move a combat type close to the BBEG then return to your MJ. And who's going to expect the Barbarian to cast Fireball?

In a social adventure you could MJ a hapless valet or maid and go to otherwise inaccessible places.

 

[DeviousQuail]

If people haven’t guessed from a couple other threads I’ve posted, I have a wizard who is 11th. I’m waffling on spells.

I feel your pain. I recently made my way through levels 11 and 12 with my War Wizard and I was really underwhelmed with my choices at 6th level. It's a very DM friendly list. I pretty much only use Contingency, which you don't even need to prepare every day, and Summon Fiend. And I only use Summon Fiend because the Demon form can see through magical darkness, which one ally uses all the time and is a common tactic for a recurring enemy.

 

[Mort]

No one would have to lug anything. Leomands chest is in the eatheral plane. Round 1. Summon it and crawl in
Round 2 possess people
After combat, renter my body that’s in the chest, crawl out of the chest and dismiss the chest back to the ethereal plane

Ok, but I'm a bit confused, when have you cast magic jar?

You cast the spell and go into the "jar" or whatever component - that takes 1 minute. At that point your actual body falls comatose. If you go back into your actual body, the spell ends. I'm not seeing this in your action sequence above?

 

[TaranTheWanderer]

I feel your pain. I recently made my way through levels 11 and 12 with my War Wizard and I was really underwhelmed with my choices at 6th level. It's a very DM friendly list. I pretty much only use Contingency, which you don't even need to prepare every day, and Summon Fiend. And I only use Summon Fiend because the Demon form can see through magical darkness, which one ally uses all the time and is a common tactic for a recurring enemy.

Oh crap!

I just had a thought. My plan for contingency was to have it cast dispel magic if I was ever hit by a harmful spell(charm person, hold person, dominate etc...). Would that dispel also hit the magic jar if I was holding it in my pouch?

 

[MarkB]

It reads more as an infiltration spell than a combat spell. Sneak up to within 100 feet of the target building, possess a patrolling guard or an arriving visitor, then scout out the place or listen in on conversations before returning to within range of your body. Maybe disable some security measures on your way out.

It's a high-risk maneuver, as it puts you on your own in harm's way, and if your proxy body gets killed you die too. but it could be worthwhile in the right circumstances.

Alternatively, you can go for a longer-term deal - kidnap someone powerful, interrogate them to find out personal details, then take over their body and live as that person through the course of a major scheme or operation. Bring in the rest of the party as new hirelings and you as a group can take over an existing position of power effectively indefinitely.