OK, so I know that familiars have 1/2 the masters HP regardless of actual HD. Aside from the Mauler's Endurance feat is there any other way to increase the familiar's HP without directly adjusting your own HP?
Second question, this is related to the CON bonus gained from the battle form ability of the Mauler archetype. Does this CON bonus allow additional HP? The rules on familiar HD and HP seem like they would not allow this, but at the same time they say it's HD are equal to it's master's so would the CON bonus be measured by that? The Mauler is like a little battle familiar but it would seem useless if it did not gain additional HP. Could someone clarify this?
I'm inclined to think the answer to these is No as I can't find anything in the rules that says Yes, but I haven't found a definitive No either. Thanks for any insight.
You should also considering using the retraining rules to max out your own hit points, since your little friend will be getting an extra point for every two that you get.
So would the bonus to CON do nothing for the familiar with the exception of needing more negative HP to actually die?
Sounds a little underwhelming for the Mauler archetype :(
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Anything that increases the HP of the master increases the HP of the familiar. So, having levels in a melee class, the toughness feat, FCB to health... in the end so long as you have mauler's endurance they will have a worthy amount of HP. This comes with the bonus of making it harder to kill the master as well.
Now that there's precedent for familiars to have HP other than only ever "half the master's HP", can we re-examine the idea of a familiar with the toughness feat?
I'm not seeing any con bonus on the mauler
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I'm not seeing any con bonus on the maulerBattle Form stipulates that the Strength bonus it grants "stacks with the normal Strength adjustments for increasing in size".
This would appear to indicate that the familiar gets ability score increases related to increasing in size, presumably from the Size Changes table in the Bestiary (found here).
No, they get the standard polymorph stats found here...
The ability is supposed to be a polymorph effect, though it is not directly stated as so. But the monster advancement table is for monster creation and is specifically for GM use.
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Now that there's precedent for familiars to have HP other than only ever "half the master's HP", can we re-examine the idea of a familiar with the toughness feat?
I have always played it that the familiar gets the greater of its normal HP and half the master's.
Thus, giving a (for example) bat familiar the Toughness feat would increase its normal HP from 2 to 5... and it would then get the greater of 5 HP and half the master's HPs. Ditto for any Con bonus granted to the familiar.
Generally not going to be worth it, as 1/2 the master's HP will still exceed the familiar's total after just a few levels.
right, con from size change, that is why I didn't see it in the text.
Yeah, just gives you bigger con buffer AND better fort saves. Doesn't touch the HP at all.
Alright. Thanks for the help everyone! I guess my idea is still decent enough to work if I focus on increasing my character's HP.
This is slightly off topic but still concerns the familiar...
Could a Mauler in battle form benefit from an enlargement spell such as Animal Growth? I'm not an expert with polymorph effects...
These can't be disrupted in combat and generally don't provoke attacks of opportunity. They aren't subject to spell resistance, counterspells, or dispel magic, and don't function in antimagic areas.
Battle Form is a supernatural ability and Animal Growth is magical, Transmutation but doesn't have the polymorph descriptor nor does it say "this is a polymorph effect"... Wild Shape is referenced but Wild Shape uses Beast Shape which DOES have the polymorph descriptor...
Could my Caiman become Large through these and if not, why?
I'm so confused!
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Alright. Thanks for the help everyone! I guess my idea is still decent enough to work if I focus on increasing my character's HP.
This is slightly off topic but still concerns the familiar...
Could a Mauler in battle form benefit from an enlargement spell such as Animal Growth? I'm not an expert with polymorph effects...** spoiler omitted **
** spoiler omitted **
Battle Form is a supernatural ability and Animal Growth is magical, Transmutation but doesn't have the polymorph descriptor nor does it say "this is a polymorph effect"... Wild Shape is referenced but Wild Shape uses Beast Shape which DOES have the polymorph descriptor...
Could my Caiman become Large through these and if not, why?
I'm so confused!
You cannot benefit from more than one size increase. Animal Growth even explicitly says it doesn't stack with other magical size increases.
"Multiple magical effects that increase size do not stack."
Also, supernatural = magical.
"Supernatural abilities are magical but not spell-like. Supernatural abilities are not subject to spell resistance and do not function in areas where magic is suppressed or negated (such as an antimagic field). A supernatural ability's effect cannot be dispelled and is not subject to counterspells."
for hp... outside of some random favored class options (I am sure they exist, but it usually isn't worth it)... I think you should look for temporary options.
there are a wide number of spells and such that grant temporary HP. False life is a rather famous one, since it is long lasting with a low spell level.
That's too bad.
I didn't see that version about Supernatural abilities. That was my biggest confusion on whether or not supernatural= magical.
I suppose I could use Animal Growth instead of Battle Form for slightly better stats.
