tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8935997561931650289.post8032764701017380796..comments2024-03-28T02:56:48.844-04:00Comments on Tower of the Archmage: Now that's Familiar...David The Archmagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11649391406526258069noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8935997561931650289.post-64385093073094261312013-06-14T15:06:39.608-04:002013-06-14T15:06:39.608-04:00The 4E pokemon-style familiar was one change where...The 4E pokemon-style familiar was one change where I had no problem because it reflected the way I had seen them played for years. No one remembers them when the fireball goes off over the party, but an hour later when some nifty ability of theirs applies, oh, hey, look, here's my familiar. At least there the mechanics finally matched how we played it!<br /><br />Some of the early Order of the Stick strips had some fun with this too.<br /><br />In the old days I always went for the exotics - Pseudo-Dragon mostly.Blacksteelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16289298640828309072noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8935997561931650289.post-27089978792881843102013-06-12T19:23:15.801-04:002013-06-12T19:23:15.801-04:00I like the thought of a familiar as an actual crea...I like the thought of a familiar as an actual creature, but perhaps imbued with some more powerful spirit... or as an extra-planar being to begin with (e.g. an imp)I feel like reducing them to mere spirits makes them little better than the results of a summon creature spell.<br /><br />For me, a familiar should be a companion to the spellcaster, opening up new creative solutions to problems, but also presenting potential drawbacks if harmed. The trick is in striking the balance so the spellcaster doesn't just squirrel them away. <br /><br />I've found that players in my 3.5 games have been hesitant to risk their familiars, thus relegating them to mere set dressing. When I play a spell-caster, I take pains to avoid the temptation to overshelter. I had a hawk familiar who would drop flash-bangs, or pebbles enchanted with silence spells onto enemy spellcasters. He was also great for taking down animal messengers before they reached their destination. Rats, bats and other mundane animals make almost unnoticeable spies. Point is... familiars, good. Make sure you use them!GeoffN.https://www.blogger.com/profile/14506445477494524672noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8935997561931650289.post-68294041050671898402013-06-11T07:43:26.312-04:002013-06-11T07:43:26.312-04:00The "familiar as spirit" is also a lot c...The "familiar as spirit" is also a lot closer to the actual folklore and mythology, so I'd run with that.Jack Guignolhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05226738666709754348noreply@blogger.com