Favorite Familiars or Animal Companions

[KenSeg]

My little gnome wizard has his best friend, Croaker, a wonderful toad. There is nothing quite as satisfying as watching a fighter's face after he criticals you for a ton of damage and your little gnome smiling at him and saying, "Is that all you have?"

Of course I will probably die on the next hit, but at least I will die happy.

-KenSeg
Gaming since 1978

 

[WayneLigon]

My little gnome wizard has his best friend, Croaker, a wonderful toad. There is nothing quite as satisfying as watching a fighter's face after he criticals you for a ton of damage and your little gnome smiling at him and saying, "Is that all you have?"

So... how does that measly +3 HP help you do that? Far as I know, it's not +3 HP per level, it's just +3 HP period.

 

[Ghostwind]

Meepo, my kobold familiar...

 

[ForceUser]

I like ravens. They can speak one language and they can fly, which means that you can use them as heralds, messengers, and scouts. The raven's mobility, combined with its ability to communicate with the other party members independently, make it the most valuable familiar in my experience. Most other familiars just sit in your pocket. Ravens can actually do things.

 

[Sejs]

As far as animal companions are concerned? Riding dog. You can take it where ever and people won't freak out.

 

[ForceUser]

As far as animal companions are concerned? Riding dog. You can take it where ever and people won't freak out.

Yar. Warhorses make great animal companions too. (Tip: Ride is a class skill for druids. Warhorses are stout combatants. Warhorse animal companion + druid with Mounted Combat = great combo.)

 

[F5]

Yar. Warhorses make great animal companions too. (Tip: Ride is a class skill for druids. Warhorses are stout combatants. Warhorse animal companion + druid with Mounted Combat = great combo.)

I'll second that.

As for familiars, nothing I've played beats an Improved Familiar Air Mephit with a hat of disguise for sheer troublemaking potential...

Though Ravens are the next best.

 

[ARandomGod]

I often like weasels (or "ferrets", with the same stats). Also known as the "Wizards Need Reflex Saves familiar. Plus ferrets can get into some interesting places, which is useful with the spell Benign Transposition (First level, close range, two willing targets swich places).

AND ferrets have little, tiny hands. Ok, not the best hands in the world, but certainly good enough to 1) Pour a potion down your throat when you're dying 2) stow away that wand in your Handy Haversack for you, thus saving you an action.

I also really like owls sometimes. Even if you can't hear anything, there's almost NOTHING that the owl can't hear. They've got listen +14. Have the owl make listen checks all the time!

Although, I have to agree with the evil witch from the wizard of ozz... Flying monkey's really do make the best familiars.

 

[fafhrd]

Familiars are out, staffs are in. See "Staffs of the Magi" Dragon 338.

 

[Dragonbait]

A ranger in my campaign is attached to his elven steed. It is not particularly magical, and for some strange reason he did not take it as his animal companion (yet..). He rides it into dungeons too. It was in the area effect of a nasty spell and nearly died (-8 hp). I don't think I ever had a player look at me with the "F--- you, I'll kill you!" expression until that point.

My favorites were my wathog mount for my halfling, and my deinoneichys (sp?) for my saurial paladin.