Familiars

[James Goodman 960]

Can a player allow his familiar to ride on his character so that they move together without having to use an action to command the familiar to move? For example, my goblin sorcerer has a wasp familiar. I imagine the wasp clings to his master until he is ordered to move and act independently.

[Captain Zoom]

In both Encounter and Exploration modes, I don't see why not.

In Encounter mode, your familiar just sits there if you don't command it, and so if it's sitting on you, I guess it stays put (on you) as you move.

In Exploration mode, I wouldn't worry about a familiar riding on you, or even moving on its own to follow you around. I don't ascribe to the "must command the minion/familiar each round" thinking when it comes to Exploration mode (but I'm sure there are others who do).

The real issue has to do with, in Encounter mode, having your familiar follow you (i.e. move each round to stay near you), but I'll leave that to others.

[Perpdepog]

IIRC that rule about having to spend actions to stick together while moving applies to player characters riding on other player characters. Familiars aren't PCs, so it wouldn't apply to them.

[shroudb]

Worth to note that on the official twitch game that the developers themselves were playing (the one the chat decided on their characters) the Alchemist was doing exactly that (having the familiar on his shoulder).

While a twitch game is not "the raw" by any stretch, when the people who made the game play it like that it at least shows the rai.

[HumbleGamer]

Eventually, consider to have it within a chest pocket or some sort of mini saddle on your shoulder.

[Cordell Kintner]

It's totally fine to have your familiar in your space. Just remember though, if it's not in a protective environment like a Familiar Satchel or Sleeves of Storing, it's targetable and can be affected by spells and AoEs.