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Post by Daos on Jun 10, 2007 15:49:52 GMT -8
Something I've noticed in my games is that even though we've had a dozen wizards over the last few years, never once has one had a familiar. The only character that ever did was not a wizard at all, but rather a bard.
Understand that I am not complaining or ranting. I'm merely observing. I was considering revising the rules for familiars like I did with cantrips, but I wanted to get some feedback first.
For those of you who have played wizards in my game, was there any specific reason you chose not to get a familiar? For those who have not played a wizard in my game, would you choose to take one? Why or why not? What do you find lacking or unappealing about the whole process?
I have my own theories and a couple of ideas on how to improve the process as a whole, but I wanted to hear what you guys think first.
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Keith
Dicemaster
Level 4
Posts: 2,307
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Post by Keith on Jun 10, 2007 23:00:20 GMT -8
With Blexon I didn't know what I was doing, and with Usagi I guess I just didn't want it. I had one with Radoct that was short lived.
Really I have just never been 100% clear on all the rules surrounding familiars, and the opportunities, and so have avoided having one.
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Post by HorizonsDream on Jun 11, 2007 8:17:59 GMT -8
The reason why I never had one? Honestly, what was the point of having that spell only to use it once? I never understood it, and it just wasted a slot, so I never picked it. Plus, I figured it would be a little bit of a hassle to have a familiar as well.
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Post by Josh on Jun 11, 2007 8:31:44 GMT -8
i would have tried it if not for the diviner's ban on conjuration. but i do agree with heather, it does seem like a bit of a wasted slot to only be using that spell once. although, had the familiar ended up dying during the campaign, it looks like the once-a-year limit on the spell would be a bit of a hindrance, as well.
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Post by Daos on Jun 11, 2007 12:04:49 GMT -8
Oh, really? That your opinion there, Peggy Hill? Anyway, I'll go ahead and clarify the actual rules from the book. For a wizard (or bard) to have a familiar, they need access to the 1st circle spell Find Familiar. This spell takes 2d12 hours to cast and requires a brass brazier with charcoal, as well as 1000 gp worth of incense and herbs. The spell can only be attempted once a year. The familiar is more intelligent than most of its kind (+2-3 points of INT more) and it lives for an exceptionally long time for one of its kind (so there's no worry of your familiar dying of old age). The wizard receives the heightened senses of the familiar (+1 bonus to surprise). Familiars typically have 2-4+1 per wizard level HP and an AC 7. The familiar and wizard share an emphatic bond. The wizard can issue mental commands to the familiar from as far as a mile away. The caster cannot see through the familiar's eyes, though. If separated from the caster, the familiar loses 1 HP a day until it dies. When the familiar is in physical contact with the wizard, it gains the wizard's saving throws against special attacks. If a special attack does damage, the familiar suffers no damage if the save is made and only half if it is failed. If the familiar ever dies, the wizard must make an immediate system shock roll or die. Even if he survives, he permanently loses a point of Constitution. The table given in the PHB lists: Black Cat, Crow, Hawk, Owl, Toad, Weasel The Wizard's Handbook expanded that list: Bat, Cat, Chipmunk, Crow, Dog, Fox, Gull, Hawk, Hare, Lizard, Monkey, Mouse, Otter, Owl, Parrot, Raccoon, Rat, Rooster, Raven, Skunk, Snake, Squirrel, Toad, Weasel, Wolverine The DM is expected to roll randomly for the familiar, and ignore rolls that make no sense (i.e., conjuring a sea gull in the desert). That's the long and short of the official rules for familiars.
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Keith
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Level 4
Posts: 2,307
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Post by Keith on Jun 11, 2007 16:17:17 GMT -8
Well that's a lot of liability for not a lot of payoff. If the familiar grew and got better and better and gained more abilities and such I'd like it =P
Even if it took 1 slot per circle away from the caster, I think that'd be the fair trade off.
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Post by Daos on Jun 11, 2007 16:19:01 GMT -8
"Got better and better"? What new abilities?
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Keith
Dicemaster
Level 4
Posts: 2,307
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Post by Keith on Jun 11, 2007 16:24:24 GMT -8
Oh who knows. Let's see... Like the ability to see through its eyes eventually. Cast touch spells through it, uh, maybe they as creatures become better. It'd take a lot of work =P
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Post by Daos on Jun 11, 2007 16:27:31 GMT -8
Well, that would be tricky to pull off. Although personally, I'm not sure using it to cast touch spells would be all that useful. Once you got to a certain level, your THAC0 would mostly likely be better than the familiar's. And putting your familiar in danger's way is a bad idea, considering the massive penalties if it dies.
One of the things I was thinking of doing is removing the spell and instead making it a class ability, much like I turned Cantrips into a proficiency.
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Keith
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Level 4
Posts: 2,307
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Post by Keith on Jun 11, 2007 16:29:18 GMT -8
Doesn't change anything for me. They just aren't that useful, unless you have something like Trias.
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Post by Daos on Jun 11, 2007 16:36:17 GMT -8
Trias? What did she do that was so useful? I mean, other than talk?
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Post by Josh on Jun 11, 2007 16:37:23 GMT -8
freeing up that slot would definitely make it more attractive, though that sounds kind of awkward as an ability. same limiting rules, but now all wizards (or again, not including diviners?) innately have the option to initiate a ceremony once and year and bind themselves to an animal?
although, yeah, +1 to surprise does sound a bit lowly. eventually being able to see through it's eyes does sound nice... possibly being able to cast spells (at least, spells that don't require something moving from caster to target) from that perspective?
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Keith
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Posts: 2,307
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Post by Keith on Jun 11, 2007 16:40:52 GMT -8
Talking was just about his biggest advantage. He could scout and report with clarity and communicate between mage and group. I still don't think he was that good though.
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Post by Daos on Jun 11, 2007 16:50:13 GMT -8
If I made it a class ability, then all wizards could do it, including Diviners. Although I suppose bards would be out of luck then, unless I made it a class ability for them, too. I suppose that would be possible. The trick is figuring out how it's 'advancement' works. Is it dependent on the wizard's level? Or how long the wizard has had the familiar? Etc, etc. Was it a he? I thought it was a she. All I can really remember is it was some kind of talking squirrel with an attitude, and it had a tendency to vanish mysteriously whenever it wasn't needed. Familiars CAN communicate directly with their masters clearly, though. I suppose I could let them talk. Kind of like the daemons from His Dark Materials. It means more work for the player (as they would have to roleplay out the familiar's personality along with their own), though.
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Keith
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Level 4
Posts: 2,307
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Post by Keith on Jun 11, 2007 16:55:04 GMT -8
The familiar's power should be linked to the mage's level, not how long they've been around, if bound to time the power increase could never happen and wouldn't be much to look forward to unless downtimes were like years.
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