What can a monkey familar do? [Archive] - Wizards Community

What can a monkey familar do? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
GreatSiron
10-04-06, 01:12 PM Ok, I'm not going to tell anyone how I got access to a monkey familar, but I got access to one last night. Other than the +3 to climb checks, which does me no good anyway (Grey Elf with 6 str), can the monkey do other things since it has thumbs? Like grab stuff or throw things like alchemist fire? Or is it limited to the same things that other familars can do? (Deliver touch spells) Also, if i cast blade of pain and fear (also not saying where I got access to that) on myself, can I add it to my monkey? I know I can mage armor and shield him, but his attacks aren't that special on their own, and could use a little help.
kenobi65
10-04-06, 03:22 PM Keep in mind that, even though he's got the bonuses that a familiar gets, he's still a Tiny animal, with a 3 Str. Sending him into combat is probably not the best idea -- remember that Tiny creatures have 0 reach, and have to enter the opponent's square to make a melee attack, which provokes an AoO.

He can probably snatch and carry very small items (think of Jack the monkey from Pirates of the Caribbean, swiping the necklace and such). Also, he's got very good Climb and Balance scores, so he can get up into hard-to-reach places.
GreatSiron
10-04-06, 07:01 PM Ok, I have another question. I plan on taking Craft Wonderous Item as a feat. Is there anything I can craft for the monkey?
kenobi65
10-04-06, 09:56 PM Acc. to the LGCS (p.40), animals can only wear barding, a collar/necklace/neck gear, and a cloak, in addition to any item that specifically says it can be used by an animal / familiar.
GreatSiron
10-04-06, 11:30 PM I know that part, but Im not too sure what neckgear means. Does that mean I can stick anything around his neck that I can wear around mine, like a hand of the mage? And he would look cute in a minor cloak of displacement.
kenobi65
10-05-06, 10:24 AM I know that part, but Im not too sure what neckgear means. Does that mean I can stick anything around his neck that I can wear around mine, like a hand of the mage?

My guess would be that anything that takes the necklace/amulet/periapt body slot would qualify.

And, eeeeew... ;)
Jay_Ibero_911
10-05-06, 08:46 PM It's a well kept campaign secret, but the monkey familiar also has a special ability:

Feces Flinging (ex): As a move action, a monkey can "produce" a handful of feces. As a standard action, a monkey can fling those feces as a ranged touch attack with a 10ft range increment. Nothing happens to anyone hit by the feces other than having been hit by feces.
kenobi65
10-05-06, 10:46 PM Thought that, chose not to say it... ;)
GreatSiron
10-06-06, 12:35 AM Ok, other than poo, what else can a monkey fling? Perhaps a vial of acid or such it fetches from my pouch?
kjenks
10-06-06, 12:19 PM kenobi65 is correct about the LGCS restriction on magic item slots, but that rule does not specifically apply to mundane items. The rules do not prevent any animal from flinging poo, vials of acid, tanglefoot bags, nets, bolas or anything else. The rules are silent on what an animal can fling. It's up to the DM to adjudicate.

So a tiny viper could lob a spear or even fire a longbow, subject to DM approval. But I wouldn't count on it.
Sieylianna
10-06-06, 12:46 PM kenobi65 is correct about the LGCS restriction on magic item slots, but that rule does not specifically apply to mundane items. The rules do not prevent any animal from flinging poo, vials of acid, tanglefoot bags, nets, bolas or anything else. The rules are silent on what an animal can fling. It's up to the DM to adjudicate.

It also makes your familiar a combatant, which will make him a legitimate target in the eyes of many DMs (who avoid targeting familiars).

Ed
Lupo
10-06-06, 01:43 PM kenobi65 is correct about the LGCS restriction on magic item slots, but that rule does not specifically apply to mundane items. The rules do not prevent any animal from flinging poo, vials of acid, tanglefoot bags, nets, bolas or anything else. The rules are silent on what an animal can fling. It's up to the DM to adjudicate.

So a tiny viper could lob a spear or even fire a longbow, subject to DM approval. But I wouldn't count on it.

yea, spend the evening watching disney's "robin hood" :)

i would love my druid's dire bat animal companion to fling "produce flame" fire globes.

or getit to use an "entangling staff" that wouldbe really cool ;)

ciao

martin m.
Samwise
10-06-06, 01:57 PM Are animals proficient with thrown weapons?
If not, I don't see how they could throw produce flame globes.
(Which is how I ruled when someone tried it.)
kenobi65
10-06-06, 02:15 PM Are animals proficient with thrown weapons?
If not, I don't see how they could throw produce flame globes.
(Which is how I ruled when someone tried it.)

From the SRD, under the "Throw Splash Weapon" portion of the Combat section:

Thrown weapons require no weapon proficiency, so you don’t take the –4 nonproficiency penalty.

Which, to me, certainly indicates that you don't need a proficiency to be able to throw, say, an acid flask without penalty.

Even if there were a relevant proficiency, not having that proficiency doesn't mean the familiar couldn't throw it at all...it would just mean that it'd be at the -4 non-proficiency penalty.

