[3.5] The wizard, the familliar and the soulmeld

[zagan]

So I ask this question in the Q&A thread but with no response I choose to ask here:

First a little background:

If A 10th level wizard (or sorcerer) with Con 13 as 30hp is familliar get 15hp.

If the wizard get the feat Shape soulmeld: Vitality belt (MoI p92) and invest 2 essentia in it (that he get let's say from other incarnum feat) he gain 2*half-character level in hp so 10 hp for a total of 40hp.

Now for the question:

Does his familliar benefit from the increase in hp and gain 5hp for a total of 20hp ?

Relate to the above, if the same wizard also have the share soulmeld feat and share the vitality belt with is familliar.
What's the familliar Hp ?
I assume 15 base + 5 from half the bonus to the wizard hp + 10 from the vitality belt for a total of 35hp ?

This seem pretty basic but because the hp increase isn't permanent I don't want to assume.

[Darrin]

Does his familliar benefit from the increase in hp and gain 5hp for a total of 20hp ?

It should get +5 HP. As the Vitality Belt description states, these are not temporary HP, they're real HP, and a meldshaper can render himself unconscious or dead by mucking around with his essentia.

Relate to the above, if the same wizard also have the share soulmeld feat and share the vitality belt with is familliar.
What's the familliar Hp ?
I assume 15 base + 5 from half the bonus to the wizard hp + 10 from the vitality belt for a total of 35hp ?

Hmm... good question. There's a couple ways to interpret things, but I'd say: The familiar gets +5 HP from the rules for familiars. It also gets +10 HP from the Share Soulmeld feat. There's nothing in the description to say the bonuses stack, they're from the same source, so the +10 HP takes precedence over the +5 HP.

[Sliver]

Hmm... good question. There's a couple ways to interpret things, but I'd say: The familiar gets +5 HP from the rules for familiars. It also gets +10 HP from the Share Soulmeld feat. There's nothing in the description to say the bonuses stack, they're from the same source, so the +10 HP takes precedence over the +5 HP.

I don't think the +5 counts as getting it from the Vitality belt, but from the wizard's increased HP. So he gets 20 (half of the wizard's new 40) plus 10. (no, 15+5+10 won't give you 35 )

[zagan]

It should get +5 HP. As the Vitality Belt description states, these are not temporary HP, they're real HP, and a meldshaper can render himself unconscious or dead by mucking around with his essentia.

Thanks for that confirmation at least.

Hmm... good question. There's a couple ways to interpret things, but I'd say: The familiar gets +5 HP from the rules for familiars. It also gets +10 HP from the Share Soulmeld feat. There's nothing in the description to say the bonuses stack, they're from the same source, so the +10 HP takes precedence over the +5 HP.

I didn't think about that, your sure ?
As I see it they don't have the same source because the +5 come from the wizard Hp changing so the familliar hp score change no matter how the hp was gained. And after that the familliar gain the hp from the soulmeld directly.
Still you have a point, I suppose it's DM rulling unless someone else have a better argument.

EDIT:

I don't think the +5 counts as getting it from the Vitality belt, but from the wizard's increased HP. So he gets 20 (half of the wizard's new 40) plus 10. (no, 15+5+10 won't give you 35 )

I failled at math. it's 30.
I hope you're right it, it would be nice if it work. no the greatest trick but usefull to know if you want to keep your familliar alive in melee for some reason.