Feats for your pet friends

[RUMBLETiGER]

So beside the point. Imps, Quasits, Mephits etc. have 3 HD before they ever become a familiar. So they have two feats right out of the gates. Now whether those can be changed from the ones given in their MM entry is an entirely different question - but if they CAN, you have two feats to work with. Which can be used for Bind Vestige and Improved Bind Vestige, for example.

for the purpose of this thread, lets assume pre-enhanced critters come to you with official feats, simply because I want to use this info as a player, not messing with my DM.
However, once the pet gains HD, that sucker's mine to do with as I will! Training a set of baboons to draw Binder symbols sounds legit to me. I just need to get a pack of Handle Animal Fleshrakers to draw with their big toes.

 

[jefgorbach]

True, however the last portions of those sentences become irrelevant unless familiars CAN advance independent of their Master since all familiars begin with fewer hit dice than their Masters.

"Hit Dice
For the purpose of effects related to number of Hit Dice, use the master’s character level or the familiar’s normal HD total, whichever is higher.

Hit Points
The familiar has one-half the master’s total hit points (not including temporary hit points), rounded down, regardless of its actual Hit Dice."


Accordingly, Familiars gain xp for their directly attributed actions/kills per RAW unless HouseRules advance them per the Cohort process to simplify the bookkeeping. In game Balance is maintained for the simple reason familiars remain highly fragile and thus rarely gain xp at any appreciable rate so will typically lag far far behind the party average level.

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

...so, setting familiars aside, feats suggestions please.

I know how these threads tend to derail, hoping to go atleast another page before it does.

Feel free to start a new thread for the debate.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Check out the Heritage feats from the Planar Handbook, like Earth Heritage, Fire Heritage, or Natural Heavyweight.

Ki Shout from Oriental Adventures- or the similar Daunting Presence from Libris Mortis- could be fun, too.

PHB2's Combst Panache and CompAdv's Brachiation could be amusing in a very Disney-Animal sidekick kind of way.

 

[ghostcat]

As the herder of three cats, I feel that cats should have a Hide in Plain Sight feat.

Hide in Plain Sight

A cat with this feat can use the Hide skill even while being observed.

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

As the herder of three cats, I feel that cats should have a Hide in Plain Sight feat.

Hide in Plain Sight has always been a class ability, and not a feat. But yes, that sounds very cat-like.

But that reminds me, Feline pets can select from Feats From Here. Totally awesome for that Dire Tiger you might be riding around upon. You know, when the Dire Tiger uses the Writhe feat to essentially hypnotize your enemies to coming into pounce range...