Magic Jar Questions

[Grand Poobah]

Hi,

I have a few questions regarding the spell magic jar and wondered if anyone can help me.

The spell description gives this paragraph:

If you are successful, your life force occupies the host body, and the host’s life force is imprisoned in the magic jar. You keep your Intelligence, Wisdom, Charisma, level, class, base attack bonus, base save bonuses, alignment, and mental abilities. The body retains its Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, hit points, natural abilities, and automatic abilities. A body with extra limbs does not allow you to make more attacks (or more advantageous two-weapon attacks) than normal. You can’t choose to activate the body’s extraordinary or supernatural abilities. The creature’s spells and spell-like abilities do not stay with the body.

The parts in bold are the bits I’m specifically interested in.

If Wizard A successfully takes over Wizard B’s body, what spells does Wizard A have access to?

a) None – his “new” body doesn’t keep any of Wizard B's spells/SAs (as stated in the description) and he doesn’t have access to the spells he revised as they are “imprinted” in the brain of his original body.
b) Wizard A’s spells – when he takes over Wizard B he keeps his own spells and can cast them (assuming the host has the physical capability and correct components) as his mental faculties are transferred to the new host.
c) Wizard B’s spells – Wizard A can cast any spells that both he and Wizard B knows as Wizard A knows the correct gestures, verbal components etc i.e. if Wizard B had revised fireball, Wizard A has it in his spell book, he can cast Wizard B's fireball.

Some more questions:

a) Could Wizard A rest and revise spells from his own and/or Wizard B’s spell books?
b) If Wizard A was a specialist and had restricted schools could he revise spells from those schools while in Wizard B’s body?
c) If Wizard A is able to cast spells of any sort while inhabiting Wizard B, would the caster level be A or B's?

Thanks in advance for any help, links etc.

EDIT: I should add this is in the 3.5 version of the game.

 

[Hathradiah Fomorii]

I'm thinking you can't "Hijack" Wizard B's spells. Since you use your mental abilities and such, you'd keep your own spells that you had that day but do not have access to the hosts spells at all. The spells are kept in your mind, not your body.

Hope that helps, love this spell by the way

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

Since it says that you keep your level and class, it seems you would be bound by the same spell restrictions you've always had.

If you have access to Wizard B's spellbook, you might just want to take a peek in there, either copy the spells into your book, or swipe his book altogether, if that's your alignment bent.

But a new body, while retaining your own class, would not allow you to cast spells you'd normally be prohibited from. Since you keep your level and class, you'd cast at your caster level.

 

[Greenfield]

1) Wizard A gets to use Wizard A's spells.
2) Wizard A keeps all of his own class features, including any specialization advantages or restrictions.

If he has access to Wizard B's spell book he could try to use it, just as he could a found spellbook. There are specific rules for that.

I'm curious about what prompted the question: Would you allow Wizard A access to any other knowledge specific to Wizard B? Command words for his items, or where he hides the key to his liquor cabinet? There's noting in Magic Jar to suggest that the possessor gets anything except the body. Why would one think they get access to the mind or memories?

 

[Grand Poobah]

Thanks all for the replies. I was asking for a few reasons. I'm creating a powerful artefact for an adventure and wanted it based around MJ. Also, to see if anyone else interpretted the description in any other way, which in hindsight was unlikely but you never know.