Rule Philosophy Question: Mounts, Companions, Familiars, and Feats

[Gez]

It's very simple, actually.

A paladin gets a warhorse or warpony mount. The paladin may get a more powerful mount, but then his "master level" will be lowered -- the mount will get less special abilities than a straight warhorse would.

A druid or ranger get an animal companion. They may get more powerful animal companions, but then again, their "master level" will be lowered.

A sorcerer or wizard get a familiar. They may get more powerful familiars, but then, they need to take a feat for that.

Why the discrepency? Why shouldn't paladins, druids, and rangers take an Improved Mount/Companion feat rather than losing levels? Or, why shouldn't sorcerers and wizards lose "master levels" to get more powerful familiars, rather than having to take a feat?

Personally -- house-rules -- I've decided to ditch the Improved Familiar feat and adopt the same system as for improved mounts and companions. A celestial hawk familiar gives you a -1 penalty to your master level, stirge a -3 penalty, and a pseudodragon a -5 penalty.

However, I'd like to know if there was any reason, in your opinion, for the discrepency between the improved familiar rule and the rule used for all other pets.

 

[Thanee]

I think the animal companion and paladin mount are supposed to be more powerful, simple as that.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Magus Coeruleus]

Yeah, special mount and animal companion are supposed to be by default battle-capable, and to keep up with master level being battle capable. The familiar is not normally meant for battle, but instead is a spy/scout/etc. Familiars increase in power with level just like mounts and companions do, but in a different way. Mainly they become more intelligent. The others mainly get tougher. Special choice mounts and companions should be approximately as tough as normal ones with the corresponding amount of advancement. So if you allow a tougher familiar for a higher level wiz/sor by default with just a subtraction to master level for purposes of familiar "advancement," then realize you are allowing them to trade brains for brawn.

 

[mercucio]

Gez,

I use the same house-rule for my campaign. It makes a lot more sense to me as well. Even with the ability to gain a more powerful familiar a drd/pal/rgr of equal level will always have the stronger companio.

I notice that you have penalties of -1, -3, and -5, yet the required master level for A celestial hawk is 3rd, stirge is 5th, and a pseudodragon is 7th. Following the guideline that animal companion uses their adjustments to master level should be -2, -4, and -6 respectively. Is there a reason you decided to go with -1,-3, and -5?

 

[Gez]

It's related to another house-rule of mine. Sorcerers have, depending on their bloodline, preferred familiars (e.g., pseudodragon for the draconic bloodline), and they get a +1 bonus to their master level when they have the proper familiar. Since familiar abilities are every two levels, this gives a boost.

Of course, I could as well use -2, -4, -6, and give them a +2 bonus. Hmm. Might be better that way.