Homunculus Question

[DaveStebbins]

A regular, run-of-the-mill, Homunculus has 2 (d10) hit dice.

If it is destroyed, its creator/master takes 2d10 damage.

For additional cost, a homunculus with more than 2 (d10) hit dice can be created.

If a wizard creates, say, a 5 hit dice homunculus, would he then take 5d10 damage if it is destroyed?

Thanks in advance for your input and opinions.
-Dave

 

[Alzrius]

There's really nothing with which to form an opinion either way. I suppose the strictest interpretation of the RAW would be that the damage a wizard takes if his homunculus is destroyed is always 2d10, since nothing says that damage is necessarily tied to hit dice.

 

[Saeviomagy]

Give him 2d10 damage. Nailing him for more just sucks. Really, it does.

 

[DaveStebbins]

Give him 2d10 damage. Nailing him for more just sucks. Really, it does.

LOL, thanks. Actually, I'll be playing the mage. I'm just trying to think of possible drawbacks to making my mage's homunculus more durable. Well, other than the whole cost:value thing.

-Dave

 

[werk]

An attack that destroys a homunculus deals 2d10 points of damage to its master.

I don't see anything saying that it is different or variable.

 

[Snowy]

would you be playing a blood magus from complete arcane?

only asking because I really fancy playing one sometime....

edited bit follows....

and if so are you going to summon a familiar? can you have a familiar AND a homunculous?

apologies for my vicarious questioning of your character, its been too long since I played

 

[werk]

and if so are you going to summon a familiar? can you have a familiar AND a homunculous?

apologies for my vicarious questioning of your character, its been too long since I played

I'm curious about this too. You can pick a homonculus under improved familar, but the text in improved familiar seems to suggest that you can only take the homonculus as a familiar if your type is undead? I got confused about which tables to pull from for Imp. Fam.

I would think you could have a regular familiar and a legion of regular homonculus.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

The reason there is curiousity and confusion is that the Improved Familiar feat isn't very well written.

For instance, the header to the table on which the homonculus appears reads:

For instance, improved familiars could be assigned by the master’s creature type or subtype, as shown below.

In other words, a homonculus is a suggested Imp. Fam. for undead wizards of 7th-level or higher, but it's just a suggestion. See you DM for what'll really be allowed.

Yes, you can make a homonculus and have a familiar at the same time. It costs a feat, however, to make your homonculus into your familiar (including all the bonuses it gets - improved intelligence, bonuses to AC, etc.).

 

[DaveStebbins]

would you be playing a blood magus from complete arcane?

only asking because I really fancy playing one sometime....

edited bit follows....

and if so are you going to summon a familiar? can you have a familiar AND a homunculous?

apologies for my vicarious questioning of your character, its been too long since I played

Nope, no one in my group even owns Complete Arcane. My concept for this PC does not ever involve him having a familiar. In fact, he'll be using the Unearthed Arcana option of giving up the use of a familiar to cast his Summon Monster spells as a standard action (specialist conjurer). He likes having others do his bidding.

-Dave

 

[Snowy]

a fair enough, I guess I'll just have to be patient until I get to play again .

Have fun!