An idea with Familiars and their hit points...

[Gez]

I've thought about linking the familiar's and the master's hit points, so that they would have a common pool. If either is hit, both are hurt. Also, familiars would not be able to move farther than Long range from their master.

Now, this would change the flavor of familiars a big deal, and make them closer to things like the "daemons" of Pullman's dark material books.

If one is dealt a crippling blow (going from positive to dying), then the other can save to avoid falling unconscious. If the save is successful, the whole is considered stabilized. One is unconscious, but the other may still act normally.

If one is dealt a killing blow (going from positive to dead), the the other can save to avoid dying, and instead fall unconscious-yet-stabilized at -1.

If one was dealt a crippling blow, and the other was killed then, the first must save or die. If the save is successful, he's dying again (no more stabilized).

If the familiar dies but the master survives, there's an XP loss as usual. If the master dies but the familiar survives, the familiar reverts to normal hit points and keep the abilities of a familiar of a master 2 levels lower (normal Tome & Blood rule).

Since this is, overall, a big drawback, what do you think would be OK to compensate ? I'm thinking about making all familiars give a +2 to Constitution (in addition to normal benefits). It's possibly still too weak, though.

 

[SylverFlame]

If one is dealt a crippling blow (going from positive to dying), then the other can save to avoid falling unconscious. If the save is successful, the whole is considered stabilized. One is unconscious, but the other may still act normally

Um, if they share the same HP pool, than how can one be at negative HP, and the other at positive HP. If one is at 10hp, both are at 10hp. If I'm misinterpreting what you're saying than let me know.

As for a shared HP pool: I like the idea. Seems interesting and makes the whole "deeply connected" idea make even more sense. I'd be leary of a +2 con bonus for all familiars. Seems a little unbalancing, since a PC will be less likely to use the familar as a scout regardless of the extra 1hp per level, as they only have a low total between them.

 

[Gez]

Um, if they share the same HP pool, than how can one be at negative HP, and the other at positive HP.

They aren't. If one takes a hit that put him in the negative, the other may save to stay active -- despite being at negative too. Roughly similar to the Diehard feat, IIRC.

 

[Ferret]

What if they still had half the hitpoints, but if the master gets hurt the same damage is done to the to the familiar, but not vice versa. Or maybe...

 

[Eraslin]

It's a neat idea, but I personally don't really like it. Solely for the reason of area effect damage spells. With a common HP pool if the familiar and mage are nearby then any, and all, area effect spells will do double damage. High damage area effect spells are nasty enough when playing a low-HP class, like a mage, there's no need to make them nastier.

-Eraslin

 

[Gez]

Good point.

However, technically, a same creature can't be harmed more than once by the same area effect, even if occupying multiple squares.

 

[SylverFlame]

If you're saying that the familar and the mage are the same entity, so they only take damage once from area effect spells, then I am against the idea.

My reasoning is that if you go that way for one spell you have to do it for all. Which means, if they are the same being than charm type spells cast on the familar affect BOTH the familar and the mage. Personally, I think that is even more harsh than the area effect double damage. Imagine a person casting charm or hold on a scouting familar. All of a sudden they have a mage-spy in the party and no one knows because the mage was the only one with connection to the familiar. Fun for the GM, not the players.

 

[Ferret]

If you make friends with the familiar, why would the magebe hostile? Or even have them save seperatly, for all things, just take highest damage.