Familiers normally don't get feats, so they can't take spring attack. Familiers can also be "charged" with a touch spell, and touch spells are delivered even when you accidentally brush someone. The question is, can a familier double move through someone's space and brush up against them to deliver the spell while continuing to move? Only if it's an ally? What if it tries to jump on the target? Or would it require a standard action to deliver no matter what?
In a related question, if you're holding a charge and something attacks you with an unarmed or natural attack, does the spell automatically discharge on them?
If you touch anything or anyone while holding a charge, even unintentionally, the spell discharges.
Traveling through a creature's space does not necessitate touching them. The familiar still has to make an attack roll.
Also your familiar will suffer at least 1 AOO for his pains.
As for your second question, yes. Just don't forget about touch spells while on a mount ;)
Traveling through a creature's space does not necessitate touching them. The familiar still has to make an attack roll.
Also your familiar will suffer at least 1 AOO for his pains.As for your second question, yes. Just don't forget about touch spells while on a mount ;)
Actually, the answer to his second question is no. But it would be yes if HE was the one making the unarmed attack or natural attack with the limb holding the charged spell.
Actually, the answer to his second question is no. But it would be yes if HE was the one making the unarmed attack or natural attack with the limb holding the charged spell.Traveling through a creature's space does not necessitate touching them. The familiar still has to make an attack roll.
Also your familiar will suffer at least 1 AOO for his pains.As for your second question, yes. Just don't forget about touch spells while on a mount ;)
Can you point me to the rules source on that? I don't recall touch attacks being tied to limbs.
Traveling through a creature's space does not necessitate touching them. The familiar still has to make an attack roll.
Also your familiar will suffer at least 1 AOO for his pains.
That's kindof what I figured for a hostile target. But what if it's an ally? Allies wouldn't dodge the familiar's touch (which is why you can automatically touch an ally), but would it still require a standard action? And if so, how do you describe that? Does it make any difference if the familiar wants to roll acrobatics to jump onto the target rather than just walk up and brush him?
That's kindof what I figured for a hostile target. But what if it's an ally? Allies wouldn't dodge the familiar's touch (which is why you can automatically touch an ally), but would it still require a standard action? And if so, how do you describe that? Does it make any difference if the familiar wants to roll acrobatics to jump onto the target rather than just walk up and brush him?Traveling through a creature's space does not necessitate touching them. The familiar still has to make an attack roll.
Also your familiar will suffer at least 1 AOO for his pains.
Allies may not normally attempt to dodge a familiar, but allies are likely quite busy in a combat situation.
Remember that the Rounds mechanic only serves to organize actions in combat. The simulation takes it out of step in time. In 'actuality' everyone is performing their actions 'at the same time'. True, someone starts first, hence initiative, but the idea is that everything is going on all at once.
The familiar will need to make a touch attack just as a PC would have to make a touch attack against his ally to land a beneficial spell!
As far as the acrobatics check... such a thing isn't handled in acrobatics, but in the to hit bonus. Acrobatics serves perfectly well for performing athletic moves through an environment which is not ...intelligent? But to hit a moving target--to predict where that target will be once the touch lands--that is what purpose the attack bonus serves.
Now, I could see the target PC sacrificing a move action to stand in the way of a familiar, except that to ready an action requires a standard action. If it were my table, I would maybe let the target PC sacrifice a move action from his next round, IF it didn't prove to be overpowered. Also such a tactic would have to be roleplayed out, and practiced beforehand.
Improved Familiars have feats.
Take Improved Familiar. Take a Pseudodragon as your improved familiar. Switch out the Weapon Finesse feat for Flyby Attack. Cast your spell to your familiar, allow him to deliver it as a touch attack during a flyby.
Improved Familiars have feats.
Take Improved Familiar. Take a Pseudodragon as your improved familiar. Switch out the Weapon Finesse feat for Flyby Attack. Cast your spell to your familiar, allow him to deliver it as a touch attack during a flyby.
There we go, clever use.
...but why not just use spectral hand at this point? :/
Improved Familiars have feats.
Take Improved Familiar. Take a Pseudodragon as your improved familiar. Switch out the Weapon Finesse feat for Flyby Attack. Cast your spell to your familiar, allow him to deliver it as a touch attack during a flyby.
