Familiar: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 19:25, 24 September 2021

Type of feat: Class
Prerequisite: Wizard or sorcerer
Required for: Improved Familiar
Specifics: A character with this feat may summon a familiar once per day. A familiar is a magical beast that resembles a small animal and is unusually tough and intelligent. The creature serves as a companion and servant. Familiars retain the appearance, Hit Dice, base attack bonus, base save bonus, skills, and feats of the normal animal it once was, but they gain various bonuses as a result of their bond with their master.

Familiar Basics

Hit Points

The familiar has one-half the master's total hit points (not including temporary hit points), rounded down, unless its own total hit points are higher.

Saving Throws

For each saving throw, the familiar uses its own base save bonus or the master's, whichever is better.

Skills

For each skill, the familiar uses its own skill ranks or the master's, whichever is better. Regardless of a familiar's total skill modifiers, some skills may remain beyond the familiar's ability, such as skills requiring fine motor skills beyond what a paw is capable of.

Familiar Abilities

Natural Armor Bonus

Familiars have higher AC than normal animals of their type. This value increases by 1 at every level.

Intelligence

Familiars are smarter than normal creatures of their type. All familiars start at a minimum of 6 Intelligence and receive one additional point of Intelligence at every level. If a familiar naturally has higher than 6 Intelligence, it uses its base score until the master is of a high-enough level to surpass it.

Bonus Feats

All familiars receive the Alertness, Improved Evasion, Empathic Link, and Deliver Touch Spells feats at level 1, the Speak with Master feat at level 5, the Speak with Like Kind feat at level 7, the Spell Resistance feat at level 11, and the Scry on Familiar feat at level 13. The details for these feats are provided on the familiar's character sheet once the master has reached the appropriate level.

If the familiar dies, the character suffers 1d6 damage, but may summon the familiar again on the following day.

Use: Selected.

