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View Full Version : Magic Jar Tips and Tricks



Ravingdork
2010-06-11, 11:46 AM
Magic Jar is one of my favorite spells due to its versatility. I was hoping we could compile a list of tips and tricks on how best to use magic jar in one's game.

Things such as protecting one's helpless body while the spell is active or how to take over an unsuspecting kingdom step by step with it.

Also, please feel free to discuss your own experiences with the spell or debate the rules minutiae on how the spell works.

Tyger
2010-06-11, 12:10 PM
I am not certain if this is legal (but I am the DM and already OKed it, so while it may not be RAW, its interesting) but one of my players (who's playing a 20th level Dread Necromancer Lich) has contingencied a magic jar, set to go off if his body dies (loose interpretation of "dies" seeing as he's a lich), with the Jar being a ring on his finger.

If he dies, he goes into his ring, then can attempt to take over whatever just killed him. All the while his phylactery is churning away, making him a new body (this is the DM fiat part). As we use the spell point system, this could buy him effective immortality as he can simply recast Magic Jar when his old one is about to expire. All in all, I liked it.

gbprime
2010-06-11, 12:50 PM
There was a player in one of my earlier campaigns that got DM permission to invent a ritual to enhance Magic Jar. With it, if you were in possession of a body and your original body or the spell's focus were destroyed, you could pass a fort save to stay in the body you possessed permanently. This put it more in line with the old 2nd Ed Magic Jar, though the DM threw in the extra condition that someone who had swapped bodies this way would need a True Res, Wish, or Miracle to come back to life if killed.

The (admittedly evil) mage planned to use it as a form of serial immortality. He charmed himself a big strapping low level barbarian and body swapped with him, effectively dodging a writ for his arrest. He then destroyed the focus, feebleminded his former body, and turned him in for the bounty.

Too bad he died 3 episodes later. We didn't have a True Res available, so he decided to play a new character until we found one, but was so attached to his replacement warlock by then that he decided not to switch back.

Justice was served in the end, I guess. :smallbiggrin:

Maho-Tsukai
2010-06-11, 09:10 PM
There's lots of great uses for this spell and being a necro freak it's one of my personal favorite necromancy spells. As for what to do with it? The most obvious is to gain a young/strong body to walk around in until it's no more use. However, me, being the scheming, evil ******* that I am have some more interesting uses. Try taking over a king/emperor/whatever and start to act tyrannical while you have a cohort/strong minion somehow made to look like yourself incite rebellion against the "tyrant" and overthrow him disguised/made to look like yourself. Vola, you just gained control of an empire. If some nobles get in your way, hire assassins to take them out. Or if you want to be less convoluted, find a way to protect your body and just pose as the king for however long you want.

Of course, if you are allowed frank and K material they made a whole PrC based on abusing magic jar to the point where you gain a parasitic form of immortality where you hop from one body to another, not much unlike Orochimaru from Naruto. It's called The Stranger With the Burning Eyes and it's a very fun and flavorful class. The only downside is it's sorcerer(or dread necromancer) exclusive since an entry requirement is the ability to spontaneously cast magic jar. (Which is a shame since I prefer wizards to sorcerers...but dread necromancer is really an awesome class. So if you are a DN and don't care to become a "lich" but still want immortality, this is a great class to look into.)

monkey3
2010-06-11, 09:34 PM
I like to have my necro get tossed into a Portable Hole by a minion. Then the invisible (at will power) imp familiar follows the possessed victim. (I always have a minion in the Hole, like the Necrosis Carnex in MM4).

The gem that holds the victim's sole is carried by the imp, so the two (imp and possessed victim) can go around and cause mischief. Eschew Materials is a nice feat for the possessor to have, but not necessary, as the imp can just hand out a spare component pouch.

The possessed body runs around killing things until it dies. The necro's soul gets tossed back into the gem carried by the imp (make sure the imp is always in range close).

Then the imp brings the gem back to the Portable Hole and the necro pops into his old body. For extreme paranoia the imp can carry the gem and the Portable Hole.

Beorn080
2010-06-11, 09:51 PM
If your a generally known user of magic jar, strap a big honking gem to your forehead, and carry the real one in your pants, preferably well hidden. I imagine the conversation will go like this.

PCs: Foul beast, we will smash your gem and end your body hopping.
BBEG: Oh no, don't smash my gem.
PCs smash gem on forehead.
BBEG: Oh no, what a world what a world. *drops "dead"
BBEG possesses party fighter from the gem in his "portable hole"
PC fighter: Good job team, I'll search the body while you guys loot the place.

The next day.
PCs: Where's bob? And where is all of our magic gear? And whats this note?
"I prepared explosive runes this morning."

Irreverent Fool
2010-06-12, 12:55 AM
If your a generally known user of magic jar, strap a big honking gem to your forehead, and carry the real one in your pants, preferably well hidden. I imagine the conversation will go like this.

PCs: Foul beast, we will smash your gem and end your body hopping.
BBEG: Oh no, don't smash my gem.
PCs smash gem on forehead.
BBEG: Oh no, what a world what a world. *drops "dead"
BBEG possesses party fighter from the gem in his "portable hole"
PC fighter: Good job team, I'll search the body while you guys loot the place.

The next day.
PCs: Where's bob? And where is all of our magic gear? And whats this note?
"I prepared explosive runes this morning."

I giggled.

