What happens to a familiar when its master perishes?

[Ferox4]

It's more for plot than actual game mechanics, but I was just curious. Also, what if the familiar's master is raised/resurrected at a later time?

 

[Jotun]

AEG's Mercenaries book has designed a race that answers that very question.

 

[kreynolds]

In one of my games, a spellcaster died and was later resurrected. Upon resurrection, her familiar (a cat) returned to her several weeks later. Behind the scenes, I ruled that her familiar simply became a normal cat, and upon her resurrection, "reawakened", regaining its identity, memories, etc.

For flavor, I also roll randomly (10% chance) to see whether or not a called familiar has had a previous master. If so, the familiar may be able to recall small memories of its former master and its former life. It adds at least a small amount of flavor, and that's rarely a bad thing.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Note that if a Clr17/Wiz1 with a familiar casts a Delayed Raise Dead on himself, then dies, and if his familiar dies too, then he could raise the familiar along with himself via the Share Spells quality.

Unless you feel you can't use class abilities when you're dead.

-Hyp.

 

[Dingleberry]

Check out Tome and Blood, p.12: "Death of a Master"