How do Magic Jar and Clone interact?

Question

If I possess a body via Magic Jar, and I cast Clone on myself in the new body, into what body would the clone grow?

Would it grow into the body of the creature that I currently possess, at the time of casting clone, or would it grow into a copy of my original body?

If I return to my original body (after Magic Jar ends), then at some point die after the clone has matured, will I be able to enter the cloned body of a different creature (that I possessed at the time of casting), even though it does not match the original body?

For reference:

Clone: 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.

Answer 1

Clone Works on the "Original Creature"

The magic jar spell says:

If the host body dies while you're in it, the creature dies, and you must make a Charisma saving throw against your own spellcasting DC. On a success, you return to the container if it is within 100 feet of you. Otherwise, you die.

Which causes this this part of clone spell to kick in:

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 DM is allowed to decide what this usually clear phrase means in this instance, but to me original creature would indicate that you'd have to cast clone on your original self. And at least one of the game designers Mike Mearls agrees:

alas, no. clone specifies it is the original creature's soul

I like the odd edge case his intent indicates that if you cast clone on the body you've snatched, the creature you snatched it from now has a clone to jump to upon death. Though, it might fail the "free" part, as it isn't clear if the stone is destroyed in the event you die in the stolen body.

Answer 2

If you want to survive Magic Jar, you have to clone your original body

Firstly, Clone has a range of Touch - which means you have to touch the thing you are cloning. You could touch your original body, or you could touch the body you are inhabiting with Magic Jar (as long as it is size medium).

Let's assume that the clone has matured. What happens when you (inhabiting a body through Magic Jar) die?

Magic Jar states:

If the host body dies while you're in it, the creature dies, and you must make a Charisma saving throw against your own spellcasting DC. On a success, you return to the container if it is within 100 feet of you. Otherwise, you die.

What happens when you die in the creatures body?

• If you made a clone of the creatures body, the creature will return to the clone of the creature body (if you made one).
• If you pass the save; and are within 100ft of the Magic Jar, you return to the Magic Jar
• If you fail the save; or are not within 100ft of the Magic Jar, you return to the clone of your original body (if you made one)

Answer 3

There is a lot of highly subjective interpretations here, but my understating of what is going on would result in the caster of magic jar and current resident of the body triggering the clone once they die. Here's why I see it that way. I think the clone spell is a meshing of 2 magical effects. The first effect is purely physical. It has a material cost of 1 cubic inch of flesh and a valuable vessel to grow the body in. The physical magic needs time to grow the body into a viable receptacle for a soul. The 2nd effect is a soul magic effect. It requires a 1000 GP diamond and a hour casting time, very reminiscent of other soul magic like raise dead and resurrection. The physical magic clearly copies the body the flesh was taken from, but I think the soul magic probably binds the soul that's currently there, present in the target body, to the growing clone so that once that soul is left without a body to inhabit due to dying, it passes into the clone body rather than passing on out of the material plane. I think this makes sense, and it's a lot more fun when interpreted this way as it gives a possible avenue for a character to reincarnate into a very specific new powerful body.