What's giving up a familiar worth?

[ainbimagh]

Giving up a familiar is worth a feat, I see no problem with it.

Please note, none of my NPC casters have familiars, therefor they all have one extra feat. Theres a lot more of them than you, thats a lot of feats

 

[Klaus]

Dear Player,

I apologize that I cannot provide you with compensation for your lack of desire to utilize the opportunities available to you.

-----------------------------------

Its the worst form of munchkinizing. "Hi, I'd like you to alter this rule, and that rule, and maybe this other rule so I can concentrate all my power where I want it."

Where does it end? Another poster already mentioned trading off other types of class abilities for whatever else.


Is it equal? Maybe. I think losing out on the familiar is pretty bad, even though I never use familiars myself. Getting a feat back isn't that bad, I guess, but only if the player is trading away the ability to use a familiar permanently, as in he/she can't ever use one in the game, no matter what (wish, miracle, etc. all being ineffective to restore the lost ability).


The logic is that if you let one player do it, they may all want to do it, and you'll be on very shaky ground saying no to anyone else.

And yet, the DMG encourages DMs to accomodate the needs of the players, so they can play the characters they want. The specific example is of a player who wants to play a ranger, but only wants one favored enemy, and who wants the paladin special mount. So the DM lets her trade additional favored enemies and the animal companion for the special mount, and even throws in the Detect Evil ability to compensate for giving up an ability that increases through many levels (FE) in exchange for an ability she won't have until 5th level (mount).

 

[Terath Ninir]

And yet, the DMG encourages DMs to accomodate the needs of the players, so they can play the characters they want. The specific example is of a player who wants to play a ranger, but only wants one favored enemy, and who wants the paladin special mount. So the DM lets her trade additional favored enemies and the animal companion for the special mount, and even throws in the Detect Evil ability to compensate for giving up an ability that increases through many levels (FE) in exchange for an ability she won't have until 5th level (mount).

Amen! It is not munchkinizing to want to trade a power you aren't going to use for one that you are. And it's not munchkinizing to get rid of a pet you don't want and isn't going to fit your character.

 

[rgard]

Dear Player,

I apologize that I cannot provide you with compensation for your lack of desire to utilize the opportunities available to you.

-----------------------------------

Its the worst form of munchkinizing. "Hi, I'd like you to alter this rule, and that rule, and maybe this other rule so I can concentrate all my power where I want it."

Where does it end? Another poster already mentioned trading off other types of class abilities for whatever else.


Is it equal? Maybe. I think losing out on the familiar is pretty bad, even though I never use familiars myself. Getting a feat back isn't that bad, I guess, but only if the player is trading away the ability to use a familiar permanently, as in he/she can't ever use one in the game, no matter what (wish, miracle, etc. all being ineffective to restore the lost ability).


The logic is that if you let one player do it, they may all want to do it, and you'll be on very shaky ground saying no to anyone else.

At the end of the day it's a judgement call on the part of the DM. I personally don't have a problem with a player wanting to tailor his characters class abilities as long as we aren't swapping something insignificant for something very powerful.

That said, I plan to run a campaign some time in which the players use the generic classes from UA or we use the classless system I purchased on line a year or two ago. So you know where I'm coming from with respect to flexibility of player character advancement.

Thanks,
Rich

 

[Aaron L]

Where does it end? Another poster already mentioned trading off other types of class abilities for whatever else.

It ends when the DMG no longer suggests swapping and altering class abilities in order to customize your character.


But trading out an ability you'll never use in order to get something of equal power that you actually want is just power gaming, I guess...