Toad familiar -- help with ideas, please

[spyscribe]

Well, it's not a crunchy benefit, but if your DM likes to roleplay, let Lucky talk before you reach the level where he would normally be able to.

My sorcerer is at fourth level now and her weasel has added far more to the game through color commentary than he has from scouting or delivering spells.

Imagine, if you will, a weasel with a voice halfway been Peter Lore and Cheech Marin staring down an 8-HD bear and saying, "I can take him out for you, Boss. You want me to? Huh?"

Every campaign is different, but point being that I think I've had to make one reflex save in the course of the campaign thusfar, so I don't keep him around for the stat bump.

 

[Lord Pendragon]

Enhance Familiar: Fly feat.

5' Fly speed, baby!

-Hyp.

Where are these Enhance Familiar feats you speak of?

As for the question at hand: I never had a problem with the +2 Con bonus from the toad. It's only a handful of hp even for a high-level mage, and the toad truly is only useful for its bonus. Even the hawk, which provides no bonus at all, trumps it as a scout.

I suggest talking with your DM and seeing if he'll let you use the old rules for the Toad. If he sees it as I do, it won't be a problem.

Otherwise, use Nifft's idea. Personally, I wish I had thought of it for the last wizzie I played!

 

[Hypersmurf]

Where are these Enhance Familiar feats you speak of?

Kalamar.

-Hyp.

 

[Lela]

Every campaign is different, but point being that I think I've had to make one reflex save in the course of the campaign thusfar, so I don't keep him around for the stat bump.

You'll have more in a couple levels. Fourth doesn't bring too many Reflex saves.


Try some practical jokes (Paladin wakes up staring into two big black eyes, that should startle the fearless wonder). Also, considering that he'll always be within 5 ft of you, you always get a +2 to Listen and Spot. It won't have much effect at later levels but it's there.

And, hay, maybe female gnomes dig toads!

 

[Neowolf]

I used to play with a dude who, after his Toad gained the ability to deliver touch spells, started doing the old "fastball special" with it. The DM eventually got tired of that though, and the Toad was impaled on a spiked shield. It was good for a few laughs though.

 

[spyscribe]

You'll have more in a couple levels. Fourth doesn't bring too many Reflex saves.

Oh, don't get me wrong, even that once I was glad to have it. (Imagine the embarassment of getting whacked on the head by a flying pitcher of endless water).

And there will probably be at least once you'll be glad of those 3hp.

But I second pratical jokes or some other in-character shtick that can provide a "soft" bonus while you're waiting for a good hide check to be tactically advantageous.

Even a pseudodragon can be boring if he's just sitting on your shoulder like a lump o' stats all the time.

Good luck.

 

[Djeta Thernadier]

Right now, my wizard has an oversized pocket in the front of his shirt where the toad can sit in comfort and have his head poking out to see. Other than sitting on my shoulder, the pocket is the only way for Lucky to follow me around.

My character has a bat as a familiar and carries him around in a special extradimensional space she had sort of sewn into her cloak so he can hang out in comfort. My GM had no problem with that...

Also would the toad be good with water? I'm just going on real life toads (sorry, I don't know much about toads as familiars).

 

[Shard O'Glase]

honestly with the new rules I'd just dismiss the toad and take the XP hit and either gor familair less or summon up a real familair.

 

[jaldaen]

Hey All,

Later this month, early next month Encyclopeadia Arcane: Familiars comes out and it should offer you a lot of options with your toad familiar (or any other type of familiar for that matter)... you can see a preview of it over at:

www.mongoosepublishing.com

Its under the EA line...

Take Care,
Joseph Miller
Freelance Writer and Designer
Lead Designer of the upcoming Nevermore d20 Dreamscape Campaign Setting

 

[BenjaminB]

The toad has always sucked. Why else give you something as heavy as +2 con? Because toads suck. They sit there. They eat insects. They sit there some more. I mean, toad??? For pure cool-value alone, toads should get the boot.