Obtain Familiar question

[irdeggman]

Yes, it is possible. Read the language carefully. I don't know what the intent was, but it's doable.

I disagree.

The language states

You can obtain a familiar in the same manner as a sorcerer or a wizard

The rules for a sorcerer or wizard state that you can't have more than 1 at a time.

See the sidebar on pg 52 & 53 if the PHB (also referenced by the feat description).

Basically this feats allows an arcane casting class that doesn't get a familiar to obtain one as if the class did - the sidebar on familiars (pg 53 states that classes stack for this purpose) - so no you can't obtain a second familiar using the feat in Complete Arcane.

 

[LordSplendor]

Exactly where on the sidebar does it state that you can only have one familiar?

Also Dragon magazine 280 pg 62, has a "extra familiar" feat.

 

[irdeggman]

Exactly where on the sidebar does it state that you can only have one familiar?

Also Dragon magazine 280 pg 62, has a "extra familiar" feat.

Under the class dedscription:

A character with more than one class that grants a familiar may
have only one familiar at a time.

Also

A sorcerer can obtain a familiar.

Note the "a" as in singular, the text then goes on to describe how you can summon another one if the familiar dies or is dismissed.

If it was meant that you could have more than 1 at at time such rules would not be necessary - that is you never need to have different rules to "replace" a familiar if you could merely summon another one.

 

[jefgorbach]

The Obtain Familiar Feat makes the Sor/Wiz class feature available to anyone because "familiars can be useful allies for characters of any class. Rogues can use a clever raccoon or crow familiars as an extra pair of hands or eyes in their work (to say nothing of having an ally to help them get out of tight spots). A performing animal can be part of a bard’s act. Clerics might have familiars sacred to their deity, while familiars for rangers or barbarians can serve as guides, companions, and helpers in the wilderness." - Dragon #280, p62.

Accordingly they have the normal familiar benefits/limitations, including being limited to have a single familiar. However the same issue has a number of interesting feats including Extra Familiar which specifically allows you to acquire an additional familiar each time you take it. I highly recommend acquiring a copy if you routinely deal with familiars as it adds several new base animal species as well as a number of highly useful feats.

"EXTRA FAMILIAR
General
You have an additional familiar.
Benefit: By taking this feat you get an additional animal familiar of a type described in the Player’s Handbook (or this article, with the DM’s permission). This familiar can be the same type of animal as your first, or a different type. Existing familiar feats apply to the new familiar. So if you have the Construct Familiar feat, for example, the new familiar you call can be a construct. The sorcerer or wizard gains all the benefits of both familiars, but identical bonuses from multiple familiars don’t stack. For example, a wizard with both an owl and a cat familiar receives only a +2 bonus to Move Silently checks, not a +4 bonus.
Special: A character can gain this feat multiple times. Each time you take the feat, you can call another familiar." -- Dragon #280, p62