Dismissed Familiars [Archive] - Wizards Community

Dismissed Familiars [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Timlagor
02-08-07, 07:55 AM The new wording on dead/dismissed familiars doesn't count TUs left over at the end of the year (not used to adventure or for MetaOrgs) towards the 53 needed before summoning a new one. Is this deliberate? (it seems wrong to me)
dougemes
02-08-07, 09:44 AM (page 11, Familiars)
When a familiar dies, the master immediately loses XP, per
the rules in the PH. If a familiar is dismissed or dies and is
not raised, the master must spend 53 TUs in adventures or
metaorgs before being able to summon another.

-- I second your concern. There should be a provision to "burn"
time units period. Also, how does one dismiss a lower familiar and
gain a better one now? If you take improved familiar, you now take
over a year of gametime WITHOUT it??? This needs to be fixed.

Doug Emes,
RPGA 830837
Timlagor
02-08-07, 09:48 AM Dismissing a familiar always cost you a year in 3.5 whatever the reason -it's in the PHB I believe.
RedKnightofKet
02-08-07, 09:54 AM I think the question here is whether or not unused TUs at the end of the year can be used against the 53 TU required.

If I play a wizzie as a secondary character, and he spend about 10 TUs a year - it would take over 5 years in real time to replace it - seems a little unfair to me....
dougemes
02-08-07, 11:44 AM (page 11, Familiars)
When a familiar dies, the master immediately loses XP, per
the rules in the PH. If a familiar is dismissed or dies and is
not raised, the master must spend 53 TUs in adventures or
metaorgs before being able to summon another.

-- I second your concern. There should be a provision to "burn"
time units period. Also, how does one dismiss a lower familiar and
gain a better one now? If you take improved familiar, you now take
over a year of gametime WITHOUT it??? This needs to be fixed.

Doug Emes,
RPGA 830837

LGCS Draft page 29
"Improved Familiar (CS, CW, DMG)"
-- While the Complete Scoundrel may have the latest printing, which I dont have access to, it does list Complete Warrior and the Dungeon Master's Guide.

DMG page 200 "Changes to the rules on familiars in the Player’s Handbook
are completely under the DM’s control"

It is entirely in the campaign's structure to modify the "year and a day" clause. The Living Campaign structure penalizes familiars versus animal companions and called mounts in that those class abilities may be regained MUCH MUCH quicker. The 4TU clause is arbitrary for the paladin mount (It is 30 days in the PHB). 365/30 ~= 12 times so the max time units for replacing a dead/dismissed familar should be 48 or 49 using the same math, not 53.

I would urge the revision of the LGCS to make an exception for "upgrading" ones familiar to be 4 tu's as well. I would also allow one to denote on an AR that they are spending additional time units "grieving over their lost familiar" or what not. Like RedKnightofKet said, it would make no sense to punish secondary / tertiary characters this way.
chesspiece
02-08-07, 05:44 PM Since meta-org time counts, could we "give away" our spare TUs to our favorite charity / meta-org at the end of the year?

Just note the extra TUs burned on a meta-org AR (since there aren't rules to prevent overspending on meta-org memberships AFAIK). Add the AR to the stack. Then it would count, right?

Of course, if we can do that, they might as well count unspent TUs...
cycloptic_squirrel
02-08-07, 09:04 PM Not quite sure if this works, but the retraining options mentions a familiar being one of the class options you can switch. My initial inclination is that this could be used to get around the 53 TUs. Then again, I've got no ground to stand on, so... thoughts?
Timlagor
02-09-07, 10:22 AM Sounds right to me. Costs you 4Tus and some gp though (and your opportunity to change something else)
chesspiece
02-10-07, 10:50 AM When waiting to regain a familiar, a PC goes on a Core adventure (2 TUs). He wishes to MIC a few scrolls beforehand (1 TU), make a Tumble check to earn money afterwards (1 TU), and attempt a Handle Animal check to train his warhorse (1 TU).

Since I don’t see any restrictions in the draft LGCS, I assume he can perform all 3 non-adventuring actions.

Does this count as 2 TUs or 5 TUs towards the 53 TUs in adventures or metaorgs before being able to summon a new familiar (pg 11)? Similar concern for other TU add-ons (prison, lost, helping the poor, etc). IOW, do extra TUs spent before / after an adventure still count as "TUs in adventures"?