There we go, clever use.
...but why not just use spectral hand at this point? :/
The question was, how can I let my familiar deliver a spell as a part of his movement. :)
EDIT :
On another note, using Eldritch Heritage, a Cleric could have a familiar. Taking Improved Familiar, he could then get the pseudodragon and cast a Cure spell into it in the morning, or the beginning of combat, and allow it to deliver the spell at some point in the future when it's needed. :)
Improved Familiars have feats.
Take Improved Familiar. Take a Pseudodragon as your improved familiar. Switch out the Weapon Finesse feat for Flyby Attack. Cast your spell to your familiar, allow him to deliver it as a touch attack during a flyby.
There we go, clever use.
...but why not just use spectral hand at this point? :/
The question was, how can I let my familiar deliver a spell as a part of his movement. :)
EDIT :
On another note, using Eldritch Heritage, a Cleric could have a familiar. Taking Improved Familiar, he could then get the pseudodragon and cast a Cure spell into it in the morning, or the beginning of combat, and allow it to deliver the spell at some point in the future when it's needed. :)
OK FINE FAIR ENOUGH.
:)
There's a new Witch archetype which can devote the PC's feat slots to the familiar.
Is there rules support for allowing the caster to swap out the normal feats on his or her Improved Familiar? If so that seems like a very significant power.
Air elemental get flyby attack, which is effectively spring attack.
There's a new Witch archetype which can devote the PC's feat slots to the familiar.
Is there rules support for allowing the caster to swap out the normal feats on his or her Improved Familiar? If so that seems like a very significant power.
Yes,
The Devs have stated that you can switch out feats on horses when you buy them, so that you can have one with armor proficiency. If you can switch out the feat on a horse you purchase, I can't see any logic on why you couldn't switch out the feat on a familiar you are giving a feat up for.
think overrun...but keep size in mind. enlarge person might help though. :]
a touch spell discharges when touching an enemy during an unarmed combat maneuver (overrun, bullrush, trip and grapple), right?
Familiers normally don't get feats, so they can't take spring attack. Familiers can also be "charged" with a touch spell, and touch spells are delivered even when you accidentally brush someone. The question is, can a familier double move through someone's space and brush up against them to deliver the spell while continuing to move?On the round on which a touch spell is cast delivering it is a free action.
You can do free actions in the middle of other actions (say drawing an arrow during a full attack action).
Even if your DM balks at that... the familiar has two move actions. So they take one move action to move into the square (provoking of course) then a free action to deliver and finally a move action to leave (still provoking the same AOO if not yet taken).
This is no where near as great as spring attack (where you wouldn't have the provocation) as you can imagine.
-James
The free touch attack is made as part of the standard action to cast the spell. Taking an action between the casting and the delivery requires a different, not-free touch attack.
I think the second idea works though. Seems... risky and not worth the concept. Maybe in a pinch!
Familiers normally don't get feats, so they can't take spring attack. Familiers can also be "charged" with a touch spell, and touch spells are delivered even when you accidentally brush someone. The question is, can a familier double move through someone's space and brush up against them to deliver the spell while continuing to move?On the round on which a touch spell is cast delivering it is a free action.
You can do free actions in the middle of other actions (say drawing an arrow during a full attack action).
Even if your DM balks at that... the familiar has two move actions. So they take one move action to move into the square (provoking of course) then a free action to deliver and finally a move action to leave (still provoking the same AOO if not yet taken).
This is no where near as great as spring attack (where you wouldn't have the provocation) as you can imagine.
-James
Oooh, that would make it work. Thanks! My witch's player will be happy.
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Fly-by attack is the best solution if you can get it, as it's far superior to spring attack/ride-by attack or whatever in terms of flexibility.
Another solution might be to take the feat Evolved Familiar from Ultimate Magic and give your familiar reach. It at least prevents your familiar from having to enter your opponent's square. If you feel like wasting feat slots you could really extend it's reach and just have it perch on your head....
Something funny to do for a one-shot at least. Wizard with a Toad that sits on his head and delivers touch attacks from 25 or 30 feet away... :D