Now, that said, it'd certainly be within the DM's perogative to rule that certain thrown items can't be effectively thrown by certain animals, due to size or lack of an effective way to throw (such as the earlier example of a viper trying to throw something).

Ed raised a very good point, however...unlike an animal companion, which a fair number of players treat as being fairly disposable / interchangeable, since a druid can replace the animal without any real penalty on the next adventure, losing your familiar (esp. a "certed" familiar) is going to cause a certain amount of pain on the part of your character. So, make him a "target" at your own risk.
kjenks
10-06-06, 02:26 PM I've had some DMs rule that my druid's advanced dire bat can hurl Produce Flame. With +4 BAB and Dex 23, he's really good at those ranged touch attacks, too.

Lesser Metamagic Rod of Extend + Empower Spell + Produce Flame rocks.
Japangirl
10-06-06, 03:15 PM Animals get head slots too. They can wear hats and maybe lenses/goggles too, though I'm not sure about that.
kenobi65
10-06-06, 03:22 PM Animals get head slots too. They can wear hats and maybe lenses/goggles too, though I'm not sure about that.

Not according to the LGCS. LG animals apparently have necks, but no heads. :(
budleiser
10-06-06, 05:16 PM Not according to the LGCS. LG animals apparently have necks, but no heads. :(

lol
haferka
10-07-06, 02:01 AM Best Monkey useage... (not my idea)

let him sit in your open backpack... fire your crossbow(s).. and drop them in his hands, he spends move action(s) to reload and drop them back in your hand(s).
clik_ml
10-07-06, 01:03 PM Don't expect all DMs to let monkeys or any animal wield a weapon (and that includes loading it). That is a cute way to try to save a move action however, tis very unlikely to work with many DMs.

Some DMs may charge a move action also for handing off the crossbow, and possibly for receiving it as well... so you actually would be paying 2 move actions for something you could have done with 1. I have seen hand-offs regularly ruled that they require a move action from each participant... and this manuever set requires 2 hand-offs.
GreatSiron
10-08-06, 02:26 PM Keep in mind that, even though he's got the bonuses that a familiar gets, he's still a Tiny animal, with a 3 Str. Sending him into combat is probably not the best idea -- remember that Tiny creatures have 0 reach, and have to enter the opponent's square to make a melee attack, which provokes an AoO.

