Certainly, it would be normal for it to be able to return to its native plane and carry 1 or more objects along for the ride which are being worn or carried by it. Teleport, Plane Shift, and other such spells do not specify that your equipment comes along with you, but it is assumed they do (and as I think about that, would be an interesting twist if they did not!), so I see no reason the planar shifting the Familiar is performing would be any different than any other conjuration style teleport effect.
Keep in mind, there is nothing which states or indicates the spirit is no longer in the form of what it is currently set to be in, while in the pocket dimension. Specifically, it's in a pocket dimension, and not returned from whence it came, and changing its form requires casting the spell again, so all indications are that it can wear or carry objects, within the limitations its form may provide, and those should remain worn or carried by it, even when dismissed to the pocket dimension and resummoned, until and unless it drops the objects or removes them.
The only thing that would complicate this would be changing the form of your familiar while it is in the pocket dimension. We could logically conclude that such objects would appear at its feet the next time it was resummoned, inferring from the end of other temporary extradimensional spaces like rope trick or mordenkainen's mansion, but that would certainly be inference, the way that would be played out is in no way detailed by the rules.
The rules don't say either way, but based on this tweet about Find Steed the intent is that the familiar disappears naked. Which makes sense, since if you could just have your familiar or steed hold on to valuables in its pocket dimension at no risk, why would anyone ever bother with Leomund's Secret Chest?
Ah, the Crawford strikes again. I have to disagree with him on this, but it's an argument I'm not about to begin here. The OP makes the argument for me below.
To the OP, guess you have a choice, the Crawford interpretation or yours. In the end it's your game, do as you feel fits your style.
Fair enough, Coder, though there are a few subtle differences in the wording. For the Steed, when you dismiss it, it just disappears, even though the same one comes back when the spell is recast. But for the Find Familiar text it states that it pops into the pocket dimension and is awaiting summons.
As far as obviating the need for Leomund's Secret Chest, the vast majority of familiars (pretty much all) wouldn't be able to hold/carry remotely near the same amount of stuff that could be stored in the chest. Nor do any of them even have opposable thumbs, so hanging onto a chest would be somewhat of a task.
It was really hard for me to accept the pocket dimensions, and familiars that are passing time without me. So in my campaign I explain with the phenomena that the other dimensions might have different timelines, and the familiar is sent to a pocket dimension that works like a dream, so they don't even experience the time spent there. And as such, it'd be logical to assume that they hold the object, yes.
If you are a pact of the chain warlock, they can have opposable thumbs (plus higher strength, intelligence, etc.). You could probably have a small backpack made for them.
The real question is what happens tothem in the pocket dimension that they can be in indefinitely. Does it provide food, water, and air for them? Do they age while there? Do they go insane if left alone too long? Are they in suspended animation?
it would be awesome to have an invisible flying mount.
Mounted Combat: "A willing creature that is at least one size larger than you and that has an appropriate anatomy can serve as a mount"
Also: I'd be surprised if any DM allowed a familiar to carry other creatures into Hammerspace with them (as that would lead to further abuses with things like invisibility, teleportation, etc.). Discussed here.
It was really hard for me to accept the pocket dimensions, and familiars that are passing time without me. So in my campaign I explain with the phenomena that the other dimensions might have different timelines, and the familiar is sent to a pocket dimension that works like a dream, so they don't even experience the time spent there.
Why is your familiar spending so much time in its pocket dimension?
It was really hard for me to accept the pocket dimensions, and familiars that are passing time without me. So in my campaign I explain with the phenomena that the other dimensions might have different timelines, and the familiar is sent to a pocket dimension that works like a dream, so they don't even experience the time spent there.
Why is your familiar spending so much time in its pocket dimension?
Well, in E3.5 there was the possibility to have special familiars, like elementals. The fire elemental wasn't always welcome in the taverns. :)
The rules are specific to equipment. In some sense, its extremely powerful as with voice of the chain master, you can send your familiar back to the pocket dimension and then teleport your familiar back to yourself with some item he was sent to steal with little to no risk. In another sense, you are sacrificing some really cool features for it so I would rule it in favor of teleporting items with it. Also in addition, I would also say that you can do some really awesome features with darkness, devilsight and pact of the chain. You could use your imp to put out lights in a room with an invisible bag, trigger traps on monsters and generally cause trouble. Pact of the chain is definitely one of my favorites.
I can also see high level casters giving their familiars magic items like a Ring of Protection. Familiars are squishy so protecting them can be very useful.
It was really hard for me to accept the pocket dimensions, and familiars that are passing time without me. So in my campaign I explain with the phenomena that the other dimensions might have different timelines, and the familiar is sent to a pocket dimension that works like a dream, so they don't even experience the time spent there.
