Familiars: Does EVERYONE take the toad?

[Ravellion]

well they're in the right edition.


i didn't say it, PKitty. she did.

Does it matter? This is not edition wars, and your schtick is getting very... predictable at least. It never really riled me up, but it is getting purely stale now IMO.

In any case, I have used Rat for a Kobold Sorcerer, Weasel for an Elven Arcane Archer, and 3 more PCs have remained familiarless.

I have seen people take the toad IMC though, though I keep track if the player actually mentions the critter at all, or when I ask for it he has an answer for it other than "in this perfectly sealed box with one airhole."

I just think the flavour of such a thing is so low that I actually jsut take the bonusses away and say it has lost it's magical connection and is now a pet. No familiar should be treated with less respect than an Amulet of Health would get.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Not unless you cast Polymorph to turn your wizard into a troll and have the familiar share that spell and become a troll as well for some double rending action against low-AC foes.

Isn't the average familiar Tiny?

Wouldn't that limit it to Polymorphing into a Small troll?

-Hyp.

 

[Ghostwind]

And where might we find a description of this lovely product in preparation for purchasing it?

Hellhound made the anouncement a little bit ago. Dweomercraft: Familiars should be out in the next 1-3 months.

 

[Banshee16]

I prefer the hawk familiar. I think it's way cooler than a toad. Should really give a spot bonus though, but it doesn't. With 1d2 -5 dmg, it's not like it's any more deadly than the raven or owl, and they give bonuses....

Regardless, having a familiar that can fly up past arrow range, and look down on your opponents, to scout out over the next hill (hide doesn't work so well if you're concentrating on hiding behind a wall to ambush a bunch of adventurers coming down the road, if the hawk is looking down at you...).

Very useful....

Banshee

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

I knew there had to be a catch with that idea. Oh well.

Isn't the average familiar Tiny?

Wouldn't that limit it to Polymorphing into a Small troll?

-Hyp.

 

[The Iron Mark]

Depends on how your interpret Polymorph with Share Spells. If you cast the spell on yourself and become a Troll, some interpretations would make the familiar change into a Troll, or whatever you decided to turn into.

 

[Malin Genie]

I just think the flavour of such a thing is so low that I actually jsut take the bonusses away and say it has lost it's magical connection and is now a pet. No familiar should be treated with less respect than an Amulet of Health would get.

Can I thread a chain through it and hang it around my neck then?

 

[beta-ray]

(original line)No, I took the weasel.

Ladies and Gentlemen... your daily dose of unintended sexual inuendo has arrived.

I thought that started with the "horny toad" comment?!

[edit: didn't quote the way I intended]

 

[WayneLigon]

I've never had anyone take the toad. They usually choose ravens or cats.

 

[yennico]

I have played some wizards and sorcerers but none of them has taken a toad as familiar.
They have taken as familiar either a raven, an owl or a bat (for a Drow wizard). One high level wizard has taken no further familiar after his first familiar was killed.

Just my 2 cents
yennico