Familiars: Does EVERYONE take the toad?

[Gizzard]

I've seen Toad and Weasel, with Toad being more a power-game choice.

I always say "where are you keeping the toad?"...

The Familiar has a 1/2 mile range for several of his abilities, right? I am running Freeport right now; the Toad-wielding PC rents a place not too far from the center of town and simply leaves his Toad in its cage in his room. :-/

 

[howandwhy99]

IIRC,
Toads can't fly,
Toads can't see in the dark,
Toads don't move silently,
Toads can't speak one language,
And toads can't move very quickly (20 feet at a flat out run)

OTOH,
Toads can move 5 feet/rd,
Toads do average 1/hp normally,
Toads can croak loudly,
and toads can cause warts.

How does this add up?
Well, scouting seems a bit implausible,
Hopping large ravines is right out,
And transferring touch spells is rather difficult (unless you toss your toad)
Which in my mind adds up to +2 Con bonus.

 

[CerebralAssassin]

Having only played one character who had a familiar (Bar1/Sor7), I took a Rat. I saw the +2 Con bonus, but for one thing, I had a level of Barbarian and two, my tribe's totem was a rat, so it made sense. The other players in my group that have played Wiz/Sorc characters haven't taken Toad either. I think that, like some of the previous posters said, a +2 Con bonus is nice, but it can't really do much else, unless te player is fairly creative.

Nathan

 

[Munin]

and my Raven was named Munin.

Wha....what? The last time I checked I was bound as some Norse God's familiar!!

Now I have to settle for some stinkin' wizard? Sheesh, what is the world coming to?

 

[krunchyfrogg]

First toad don't like being wet, thats frogs.

THANK YOU! If somebody hadn't already posted this, there's a certain froggy around here that wouldn't have been too happy!

Other familiars are better then the toad. +2 to con is not all that great when compared to benifits availiable from other familiars. [/B]

A +2 CON gives a spellcaster more hitpoints, and +1 to one of their weak saves. That's just awesome.


I took a squirrel familiar once. +2 REF save (Dragon Magazine), and I just think the squirrel worked well for the sorcerer.

 

[MadScientist]

IMC I've seen a cat and a raven. The raven's ability to speak a language has seemed to me to be far more useful than a +2 con. He's an excellent scout, can relay messages between different party members, and can understand reasonably complex instructions even at low levels (we often give him sunrods to drop in places where we need illumination but are difficult for us to get to, etc.) Even with the con bonus Wizards and Sorceres are genrally not going to have HP's or a Fort save to speak of.

The cat is nice for the other character because he's a rogue/wizard multiclass.

We often make fun of the toad in our group. Talking about making ranged touch attacks (with touch spells) by throwing it at opponents and such.

 

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Never taken the toad, as a matter of fact i often don't bother with a familiar at all. One of these days i might try haveing a wizard go the improved familiar route.


uh, i've had lizards and birds mostly when i do take one. I've never seen anyone go toad either.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

i've seen bat, cat, rat, owl, hawk, fox, and toad.

edit: forgot Pop the weasel.

You forgot our pet muchkin's wolverine (squish).

Yeah, I've only seen 1/4 toads recently (that's one of four, not one quarter ).

 

[Hand of Evil]

I go with crow myself but I have seen a bit of everything.

Check out how smart crows and parrots are, then talk to your DM about allow extra things like pick lock! But this could work for any familiar.

 

[Nebin]

Well at first I had a rat familiar but since it died ( at one of Lord Morrus's parties by mistake, bad magic 'shrooms) last year I've been looking at my options for a new one. The cat and weasel were both great options but I've decided to go with an uncommon familiar.

So now I have Nutkin my squirrel familiar , he grants me a +2 on climb checks and with his clever fingers the lil fur ball is a real boon. besides he wages are peanuts, thru he does have these strange necrophilic tendicies.

If you don't get the joke don't try to understand folks