Chain Spell question

[KindOfGoodGuy]

So the wording for chain spell says,"Any spell that specifies a single target and has a range greater than touch can be chained so as to affect that primary target normally, then arc to a number of secondary targets equal to your caster level (maximum 20). Each arc affects one secondary target chosen by you, all of which must be within 30 feet of the primary target, and none of which can be affected more than once. You can choose to affect fewer secondary targets than the maximum. If the chained spell deals damage, the secondary targets each take half as much damage as the primary target (rounded down) and can attempt Reflex saving throws for half damage (whether the spell allows the original target a save or not). For spells that don't deal damage, the save DCs against arcing effects are reduced by 4. For example, if a 10th-level wizard normally casts cause fear at DC 14, a chained cause fear could target a goblin chieftain at DC 14 and up to ten of his nearby guards at DC 10. A chained spell uses up a spell slot three levels higher than the spell's actual level."

The one thing I am confused on is the way it chains to other people. After hitting person A, does it go to person B, then person C, then person D, etc.... or does it go to a, then b,c,d,e etc... simultaneously afterwards? I would imagine it is the latter because otherwise I would assume that the spell would continue to diminish in strength. Then again, you all know much more than I do.

Also if it is in fact the second of the two, does that mean that if you were to use Chain Spell on Magic Jar, you would go from person A to everyone else at once, effectively taking over the bodies of multiple people?

[Segev]

I had always pictured it as sequential arcing, but the precise wording is that it arcs to a number of seconadary targets, not that it arcs from target to target.

And, yes, that is precisely how magic jar would technically be Chained. Note that it doesn't give you any extra actions (but doesn't say each body doesn't have its own), so it's an interesting question still whether you can act simultaneously in all the bodies or have to pick and choose which body gets to use which of your actions (perhaps one round using all your actions in one body, but in another choosing to have your swift action in body A, use a move action on body B, and take a standard to cast a spell with body C).

[Zanos]

Now if only we could chain true mind switch to turn yourself into some weird hivemind and your body into a mess of split personalities. I wonder if each creature would get separate actions in your body?

[KillianHawkeye]

While magic jar is technically a valid application of Chain Spell, it doesn't really make sense. For one thing, it's implied by the mechanics of the spell that the jar can only hold one soul at a time.

[KindOfGoodGuy]

For that, I just imagine that if you wanted to make any more than 1 body perform actions for the turn, you need to make concentration checks (with increasing difficulty) for each action.

[KindOfGoodGuy]

While magic jar is technically a valid application of Chain Spell, it doesn't really make sense. For one thing, it's implied by the mechanics of the spell that the jar can only hold one soul at a time.

Couldn't you just get a more expensive gem?

[KillianHawkeye]

Couldn't you just get a more expensive gem?

Why do you think that would make any difference? :smallconfused:

[Segev]

Magic jar doesn't care about the HD of the target vis a vis the gp value of the gem. That's just fixed in cost. And yes, magic jar does only contain one soul in the gem...normally. Chain Spell is a metamagic feat, however, that increases the number of targets. So there's no conflict, here; the specifics of Chain Spell kick in to enable this.

[KindOfGoodGuy]

Magic jar doesn't care about the HD of the target vis a vis the gp value of the gem. That's just fixed in cost. And yes, magic jar does only contain one soul in the gem...normally. Chain Spell is a metamagic feat, however, that increases the number of targets. So there's no conflict, here; the specifics of Chain Spell kick in to enable this.

Well that is.........incredibly convenient. Thank you!

[Quertus]

Now if only we could chain true mind switch to turn yourself into some weird hivemind and your body into a mess of split personalities. I wonder if each creature would get separate actions in your body?

AFB - why can't that work?

[Zanos]

AFB - why can't that work?
True mind switch is a psionic power, which you can't use metamagic feats on. There is a chain power metapsionic feat, but it's dumb and bad.

[Quertus]

True mind switch is a psionic power, which you can't use metamagic feats on. There is a chain power metapsionic feat, but it's dumb and bad.

Ah. Never read the psionic version to realize that there was a difference.

[you randomly]

True mind switch is a psionic power, which you can't use metamagic feats on. There is a chain power metapsionic feat, but it's dumb and bad.

well if you include dragon magazines then you could build a wizard/psion that could learn mind switch then using a crafting feat called chameleon crafting (dragon 349) and make a scroll of mind switch which as it is a scroll they can now scribe it into there spell book and prepare it and cast as well as apply meta magic feats to it

edit* this might fall through as it wouldn't be on their spell list

edit 2* after some throught i belive you would still beable to get away with is (casting mind switch as an arcane spell and applying meta magic) via the use of everybody's favourite class incantrix can using cooperative spellcasting to aplly the meta magic feat

[Zombimode]

And, yes, that is precisely how magic jar would technically be Chained. Note that it doesn't give you any extra actions (but doesn't say each body doesn't have its own), so it's an interesting question still whether you can act simultaneously in all the bodies or have to pick and choose which body gets to use which of your actions (perhaps one round using all your actions in one body, but in another choosing to have your swift action in body A, use a move action on body B, and take a standard to cast a spell with body C).

Hm, yeah, Magic Jar for some reason says "one creature" in it's target line instead of "a Crystal or gem worth at least 100 gp"... which I consider a mistake and will houserule accordingly.