D&D 3E/3.5 3.5 ~ Second Familiar?

[Tellgraith]

I'm currently in a 3.5 campaign and while looking for feats, I stumbled upon the obtain familiar feat, and it gave me a fun idea, I want a second familiar. My DM pretty much OKed it if I can find a legitimate way to do it. I'm allowed to use any book, though he'll still be checking everything over before he allows it. I figured this would be the best place to ask, so how about it, can you guys help me out?

 

[Tovec]

Okay let me see if I understand..

Playing 3.5
Found "obtain familiar [feat]"
Want second familiar (so you already have one - wizard/sorcerer)

Okay - what is the question. If you already found the feat and you are allowed to use "any book" what's the problem? Not sure if it works when you already have one?

What book is the feat from? An exact quote would speed things up as well.

In 3.5 I am not familiar with a feat that allows you to take a second familiar, which is why I ask. This of course may be an exception. If it is from a 3.0 book you should check with your DM if you are allowed to use it.

 

[Tellgraith]

Okay let me see if I understand..

Playing 3.5
Found "obtain familiar [feat]"
Want second familiar (so you already have one - wizard/sorcerer)

Okay - what is the question. If you already found the feat and you are allowed to use "any book" what's the problem? Not sure if it works when you already have one?

What book is the feat from?

It's from Complete Arcane pg.81

OBTAIN FAMILIAR
You gain a familiar.
Prerequisites: Knowledge (arcana) 4 ranks, arcane caster level 3rd.
Benefit: You can obtain a familiar in the same manner as a sorcerer or wizard (see the sorcerer class description and the accompanying sidebar, page 52 of the Player’s Handbook). As with a sorcerer or wizard, obtaining a familiar takes 24 hours and uses up magic materials worth 100 gp.
For the purpose of determining familiar abilities that depend on your arcane caster class level, your levels in all classes that allow you to cast arcane spells stack.


What I want is a second familiar, I'm not sure if I can get one through this feat, if so, awesome. If anyone knows another way if this doesn't work, then I'd like to know.

 

[irdeggman]

No the feat won't allow getting a 2nd familiar.

It states "in the same manner as a sorcerer or wizard"

The familiar description under those (actually under the sorcerer class in teh PHB but in the SRD as a separate entry

Under sorcere entry

"A character with more than one class that grants a familiar may have only one familiar at a time."

 

[Eldritch_Lord]

If anyone knows another way if this doesn't work, then I'd like to know.

On page 62 of Dragon #280 there's a feat called Extra Familiar which, surprise surprise, gives you another familiar. It can even be taken multiple times if you really want.

 

[Tellgraith]

On page 62 of Dragon #280 there's a feat called Extra Familiar which, surprise surprise, gives you another familiar. It can even be taken multiple times if you really want.

Awsome, Thankyou.

 

[Pergentile]

"in the same manner as a sorcerer or wizard"

Does not make it a class that grants a familiar.

"A character with more than one class that grants a familiar may have only one familiar at a time."

Does not mean that anything other than a class that grants a familiar would keep the restriction at 1.

In the end, its just up to the DM. If the DM is fine with you having a second familiar, then there is no reason one shouldn't be able to take the Obtain Familiar feat if Dragon Magazine #280 is not available for the Extra Familiar feat. The implications of wording only matter as much as the DM wants them to.
If you feel like arguing the logic though, I love debates. ^^

 

[irdeggman]

Does not make it a class that grants a familiar.

But it follows the same rules as for classes that do.

Does not mean that anything other than a class that grants a familiar would keep the restriction at 1.

Let's look at the table on pg 53 of the PHB.

If the feat doesn't make it a class ability then none of the abilities listed on that table would be gained since there is no "class" to use. Class is different than character level.

You could get the other abilities but the familiar wouldn't gain anything listed on that table.

So then having a familiar without a class to base it too is pretty much a very, very weak use of a feat.

 

[Greenfield]

To qualify for that feat, you need the ability to cast an Arcane spell. That pretty much says "This is a feat for Bards", as it's the only class that casts arcane spells and doesn't get a Familiar. All the PRCs that give Arcane casting ability are based on an arcane caster as the base class.

As for getting an extra familiar with "Obtain Familiar", it references the Sorcerer and/or Wizard class. These have a particular requirement for obtaining a familiar: You can't currently have one.

As for Dragon: There have been a lot of things written up there over the years that never actually made it into the rules, and shouldn't have. There were half a dozen different class write ups for Ninja, before Oriental Adventures came out. None of them matched the actual class that ended up in the RAW.

So while the DM might have allowed any/all the books, that might not include Dragon. Find the article, so you can show him exactly what the rules and limitations are, and then make your pitch.

 

[Rabulias]

To qualify for that feat, you need the ability to cast an Arcane spell. That pretty much says "This is a feat for Bards", as it's the only class that casts arcane spells and doesn't get a Familiar. All the PRCs that give Arcane casting ability are based on an arcane caster as the base class.

Or if a sorceror or wizard gave up the ability to get a familiar to take an Alternative Class Feature, and later decided they wanted a familiar afterall.