Hi everyone, here's the question: I have a 6 Strength sorcerer with a flying squirrel familiar. I pass him to a barbarian with an higher Strenght: how far can the barbarian throw the squirrel, without harming it? How high? That's not pfs, so it doesn't need to be strict rule.
Thank you in advantage.
P.S. A flying squirrel weights something like 1/3 of a pound, I suppose that helps.
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Assuming the Intelligent Squirrel wants to remain in your employment, I would say it would be a 10ft range increment for being an Improvised Weapon.
Although, if I were the Squirrel, I'd ready an action to glide away the moment I left the Barbarian's grip.
Side note: you still use Dexterity for attack rolls with thrown Squirrels (Strength gets added to the damage when it impacts).
There aren't really rules for how far one can throw something, except for thrown weapons.
As Nefreet notes, the easiest thing to do is to probably treat the squirrel as an improvised weapon.
Ranged Attacks: With a ranged weapon, you can shoot or throw at any target that is within the weapon's maximum range and in line of sight. The maximum range for a thrown weapon is five range increments. For projectile weapons, it is 10 range increments. Some ranged weapons have shorter maximum ranges, as specified in their descriptions.
Improvised Weapons: Sometimes objects not crafted to be weapons nonetheless see use in combat. Because such objects are not designed for this use, any creature that uses an improvised weapon in combat is considered to be nonproficient with it and takes a –4 penalty on attack rolls made with that object. To determine the size category and appropriate damage for an improvised weapon, compare its relative size and damage potential to the weapon list to find a reasonable match. An improvised weapon scores a threat on a natural roll of 20 and deals double damage on a critical hit. An improvised thrown weapon has a range increment of 10 feet.
Ergo, the squirrel could be thrown up to 50ft. You would use dexterity to determine how accurately the squirrel was thrown, perhaps using splash weapon rules to determine where it landed if you "missed".
Throw Splash Weapon
A splash weapon is a ranged weapon that breaks on impact, splashing or scattering its contents over its target and nearby creatures or objects. To attack with a splash weapon, make a ranged touch attack against the target. Thrown splash weapons require no weapon proficiency, so you don't take the –4 nonproficiency penalty. A hit deals direct hit damage to the target, and splash damage to all creatures within 5 feet of the target. If the target is Large or larger, you choose one of its squares and the splash damage affects creatures within 5 feet of that square. Splash weapons cannot deal precision-based damage (such as sneak attack).
You can instead target a specific grid intersection. Treat this as a ranged attack against AC 5. However, if you target a grid intersection, creatures in all adjacent squares are dealt the splash damage, and the direct hit damage is not dealt to any creature. You can't target a grid intersection occupied by a creature, such as a Large or larger creature; in this case, you're aiming at the creature.
If you miss the target (whether aiming at a creature or a grid intersection), roll 1d8. This determines the misdirection of the throw, with 1 falling short (off-target in a straight line toward the thrower), and 2 through 8 rotating around the target creature or grid intersection in a clockwise direction. Then, count a number of squares in the indicated direction equal to the range increment of the throw. After you determine where the weapon landed, it deals splash damage to all creatures in that square and in all adjacent squares.
Otherwise, you don't really know where the squirrel lands.
Looking at the stats for a flying squirrel, I see nothing that would make it easier to throw than any other tiny animal. Since an animal is awkwardly shaped and not designed to to be thrown, I would not allow a 10 ft increment to allow someone to throw it up to 50 feet by anyone. However, if we assume the animal is willing to be thrown, it would be easier than throwing a real-life house cat (for example). I guess I would give it a 5 ft range increment.
However, your GM may allow it's glide feature to carry it an additional 5 feet as it descends. Thats not so much of a rules stretch. A bigger rules stretch would be your GM interpreting that a gliding creature can be thrown further than a non-gliding one. And I would totally let the cat make an attack of opportunity against you for making a ranged attack.
Looking at the stats for a flying squirrel, I see nothing that would make it easier to throw than any other tiny animal. Since an animal is awkwardly shaped and not designed to to be thrown, I would not allow a 10 ft increment to allow someone to throw it up to 50 feet by anyone. However, if we assume the animal is willing to be thrown, it would be easier than throwing a real-life house cat (for example). I guess I would give it a 5 ft range increment.
As any improvised thrown weapon. So 10ft increment. There is no need to make it suck more than the rules already cover.
I think the most interesting thing in all of this, is that being stronger doesn't actually help you throw things farther by any indication of the rules.
It only allows you to hit things harder with the things you throw.
It only allows you to hit things harder with the things you throw.
Which is precisely what you (probably) don't want with a Familiar...
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Well you need to place an aviator's cap on the squirrel, and have your strong companion wear a helmet with the antlers of a moose. Then you can throw as far as the plot allows.
/cevah
A regular person can throw a non-flying squiril up to about 10 yards.
I've just tested it.
I take it you're trying to cheese the range of a familliar carrying spells? When the barbarian grabs it, he's going to be hit with the spell the familliar is carrying.
I think the number of actions needed to pull this off compensates enough already.
Thank you all for your help!
I take it you're trying to cheese the range of a familliar carrying spells? When the barbarian grabs it, he's going to be hit with the spell the familliar is carrying.Hi everyone, here's the question: I have a 6 Strength sorcerer with a flying squirrel familiar. I pass him to a barbarian with an higher Strenght: how far can the barbarian throw the squirrel, without harming it? How high? That's not pfs, so it doesn't need to be strict rule.
Thank you in advantage.P.S. A flying squirrel weights something like 1/3 of a pound, I suppose that helps.
I'm actually in a situation where I need to launch my familiar on the other side of a wall, where I know there's a little wood, for sneak reasons (being an animal means that I don't even need to attempt a stealth check, "It's an animal, it is supposed to be here" situation). However, just by standing over my head he would be at least at 5 foot of height, enough for a 80 foot charge. No need for a launch from another person.
I'm actually in a situation where I need to launch my familiar on the other side of a wall, where I know there's a little wood, for sneak reasons (being an animal means that I don't even need to attempt a stealth check, "It's an animal, it is supposed to be here" situation). However, just by standing over my head he would be at least at 5 foot of height, enough for a 80 foot charge. No need for a launch from another person.
If you toss him up 10', he then starts his move at 15' high.
I would rule the Glide ability applies to a move action, not to a double-move. Thus from your head only 40' not 80'.
Not sure how I rule on a Run full-round action.
/cevah