D&D 5E Imp as a familiar seems OP (observations and opinions)

[Lucas Blackstone]

If the object being used for cover is invisible then the target can be targeted normally because they are plainly visible. The actual material will still provide whatever protection it it can, so an invisible sheet of steel may block an attack but an invisible sheet wouldn't do much against anything except possibly a small thrown rock.

Targeting for spells requires a clear path to the target. It's just how magic works. A target with a sheet between it and the caster no longer meets the clear path requirement. The sheet isn't protecting the target because of how strong of a barrier it it. it's protecting the target because the clear path is obstructed. It's just one of those rules quirks I would expect to be ignored in most games because it is most likely unintended.

 

[Lucas Blackstone]

An Imp familiar for a paladin would be overpowered. For a Pact of the Chain Warlock (the only RAW way to get an Imp, correct?) it's fine, though that does depend on the nature of the campaign and it's base assumptions. In an intrigue-heavy, lower-magic game, I could see an Imp straying into overpowered.

But for a game like the one where I play a Pact of the Chain warlock/actress stuck in a megadungeon, my Imp is very useful, but the hardly overpowered compared to the other PCs abilities.

I don't know if an imp familiar would be any more overpowered for a paladin then anyone else. A paladin can have an imp by multiclassing into warlock if they wanted. The two classes have a solid amount of synergy.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

I’ve mostly seen familiars used as scouts and to spam the help action. I’ve yet to see any of these Rube Goldberg imp-devices. If my players come up with a clever plan (whether with a familiar or not), I’m all for it. But when the strategy is just repeated ad nauseam, then I do my part to liven things up. My general rule of thumb when I feel like familiars are the source of too much cheese is to use traps and monsters with area effect attacks. Most familiars, including imps, are pretty squishy.

 

[Mallus]

I don't know if an imp familiar would be any more overpowered for a paladin then anyone else.

Paladin's a very strong class to start with in 5e. Adding in the best possible familiar, which grants them serious scouting/intel-gathering/trick-playing abilities otherwise completely lacking from the class could be an issue.

Or not. I mean, it's probably fine in a small group, or in a large group not too concerned w/niche protection.

A paladin can have an imp by multiclassing into warlock if they wanted. The two classes have a solid amount of synergy.

Right. A PotC Warlock 3/Paladin x qualifies for an Imp fam. And yeah, there is a good amount of synergy. You can make an unpleasantly hard-hitting Paladin who almost always attacks with Advantage, has lots of Smites, some of which renew on a Short Rest, has an invisible scout, great defenses & utility spells, and who also has the best ranged attack Cantrip in the game (prolly based on their second highest stat).

Most familiars, including imps, are pretty squishy.

But infinitely re-summonable. Unlike, for instance, the party rogue.

 

[Elon Tusk]

PotC Warlock takes Mage Initiate Feat, learns Mage Armor, applies it to Imp for 16 AC.
This with its Magic Resistance, Invisibility, Damage Resistances to cold, bludgeoning, piercing, & slashing from nonmagical weapons that aren't silvered, Damage Immunities fire and poison, and Condition Immunities to being poisoned make it less than squishy.

 

[Harzel]

The imp familiar has a couple other severely overpowered uses. The imp can carry up to 60lbs, and anything the imp carries turns invisible. The invisibility lasts until the imp attacks or loses concentration on the invisibility. Several small races weigh under 60lbs. Using a halfling as my example, said halfling warlock summons his imp. Imp picks up the halfling and turns invisible. The halfling decides to eldritch blast something and stays invisible because the imp did not make an attack or lose concentration, and can fly without duration. Hooray!

Any equipment the imp wears or carries is invisible with it.

Sorry, a halfling is not equipment.

 

[Lucas Blackstone]

Sorry, a halfling is not equipment.

"Invisibility. The imp turns invisible until it attacks or until its concentration ends. Anything the invisible imp is carrying or wearing is invisible as long as it remains in contact with the imp."

The Player's Handbook doesn't list the invisibility entry the same. This is an important difference between the two and I didn't consult the Monster Manual since I thought they shared the same stats. You are 100 percent correct with the MM listing. I wouldn't say my information was inaccurate though. Just a different source that happens to also be official. I would say that the Player's Handbook is the one that should be used, not because it is more powerful, but because of all three of the main books, it is the one you actually need. The other two are both extremely useful, but the Player's Handbook is the the meat and potatoes of the rules.

 

[Mistwell]

It's the "You gave a Paladin THE main ability of the Warlock Pact of the Chain, which they normally only get at 3rd level and is their defining feature, for the cost of a single feat" part that bothers me with this. You cannot summon an imp with the Find Familiar spell, unless you are both a third level Warlock and chose the Pact of the Chain subclass option.

For a Chain Warlock it's fine, because they gave up so much to get that ability. But for a feat? Way too powerful.

 

[Greenstone.Walker]

A Warlock imp familiar is the best scout in the game. Polymorphed as a bat, invisible, flying, seeing-in-the-dark.

 

[Harzel]

"Invisibility. The imp turns invisible until it attacks or until its concentration ends. Anything the invisible imp is carrying or wearing is invisible as long as it remains in contact with the imp."

The Player's Handbook doesn't list the invisibility entry the same. This is an important difference between the two and I didn't consult the Monster Manual since I thought they shared the same stats. You are 100 percent correct with the MM listing. I wouldn't say my information was inaccurate though. Just a different source that happens to also be official. I would say that the Player's Handbook is the one that should be used, not because it is more powerful, but because of all three of the main books, it is the one you actually need. The other two are both extremely useful, but the Player's Handbook is the the meat and potatoes of the rules.

Ah, very interesting. The description in my copy of the PHB (4th printing) is identical to the MM description. I looked in the errata, but no change was listed there. There was however, this

Creature Statistics. If in doubt, the Monster Manual version of a creature’s stat block is authoritative.

Although, I guess technically the description of Invisibility is not a 'statistic'.