A Treasonous Hawk

[Xanti]

I have decided to get rid of my wizard's familiar, because my DM has made it too much of a pia. In 3.0, How can I get rid of my hawk without taking the XP penalty? P.S. I'm level 3 now.

 

[Grogg of the North]

You could kill your hawk, animate it, and take it as a stitched flesh familiar.

Otherwise, I'd just ask your DM if you could trade it away since its too much of a liability.

Showing that you're a "Hard core DM" by going out of your way to kill a familiar/animal companion/mount is a warning flag for me.

 

[Xanti]

Technically, by killing it, it would die and I'd take the XP penalty anyway, wouldn't I?

The DMs not gonna go out of his way to kill Lola, but I get ancy and me no likey ancy.

 

[slobo777]

According to the SRD, you can voluntarily dismiss a familiar, but that still incurs an XP penalty: Sorcerers & Wizards :: d20srd.org

What exactly is the problem with the hawk, and what is the DM doing to make you consider dropping the benefit? Is it purely a mechanical constraint you are reacting to, or is there something else?

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

First off, the answers I'm going to give are based upon 3.5, I blur the lines between 3.0 & 3.5 so often, I don't know if my suggestions apply to straight 3.0.

Two suggestions:
1- Take the Improved Familiar feat, swap out for something more sturdy.
2- Make use of spells that will buff your Familiar. Augment Familiar would serve you well here. False Life would help you both. Invisability will keep your buddy out of sight and therefore out of danger.

Fortunately with a flying familiar, you can keep her out of danger most of the time.

If the familiar is going to be dismissed, find a way to pump up your fortitude save beforehand so you incur only half the exp loss, instead of the full amount.

 

[Xanti]

My DM remembered that I incur an XP penalty upon his death (yes, HIS name is Lola. The "hawk" decided on that one). He then proceeded to make him very difficult to deal with.

Lola will fly ahead of the party, following the orcs tracks, until he comes upon the orcs themselves or something else interesting... Oh, look, a mouse! I'm hungry! Omnomnom! Wait, I was supposed to be doing something important, but what was it? Oh, look, an Orc! I'd better fly away now...

I'm pretty sure it's all in good fun, but I'd like not to have an oops and lose a fifth of a level.

 

[VinylTap]

How do you know your new familiar won't have a similar temperament?

 

[Dozen]

My DM remembered that I incur an XP penalty upon his death (yes, HIS name is Lola. The "hawk" decided on that one). He then proceeded to make him very difficult to deal with.

Lola will fly ahead of the party, following the orcs tracks, until he comes upon the orcs themselves or something else interesting... Oh, look, a mouse! I'm hungry! Omnomnom! Wait, I was supposed to be doing something important, but what was it? Oh, look, an Orc! I'd better fly away now...

I'm pretty sure it's all in good fun, but I'd like not to have an oops and lose a fifth of a level.

Well, so long it IS in good fun, I see no reason to dismiss your familiar. I'm sure your DM wouldn't let 'Lola' into danger based on his decisions without providing means to save him. It's an entirely other matter if you ask him to perform a task he's not capable of with his subpar attention span and sense of priority, so make sure you take his abilities into account when ordering him around, maybe cast Owl's Wisdom or Fox's Cunning on him from time to time, and say your prayers to your patron deity of choice(bonus if you r'play it out). There is no way to get rid of a familiar that doesn't bite you back; you have to learn to live with the tee' sucker.

 

[Sekhmet]

Leave your hawk at home.

If you're just wanting to get rid of the hawk so you don't have to worry about the potential loss of EXP, then you won't be getting a new familiar anyway. No reason not to just leave him at home.

 

[Neonchameleon]

Sit down and talk to your DM. Tell him that your Hawk is a predator who isn't stupid and wouldn't dive a mouse while near an orc. Get distracted and divebomb a mouse while safe, yes. But familiars are meant to be useful.

And if all else fails, remember XP is a river, craft away (scrolls, wonderous items, and non-attacking wands are the big three), and don't worry about XP even if your familiar is killed.