Magic Jar Question

[Frenth Alunril]

I want to put a unique NPC who is kinda worthless, but here's the rub...

Is this possible: A wizard trapped by misfortune in his own Magic Jar (not a lich) still has a functional Homunculus?

Long Story: An elderly wizard takes on an apprentice. The apprentice is good, and a quick learner, the wizard is old, and dying from some form of consumption. His solution is to craft a younger clone, then transfer his being from the old body to the young body with a Magic Jar spell. But his old body is wearing thin, and the apprentice offers a solution, The master wizard casts the Magic Jar, the apprentice offers up his body for the master to use during the time of the clone's creation, and the completion of the plan. It takes a lot of time, and in the time and travels that follow, the wizard's body succumbs to it's illnesses. The Apprentice and the Wizard couldn't complete the Clone spell in time. The wizard agrees to return the apprentice to his body, and live out eternity in the Magic Jar. All this time, the Wizard had a Homunculus. When the Wizard's Body dies, does that effect the Homunculus, or does it continue to live, and share experiences?

In either case, I'm curious, because I would think it would be incredibly fun to have a fully sentient and disassociated Homunculus carrying around a functional but personally conflicted, centuries old, Magic Jar trapped wizard.

Ideas?

[Tenmujiin]

Strict RAW this probably doesn't work, but your a DM so it does.

Honestly, if it seems cool (and won't overshadow the PCs) I see no reason not to put it into a campaign where it makes sense (dracolitch Tiamat seems cool but isn't exactly going to fit into most campaigns AND overshadows the PCs just a little, for example).
I find it is easiest to DM when you let the rules inspire you rather than restrict you, so long as it isn't obvious the the PCs and that they only lose by their own faults (or terrible luck).

Your idea is awesome, imho and I may just steal it at some point, if you don't mind.\

Edit: if you are trying to run a strict RAW campaign then no, this probably doesn't work.

[Segev]

Regardless of edition, you're DM and you can do this kind of thing. 5e is even more encouraging of it than normal.

The one caution I give is that players may want to see if they can replicate it for themselves. I don't know that they will or necessarily why they would, but they might. I, personally, always get annoyed when, as a player, I run across something that NPCs are doing that I am just not super-special-awesome enough to do. So you should make sure you know in your head how it worked and how it could be replicated, if the players decide their characters want to research and attempt the method.

[infinitetech]

very interesting, and i think the Homunculus would be fine so long as the souls is in some sort of "body" because otherwise lichs wouldn't work with their minions nor would summoner type spirits, also, have the pot BE the Homunculus, they can be any shape and can be enchanted i believe, and the pot has no requirements on what its made from, so... luggage pot anyone? pottage the wizard?

[Frenth Alunril]

very interesting, and i think the Homunculus would be fine so long as the souls is in some sort of "body" because otherwise lichs wouldn't work with their minions nor would summoner type spirits, also, have the pot BE the Homunculus, they can be any shape and can be enchanted i believe, and the pot has no requirements on what its made from, so... luggage pot anyone? pottage the wizard?


Oh, Goodness gracious me! So yummy! I love it when ideas get even nuttier!

[Slipperychicken]

I like this idea; the trope of a wizard's magic working against him is an old one (in this case, his attempts at immortality succeeded, but not in the way he wanted). It reminds me of 3.5's "psionic sandwich" trick, wherein a high-level psion could use a mind-switching power to permanently move his mind into an inanimate object (like a sandwich), which could then use psychic powers as normal.



In either case, I'm curious, because I would think it would be incredibly fun to have a fully sentient and disassociated Homunculus carrying around a functional but personally conflicted, centuries old, Magic Jar trapped wizard.

Ideas?

That sounds really cool, and it isn't screwing anyone over. Just Rule 0 it if making it work by RAW is too much of a hassle (after all, the rules are there partly to facilitate the creation of fun/cool stuff). There are times when it's okay to screw the rules, and this is one of those times.