D&D 4E Familiars in 4E

[Campbell]

There's no reason to not include them as an option. If players like yourself don't want a familiar, then you shouldn't take the familiar. Some of us enjoyed them. Eliminating them entirely is an unncessary restriction.

I wasn't really speaking from a player's perspective, and I don't really have any problems with familiars or animal companions from a flavor standpoint. I would be entirely too happy to accommodate a player by introducing a familiar that isn't part and parcel of his character's abilities. My distaste for PC minions stems entirely from issues with designing combat encounters that account for a PC's minion and encounters where the minion might not be available. When the minion isn't part of a character's intrinsic power I can treat them like I would any other combatant.

In this regard, 3e familiars are far less problematic than 3e animal companions since familiars represented such a minuscule amount of a sorcerer or wizard's overall ability.

 

[MarkB]

I'm sure there are lots of other great ideas out there. So sound off! What familiars do you think should be standard in 4E?

Well, we know that a certain race won't be appearing in playable form in the PHB, but that they are due to show up somewhere, at some point. So my own theory is:

All familiars are now Gnomes.

 

[Rechan]

My distaste for PC minions stems entirely from issues with designing combat encounters that account for a PC's minion and encounters where the minion might not be available.

Wha? Why would a companion not be available? The only situations where they aren't available are: 1) It died, and 2) Player of PC with minion doesn't show up.

The PC not being present is a bigger problem, to me, than the thing just dieing in the middle of a dungeon. You can just knock the monster down a peg somehow, which is what you would have to do if the PC doesn't show up in the first place.

 

[Traycor]

All familiars are now Gnomes.

Garden Gnome familiars FTW!!!

 

[Hairfoot]

I found the old method far to generous. "I cast a 1st-level spell, and now I have this cool permanent class feature!"

However, it ate up a "known spell" slot that may save a wizard in the early levels.

 

[WarlockLord]

They should be optional.

That said, I have had some great times with a familiar. My favorite? Basil the Beer-Drinking Bat.

Just...don't ask.

 

[Traycor]

I remembered another familiar that should be a "base" familiar for 4E

beholderkin, eyeball

From Forgotten Realms. Those little guys rocked!

 

[hong]

Our group hasn't bothered with familiars for years, so I'd be happy if they got dumped.

 

[Klaus]

I wonder if the Raven Harrier companion of the Knight of the Raven (Expedition to Castle Ravenloft) is any indication of what a familiar in 4e could do... It is, in essence, the summoned ravens from Diablo II expansion.

 

[Stalker0]

Just make them a feat I say. That's what they did with psions and psicrystals and it works fine imo. Not every wizard and druid needs a pet, but its definately a strong archetype that should remain.