Mourning the loss of my familiar

[Quemar]

I lost my familiar a while back, and I really want to get another. The rules say "a year and a day", but we are at the beginning stages of "The Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil". I already gained two levels from the time that I lost him (about a month in game time). At this rate (in game time) I will be level 18 or 19 before I can get one. This type of adventure doesn't allow too much downtime to wait out that year. And we, as a group, don't get together very often (about once a month).

I asked my DM if gaining two levels is enough to summon again, but he refuses, and quotes the rules. Is there anything I can do to convince him to bend the rules in this case? Or will I have to contend to not having a familiar for what will probably be the life of the character?

 

[Krelios]

The only way you could get a new familiar by the rules is to multiclass into something else that gave a familiar (i.e. Sorcerer) or potentially burn a feat on Obtain Familiar (from CA).

 

[irdeggman]

There is no equating time and exp or levels.

But why didn't you do the following:

A slain familiar can be raised from the dead just as a character can be, and it does not lose a level or a Constitution point when this happy event occurs.

At the levels your characters are at it should have been relatively easy enough toarange.

 

[Quemar]

There is no equating time and exp or levels.

But why didn't you do the following:



At the levels your characters are at it should have been relatively easy enough toarange.

Because the body couldn't be found. We went in to the crater, and I left him (a raven) out to scout behind us. Then he was taken and eaten.

 

[Aust Diamondew]

If I were DM I'd let you. The year and a day thing is more for flavor than for balance issues familiars aren't all that powerful, you already payed XP when he died anyway.
Odds are however you will have to do without a familiar for the rest of your career (unless you play into epic levels).

Your DM shouldn't level you up so fast but thats just my conservative old fashioned opinion.

 

[Infiniti2000]

Can you find even a feather from the familiar? You could use resurrection (expensive) or, better yet, reincarnation. The only other solution is to use true resurrection or similar, really high-level options.

I agree with Aust Diamondew and as DM would ignore the year and a day thing. It makes familiars totally useless. Instead, just create a new character exactly like the old one, but with a new familiar. It's sort of a passive aggressive approach, but maybe it will clue the DM in to be more symphathetic in your plight.

PS While we're at it, can you explain the demise of your familiar in more detail?

 

[werk]

Because the body couldn't be found. We went in to the crater, and I left him (a raven) out to scout behind us. Then he was taken and eaten.

You could prolly find some of the familiar in whatever ate its...uh...spore.

 

[Quemar]

Can you find even a feather from the familiar? You could use resurrection (expensive) or, better yet, reincarnation. The only other solution is to use true resurrection or similar, really high-level options.

I agree with Aust Diamondew and as DM would ignore the year and a day thing. It makes familiars totally useless. Instead, just create a new character exactly like the old one, but with a new familiar. It's sort of a passive aggressive approach, but maybe it will clue the DM in to be more symphathetic in your plight.

PS While we're at it, can you explain the demise of your familiar in more detail?

It's been so long (out of game) that it's hard to remember really. I think that it was the **** ****** at the moat house out side of Homlet. I hope that doesn't give away too much... I wasn't about to go back to see if I can find any feathers

If it was measured in out of game time, it would be well over a year and a day now Anyway, I was doing ok, when I came across and idea. I was looking for a way to deal with my lack of vision in dark areas. When I noticed that the snake familiar is a Tiny viper. Looking at the stats, it has Scent. I thought that might be a good way to be allerted when someone comes near when I can't see. Also, my character is a 3rd level thief, 5th level wizard, so the +3 bluff would be great to use when feinting. Not to mention the natural skills at hiding, listening, and spotting the snake has.

I'm taking the Arcane Trickster PrC next level, and the snake would be the perfect companion.

 

[Crothian]

Stop adventuring. Find a nice town and tell the DM you are taking it easy until you get a familar again.

 

[Antaris Necilothalus]

So what if the PC actually forgets that they have the familiar? Obviously the PC wouldn't forget that the familiar exists since they are mentally tied to the creature but what if the player forgets that they have the familiar. In game several months have passed, you are thousands of miles away and now what? Have the familiar just show up to reward the player's forgetfulness? OR consider forgetting the familiar the same as dismissing it and start the year and a day count down from there?

If the player(s) want to spend time in a town and wait out this time they can but events would pass that would drastically change what the player(s) left behind. I say play the character...for good or for bad and use the abilities that still remain, which can still be formidable.

For all you players out there here is a point from a DM...the DM has free reign to interpret the rules as they see fit. If a rule has been decided upon by the DM then the players in that game should accept the ruling and move on unless the ruling is outside the guidelines of the game. Just my perspective..