What familiar should I choose, and why?

[candidus_cogitens]

What are the special advantages of different familiars? I'm not asking about their bonuses and abilities. (I can look that up myself). What I am asking about is why some of those abilities would be especially advantageous.

For example, a raven can talk, but is that ever very useful? A bat has nightvision, but does that help you out very much? Other animals have scent--how useful is that? Also, some animals are more conspicuous than others. Is it ever annoying to have a highly noticeable familiar like a pseudodragon as opposed to a cat?

(I am especially interested in bat vs. raven, but I'd like to see a general discussion).

 

[Man-thing]

I wouldn't limit myself to the PHB for familiars. Dark Quest Games has a book filled with every imaginable familiar(it seems) and advice on each. If you have bought pdf before its at Rpgnow and I think its on sale for $3.50 which is a heck of a steal.

 

[Klaus]

Go to www.fierydragon.com and check out the web-enhancement for Counter Collection 5: Summoned Creatures, "Unfamiliar Familiars". You'll find stats for armadillo, wild cat, fox, mongoose, wild rooster (+3 Intimidate!), squirrel, otter, ostrich and bighorn sheep.

And as a sidenote, a raven can't talk in 3.5. It adds +3 to Appraise checks.

 

[ARandomGod]

Go to www.fierydragon.com and check out the web-enhancement for Counter Collection 5: Summoned Creatures, "Unfamiliar Familiars". You'll find stats for armadillo, wild cat, fox, mongoose, wild rooster (+3 Intimidate!), squirrel, otter, ostrich and bighorn sheep.

And as a sidenote, a raven can't talk in 3.5. It adds +3 to Appraise checks.

In the SRD it can. Although it's listed as a footnote, not a sidenote!

 

[Crothian]

Get an Ooze...they can cleaqn up after you, you don't have to worry about feeding them, and they are very cute and cuddly....

 

[Klaus]

True! My bad!

A raven familiar can speak one language its masters knows as a supernatural ability.

Time to make my new battle sorcerer and his familiar, Nevermore!

 

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

Kitties are soft and fuzzy...and can kill pesky commoners.

 

[Herremann the Wise]

A Raven is quite useful when you want to relay a message; if it speaks the common tongue - see below. However, familiars that fly are very handy, particularly as messengers. Communication can sometimes mean the difference between life and TPK. A Raven familiar is thus always handy.

My story hour {see below} has a character (Lucifus Cray) who is optimised around the Raven as a familiar - he is a wandering bookseller so the appraise check bonus really comes in handy. However, I made his familiar "Winter" talk an obscure tongue (Ambornan) to add a little extra flavour and fun - he's a conjurer/alienist whose a bit strange. She can croak out a hello in common though.

Perhaps the other thing that is normally overlooked is that whatever ranks you have, your familiar has as well - just with their ability score modifiers. As such, you will normally find that an assisting bonus of +2 is virtually a certainty (DC 10) when you are making skill checks. The fact that a familiar can communicate in words is very handy for this aspect too.

Best Regards
Herremann the Wise

 

[candidus_cogitens]

I guess another thing to consider is the delivery of touch attacks. Hawks and Owls have pretty good attack bonuses, and the raven is not bad.

I guess a bat could come in handy when you're in the dark (especially magical darkness). It would allow you to at least know where the bad guy is, and locate an exit--wouldn't it? Or would that be too complex for a familiar to communicate?

 

[candidus_cogitens]

Go to www.fierydragon.com and check out the web-enhancement for Counter Collection 5: Summoned Creatures, "Unfamiliar Familiars". You'll find stats for armadillo, wild cat, fox, mongoose, wild rooster (+3 Intimidate!), squirrel, otter, ostrich and bighorn sheep.

Wow. I checked that thing out. It's cool stuff. And free!