Mage Armor and Familiars/Steeds

[diplomancer]

If Mage Armor is cast on a Familiar or Steed (from Find Steed or Find Greater Steed), and then later the summoned creature gets to 0 HP and pops off, does it keep the benefits of Mage Armor for the entirety of its duration once it's summoned back? It's the same creature after all... (I feel the answer might get metaphysical :p )

[Valmark]

I'd say yes. Like you said it's the same creature and they're apparently still alive when they get to 0 and disappear.

[Mobius Twist]

It's weird. Same spirit, but it puts on a physical form each time that could be distinct. As a conjuration spell, both the Familiar and the Steed summon a thing from elsewhere. Unlike a conjured elemental or beast, however, the description explicitly calls it out as the same familiar UNLESS DISMISSED PERMANENTLY.

To avoid stacking-spell abuse, I'd just rule that time passes normally in the pocket dimension and if the same spirit is resummoned then everything just carries on as before.

[Joe the Rat]

While it's reasonable to allow the effect to carry over, I tend to see the spell as "on the form" rather than "on the spirit", so getting dispersed (dropped to 0) would cancel the spell. There are a lot of references and effects regarding "spirits" that treat them as being distinct from creatures.

On the pocket dimension dismissal side, I'd let the spell stay - the form isn't destroyed, just relocated.
(And this makes me think of "spirits forming bodies from the surrounds" and how that would work, and dammit I want elemental familiars added to the list options).

[KorvinStarmast]

While it's reasonable to allow the effect to carry over, I tend to see the spell as "on the form" rather than "on the spirit", yep. that's our take at the table where my brother DMs.

[Valmark]

While it's reasonable to allow the effect to carry over, I tend to see the spell as "on the form" rather than "on the spirit", so getting dispersed (dropped to 0) would cancel the spell. There are a lot of references and effects regarding "spirits" that treat them as being distinct from creatures.

On the pocket dimension dismissal side, I'd let the spell stay - the form isn't destroyed, just relocated.
(And this makes me think of "spirits forming bodies from the surrounds" and how that would work, and dammit I want elemental familiars added to the list options).

Examples of effects distinguishing between spirits and creatures? At least in FGS (don't have the time to check more) the spirit is called a creature as well.

This does make me want to ask what you'd rule if one used Find Familiar to change the familiar's shape- it hasn't disappeared but transformed.

If I'm not wrong FGS doesn't have the same clause regarding changing forms without changing spirits, so no question there.

[Chugger]

As a DM I'd rule that the spell went away and has to be recast. It could go either way, tho - this is one of those DM-dependent things.

[Chronos]

There's got to be some effect to it being (in some sense) "the same creature" every time it's summoned. I'd rule that spells remain in effect on it, to the limits of those spells' durations.

[Tanarii]

I've always ended spells on creatures that die.

In the case of a familiar or steed, equipment worn or carried would also hit the ground when it disappears too.


There's got to be some effect to it being (in some sense) "the same creature" every time it's summoned. I'd rule that spells remain in effect on it, to the limits of those spells' durations.
There already is. You don't have to feel guilty about it getting repeatedly slaughtered.