Blind or held creatures don't get AOOs, and the only way I'd send my monkey anywhere is if I knew he could do it in total safety, though I figure I'd be better off loading him up with a touch spell like Vampiric Touch than a blade that might cause fear.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
GreatSiron 10-04-06, 01:12 PM	Ok, I'm not going to tell anyone how I got access to a monkey familar, but I got access to one last night. Other than the +3 to climb checks, which does me no good anyway (Grey Elf with 6 str), can the monkey do other things since it has thumbs? Like grab stuff or throw things like alchemist fire? Or is it limited to the same things that other familars can do? (Deliver touch spells) Also, if i cast blade of pain and fear (also not saying where I got access to that) on myself, can I add it to my monkey? I know I can mage armor and shield him, but his attacks aren't that special on their own, and could use a little help.
kenobi65 10-04-06, 03:22 PM	Keep in mind that, even though he's got the bonuses that a familiar gets, he's still a Tiny animal, with a 3 Str. Sending him into combat is probably not the best idea -- remember that Tiny creatures have 0 reach, and have to enter the opponent's square to make a melee attack, which provokes an AoO. He can probably snatch and carry very small items (think of Jack the monkey from Pirates of the Caribbean, swiping the necklace and such). Also, he's got very good Climb and Balance scores, so he can get up into hard-to-reach places.
GreatSiron 10-04-06, 07:01 PM	Ok, I have another question. I plan on taking Craft Wonderous Item as a feat. Is there anything I can craft for the monkey?
kenobi65 10-04-06, 09:56 PM	Acc. to the LGCS (p.40), animals can only wear barding, a collar/necklace/neck gear, and a cloak, in addition to any item that specifically says it can be used by an animal / familiar.
GreatSiron 10-04-06, 11:30 PM	I know that part, but Im not too sure what neckgear means. Does that mean I can stick anything around his neck that I can wear around mine, like a hand of the mage? And he would look cute in a minor cloak of displacement.
kenobi65 10-05-06, 10:24 AM	I know that part, but Im not too sure what neckgear means. Does that mean I can stick anything around his neck that I can wear around mine, like a hand of the mage? My guess would be that anything that takes the necklace/amulet/periapt body slot would qualify. And, eeeeew... ;)
Jay_Ibero_911 10-05-06, 08:46 PM	It's a well kept campaign secret, but the monkey familiar also has a special ability: Feces Flinging (ex): As a move action, a monkey can "produce" a handful of feces. As a standard action, a monkey can fling those feces as a ranged touch attack with a 10ft range increment. Nothing happens to anyone hit by the feces other than having been hit by feces.
kenobi65 10-05-06, 10:46 PM	Thought that, chose not to say it... ;)
GreatSiron 10-06-06, 12:35 AM	Ok, other than poo, what else can a monkey fling? Perhaps a vial of acid or such it fetches from my pouch?
kjenks 10-06-06, 12:19 PM	kenobi65 is correct about the LGCS restriction on magic item slots, but that rule does not specifically apply to mundane items. The rules do not prevent any animal from flinging poo, vials of acid, tanglefoot bags, nets, bolas or anything else. The rules are silent on what an animal can fling. It's up to the DM to adjudicate. So a tiny viper could lob a spear or even fire a longbow, subject to DM approval. But I wouldn't count on it.
Sieylianna 10-06-06, 12:46 PM	kenobi65 is correct about the LGCS restriction on magic item slots, but that rule does not specifically apply to mundane items. The rules do not prevent any animal from flinging poo, vials of acid, tanglefoot bags, nets, bolas or anything else. The rules are silent on what an animal can fling. It's up to the DM to adjudicate. It also makes your familiar a combatant, which will make him a legitimate target in the eyes of many DMs (who avoid targeting familiars). Ed
Lupo 10-06-06, 01:43 PM	kenobi65 is correct about the LGCS restriction on magic item slots, but that rule does not specifically apply to mundane items. The rules do not prevent any animal from flinging poo, vials of acid, tanglefoot bags, nets, bolas or anything else. The rules are silent on what an animal can fling. It's up to the DM to adjudicate. So a tiny viper could lob a spear or even fire a longbow, subject to DM approval. But I wouldn't count on it. yea, spend the evening watching disney's "robin hood" :) i would love my druid's dire bat animal companion to fling "produce flame" fire globes. or getit to use an "entangling staff" that wouldbe really cool ;) ciao martin m.
Samwise 10-06-06, 01:57 PM	Are animals proficient with thrown weapons? If not, I don't see how they could throw produce flame globes. (Which is how I ruled when someone tried it.)
kenobi65 10-06-06, 02:15 PM	Are animals proficient with thrown weapons? If not, I don't see how they could throw produce flame globes. (Which is how I ruled when someone tried it.) From the SRD, under the "Throw Splash Weapon" portion of the Combat section: Thrown weapons require no weapon proficiency, so you don’t take the –4 nonproficiency penalty. Which, to me, certainly indicates that you don't need a proficiency to be able to throw, say, an acid flask without penalty. Even if there were a relevant proficiency, not having that proficiency doesn't mean the familiar couldn't throw it at all...it would just mean that it'd be at the -4 non-proficiency penalty. Now, that said, it'd certainly be within the DM's perogative to rule that certain thrown items can't be effectively thrown by certain animals, due to size or lack of an effective way to throw (such as the earlier example of a viper trying to throw something). Ed raised a very good point, however...unlike an animal companion, which a fair number of players treat as being fairly disposable / interchangeable, since a druid can replace the animal without any real penalty on the next adventure, losing your familiar (esp. a "certed" familiar) is going to cause a certain amount of pain on the part of your character. So, make him a "target" at your own risk.
kjenks 10-06-06, 02:26 PM	I've had some DMs rule that my druid's advanced dire bat can hurl Produce Flame. With +4 BAB and Dex 23, he's really good at those ranged touch attacks, too. Lesser Metamagic Rod of Extend + Empower Spell + Produce Flame rocks.
Japangirl 10-06-06, 03:15 PM	Animals get head slots too. They can wear hats and maybe lenses/goggles too, though I'm not sure about that.
kenobi65 10-06-06, 03:22 PM	Animals get head slots too. They can wear hats and maybe lenses/goggles too, though I'm not sure about that. Not according to the LGCS. LG animals apparently have necks, but no heads. :(
budleiser 10-06-06, 05:16 PM	Not according to the LGCS. LG animals apparently have necks, but no heads. :( lol
haferka 10-07-06, 02:01 AM	Best Monkey useage... (not my idea) let him sit in your open backpack... fire your crossbow(s).. and drop them in his hands, he spends move action(s) to reload and drop them back in your hand(s).
clik_ml 10-07-06, 01:03 PM	Don't expect all DMs to let monkeys or any animal wield a weapon (and that includes loading it). That is a cute way to try to save a move action however, tis very unlikely to work with many DMs. Some DMs may charge a move action also for handing off the crossbow, and possibly for receiving it as well... so you actually would be paying 2 move actions for something you could have done with 1. I have seen hand-offs regularly ruled that they require a move action from each participant... and this manuever set requires 2 hand-offs.
GreatSiron 10-08-06, 02:26 PM	Keep in mind that, even though he's got the bonuses that a familiar gets, he's still a Tiny animal, with a 3 Str. Sending him into combat is probably not the best idea -- remember that Tiny creatures have 0 reach, and have to enter the opponent's square to make a melee attack, which provokes an AoO. Blind or held creatures don't get AOOs, and the only way I'd send my monkey anywhere is if I knew he could do it in total safety, though I figure I'd be better off loading him up with a touch spell like Vampiric Touch than a blade that might cause fear.