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Maybe we shouldn't police the GM so much? we already discussed the possibility of AOE.
I am a good and reasonable GM, I would also willingly target a familiar because the possibility of it going down, and the associated rules to get it back up are a part of the feature, so it obviously isn't just bad GMs who don't have ironclad house rules arbitrarily protecting familiars.
Maybe we shouldn't police the GM so much? we already discussed the possibility of AOE.
I am a good and reasonable GM, I would also willingly target a familiar because the possibility of it going down, and the associated rules to get it back up are a part of the feature, so it obviously isn't just bad GMs who don't have ironclad house rules arbitrarily protecting familiars.
It isn't policing it's pointing out that familiars can be useful and are not gonna get killed by a cold breeze.
As I said if an enemy has a good reason to go for a familiar and it's not protected in some way then go for it but the situations where an enemy is lying in wait to snipe the essentially harmless familiar so the wizard can't get an extra focus point or use an extra cantrip are very few and far between.
If familiars had old 2nd ed or 3rd ed penalties associated with them dyeing maybe but the risk vs reward for the enemies is stupid when the same attack can hit the wizard himself(same AC and saves as familiar and also kinda squishy).
It does seem like "rather than the heavily armed people or the person throwing fire around, I will instead choose to direct my aggression towards that cat over there" is a weird thing for a person in the setting to decide and would indicate a particularly vindictive GM.
Up until the point the familiar starts delivering spells, I agree with you.
After the familiar starts doing that, they've made themselves a major target that can be easily dispatched.
Otherwise, as a GM I would generally ignore a familiar in combat that isn't really doing anything, but if I have a combat with a lot of weak enemies that happen to be near the familiar....well it still might become a target. Though I generally try to make combats with the number of NPCs roughly equal in number to the number of PCs.
It does seem like "rather than the heavily armed people or the person throwing fire around, I will instead choose to direct my aggression towards that cat over there" is a weird thing for a person in the setting to decide and would indicate a particularly vindictive GM.Up until the point the familiar starts delivering spells, I agree with you.
After the familiar starts doing that, they've made themselves a major target that can be easily dispatched.
Otherwise, as a GM I would generally ignore a familiar in combat that isn't really doing anything, but if I have a combat with a lot of weak enemies that happen to be near the familiar....well it still might become a target. Though I generally try to make combats with the number of NPCs roughly equal in number to the number of PCs.
This I can 100% agree with.
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I really love my familiar. It is a skunk named flower and he has become the party mascot and really done work for us. I was hesitant at first to go the familiar wizard route but super happy I did. Here are some of the benefits:
* You get another perception roll. Level + your primary stat on a bonus roll is just good.
* You can combine flight + enlarge to either ride a flying mount early or to ferry your party to hard to reach places. The "Mount" trait on animal companions is not required for familiars unless your GM makes their own rules.
* Manual dexterity! This is what makes them great. Turn them into an ambulance. Have them always carry 2 potions, typically 1 healing and 1 situational. Ally goes down? 1 action on your part sends the familiar to your ally and then feeds them the potion. Feeding a potion is now 1 action, not a full round. This has been a HUGE advantage for us. Between this and battle medicine bringing back 2 downed allies in 1 turn has changed a couple rough fights. Another option is to let him ride someone else and then the familiar can use it's 2 actions to feed that person 2 potions at the start of a big fight hands free. Obviously costs the master 1 action.
* During exploration mine either seeks or is on alert for the initiative bonus. Some DM's will not allow this saying you have to use the minion trait rules for exploration - but those rules only apply to combat RAW. All up to your GM.
* Extra focus, Extra Reagents, and spell battery are a small bonus to your finite resources.
* Spell Delivery has merit for the right build. I never take it.
* Scent. This is so situational. Usually does nothing - but sometimes you get close enough (30 ft) to a stealthing or invisible enemy and they are automatically hidden. Familiar knows the square. Pairs well with speech (point out action) but even without the master will get a sudden alert.
And their are some advantages familiars have over 1e. The dying system makes them much more durable. Their AC scales with yours and when they do take a big hit (they are pretty low HP) they aren't dead, just dying 1 and at 0. If it does die replacing them doesn't cost anything but time.
1e familiars are stronger of course but 2e is a much different game and small bonuses are more meaningful. A 1e familiar in the 2e system would be bonkers.
2e familiars do have some issues.
* There is a feat tax. Some classes have some pretty lack luster feats early though so it's not as bad depending.
* There is a second feat tax. 2 abilities is limiting. Manual Dexterity is a must IMO. It's the biggest advantage they offer. If you are an alchemist lab assistant is a must. Flier is really good. Fast movement gives them more options at being the party ambulance. Being able to speak is often useful.
