Familiars: Does EVERYONE take the toad?

[Brown Jenkin]

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?

Glad to see another Familiar posting on these boards, though there is some debate as to whether I am a Familiar or just some devil creature working with Kaziah Mason. Familiar to a god, wow, I need to upgrade.

 

[BiggusGeekus@Work]

I think the only time I've seen a toad was in a one-shot game. The guy played a dwarf wizard and thus had a pretty dang high CON. We made fun of him for it. Then his character got picked up by a wyvern, stung, and dropped. He lived. We stopped making fun of him.

 

[Arthur Tealeaf]

I usually take the cat, preferably black.

I've never taken the toad, and I've never licked one either.

In my campaign, cats are way too powerful, because they can't be hurt! Strange...

Never seen someone choose a toad familiar, and I can see why... Not exactly very cool walking arounf with a toad on your shoulder...

A raven though...

 

[Malin Genie]

I've never yet seen a toad in actual play. Everyone in the games I play/DM seems to have birds (ravens or, in one case for a size S wizard, a budgerigar. Whom she painted black and named 'Raven'....)

 

[Voadam]

Using the R&R 5th level spell improved familiar I've got a dire otter. We switched out the blood drain of a weasel for some swimming abilities.

Most wizards don't risk having a vulnerable xp risk in the games I've played in or run.

 

[Sejs]

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

In my Familiar Pocket. The one that has the sign out front that says 'Target my familiar just because you feel like being petulent, rather than it being something the person performing the action would do, and I will kick you'.


^_^

 

[Jalkain]

I'm just wondering. Every person that puts out there character and is like: look at this! usually takes a level of sorc/wiz so they can get the toad familar (+2 CON). I mean that is just lame.

And realistically, toads wouldn't be very good familiars. They need to be wet most of the time, they make a lot of noise and are terrible scouts unless you happen to be near a swamp. I think that taking a toad familiar should also give you -2 CHA due to the warts you would get. THAT will teach those munchkins.

As if losing points from Charisma will bother the average munchkin! Unless they're a sorcerer of course...

Oh, and by the way, Weasel!

 

[Conaill]

Haven't seen a toad familiar yet. I'm playing with a spider monkey familiar right now, but it hasn't been quite as much fun as I hoped. My favorite so far... the Raven! I think every part y should have at least one aerial reconaissance option, whether it's a familiar, animal companion, or simply a PC or NPC who flies around a lot. Plus the fact that the raven can talk makes it so much more versatile than getting a plain numerical bonus!

 

[Richards]

Our 3E campaign has so far seen a toad (colored like a fire toad but without the fireball powers; its master was a fire-themed sorceress), a raven, and a Small air elemental (using Improved Familiar). The toad wears a little harness with two healing potions on it, and has been trained to feed them to its mistress when she falls unconscious; that toad has saved the party's bacon at least twice now - my oldest son HATES it when his character has to get "saved by the toad."

Our 2E campaign featured a parrot familiar.

But I've always been partial to osquips, myself.

Johnathan

 

[Sejs]

And realistically, toads wouldn't be very good familiars.

Sure they would! Just look at Trevor, from Harry Potter.

They need to be wet most of the time,

Nope, you're thinking of Frogs. Toads do just fine, even in arid environments. Horny Toads?

they make a lot of noise,

No more than any other animal. It's not like froaking is compulsary - they do that to communicate.

and are terrible scouts unless you happen to be near a swamp.

They're not the fastest runners, granted. But they'd be dang handy in some situations. when was the last time your cat familiar recovered an important small item from the bottom of a pool for you?

I think that taking a toad familiar should also give you -2 CHA due to the warts you would get. THAT will teach those munchkins.

Yeah, and bird familiars should make you poop on cars, and cat familiars should make you tongue yourself clean at the drop of a hat. Toad familiars should not give the owner a penality. Nor should any other type of creature.



(I realised I had neglected to respond to the initial topic of the thread, heh)
^_^