So I'm trying an Eyeball Familiar

[Wolfwood2]

This is a campaign that doesn't meet too often. Due to somewhat haphazard scheduling, we probably average out to playing once every four weeks. Still, as of last session my wizard PC made 5th level.

The DM has a fair amount of house rules, so I'm going to be able to use my 5th level bonus feat to get a Beholderkin Eyeball (from Monsters of Faerun) as an Improved Familiar. Overall it looks like it could be pretty useful.

It's not the most powerful familiar choice out there. I serious considered waiting until I could get a Quasit familiar at 7th level, but I'd rather be gratified now than hope for a Quasit in 2008. (Going by likely advancement rates in real time.)

The Spellray ability won't do me all that much good since Necromancy is one of my gnome conjurer's barred schools, and all the good touch attack spells are in Necromancy. Still, I'm going to at least pick up Shocking Grasp for an easy 5d6 of ranged electrical damage at a low level slot. (Any good Spell Compendium touch spells that aren't Necromancy or Enchantment?)

For those of you who aren't familiar with Monsters of Faerun, the Eyeball has the following characteristics:

Looks like a miniature beholder 7 inches across, with 4 eyestalks. The central eye does nothing and the four eyestalks do: Ray of Frost, Cause Fear, Mage hand, and Daze. It can use one eyestalk per round, and as a familiar one eyestalk can be converted into a Spellray that can launch a touch spell cast by its master as a ranged touch attack.

Something like a +16 hide bonus and a 40 ft Fly speed (perfect). It can't talk, other than to its master as a standard familiar, unfortunately.

Anyone have any experience with Eyeball familiars? Thoughts on how to use one well? Its most distinguishing feature to me is that Perfect Fly speed and the free mage hand (which doesn't even require a move action from it). Cause Fear caps out pretty fast, but I can still expect to face <5HD opponents for another level or two, and spamming them with a Cause Fear every round can't hurt.

I've been playing around with the idea of having it be a bomber dropping Alchemist's Fire or something.

 

[TheGogmagog]

The 'free action' mage hand sounds suspicious to me. Usuall activating an at will spell-like ability will require a minimum of standard action, a maximum of normal casting time. I'm only vaguely familiar with the eyeball, so it could be a free action. I also wonder about it's ability to drop things. It might be alright, but technically mage hand has a land movement and no fly movement, mostly contingent on your DM's ideas of mage hand. It doesn't say anything about it.

That aside, something that is interesting combined any familar is 'magic mouth'. That would let you have it deliver messages, since you mentioned it not being able to talk.

 

[Nail]

Comparison: Beholder's can use their eye rays as a free action 1/round.

 

[Wolfwood2]

The 'free action' mage hand sounds suspicious to me. Usuall activating an at will spell-like ability will require a minimum of standard action, a maximum of normal casting time. I'm only vaguely familiar with the eyeball, so it could be a free action.

The exact text is somewhat confusing. As I understand it, the mage hand still takes a standard action to activate and maintain. However, the Eyeball does not have to take a move action to direct the object it is mage-handing. That is, it can take its standard action (to activate or maintain) + move action (as it pleases) while manipulating the object it has grabbed with mage hand as a free action in that and following rounds. This is explicitly called out as a variation from the spell.

This enables it to use Mage Hand to "carry" objects at 15 feet a round. If it had to use both its standard action (to maintain concentration) and its move action (to direct object) it would be unable to move itself.

I also wonder about it's ability to drop things. It might be alright, but technically mage hand has a land movement and no fly movement, mostly contingent on your DM's ideas of mage hand. It doesn't say anything about it.

Well the spell text says, "can lift it and move it at will". Based on what I know about my DM, he will almost certainly interpret that as enabling three dimensional movement. And of course, the eyeball could always grip things in its mouth. It has a strength score of 6, which is pretty good for a Tiny creature.

That aside, something that is interesting combined any familar is 'magic mouth'. That would let you have it deliver messages, since you mentioned it not being able to talk.

At 10 gp and a third level slot a pop, I'd rather just write a message and have it carry it in its mouth in scroll case.

 

[Hedgemage]

I've found that having the eyeball use Cause Fear as often as it can be very helpful. The save is low, but eventually someone fails.
You may want to invest in the Familiar Pocket spell since having your eyeball constantly floating out in the open often means that area effect spells can nuke it.

 

[Wolfwood2]

I've found that having the eyeball use Cause Fear as often as it can be very helpful. The save is low, but eventually someone fails.
You may want to invest in the Familiar Pocket spell since having your eyeball constantly floating out in the open often means that area effect spells can nuke it.

Sounds good. And even if they succeed on the save, they're still Shaken. Automatic -2 to saves, which makes them easier meat for a spell. Of course it doesn't work on creatures with more than 5 HD, but it'll come in handy for a little while.

I'll look into Familiar Pocket.

 

[Wolfwood2]

I've found that having the eyeball use Cause Fear as often as it can be very helpful. The save is low, but eventually someone fails.
You may want to invest in the Familiar Pocket spell since having your eyeball constantly floating out in the open often means that area effect spells can nuke it.

Hey, what feat did you pick out for your Eyeball familiar? Either by oversight or 3.0 rules they aren't given one in 'Monsters of Faerun', but under 3.5 any creature with an intelligence score gets at least one feat.

I was going to go with Skill Focus: Hide, as it seems like the eyeball's Hide bonus was miscalculated. The entry has it at +15, but all 4 skill ranks seem spent on Spot and Search, and +8 size + 3 dex = 11.

 

[Nail]

IIWY, I'd pick a more advantageous feat. Ability Focus comes to mind, as does PBS.