* Your choices are limited thematically. When you pick your familiar it's important to go with something mundane so you aren't forced to take any abilities. I chose skunk bc there isn't a skunk stat block. I can give it whatever. That makes things like birds, bats, snakes, rats, geckos, scorpions, spiders and the like bad choices unfortunately. I wish they didn't have that rule. Sometimes you just want an animal b/c it fits your character thematically but then you HAVE to give it burrow or darkvision.
Ultimately you can't compare 1e and 2e familiars. They are birds of another feather. Small advantages are big advantages in 2e. For myself I am completely sold on familiars being worth it. But I wouldn't run one unless I could get 4 abilities.
And their are some advantages familiars have over 1e. The dying system makes them much more durable. Their AC scales with yours and when they do take a big hit (they are pretty low HP) they aren't dead, just dying 1 and at 0. If it does die replacing them doesn't cost anything but time.
Are you sure about that?
Dying state"Creatures cannot be reduced to fewer than 0 Hit Points. When most creatures reach 0 Hit Points, they die and are removed from play unless the attack was nonlethal." Core Rulebook pg. 459
"As a player character, when you are reduced to 0 Hit Points, you’re knocked out with the following effects:
You immediately move your initiative position to directly before the turn in which you were reduced to 0 HP.
You gain the dying 1 condition. If the effect that knocked you out was a critical success from the attacker or the result of your critical failure, you gain the dying 2 condition instead. If you have the wounded condition, increase your dying value by an amount equal to your wounded value. If the damage was dealt by a nonlethal attack or nonlethal effect, you don’t gain the dying condition; you are instead unconscious with 0 Hit Points." Core Rulebook pg. 459As familiars are NOT PC's, they do not gain dying but go directly to dead.
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And their are some advantages familiars have over 1e. The dying system makes them much more durable. Their AC scales with yours and when they do take a big hit (they are pretty low HP) they aren't dead, just dying 1 and at 0. If it does die replacing them doesn't cost anything but time.Are you sure about that?
Dying state"Creatures cannot be reduced to fewer than 0 Hit Points. When most creatures reach 0 Hit Points, they die and are removed from play unless the attack was nonlethal." Core Rulebook pg. 459
"As a player character, when you are reduced to 0 Hit Points, you’re knocked out with the following effects:
You immediately move your initiative position to directly before the turn in which you were reduced to 0 HP.
You gain the dying 1 condition. If the effect that knocked you out was a critical success from the attacker or the result of your critical failure, you gain the dying 2 condition instead. If you have the wounded condition, increase your dying value by an amount equal to your wounded value. If the damage was dealt by a nonlethal attack or nonlethal effect, you don’t gain the dying condition; you are instead unconscious with 0 Hit Points." Core Rulebook pg. 459As familiars are NOT PC's, they do not gain dying but go directly to dead.
Player characters, their companions, and other significant characters and creatures don’t automatically die when they reach 0 Hit Points. Instead, they are knocked out and are at risk of death. At the GM’s discretion, villains, powerful monsters, special NPCs, and enemies with special abilities that are likely to bring them back to the fight (like ferocity, regeneration, or healing magic) can use these rules as well.
At the very least you could pick an animal without having to buy back its own abilities.
Not to mention improved familiars, which don't exist at all in 2e.
You can't even RP one, you're explicitly prohibited from picking up a non-animal familiar without a special feat, even though familiars have no inherent stats and therefore it shouldn't matter.
Is anyone using their familiars for combat maneuvers? I have a lvl 2 wizard and have invested my points in masters form. He's crunchy so I don't use him for this all the time, but I definitely have had him pull off some trips, grapples, and disarms. +6 is not terrible Athletics, good enough that a nice roll can make the attempt.
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Is anyone using their familiars for combat maneuvers? I have a lvl 2 wizard and have invested my points in masters form. He's crunchy so I don't use him for this all the time, but I definitely have had him pull off some trips, grapples, and disarms. +6 is not terrible Athletics, good enough that a nice roll can make the attempt.
Master's Form says: "This otherwise uses the effects of humanoid form, except the change is purely cosmetic. It only appears humanoid and gains no new capabilities. "
Since your familiar doesn't have the ability to trip, grapple or disarm, I don't think using Master's Form lets your familiar trip, grapple or disarm. In any case, what would your familiar's STR or skill proficiency be?
Take the Skilled familiar ability in Athletics, then its skill equals owner's level plus owner's casting ability score.
Otherwise it just uses owner's level for untrained actions only.
Is anyone using their familiars for combat maneuvers? I have a lvl 2 wizard and have invested my points in masters form. He's crunchy so I don't use him for this all the time, but I definitely have had him pull off some trips, grapples, and disarms. +6 is not terrible Athletics, good enough that a nice roll can make the attempt.
A familiar can use actions with the attack trait, it can't make strikes. Maybe you can use it for combat maneuvers.