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Share Spells: At the master’s option, he may have any spell (but not any spell-like ability) he casts on himself also affect his familiar. The familiar must be within 5 feet at the time of casting to receive the benefit.
If the spell or effect has a duration other than instantaneous, it stops affecting the familiar if it moves farther than 5 feet away and will not affect the familiar again even if it returns to the master before the duration expires. Additionally, the master may cast a spell with a target of “You” on his familiar (as a touch range spell) instead of on himself.
A master and his familiar can share spells even if the spells normally do not affect creatures of the familiar’s type (magical beast).
Is anyone aware of any errata for this special ability? My player is sharing Dragon Shape, Lesser with his familiar and they are both becoming large adult red dragons. Not to much of an issue really. Large adult red dragons aren't to mean against the final roster of bad guys in the STAP. Just curious if this has been addressed.
Tam
RPG Superstar 2013 Top 32
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Is anyone aware of any errata for this special ability? My player is sharing Dragon Shape, Lesser with his familiar and they are both becoming large adult red dragons. Not to much of an issue really. Large adult red dragons aren't to mean against the final roster of bad guys in the STAP. Just curious if this has been addressed.
I don't know the details of that spell but, does it alter the character's Constitution and/or hit points in any way? If it doesn't, remember that a familiar has half the HP of it's master. Shoot his familiar down a couple of times and watch him sob over the wasted XP. That should teach him.
Director of Narrative
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One of the guys I play with mentioned just a couple of weeks ago that polymorph would work with a familiar. I'd never thought of it.
In my head at the time I thought, "Whew, glad I'm playing in a party with this mage." But then instantly realized, "Crap, he's playing a spellcaster in my upcoming Ruins of Castle Greyhawk game!"
Wow, an aspect of the familiar package that actually makes it valuable, instead of the single most ditched class feature if optional rules such as PHB2 or Flaws are used?
Ive used this caveat too, in exactly the same way. Lesser dragonshape made my pseudodragon familiar terribly fun in combat.
BTW, lesser dragonshape (and all the new polymorph subschool spells) gives you a a bunch of temporary hitpoints, so the con/hd/familiar thing is moot.
I applaud the player that turns a familiar from a sentient house pet and gaping achillies heel into something that other PCs actually take notice of on the battlefield.
Sorry, I got a soft spot for familiars since 2nd edition.
Before all the alternate class features came out, my friend and I used to have our characters put their familairs up at a pet boarding facility before every adventure so they wouldn't get killed and cost us a bunch of x.p. That's how useful we found them.
RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32, 2010 Top 8
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Heh, I do the same thing Black Bard.
Two things to remember about the polymorph subschool.
1) Changing shape shuts down all class abilities, DM call if the spell disables the familiar abilities, including the enhanced intelligence. (not a problem for we pseudodragon fans) My Battlesorcerer/Ab Champ rarely casts it on herself, but when Keth normally is in an improved mage armour spell, and I can throw a shield on him before/during the transformation he tanks quite nicely.
2)Those temp HP can still get eaten pretty quickly. At 12th level, 60 HP isn't that much
More fun Familiar Cheese:
My wizard has the Improved Familiar feat to get a pseudodragon. Since familiars use their master's base skill ranks for skills, I've also maxed out my ranks of Use Magic Device, and gotten an amulet of Use Magic Device +5 for my little buddy. During combat, he can fly around and try to make his roll to use wands.
(There are only 2 PCs in that party, going through the Savage Tide path, so this isn't a problem. In a normal- or larger-sized party, I'd discourage this sort of thing, if only to ensure everyone gets their share of the spotlight. But there's nothing in the rules against it, so if it isn't side-lining any other PCs, I wouldn't worry about it.)
More fun Familiar Cheese:
My wizard has the Improved Familiar feat to get a pseudodragon. Since familiars use their master's base skill ranks for skills, I've also maxed out my ranks of Use Magic Device, and gotten an amulet of Use Magic Device +5 for my little buddy. During combat, he can fly around and try to make his roll to use wands.
Using the master's skills tends to be underated since most wizards only have knowledge and spellcraft skills, but for those that don't it's pretty useful. Last game I had my Small Air Elemental familar run around and stabilze fallen allies using my heal check score. I also have used him to follow people and next level when I pick up Beign Transposition he'll be location holder to swap the dwarven fighter with.
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More fun Familiar Cheese:
My wizard has the Improved Familiar feat to get a pseudodragon. Since familiars use their master's base skill ranks for skills, I've also maxed out my ranks of Use Magic Device, and gotten an amulet of Use Magic Device +5 for my little buddy. During combat, he can fly around and try to make his roll to use wands.
(There are only 2 PCs in that party, going through the Savage Tide path, so this isn't a problem. In a normal- or larger-sized party, I'd discourage this sort of thing, if only to ensure everyone gets their share of the spotlight. But there's nothing in the rules against it, so if it isn't side-lining any other PCs, I wouldn't worry about it.)
Don't let Jurmond see that one. He is already planning on getting Enspell Familiar and Extra Familiar and now he will be using a spell out of Complete Mage to turn them all into Marut's.
Should be fun.
Tam
Here's a question. How easy is it to keep two adult red dragons within 5' of each other? That has to be a neat trick. Maybe they can take up syncronized swimming in their spare time!