Could I aim a spell using my familiar? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Could I aim a spell using my familiar? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Devrom
04-18-05, 07:59 AM As i wrote, could I aim a spell using my familiar? I don't mean delivering touching spells. For ex: if I'm blind, may I use the familiar's touch sense to aim ranged touch attack?
I don't think so, because the emphatic link say that only emotional content can be emphatically transmitted, but I'd like your personal judgment.

thx bye :D
prutser
04-18-05, 08:18 AM I'd say no. Else you could also effectively make use of a familiar's scent or low-light vision.
A telepathic link wouldn't do the trick either, unless the familiar told you in what area to place an area-effect spell.
Blue Paladin
04-19-05, 05:06 PM I would tend to rule you can target them. Having the familiar won't help for the blindness though; it would not negate the 50% chance of missing due to total concealment.

The weird part comes when you try to do something like Charm Person, which has the "Target creature" bit, but no attack roll (and therefore no attendant rules for the whole blindness vs targeting mechanic). You know the target is there (and depending on Scent/Blindsense/whatever, may even know exactly what square) thanks to the familiar, but does that necessarily mean you can target them? That ends up being a DM call.
mbfu3k
04-20-05, 02:31 AM I am absolutely, positively, 100% certain that you misspelled "empathic." ;)

But, yeah, I think that you cannot target-by-proxy using your familiar.
Colmarr
04-20-05, 04:17 AM I'm with Blue Paladin.

Empathic link would not allow the familiar to tell you where to aim. It is not specific enough.

However, once you reach 5th or 6th level, the familiar can in fact speak to you and could tell you where to target the spell. You would still be blind and the target would therefore have full concealment, but you could at least cast the spell at the target.

Think of it this way. If another PC told the wizard where to cast, would you allow him to cast? I would, and there's no reason not to allow a communicative familiar to do the same thing.

(PS. After all, it's not like familiars are overpowered as is).

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Devrom 04-18-05, 07:59 AM	As i wrote, could I aim a spell using my familiar? I don't mean delivering touching spells. For ex: if I'm blind, may I use the familiar's touch sense to aim ranged touch attack? I don't think so, because the emphatic link say that only emotional content can be emphatically transmitted, but I'd like your personal judgment. thx bye :D
prutser 04-18-05, 08:18 AM	I'd say no. Else you could also effectively make use of a familiar's scent or low-light vision. A telepathic link wouldn't do the trick either, unless the familiar told you in what area to place an area-effect spell.
Blue Paladin 04-19-05, 05:06 PM	I would tend to rule you can target them. Having the familiar won't help for the blindness though; it would not negate the 50% chance of missing due to total concealment. The weird part comes when you try to do something like Charm Person, which has the "Target creature" bit, but no attack roll (and therefore no attendant rules for the whole blindness vs targeting mechanic). You know the target is there (and depending on Scent/Blindsense/whatever, may even know exactly what square) thanks to the familiar, but does that necessarily mean you can target them? That ends up being a DM call.
mbfu3k 04-20-05, 02:31 AM	I am absolutely, positively, 100% certain that you misspelled "empathic." ;) But, yeah, I think that you cannot target-by-proxy using your familiar.
Colmarr 04-20-05, 04:17 AM	I'm with Blue Paladin. Empathic link would not allow the familiar to tell you where to aim. It is not specific enough. However, once you reach 5th or 6th level, the familiar can in fact speak to you and could tell you where to target the spell. You would still be blind and the target would therefore have full concealment, but you could at least cast the spell at the target. Think of it this way. If another PC told the wizard where to cast, would you allow him to cast? I would, and there's no reason not to allow a communicative familiar to do the same thing. (PS. After all, it's not like familiars are overpowered as is).