Gameplay Notes

List of Familiars

Bat: Master gains +3 to Listen checks.
Beetle: Master gains +1 hit point per level.
Cat: Master gains +2 to move silently and hide checks.
Chicken: Master gains +1 hit point per level.
Hawk: Master gains +3 to Listen checks.
Pig: Master gains +3 to diplomacy checks.
Rabbit: Master gains +1 bonus to all saves.
Raven: Master gains +3 to diplomacy checks. Ravens also gain the Language feat.
Rat: Master gains +2 to fortitude saves.
Snake: Master gains +3 to bluff checks.
Spider: Master gains +3 to bluff checks. Other types of spiders are available with Bind Familiar.
Weasel: Master gains +2 to reflex saves.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{Template:Otheruses2|the creature|the feat|Summon Familiar}}A '''familiar''' is a small [[creature]] that is magically linked to its owner.
+{{FeatInfo|type=Class
+|Prereq=[[Wizard]] or [[sorcerer]]
+|Req=[[Improved Familiar]]
+|Specifics=A character with this feat may summon a familiar once per day. A familiar is a magical beast that resembles a small animal and is unusually tough and intelligent. The creature serves as a companion and servant. Familiars retain the appearance, Hit Dice, base attack bonus, base save bonus, skills, and feats of the normal animal it once was, but they gain various bonuses as a result of their bond with their master.
-Familiars are [[summon]]ed creatures and can be summoned or unsummoned freely unless they are killed. They do not try to engage in combat, and usually just follow behind the [[master]]. While summoned, they grant a bonus that is roughly the equivalent of a [[feat]]. As the master advances, so do the familiars. They gain more [[hit point]]s, better [[saving throw]]s, and so on. They also gain [[evasion]] and [[spell resistance]]. During character creation, they can be named. They are intended to essentially be small [[buff]] totems and cool looking [[pet]]s.
+<b>Familiar Basics</b>
-Familiars can be directly controlled.
+<i>Hit Points</i>
-If a familiar is killed, the master suffers -2 to [[Constitution]] for 8 [[hour]]s and cannot summon the familiar again until he or she has [[rest]]ed. [http://nwn2forums.bioware.com/forums/viewpost.html?topic=480807&post=4117858&forum=98]
+The familiar has one-half the master's total hit points (not including temporary hit points), rounded down, unless its own total hit points are higher.
-When you reach epic level and epic caster level your familiar becomes able to cast a spell like ability that you can pick from a list of level 1-3 spells, the list extends to level 1-8 spells if you have the [[Improved_Familiar|Improved Familiar]] feat.
+<i>Saving Throws</i>
-==Bug Notes==
+For each saving throw, the familiar uses its own base save bonus or the master's, whichever is better.
-*Controlling familiars directly gives the player character a semi-permanent [[Immunity]]: Mind Spells effect, that will remain even after the familiar is unpossessed and dismissed. Only death, rest, or dispel magic can remove it. This bug is still present as of v1.22.
-*The Pig familiar is confirmed to be bugged and often will fail to summon for a small number of people. No workaround is known.
-==Creature types==
+<i>Skills</i>
-===List of Familiars===
-* [[Bat]]: Master gains +3 to [[Listen]] checks.
-* [[Beetle]]: Master gains +1 [[hit point]] per level.
-* [[Cat]]: Master gains +2 to [[Move Silently|move silently]] and [[hide]] checks.
-* [[Faerie Dragon]]: Master gains previous familiar's ability. Faerie dragons are only available with the Improved Familiar feat and by using Bind Familiar; they cannot be chosen at character creation.
-* [[Imp]]: Master gains previous familiar's ability. Imps are only available with the Improved Familiar feat and by using Bind Familiar; they cannot be chosen at character creation.
-* [[Pig]]: Master gains +3 to [[diplomacy]] checks.
-* [[Pseudo Dragon]]: Master gains previous familiar's ability. Psuedo dragons are only available with the Improved Familiar feat and by using Bind Familiar; they cannot be chosen at character creation.
-* [[Rabbit]]: Master gains +1 bonus to all [[saving throw|saves]].
-* [[Rat]]: Master gains +2 to [[fortitude]] saves.
-* [[Snake]]: Master gains previous familiar's ability. Snakes are only available by using Bind Familiar; they cannot be chosen at character creation.
-* [[Spider]]: Master gains +3 to [[bluff]] checks. Other types of spiders are available with Bind Familiar.
-* [[Stirge]]: Master gains previous familiar's ability. Stirges are only available with the Improved Familiar feat and by using Bind Familiar; they cannot be chosen at character creation.
-* [[Weasel]]: Master gains +2 to [[reflex]] saves.
-The creature types will be defined in [[2DA]] files, so the choices may be modified very easily (add/subtract).
+For each skill, the familiar uses its own skill ranks or the master's, whichever is better. Regardless of a familiar's total skill modifiers, some skills may remain beyond the familiar's ability, such as skills requiring fine motor skills beyond what a paw is capable of.
-==Gameplay notes==
+<b>Familiar Abilities</b>
-*Unlike in NWN1, familiars do not soak [[XP]]. [http://nwn2forums.bioware.com/forums/viewpost.html?topic=484082&post=4157015&forum=95]
-*[[Obsidian]] has stated that familiars will not be "combat critters" in NWN2; they will not fight. The only way they can initiate an attack is by being a conduit for a [[touch spell]] from the [[master]]. [http://nwn2forums.bioware.com/forums/viewpost.html?topic=483920&post=4155176&forum=95] Familiars will actively avoid enemies and try to move away from their master during combat unless commanded to do otherwise. [http://nwn2forums.bioware.com/forums/viewpost.html?topic=484082&post=4228849&forum=95]
+<i>Natural Armor Bonus</i>
-*Possessed familiars may not engage in [[conversation]]s, but they may talk on the [[chat bar]]. [http://nwn2forums.bioware.com/forums/viewpost.html?topic=483920&post=4155217&forum=95]
+Familiars have higher AC than normal animals of their type. This value increases by 1 at every level.
-*Familiars may use [[stealth]]. [http://nwn2forums.bioware.com/forums/viewpost.html?topic=483920&post=4155436&forum=95]
+<i>Intelligence</i>
-*"They gain [[evasion]] and a few other abilities, but their [[hit point]]s advance as the master does -- they don't have a portion of the master's hit points. Also, they do not share the benefits of spells." [http://nwn2forums.bioware.com/forums/viewpost.html?topic=483920&post=4155552&forum=95]
+Familiars are smarter than normal creatures of their type. All familiars start at a minimum of 6 Intelligence and receive one additional point of Intelligence at every level. If a familiar naturally has higher than 6 Intelligence, it uses its base score until the master is of a high-enough level to surpass it.
-*Familiars will not have a collar [[inventory]] slot to accommodate magic items like a collar of spell resistance or collar of elemental protection. [http://nwn2forums.bioware.com//forums/viewpost.html?topic=484082&post=4230488&forum=95]
+<i>Bonus Feats</i>
-*Obsidian originally intended for familiars to be carried in a [[character]]'s [[backpack]], but that was changed and they're again [[associate]]s like in NWN1. [http://nwn2forums.bioware.com/forums/viewpost.html?topic=483920&post=4155176&forum=95]
+All familiars receive the [[Alertness]], [[Improved Evasion]], [[Empathic Link]], and [[Deliver Touch Spells]] feats at level 1, the [[Speak with Master]] feat at level 5, the [[Speak with Like Kind]] feat at level 7, the [[Spell Resistance (familiar)|Spell Resistance]] feat at level 11, and the [[Scry on Familiar]] feat at level 13. The details for these feats are provided on the familiar's character sheet once the master has reached the appropriate level.
-*There is a level 3 spell called "Enhance Familiar" that grants bonuses to a wizard's familiar (+2 to saves, attack and melee damage rolls, +2 dodge AC bonus. This spell has been cut from the game, however, it is still present in the toolset.
+If the familiar dies, the character suffers 1d6 damage, but may summon the familiar again on the following day.
-*Familiars can cast your divine spells but you have to tell them to cast the spells.
+|Use=Selected.
+==Gameplay Notes==
+===List of Familiars===
+* [[Bat]]: Master gains +3 to [[Listen]] checks.
+* [[Beetle]]: Master gains +1 [[hit point]] per level.
+* [[Cat]]: Master gains +2 to [[Move Silently|move silently]] and [[hide]] checks.
+* [[Chicken]]: Master gains +1 [[hit point]] per level.
+* [[Hawk]]: Master gains +3 to [[Listen]] checks.
+* [[Pig]]: Master gains +3 to [[diplomacy]] checks.
+* [[Rabbit]]: Master gains +1 bonus to all [[saving throw|saves]].
+* [[Raven]]: Master gains +3 to [[diplomacy]] checks. Ravens also gain the [[Language (familiar)|Language]] feat.
+* [[Rat]]: Master gains +2 to [[fortitude]] saves.
+* [[Snake]]: Master gains +3 to [[bluff]] checks.
+* [[Spider]]: Master gains +3 to [[bluff]] checks. Other types of spiders are available with Bind Familiar.
+* [[Weasel]]: Master gains +2 to [[reflex]] saves.
+}}
+[[category:Class feats]]
 [[Category:Creatures| Familiar]]
 [[Category:Magical concepts]]