Death of an imp familiar

[Eunostus]

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?

[Spellbreaker26]

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?

Both - it disappears smokily to the Nine Hells, somewhat put out, and is resummoned when you recast the spell, probably with a sarcastic word for a warlock so foolish to get him banished. It leaves behind no physical form on the physical plane.

(Does provide an interesting problem if you have to travel to Hell with said Imp, because you'd be putting it in danger of being perma-gibbed.)

[Eunostus]

It also states in the Monster Manual (p66) that devils may travel by way of portals. Does this mean the imp would be able to return on its own?

[Spellbreaker26]

It also states in the Monster Manual (p66) that devils may travel by way of portals. Does this mean the imp would be able to return on its own?

I'm guessing you'd have to talk about that with your DM. Is your Imp a friend, or someone who doesn't like you? Is he scheming against you, or is he a enemy who gradually gains grudging respect for you? Is he a boss your party defeated who got demoted to Imp status and has sworn revenge as soon as he escapes his current tiny form?

A dedicated one (or one who is secretly undermining you) might try to get back to you as quickly as possible. One who resents you might drag his feet and wait until you pull him back. Or he might try to get back to you to curry favour with your patron.

I don't think you get some of the pact of the chain bonuses unless he's actually a familiar, so again, you need to talk with your DM and iron out the fluff and mechanical possibilities.

[JackPhoenix]

2 doesn't mean anything, because the familiar isn't an imp. It's a spirit (celestial, fey or fiend) that takes on appearance and statistics of the appropriate form, which can be tiny animal or one of the more powerful options for chain pact warlock. Familiar rules will tell what happens when it dies.

[Lombra]

^^^^^^
Only the familiar's rules applies: a familiar isn't the animal that it represents.

[JellyPooga]

2 doesn't mean anything, because the familiar isn't an imp. It's a spirit (celestial, fey or fiend) that takes on appearance and statistics of the appropriate form, which can be tiny animal or one of the more powerful options for chain pact warlock. Familiar rules will tell what happens when it dies.

This.

Even if your Imp familiar is a Fiend Spirit, it's still not a Devil. It just looks like one (and probably acts like one). If you really want a "true" Imp Familiar, youre going to have to find one (summon it, bind it, bump into it on your adventures, request one from a more powerful Devil) and strike a bargain. If that Imp drops to 0hp, then your 2nd point applies.