Hawriel
2010-06-12, 01:25 AM
enchanted door knob

Ravingdork
2010-06-12, 01:31 AM
Not bad. Any other cool ideas? :smallsmile:

Ravingdork
2010-06-12, 10:29 AM
*bump* :roach:

Pie Guy
2010-06-12, 10:47 AM
A large red button that says "Warning: Do not press"

Irreverent Fool
2010-06-12, 11:59 AM
*bump* :roach:
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/announcement.php?f=30&a=1 Give these a look. :smalltongue:

I've always had a bit of a problem with magic jar in 3.x. As I see it, the spell works like so:

1. You cast the spell.
2. Your body falls lifeless.
3. Your soul enters the gem.
4. You possess a new body, trapping its soul in the gem.

At this point, you've still got the problem of the soul getting its body back when the spell ends. Now, if you cast the spell again, what happens? Doesn't that end the first spell and give the creature back its body? Or if the gem is out of range, does it cause the host body to die? I don't think a dead body is a viable target for possession, so if you're hoping to body hop, you'll need to do so once every CL hours, barely giving you enough time to rest and re-prepare the spell. Am I missing something here?

Sc00by
2010-06-12, 12:00 PM
Not magic Jar, but a Ghost with the Malevolence ability

Funny as heck when the characters meet 2 tanks and the ghost possesses one of them...
Even funnier when the Ghost attempts to possess a Fist of Raziel* though :D

*constant magic circle Vs Evil effect

Octopus Jack
2010-06-12, 12:23 PM
Chain Spell? :smallwink:

Beorn080
2010-06-12, 03:32 PM
Chain spell. Would that work? According to the SRD, the spell has Medium range and Target: One Creature. Technically, it would seem you could chain it. Hmm, taking over the world via magic jar. Sounds fun.

Doppelganger
2010-06-12, 07:15 PM
Woah. Stranger with the burning eyes is AWSOME! At tenth level, you're a full caster, completly indestructable, can make someone make six consecutive will saves or become your host, and drain their wisdom by an ungodly amount every time they make their save, even if they make that save. Other than being a spontanious caster, (meh) does this have any downside? If you're true nuetral, then nothing not immune to mind effecting abilities is going to stand a chance against you. I especialy like the vicous cycle of the "make a will save or take more wisdom damage". I'm totaly going to make one of these.
(http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/Stranger_with_the_Burning_Eyes_(3.5e_Prestige_Clas s))

Ravingdork
2010-06-13, 05:18 PM
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/announcement.php?f=30&a=1 Give these a look. :smalltongue:
I've followed the link and I see no broken rules. Would you rather I have started a new thread?

GoodbyeSoberDay
2010-06-13, 05:35 PM
Woah. Stranger with the burning eyes is AWSOME! At tenth level, you're a full caster, completly indestructable, can make someone make six consecutive will saves or become your host, and drain their wisdom by an ungodly amount every time they make their save, even if they make that save. Other than being a spontanious caster, (meh) does this have any downside? If you're true nuetral, then nothing not immune to mind effecting abilities is going to stand a chance against you. I especialy like the vicous cycle of the "make a will save or take more wisdom damage". I'm totaly going to make one of these.
(http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/Stranger_with_the_Burning_Eyes_(3.5e_Prestige_Clas s))Who would have thought a reputable site like dandwiki would have posted homebrew that wasn't properly balanced?

PId6
2010-06-13, 05:38 PM
Who would have thought a reputable site like dandwiki would have posted homebrew that wasn't properly balanced?
It's Tome material, so it's balanced for a different level of the game (Tier 1 casters). It's also an incredibly flavorful PrC, and I'm going to see if I can convince my DM to allow it.

Doppelganger
2010-06-13, 06:40 PM
I love it. Spellcasters are unbalanced anyway. Also, a comb of disguise is a perfectly acceptable token. Instead of a token a determined foe can just design a divintation to look for, you can make it anything you like. And it would make an awsome vilain. He's everywhere, he's hard to get rid of, he can move fast (possess a horse, run to death, possess a new horse until you get to a city, possession skip) and he's nice and despicable. For max effect, have him fight until his host is almost dead, and then move on. The players are left with an almost corpse who is utterly innocent, and probably a little miffed. And, affter a few repetitions, he can stay in the body, pretend to be de-possessed, and slit the PCs throats from behind if they fall for it.

Milskidasith
2010-06-13, 07:59 PM
It's Tome material, so it's balanced for a different level of the game (Tier 1 casters). It's also an incredibly flavorful PrC, and I'm going to see if I can convince my DM to allow it.

Tome Material itself was beyond T1... I believe there was, for instance, the fighter fix, which had a 60 ft range, free action taken out of turn, "The opponent fails what he's doing for the round, no save" ability, which basically meant the fighter could 1v1 anybody in the game no matter what, even Pun Pun.

PId6
2010-06-13, 08:35 PM
Tome Material itself was beyond T1... I believe there was, for instance, the fighter fix, which had a 60 ft range, free action taken out of turn, "The opponent fails what he's doing for the round, no save" ability, which basically meant the fighter could 1v1 anybody in the game no matter what, even Pun Pun.
Yes, Foil Action. That is one of the abilities I really dislike. Still, you can only use it once per turn (later twice), so an optimized T1 can still beat it (Contingencies, minions, extra actions, Quickened spells, etc); it's just difficult. It also only stops a single attack in a full attack, so melee has a lot less issues with it than casters.