I mean it's a being/spirit of magical energy. Maybe it hates having a limited physical form and prefers to be dispersed energy in a blissful state of non-sentience.
For all you know, the torture is you binding it to specificity.
Nobody can prove that anyone hates being unborn...
If my familiar is holding something in its beak when I dismiss it to the pocket dimension, will it still have the object when I summon it back?
From my understanding, yes. Anything held by a creature when it is banished, dismissed, teleported, etc. is taken along for the ride.
Certainly, it would be normal for it to be able to return to its native plane and carry 1 or more objects along for the ride which are being worn or carried by it. Teleport, Plane Shift, and other such spells do not specify that your equipment comes along with you, but it is assumed they do (and as I think about that, would be an interesting twist if they did not!), so I see no reason the planar shifting the Familiar is performing would be any different than any other conjuration style teleport effect.
Keep in mind, there is nothing which states or indicates the spirit is no longer in the form of what it is currently set to be in, while in the pocket dimension. Specifically, it's in a pocket dimension, and not returned from whence it came, and changing its form requires casting the spell again, so all indications are that it can wear or carry objects, within the limitations its form may provide, and those should remain worn or carried by it, even when dismissed to the pocket dimension and resummoned, until and unless it drops the objects or removes them.
The only thing that would complicate this would be changing the form of your familiar while it is in the pocket dimension. We could logically conclude that such objects would appear at its feet the next time it was resummoned, inferring from the end of other temporary extradimensional spaces like rope trick or mordenkainen's mansion, but that would certainly be inference, the way that would be played out is in no way detailed by the rules.
The rules don't say either way, but based on this tweet about Find Steed the intent is that the familiar disappears naked. Which makes sense, since if you could just have your familiar or steed hold on to valuables in its pocket dimension at no risk, why would anyone ever bother with Leomund's Secret Chest?
Ah, the Crawford strikes again. I have to disagree with him on this, but it's an argument I'm not about to begin here. The OP makes the argument for me below.
To the OP, guess you have a choice, the Crawford interpretation or yours. In the end it's your game, do as you feel fits your style.
Fair enough, Coder, though there are a few subtle differences in the wording. For the Steed, when you dismiss it, it just disappears, even though the same one comes back when the spell is recast. But for the Find Familiar text it states that it pops into the pocket dimension and is awaiting summons.
As far as obviating the need for Leomund's Secret Chest, the vast majority of familiars (pretty much all) wouldn't be able to hold/carry remotely near the same amount of stuff that could be stored in the chest. Nor do any of them even have opposable thumbs, so hanging onto a chest would be somewhat of a task.
That's fair. I overlooked that difference in wording.
It was really hard for me to accept the pocket dimensions, and familiars that are passing time without me. So in my campaign I explain with the phenomena that the other dimensions might have different timelines, and the familiar is sent to a pocket dimension that works like a dream, so they don't even experience the time spent there. And as such, it'd be logical to assume that they hold the object, yes.
If you are a pact of the chain warlock, they can have opposable thumbs (plus higher strength, intelligence, etc.). You could probably have a small backpack made for them.
The real question is what happens tothem in the pocket dimension that they can be in indefinitely. Does it provide food, water, and air for them? Do they age while there? Do they go insane if left alone too long? Are they in suspended animation?
An Imp has a strength of 6, which equals a carrying capacity of 45 pounds after accounting for tiny size. That's enough to carry a halfling or gnome.
That's a little too by the numers for me. Tiny creatures attempting to carry a Small creature?
The rules are specific to equipment. In some sense, its extremely powerful as with voice of the chain master, you can send your familiar back to the pocket dimension and then teleport your familiar back to yourself with some item he was sent to steal with little to no risk. In another sense, you are sacrificing some really cool features for it so I would rule it in favor of teleporting items with it. Also in addition, I would also say that you can do some really awesome features with darkness, devilsight and pact of the chain. You could use your imp to put out lights in a room with an invisible bag, trigger traps on monsters and generally cause trouble. Pact of the chain is definitely one of my favorites.
I can also see high level casters giving their familiars magic items like a Ring of Protection. Familiars are squishy so protecting them can be very useful.
Professional computer geek
It was really hard for me to accept the pocket dimensions, and familiars that are passing time without me. So in my campaign I explain with the phenomena that the other dimensions might have different timelines, and the familiar is sent to a pocket dimension that works like a dream, so they don't even experience the time spent there.
I mean it's a being/spirit of magical energy. Maybe it hates having a limited physical form and prefers to be dispersed energy in a blissful state of non-sentience.
For all you know, the torture is you binding it to specificity.
Nobody can prove that anyone hates being unborn...
You just had to bring Schrodinger and existentialism into this....