Thanks for your help Lorewalker.
Final question for the puzzle of my Mauler build...
I could swear I read somewhere that a creature with, for example, DR/magic is also treated as magical with it's natural attacks. I thought I read it in relation to Dragons but I couldn't find anything...
Is there any truth to that or am I just mixing up games?
*EDIT: Thanks lemeres, False Life should help out as well.
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That's too bad.
I didn't see that version about Supernatural abilities. That was my biggest confusion on whether or not supernatural= magical.I suppose I could use Animal Growth instead of Battle Form for slightly better stats.
Thanks for your help Lorewalker.
Final question for the puzzle of my Mauler build...
I could swear I read somewhere that a creature with, for example, DR/magic is also treated as magical with it's natural attacks. I thought I read it in relation to Dragons but I couldn't find anything...
Is there any truth to that or am I just mixing up games?
"Some monsters are vulnerable to magic weapons. Any weapon with at least a +1 magical enhancement bonus on attack and damage rolls overcomes the damage reduction of these monsters. Such creatures’ natural weapons (but not their attacks with weapons) are treated as magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
A few very powerful monsters are vulnerable only to epic weapons—that is, magic weapons with at least a +6 enhancement bonus. Such creatures’ natural weapons are also treated as epic weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
Some monsters are vulnerable to good-, evil-, chaotically, or lawfully aligned weapons. When a cleric casts align weapon, affected weapons might gain one or more of these properties, and certain magic weapons have these properties as well. A creature with an alignment subtype (chaotic, evil, good, or lawful) can overcome this type of damage reduction with its natural weapons and weapons it wields as if the weapons or natural weapons had an alignment (or alignments) that matched the subtype(s) of the creature."
Thanks again Lorewalker.
Apparently the source I have to reference isn't as inclusive as yours is lol.
This is excellent news though as now I wont have to worry about Eldritch Claws or Magic Fang for my Mauler once he reaches level 11!
For anyone curious about what my brain is working out...
Nature Fang Druid
VMC Rogue (+sneak attack)
Crocodile Domain (caiman familiar, +sneak attack)
Caiman (Mauler archetype flank buddy)
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Thanks again Lorewalker.
Apparently the source I have to reference isn't as inclusive as yours is lol.This is excellent news though as now I wont have to worry about Eldritch Claws or Magic Fang for my Mauler once he reaches level 11!
For anyone curious about what my brain is working out...
Nature Fang Druid
VMC Rogue (+sneak attack)
Crocodile Domain (caiman familiar, +sneak attack)
Caiman (Mauler archetype flank buddy)
While it would not be VMC, you could just multiclass 2 levels of unchained rogue(carnivalist) which gains this...
"Sneak Attack (Ex)
A carnivalist gains this ability starting at 2nd level. The sneak attack damage dealt is 1d6 points at 2nd level, and increases by 1d6 points every 4 carnivalist levels thereafter. A carnivalist's familiar can also deal sneak attack damage as appropriate to foes as long as it is within 30 feet of her (though only Small and larger creatures may flank enemies, as usual)."
And then you can take the Accomplished Sneak Attacker feat, which grants +1d6 sneak attack dice.
This would lower the total sneak attack I could achieve by 3d6. 9d6 to 6d6 isn't that bad though if the familiar is dealing as much so that's pretty sweet. Thanks for the idea!
Maybe a 2 level dip into Eldritch Guardian(Fighter) to also share combat feats with my familiar as well as the sneak attack?
Contributor
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Regarding animal growth... wouldn't this be a problem?
A familiar is an animal chosen by a spellcaster to aid him in his study of magic. It retains the appearance, Hit Dice, base attack bonus, base save bonuses, skills, and feats of the normal animal it once was, but is now a magical beast for the purpose of effects that depend on its type.
Regarding animal growth... wouldn't this be a problem?
A familiar is an animal chosen by a spellcaster to aid him in his study of magic. It retains the appearance, Hit Dice, base attack bonus, base save bonuses, skills, and feats of the normal animal it once was, but is now a magical beast for the purpose of effects that depend on its type.
Not due to type due to Share Spells
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An interesting spell is Ablative Barrier
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, M (a piece of metal cut from a shield)
Range touch
Target creature touched
Duration 1 hour/level or until discharged
Saving Throw Will negates (harmless); Spell Resistance no
Invisible layers of solid force surround and protect the target, granting that target a +2 armor bonus to AC. Additionally, the first 5 points of lethal damage the target takes from each attack are converted into nonlethal damage. Against attacks that already deal nonlethal damage, the target gains DR 5/—. Once this spell has converted 5 points of damage to nonlethal damage per caster level (maximum 50 points), the spell is discharged.
Good for intercepting damage.
/cevah