Familiar Trade-Off?

[FCWesel]

Hey all...first post here...

I have a player who is asking what he can have instead of having a Familiar. He wants to be a Sorcerer or Wizard type, but simply doesn't want teh Familiar...it's not part of his character concept.

What would you deem the "Familiar is worth"...is it worth two feats spread over several levels? After all the familiar is pretty strong, it allwos a double chance for many skill checks like spot or listen, often at a better chance, also keep in mind that as long as the familiar is physically capable it can do ANY skill at the Caster's level...so this allows a caster who knows that he failed to use his knowledge (arcane) skill correctly to allow his familiar a shot at it!; it allows 1 mile scouting force with speed of thought communications; it allows a magi to deliever touch spells for him with less danger to himself, and more.

What can I give the player to make him balanced still, is I guess what I am asking...

Thanks all!!!!!

 

[Macbrea]

I wouldn't trade out the ability for the person. In truth, the sorceror I played didn't use his class ability of familiar in the 12 levels that I played him. I just could never find one I liked.



Why, I suggest not trading it out is because:

• The Fighter that only uses one weapon and wears light armor shouldn't be compensated for his choice not to use the rest of his class abilities.
• The ranger that never sees a favorite enemy in a game that he knows they aren't going to be in shouldn't be compensated.
• Druids that never get poisoned shouldn't get to change out their ability to be immune because they never use it.
• The Cleric that never meets an undead doesn't get to use his class ability.
• ect. .....

 

[Negative Zero]

hey FCWesel, welcome!
AFAIK a familiar is an OPTIONAL benefit of the class. as per PHB the wiz or sorc doesn't HAVE TO summon a familliar. there are certainly benefits for doing so. but a caster who doesn't chose to, doens't gain any other benefits. meaning that not all wizards have them. so if your player is asking for something in return for not taking it, i'd say he's SOoL.

if on the other hand you want to give him something, i'd suggest an extra 2 skill points per lvl, and if he's playing a wiz and maybe a free spell mastery feat. if he's a sorc, you could offer him the arcane preperation feat. just a thought.

~NegZ

 

[mikebr99]

hey FCWesel, welcome!
AFAIK a familiar is an OPTIONAL benefit of the class. as per PHB the wiz or sorc doesn't HAVE TO summon a familliar. there are certainly benefits for doing so. but a caster who doesn't chose to, doens't gain any other benefits. meaning that not all wizards have them. so if your player is asking for something in return for not taking it, i'd say he's SOoL.

if on the other hand you want to give him something, i'd suggest an extra 2 skill points per lvl, and if he's playing a wiz and maybe a free spell mastery feat. if he's a sorc, you could offer him the arcane preperation feat. just a thought.

~NegZ

And besides... summoning your familiar costs 100gp, so it's not even an available benifit for a while...

I wouldn't give him any benifits either...

He should take the Toad... +2 CON, and it just sits in his pocket and never gets used again...

 

[Thanee]

Give him the Eschew Materials feat at first level instead (with no prereq's needed). Fits very well to a Sorcerer!

Bye
Thanee

 

[Bonedagger]

If you really insist on giving him something instead of the ability to summon a familar then give him a minor magical item he can start with (A family jewelry or something). This would be going further than I would.

By the way. He is balanced without a familar. A familar brings truble in itself. "Oh. That fireball killed your familar... Lets se how many xp per level you lose."

 

[Artoomis]

Ask youself this:

Should a character gain something for:

NOT using two weapons as a Ranger?

NOT using Mediium or Heavy Armor as a Fighter?

NOT calling a mount as a paladin?

NEVER raging as a barbarian?

Most characters do not use all their abilties - if you allow characters to trade off unused features you will get some mighty powerful characters - effectively, you'll have prestige class characters at first level.

You may find that the game gets a bit unbalanced.

 

[KnowTheToe]

If the Player had a different concept for his character that required a new skill or two or a feat, then you could swap it out. I was reminded in another thread that the DMG refers to customizing the classes by swapping out some of the abilities for other ones. I personally am not a huge fan of the familiar because they get forgotton for so much of the time. Since the Player does not have a special request, I would not offer any benefits. After all, it is open to him if he changes his mind.

 

[Mahiro Satsu]

He shouldn't recieve compensation, but its your call. Remember that in 3rd edition the classes are very flexible and he wont be missing much. Plus if he doesnt want a familiar then he can spend those 100gp on some new scrolls.

 

[TheFlamingRheo]

I suggest you refer to the Dusk campaign setting it states that someone may take a hinderence, which means a sorcerer or wizard may remove summon familiar ability for another feat of their choice.