This spell grows an inert duplicate of a living, Medium creature as a safeguard against death. This clone forms inside a sealed vessel and grows to full size and maturity after 120 days; you can also choose to have the clone be a younger version of the same creature. It remains inert and endures indefinitely, as long as its vessel remains undisturbed.
At any time after the clone matures, if the original creature dies, its soul transfers to the clone, provided that the soul is free and willing to return. The clone is physically identical to the original and has the same personality, memories, and abilities, but none of the original's equipment. The original creature's physical remains, if they still exist, become inert and can't thereafter be restored to life, since the creature's soul is elsewhere.
My question essentially boils down to, "What happens when it gets disturbed?"
If the vessel is broken, is the clone considered alive and begins to starve if not cared for? Or is "inert" functionally equivalent to "dead"?
At what point does the spell break down and prevent the soul from transferring to the new body?
I'd probably say that if the sealed vessel is broken, there's some short amount of time to fix it before the clone "dies", with the time depending on how badly it's broken. A light crack? You've got a few days. A small hole punched in the vessel, enough to let air in? Maybe an hour or so. If the clone's actually broken into pieces - it's gone.
I'd probably say that if the sealed vessel is broken, there's some short amount of time to fix it before the clone "dies", with the time depending on how badly it's broken. A light crack? You've got a few days. A small hole punched in the vessel, enough to let air in? Maybe an hour or so. If the clone's actually broken into pieces - it's gone.
Or if your DM is a certain combo of vindictive and permissive, a damaged vessel that's not completely destroyed could leave you with a damaged clone.
Maybe being exposed prematurely to the elements if the vessel cracks, you end up with a clone that ages at an accelerated rate, and you now only have a finite amount of time to find a new body before you die for real. Maybe you're new body comes out disfigured in some way that makes common folk unable to look at you without running and screaming. Or maybe one or more of your limbs are disfigured, resulting in a penalty to strength or dex.
I think the general idea is that once a vessel is disturbed, the clone inside is no longer viable for use. The most stringent reading would be immediate inviability, but I think RAI is more likely death by suffocation (the vessel is filled with saltwater) or starvation/thirst.
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You don't know what fear is until you've witnessed a drunk bird divebombing you while carrying a screaming Kobold throwing fire anywhere and everywhere.
Yea I think it's purposefully vague to allow for a DM to decide what happens based on how disturbed the vessel is.
I imagine that if the seal on the vessel breaks - the body becomes active - it just doesn't have a soul so it stays where it is unmoving - and because it's active it can die of natural (or unnatural) causes as Sigred said.
That's why you combine it with demiplane and never show anyone that demiplane the clone is stored. The spell does not say the soul has to be on the same plane of existence so that's the safest way to have your clone. Make sure you have a spare spellbook, scroll, or other means to planeshift out or it will be a lonely, short lived clone.
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As a follow-up to the "Bringing undead back to life" thread, I'm curious about the mechanics of the Clone spell.
My question essentially boils down to, "What happens when it gets disturbed?"
If the vessel is broken, is the clone considered alive and begins to starve if not cared for? Or is "inert" functionally equivalent to "dead"?
At what point does the spell break down and prevent the soul from transferring to the new body?
DM's call obviously, RAW doesn't say.
I'd probably say that if the sealed vessel is broken, there's some short amount of time to fix it before the clone "dies", with the time depending on how badly it's broken. A light crack? You've got a few days. A small hole punched in the vessel, enough to let air in? Maybe an hour or so. If the clone's actually broken into pieces - it's gone.
Or if your DM is a certain combo of vindictive and permissive, a damaged vessel that's not completely destroyed could leave you with a damaged clone.
Maybe being exposed prematurely to the elements if the vessel cracks, you end up with a clone that ages at an accelerated rate, and you now only have a finite amount of time to find a new body before you die for real. Maybe you're new body comes out disfigured in some way that makes common folk unable to look at you without running and screaming. Or maybe one or more of your limbs are disfigured, resulting in a penalty to strength or dex.
It's of course 100% dm fiat
I think the general idea is that once a vessel is disturbed, the clone inside is no longer viable for use. The most stringent reading would be immediate inviability, but I think RAI is more likely death by suffocation (the vessel is filled with saltwater) or starvation/thirst.
You don't know what fear is until you've witnessed a drunk bird divebombing you while carrying a screaming Kobold throwing fire anywhere and everywhere.
Yea I think it's purposefully vague to allow for a DM to decide what happens based on how disturbed the vessel is.
I imagine that if the seal on the vessel breaks - the body becomes active - it just doesn't have a soul so it stays where it is unmoving - and because it's active it can die of natural (or unnatural) causes as Sigred said.
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That's why you combine it with demiplane and never show anyone that demiplane the clone is stored. The spell does not say the soul has to be on the same plane of existence so that's the safest way to have your clone. Make sure you have a spare spellbook, scroll, or other means to planeshift out or it will be a lonely, short lived clone.