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Eunostus
2016-12-20, 07:40 PM
As a warlock who is about to choose the Pact of the Chain boon, I plan to take on an imp familiar. I was wondering what happens when my imp familiar is reduced to 0 HP. There are two options:

1. The Find Familiar spells states that: "When the familiar drops to 0 hit points, it disappears, leaving behind no physical form. It reappears after you cast this spell again" (PHB, p240)
2. The Monster Manual states that: "If it dies outside the Nine Hells, a devil disappears in a cloud of sulfurous smoke or dissolves into a pool of ichor, instantly returning to its home layer, where it reforms at full strength. Devils that die in the Nine Hells are destroyed forever." (MM, p67)

What does this mean for my familiar outside of the Nine Hells? Does it return to the Nine Hells and reform? Or does it disppear, leaving behind no physical form?

Freed
2016-12-20, 11:20 PM
I'd say disappear. The find familiar spell specifically deals with familiar imps.

Kane0
2016-12-21, 02:13 AM
Theres two possibilities:

1. Its a familiar that takes the 'form' of an imp, so it dissappears when dropped to 0 as if a magical effect ended. This is supported by the fact that casting Find Familiar again means you can choose a new form, you arent locked into Imp

2. Your familiar is an actual Imp, and returns to Hell alive and well if reduced to 0. New castings of find familiar bring in a new imp (or even the same one!) or another creature of your (or your patron's) choice.

Deaxsa
2016-12-21, 08:08 AM
Wrong forum ?

Also, why not ask your dm? I'd try to avoid building an expectation without including the person who (knowingly or not) is going to narrating the event.

Edit: a word