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Timlagor 02-08-07, 07:55 AM	The new wording on dead/dismissed familiars doesn't count TUs left over at the end of the year (not used to adventure or for MetaOrgs) towards the 53 needed before summoning a new one. Is this deliberate? (it seems wrong to me)
dougemes 02-08-07, 09:44 AM	(page 11, Familiars) When a familiar dies, the master immediately loses XP, per the rules in the PH. If a familiar is dismissed or dies and is not raised, the master must spend 53 TUs in adventures or metaorgs before being able to summon another. -- I second your concern. There should be a provision to "burn" time units period. Also, how does one dismiss a lower familiar and gain a better one now? If you take improved familiar, you now take over a year of gametime WITHOUT it??? This needs to be fixed. Doug Emes, RPGA 830837
Timlagor 02-08-07, 09:48 AM	Dismissing a familiar always cost you a year in 3.5 whatever the reason -it's in the PHB I believe.
RedKnightofKet 02-08-07, 09:54 AM	I think the question here is whether or not unused TUs at the end of the year can be used against the 53 TU required. If I play a wizzie as a secondary character, and he spend about 10 TUs a year - it would take over 5 years in real time to replace it - seems a little unfair to me....
dougemes 02-08-07, 11:44 AM	(page 11, Familiars) When a familiar dies, the master immediately loses XP, per the rules in the PH. If a familiar is dismissed or dies and is not raised, the master must spend 53 TUs in adventures or metaorgs before being able to summon another. -- I second your concern. There should be a provision to "burn" time units period. Also, how does one dismiss a lower familiar and gain a better one now? If you take improved familiar, you now take over a year of gametime WITHOUT it??? This needs to be fixed. Doug Emes, RPGA 830837 LGCS Draft page 29 "Improved Familiar (CS, CW, DMG)" -- While the Complete Scoundrel may have the latest printing, which I dont have access to, it does list Complete Warrior and the Dungeon Master's Guide. DMG page 200 "Changes to the rules on familiars in the Player’s Handbook are completely under the DM’s control" It is entirely in the campaign's structure to modify the "year and a day" clause. The Living Campaign structure penalizes familiars versus animal companions and called mounts in that those class abilities may be regained MUCH MUCH quicker. The 4TU clause is arbitrary for the paladin mount (It is 30 days in the PHB). 365/30 ~= 12 times so the max time units for replacing a dead/dismissed familar should be 48 or 49 using the same math, not 53. I would urge the revision of the LGCS to make an exception for "upgrading" ones familiar to be 4 tu's as well. I would also allow one to denote on an AR that they are spending additional time units "grieving over their lost familiar" or what not. Like RedKnightofKet said, it would make no sense to punish secondary / tertiary characters this way.
chesspiece 02-08-07, 05:44 PM	Since meta-org time counts, could we "give away" our spare TUs to our favorite charity / meta-org at the end of the year? Just note the extra TUs burned on a meta-org AR (since there aren't rules to prevent overspending on meta-org memberships AFAIK). Add the AR to the stack. Then it would count, right? Of course, if we can do that, they might as well count unspent TUs...
cycloptic_squirrel 02-08-07, 09:04 PM	Not quite sure if this works, but the retraining options mentions a familiar being one of the class options you can switch. My initial inclination is that this could be used to get around the 53 TUs. Then again, I've got no ground to stand on, so... thoughts?
Timlagor 02-09-07, 10:22 AM	Sounds right to me. Costs you 4Tus and some gp though (and your opportunity to change something else)
chesspiece 02-10-07, 10:50 AM	When waiting to regain a familiar, a PC goes on a Core adventure (2 TUs). He wishes to MIC a few scrolls beforehand (1 TU), make a Tumble check to earn money afterwards (1 TU), and attempt a Handle Animal check to train his warhorse (1 TU). Since I don’t see any restrictions in the draft LGCS, I assume he can perform all 3 non-adventuring actions. Does this count as 2 TUs or 5 TUs towards the 53 TUs in adventures or metaorgs before being able to summon a new familiar (pg 11)? Similar concern for other TU add-ons (prison, lost, helping the poor, etc). IOW, do extra TUs spent before / after an adventure still count as "TUs in adventures"?