Improved Familiar and Type
- Thread starter RobNJ
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Speaks With Stone
First Post
The way I understand is that it never was the original type. You don't cast this spell on a frog (pseudodragon, or whatever) and convert it to a familiar. Instead you summon a familiar (spirit of some sort, I guess) that takes on the guise of such a creature. But it is still just a magical beast because that is the Familiar Type.
Well, there is a transformation. If you die, your familiar becomes a normal animal of its type, for example.Speaks With Stone said:
Furthermore, let's say we have a ranger who has Dragons as his favored enemy. If he's fighting a wizard's pseudodragon familiar, why shouldn't he get his bonuses to skill rolls and attacks against the pseudodragon? It is a dragon.
I think this is a case where the rules were written with normal animals in mind, and not enough work was done to the Improved Familiar feat when it came out.
Mr Fidgit
First Post
the rules really aren't very clear on this. Tome and Blood states that improved familars 'have unusal special abilities but follow the general rules for familiars', but goes on to contradict itself in the creature descriptions
for example, a celestial hawk (outsider) improved familar listed 'type' is magical beast, but the formian worker, mephits and imp remain outsiders, the elementals are called 'elementals' (and not outsiders or magical beasts), homunculus is a construct and stirge is a beast (not magical beast)
(and psueodragon is listed as a dragon)
for example, a celestial hawk (outsider) improved familar listed 'type' is magical beast, but the formian worker, mephits and imp remain outsiders, the elementals are called 'elementals' (and not outsiders or magical beasts), homunculus is a construct and stirge is a beast (not magical beast)
(and psueodragon is listed as a dragon)
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Pbartender
First Post
Mr Fidgit said:
Double check the Celestial and Fiendish templates... "Beasts or animals with this template become magical beasts, but otherwise the creature type is unchanged."
They are not outsiders, unless they were already one to begin with.
It looks like they left the descriptors alone for Imp. Familiars... Whether it was intentional or not.
Has anyone checked the FAQ or Errata yet?
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This is the way I interpret the info...take it as you will.
When animals are made into familiars (and according to Tome and Blood, you do change an existing animal into a familiar, not summon up a special one then and there) they become magical beasts. I assume the reason for that transformation is to allow for higher Int scores, as well as the myriad special abilities familiars have that normal animals do not.
However, the creature type for Improved Familiars doesn't change, at least in the examples I've seen. My interpretation for that is that elementals, outsiders, dragons, etc...they all already have the capacity in their creature types for high intelligence and spell-like/supernatural abilities. Therefore, a change in creature type is pointless. It adds nothing, and is in fact counterintuitive.
Though, I admit, by this idea the Stirge familiar ought to become a magical beast too. Oversight maybe? *shrug*
When animals are made into familiars (and according to Tome and Blood, you do change an existing animal into a familiar, not summon up a special one then and there) they become magical beasts. I assume the reason for that transformation is to allow for higher Int scores, as well as the myriad special abilities familiars have that normal animals do not.
However, the creature type for Improved Familiars doesn't change, at least in the examples I've seen. My interpretation for that is that elementals, outsiders, dragons, etc...they all already have the capacity in their creature types for high intelligence and spell-like/supernatural abilities. Therefore, a change in creature type is pointless. It adds nothing, and is in fact counterintuitive.
Though, I admit, by this idea the Stirge familiar ought to become a magical beast too. Oversight maybe? *shrug*
i like they way you think Shayuri.
that makes so much sense to me i think i'll start uding that. improved familiar is one of my favorite feats. as for the stirge useing your way of familiar type would make it a magical beast makes scence to me. so until WotC comes out with a better solution i'll use your idea.
that makes so much sense to me i think i'll start uding that. improved familiar is one of my favorite feats. as for the stirge useing your way of familiar type would make it a magical beast makes scence to me. so until WotC comes out with a better solution i'll use your idea.
silvertable81
First Post
Actually it stays a Magical Beast and retains powers as if a familiar to a master one level lower than the deceased master.RobNJ said:
