Do spell effects end when you die?

[Xavier319]

that's pretty much it. If someone is air walking or flying, and they die, do they continue? how about fire shield? invis? displacement? does it keep affecting their body, or does it end? if they are revived with breath of life, are the spells still there?

[Skylancer4]

In most cases the spells would probably fail, spells that target creatures specifically (a dead body is an object). I want to say they pretty much all end, but phone is about to die and cannot look it up in the PRD, sorry.

[Scrynor]

What about spells you cast on other people? You've got your whole group flying, you die, do they all fall?

[Umbranus]

Scrynor wrote:

What about spells you cast on other people? You've got your whole group flying, you die, do they all fall?

Only spells with (D) in its duration will stop if the caster dies.

[Matt Haddix]

Umbranus wrote:

Scrynor wrote:

What about spells you cast on other people? You've got your whole group flying, you die, do they all fall?

Only spells with (D) in its duration will stop if the caster dies.

I've heard people say this before - what's the reasoning behind that? The only thing I can find in the rules regarding (D) is:

Quote:

(D) Dismissible

If the duration line ends with “(D),” you can dismiss the spell at will. You must be within range of the spell's effect and must speak words of dismissal, which are usually a modified form of the spell's verbal component. If the spell has no verbal component, you can dismiss the effect with a gesture. Dismissing a spell is a standard action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity.

A spell that depends on concentration is dismissible by its very nature, and dismissing it does not take an action, since all you have to do to end the spell is to stop concentrating on your turn.

[Ravingdork]

Spells only end (or begin to end) if they require you to concentrate or if you are a summoned creature that was killed.

Otherwise, they fulfill their duration.

I've never heard of (D) spells ending upon death.

[The Terrible Zodin]

If a spell requires concentration, that spell will end if a caster dies.

That is the only case where death affects the ongoing duration of a spell.

This is a problem if your invisible, flying cleric is bleeding to death.

Skylance brought up the issue of creatures changing to objects if they die. I would really like to see that in the rules. I've heard it often enough, but I've never seen support for it.

As an aside, I usually apply common sense. Spells remain active even when their target dies. Any effect requireing a decision (like flaming sphere) retains its previous state or last known order or nothing or whatever is appropriate.

And dead creatures cannot take 5' steps, even though it is 'not an action'. :)

[GM Jeff]

Depends on the spell. A spell lasts as long as it says it lasts in its Duration. Usually, being conscious, unconscious, or dead doesn't matter, unless a spell has Concentration as its duration.

Let's see the durations:

Instantaneous: Happens instantly. Doesn't apply.

Permanent: Lasts forever, or until dispelled by dispel magic or some other form of magic.

Concentration: Only lasts as long as you concentrate. Fall unconscious or die, the spell ends.

Touch Spells: Interesting. If you don't discharge a touch spell and are holding the charge, then fall unconscious or die... what happens? Doesn't say. You obviously can't make a touch attack while unconscious or dead. But, if you wake up again, the spell should still be held. Nothing says the spell ends.
Unless a creature touches you while you're unconscious, then the spell goes off.

Dismissible: You can dismiss the spell at will. You can't do this if unconscious or dead. The rule says you need to be in range of the spell's effect and must speak the words of dismissal. (Unless the spell has no verbal components, then a gesture is needed to dismiss the spell.) If you're unconscious or dead, you can't speak or gesture to dismiss the spell. So the spell goes on for it's duration.