The concentration-bot idea is very interesting!The imp makes an incredible scout, and it's expendable, and heck your familiar can even serve as a concentration-bot with a ring of spell storing for haste and bless. I don't personally think it's a "combat pet," but I suppose some folk might see the familiar at early levels' efficacy and wonder why it doesn't scale up.
It's a frightfully boring and efficient use of a ring of spell storing, especially since the familiar has its own attunement slots and the caster can just dismiss the familiar safely to a demiplane so there's no way to try to threaten the concentration of the haste spellThe concentration-bot idea is very interesting!
There’s a new invocation which is coincidently 9th level called Dire form. It Increases health, damage, ac and size. Should satisfy your need for a battle familiar somewhat.With the Frog Fangs eldritch invocation and Pact of the Chain, such a Warlock build aims at having the familiar in combat to boost damage per round. It works well at lower levels. At higher levels, the familiar goes down within a round or two of suffering damage in combat.
For my 9th level Warlock with Wisdom 20 and a Wand of the War Mage +1, the Imp attacks at +10, with advantage if invisible, and does d4+3 piercing + d6 poison + 4 force damage from Frog Fangs, an average of 13 damage per round if it hits. They can also deliver Eldritch Scythe through the familiar, with that +4 force damage from Frog Fangs on each eldritch blast, so similar damage benefit of +12 per round if it hits the target and another within 5' with Eldritch Scythe. Casting Resplendent Refraction on the Imp is another way to make good use of it. Either way, the additional damage per round is good, but at the risk of the familiar dying.
My plan was to research a rare version of Armor of Agathys with 8 hour duration that could be cast on the familiar, rather than only cast on self. Additionally, Elven Chain would boost my Imp's AC from 14 to 16 (AC 13 + 1 + 2 from Dexterity modifier as max. Dex. bonus is +2 for chain shirt). The campaign, with my Warlock character, is taking a break at the moment, so I haven't done this as yet.
I wouldn't allow the spell to persist if the familiar is not on the same planeIt's a frightfully boring and efficient use of a ring of spell storing, especially since the familiar has its own attunement slots and the caster can just dismiss the familiar safely to a demiplane so there's no way to try to threaten the concentration of the haste spell![]()
Yeah. RAW it works, but even if they're not sending them to another plane "they cast haste, then hop in my backpack for full cover" is the other option. Ofc one could then say "ok sounds like your equipment's all going to start taking damage from fireballs etc" but that's an antagonistic direction I'd rather avoid.I wouldn't allow the spell to persist if the familiar is not on the same plane