How do you keep your familiar alive?

[Pax]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: How do you keep your familiar alive?

The errata on the persistent spell feat(from the FRCS errata) specifically states: "Spells of instantaneous duration, spells with a range of touch, and spells whose effects are discharged cannot be affected by this feat."

-Hyp.

Chill Touch isn't discharged. It has a duration, and you can touch EACH round of it's duration. If you have multiple attacks, you can use them all, and the duration still continues.

 

[Pax]

This doesn't mean the familiar has to be sleeping. If you want to use him to deliver touch attacks, or whatever, wake him up and send him out. But be aware that a monster might stomp him if he makes himself an obvious or dangerous target.

And if I merely want the Alertness benefit? Or the skill add (only the Toad, that I know of, gives an attribute bonus)? Or maybe to have a conversation with my familiar ... or have my Raven calling out very un-helpful advice to BOTH sides, whileperched on my shoulder?

 

[Hypersmurf]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: How do you keep your familiar alive?

Chill Touch isn't discharged. It has a duration, and you can touch EACH round of it's duration. If you have multiple attacks, you can use them all, and the duration still continues.

I'm very happy for you.

Let's try again.

"Spells with a range of touch cannot be affected by this feat."

-Hyp.

 

[Pax]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: How do you keep your familiar alive?

I'm very happy for you.

Let's try again.

"Spells with a range of touch cannot be affected by this feat."

-Hyp.

Which basically eliminates ANY non-personal spells.

... in fact, basically that would mean, "This feat may affect no spells which would benefit form it in any way" ...

Heck, MAGE ARMOR (duration issues aside) wouldn't count!

 

[Hypersmurf]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: How do you keep your familiar alive?

Which basically eliminates ANY non-personal spells.

... in fact, basically that would mean, "This feat may affect no spells which would benefit form it in any way" ...

Heck, MAGE ARMOR (duration issues aside) wouldn't count!

Mage Armor wouldn't count. This is true.

Detect Magic, Detect Evil, and several other Detect spells have a fixed range. Shield has a personal range. Prayer, Bless, and Bane have a fixed range. Alter Self and Change Self are personal. Most of the Repel, Shell, or Globe spells are fixed - including spells like Globe of Invulnerability. Improved Invisibility has a range of personal when cast on yourself.

Blink, Comprehend Languages, Divine Power, Divine Favor, Entropic Shield, Ethereal Jaunt, Expeditious Retreat, Fire Shield, Freedom of Movement, Levitate, Meld into Stone, Mirror Image, Obscuring Mist, Prestidigitation, Righteous Might, Speak with Animals/Plants...

Where's the problem?

-Hyp.

 

[bret]

While the familiar is sleeping or hiding, it grants the master no benefits at all, so there's no free lunch here. I suppose that this rule could be abused to protect a familiar with ranged special abilities, or a combat-effective one that has been wounded, but we've never had any of those IMC so the issue hasn't come up.

[Edited to add
I should point out that my party contains 7 PCs, two familiars, a paladin's mount, and the bard's unicorn cohort. Plus there are the occasional summoned monsters, and a figurine of wondrous power or two. Combat takes long enough as it is, so anything that extends it is to be avoided.

Yeah, but that sort of makes one of my favorite uses of Familiars much less useful.

I like to take an Owl and post them on watch throughout the night. During the day, the familiar is sleeping while I'm awake. One of us is always on watch.

Works really well for a Rogue/Wizard.

 

[Kosh]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: How do you keep your familiar alive?

The errata on the persistent spell feat(from the FRCS errata) specifically states: "Spells of instantaneous duration, spells with a range of touch, and spells whose effects are discharged cannot be affected by this feat."

-Hyp.

R.I.P. Persistent Haste...

...

 

[Hypersmurf]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: How do you keep your familiar alive?

R.I.P. Persistent Haste...

...

Good grief... I would hope so, too!

-Hyp.