[RPG] How does Magic Jar possession actually interact with your stats

dnd-5epossessionspells

Magic Jar lets you possess a creature, potentially permanently. Spell text is:

Your game statistics are replaced by the statistics of the creature though you retain your alignment and your Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores. You retain the benefit of your own class features. If the target has any class levels, you can't use any of its class features.

If I were to take control of a Githyanki Knight, how would hit points, armor proficiencies, or weapons work? Would I get its hit points, and then add the hit points from my class on top of that? If it wears heavy armor, do I know how to wear the armor? And most oddly, in the case of a Githyanki Knight, do I have the ability to use its +3 silver greatsword?

Best Answer

According to the Monster Manual p. 6-11 a creatures statistics consist of

  1. Size
  2. Type
  3. Tags
  4. Alignment
  5. Armor Class
  6. Hit Points
  7. Speed
  8. Ability Scores
  9. Saving Throws
  10. Skills
  11. Vulnerabilities, Resistances, and Immunities
  12. Senses
  13. Languages
  14. Challenge
  15. Special Traits
  16. Actions
  17. Reactions
  18. Limited Usage
  19. Equipment

Since Magic Jar states your statistics are replaced by the creatures statistics you get all of these except the handful that were excluded. You do not receive class features from the target creature however the Githyanki Knight has no class levels so this doesn't come up. You do receive the benefits of any class features (Everything in the class description following the header, "Class Features") you had. So then how does this work?

  • Hit points are part of the statistics so you use the Githyanki Knight's 14d8+28. On top of that you receive your hit dice (say 11d6 for an 11th level wizard). An interesting note here is that the hit points per level class feature also includes your constitution bonus. So in that case your total HP would be 14d8+28+11d6+22
  • Armor and Weapon Proficiencies aren't part of the creature's statistics so you retain your own proficiencies. Even if they were I'd argue that you would retain these since they are granted by your class levels. This ends up being less important though since...
  • AC is part of the creature's statistics so your AC is replaced with the Githyanki Knight's. Assuming that this is a normal knight wearing its plate you get an AC of 18.
  • Actions are part of the statistics so your normal actions are replaced. You now have a Silver Greatsword attack and a Multiattack. You still have other actions available since they are granted by your class levels.
  • Saving throws are part of statistics so they replace yours. However, you still retain the benefits of your class features so you are also proficient in any saves you had previously.
  • Innate Spellcasting is part of Special Traits so you get the psionic abilities.
  • Languages are part of the statistics so you now speak Gith. RAW, that's the only language you speak as languages are granted by race not class. Personally I'd rule that you still have access to languages you knew previously however I can't find anything in the books supporting that. Interestingly a Druid would still know Druidic since it's a class feature.
  • Your Size, Type, Speed, and so on are also all replaced by the Githyanki Knight's and then modified by any class features you have. Functionally you become a Githyanki Knight that has a bunch of class levels thrown on top.
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