Questions about "Imbue Familiar with Spell Ability"

[SolitonMan]

I've been reading the spell on page 120 of the Spell Compendium. Since it's not OGL I won't paste it here, but basically it allows a caster to grant spells and spellcasting to their familiar for an hour/level. Spells can be 5th level max and depend on CL as well (1/3rd). Spells granted have variable affects based on the master's CL (range, area, number of targets, etc.). Still some questions arose for me:

1) If an imbued spell allows a saving throw, is the DC set based on the master's ability score or the familiar's?

2) Can the master grant the familiar spells with metamagic feats applied?

3) If the master is multi-classed with divine spellcasting ability, can they grant divine spells as well as arcane spells? If so, and the levels are different between arcane and divine spellcasting, what class features determine the appropriate CL and DCs for any divine spells?

Those three are mainly what I'm wondering right now about the spell itself. I'm also curious about what spells would be good for the familiar to have.

If anyone has thoughts or, better yet, links to something that talks about this spell, I'd be interested in reading them. Thanks!

 

[Empirate]

1) I'd say the familiar is the caster. While it does say:

The transferred spell’s variable characteristics (range, duration, area, and so on) function according to your level.

, this only refers to level. They could easily have made it say: "...function as if you cast the spell yourself", but they didn't. Furthermore, the first sentence

This spell allows you to transfer a number of your spells and the ability to cast them into your familiar.

seems to imply that the familiar is the caster, IMO.


2) I don't see why not. The spell description speaks about spell slots being unavailable etc., so you'd have to observe the restrictions on max spell level to imbue (e.g. an Empowered Scorching Ray would take CL 12 to imbue, and would make a 4th level slot unavailable to you), but other than that, you're fine.


3) I'd say any spell you know/have prepared is fair game, including spells you know/have prepared from other classes than the one allowing you to cast IFWSA.

Spontaneous spellcasters, such as sorcerers, can imbue a familiar with any spells they know how to cast, subject to the restrictions below. Arcanists who prepare spells, such as wizards, can imbue a familiar with any spell they have currently prepared.

 

[SolitonMan]

1) I'd say the familiar is the caster. While it does say:




, this only refers to level. They could easily have made it say: "...function as if you cast the spell yourself", but they didn't. Furthermore, the first sentence



seems to imply that the familiar is the caster, IMO.


2) I don't see why not. The spell description speaks about spell slots being unavailable etc., so you'd have to observe the restrictions on max spell level to imbue (e.g. an Empowered Scorching Ray would take CL 12 to imbue, and would make a 4th level slot unavailable to you), but other than that, you're fine.


3) I'd say any spell you know/have prepared is fair game, including spells you know/have prepared from other classes than the one allowing you to cast IFWSA.

I thank you for your well thought out response. I agree with what you've written, it all makes sense to me. Especially the DC part in 1), good quote from the spell there. I missed that - well, I read it but it didn't sink in - and it is key to the interpretation, I think.