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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Snarf Zagyg" data-source="post: 9735300" data-attributes="member: 7023840">Okay, here's my tentative thoughts.First, on the policy. I'm going into this thinking, "It has to be an hour, because otherwise ... that's an endless resource. That seems crazy." So my a priori assumption is that if I read the rules, I will find that it takes an hour.Second, I look at the specific rules for Pact of the Chain (PHB 157)."You learn the Find Familiar spell and can cast it as a Magic action without expending a spell slot."Now, I immediately recognize an important distinction with other Warlock abilities (invocations, etc.) because they will let you cast spells without expending a spell slot, but they don't have the "cast it as a Magic action" language in it. See, e.g., One With Shadows ("While you're in an area of Dim Light or Darkness, you can cast Invisibility on yourself without expending a spell slot.")So now I look back at the rule again and break it into three components:1. "You lean the Find Familiar spell ...." (you learn the spell)2. "...without expending a spell slot." (you can cast the spell without using a slot)3. "...and can cast it as a Magic action ...." (?????)The Find Familiar Spell (PHB 272) has:Casting Time of 1 hour or ritual.Material Component of Burning Incense (plus cost)Not helpful.Next, casting time (PHB 236):Most spells require the Magic action to cast, but some spells require a Bonus Action, a Reaction, or 1 minute or more. A spell's Casting Time entry specifies which of those is required.Find Familiar takes One Hour, or is cast as a ritual (10 minutes), when you're casting it as a spell.However, the inclusion of "can cast it as a Magic action" in the description is deliberate- they don't use that for other Warlock features that allow you to use spells without using a spell slot. That means it is doing something. What is it doing? It is allowing you to cast Find Familiar as a Magic action instead of using the casting time in the Find Familiar description. Exception based rules, and specific exception beats general rule.So in my opinion, Pact of the Familiar let's you cast Find Familiar in 6 seconds. I think that's ... weird. It means that, for example, if a familiar dies in combat, then the Warlock could take a single round and get a new one. Seems weird to me. Also kind of harsh. Familiars should mean something! Makes 'em disposable.But that's my best reading. IMO. YMMV. Etc.</blockquote>

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