Can Familiars share spells back to their masters?


Rules Questions


So you have a familiar, whatever one you want that meets the requirements of the spell imbue with spell ability. And it has share spells. So you have a cleric cast imbue with spell ability on the familiar and he gives him whatever personal range spells you want that are 1st or 2nd level according to the spell.
Can your familiar then cast those personal range spells as touch spells in regards to casting them on the master? Basically using share spells in "reverse"? Share spells is in the spoiler below for convenience.

I'm assuming the answer is no from the use of the phrase "wizard may cast a spell" in the share spells description. But I wanted to check.

Share Spells:
Share Spells: The wizard may cast a spell with a target of “You” on his familiar (as a touch spell) instead of on himself. A wizard may cast spells on his familiar even if the spells do not normally affect creatures of the familiar's type (magical beast).


No, well sort of.

The share spell ability with the way it's written wouldn't allow the familiar to cast personal spells (or spells with the target you) on the wizard.

But, imbue with spell ability can be used with any spells from the abjuration, divination, and conjuration (healing) schools. So as long as the spell isn't a personal spell, the familiar could cast it on the cleric. Of course, you were interested only in personal range spells...


I wouldn't say interested in a specific spell. Just the whole subset of spells. It was a more of an I had the idea and realized that if it worked backwards then it'd open up a lot more options like true strike and shield to save the caster some actions.
Resist energy and such would still work fine though so I still like the way it'd work out. It just could be better...


It's not supposed to be that good.

It was intended to clerics to give out slight buffs to friends, not that they should be able to buff themselves with better action economy.


I'm actually a Magus. So it'd require the cleric to cast it on my familiar. So it's not exactly as easy and as simple as that. But yeah I understand.
I figured why not make use of what we have though... At this point, level 14, nobody has used all their spells per day in a while... so why not expend a few lower leveled ones for some small buffs.


Well, the cleric could cast the spells on you, but you would have to use your action economy to cast the spell.


Yeah. Which makes sense.
I'll probably see how the GM feels about sharing them backwards though. But I'll make it 100% clear to him that the rules as written do Not allow for it. Just to see his personal opinions on it.
Even as written, casting the spell on a familiar is a nice improvement to action economy despite the level 2 limit


I allowed a reversed share spells in a game I ran once, but it was a deliberate boost to the weakest character in the party.
His xbow rogue(scout) 10 / diviner1 mostly used my extra liberal interpretation to have his UMD mephit activate scrolls of Arrow Eruption or True Strike for him on the same turn as his shot.
I can see how on a stronger build it could be abused heartily, but it was a fun way to get this player around his lack of contribution frustration.


Cult of Vorg wrote:

I allowed a reversed share spells in a game I ran once, but it was a deliberate boost to the weakest character in the party.

His xbow rogue(scout) 10 / diviner1 mostly used my extra liberal interpretation to have his UMD mephit activate scrolls of Arrow Eruption or True Strike for him on the same turn as his shot.
I can see how on a stronger build it could be abused heartily, but it was a fun way to get this player around his lack of contribution frustration.

I'm all for finding ways to make sure everyone has fun so I agree 100% with doing this. As long as everyone is OK with it being a one time thing haha

Community / Forums / Pathfinder / Pathfinder First Edition / Rules Questions / Can Familiars share spells back to their masters? All Messageboards

Want to post a reply? Sign in.