Familiar [Archive] - Wizards Community - Pages Merged by Solauren

Familiar [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Tharivol_Nailo
03-03-07, 10:13 AM Because of my level, my familiar has an intelligence score of 12. Does this mean that he can now talk? It says in the PHB that an intelligence score of 9 or lower means you can't speak properly, but doesn't mention the score to speak at all.
Domriso
03-03-07, 11:09 AM Unless you're 5th level, no. The creature is still a magical beast, and even if it does have intelligence it doesn't have the right anatomy to speak. But if you are at 5th level then you gain the speak with master ability of the familiar, which allows it to speak with you, and others if they have "magical help".
obrysii
03-03-07, 11:33 AM Yeah, it's a matter of anatomy. I believe there is a collar that gives creatures the ability to speak. Get that, and it'd be able to speak--and quite well, too.
Tharivol_Nailo
03-03-07, 11:52 AM Im a lvl 9 sor, and my familiar is an eagle.
Domriso
03-03-07, 11:54 AM At level 9 your should be able to talk with your eagle, and your eagle can talk with other eagles. And if anyone has a comprehend languages or tongues on, they should be able to understand your eagle.
Tharivol_Nailo
03-03-07, 11:59 AM Ok thank you, now another question. My character has the telepathy ability. Can I speak telepathically with my eagle?
Thomar_of_Uointer
03-03-07, 12:00 PM Being intelligent doesn't necessarily mean you can't speak, many magical beasts are intelligent but only understand language, and are not able to speak. The PHB's note on low intelligence scores refers to speech impediments and an inability to fully grasp language in ordinary or subaverage individuals.

The only familiar in the PHB capable of speaking is the raven. The DMG also has rules that allow you to gain a familiar capable of speech.
Domriso
03-03-07, 12:38 PM Explain how you have the telepathic ability. It depends on how you have it.
Tharivol_Nailo
03-04-07, 08:59 AM Our dm had a new breed of dragon in the campain. This dragon has some psionic powers, of which telepathy is included. I had some dragon blood in me already from my backstory. In a dungeon i found a ring that when it was touched by the blood of falled dragon, it activated my draconic bloodline. I got the power of telepathy among a few other things.
Domriso
03-04-07, 12:54 PM In a normal creature can you and the other speak back and forth? Personally I would say that you can speak telepathically with your familiar, especially since you already have the empathic link ability and telepathy. According to the telepathy description in the Monster Manual, "A creature with this ability can communicate telepathically with any other creature within a certain range (usually 100 ft.) that has a language."
I would say that you familiar has a language and that your telepathy with it is simply a greater version of the empathic link feature.
Tharivol_Nailo
03-05-07, 04:00 PM ok thank you.
Domriso
03-05-07, 10:08 PM Glad to help.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Tharivol_Nailo 03-03-07, 10:13 AM	Because of my level, my familiar has an intelligence score of 12. Does this mean that he can now talk? It says in the PHB that an intelligence score of 9 or lower means you can't speak properly, but doesn't mention the score to speak at all.
Domriso 03-03-07, 11:09 AM	Unless you're 5th level, no. The creature is still a magical beast, and even if it does have intelligence it doesn't have the right anatomy to speak. But if you are at 5th level then you gain the speak with master ability of the familiar, which allows it to speak with you, and others if they have "magical help".
obrysii 03-03-07, 11:33 AM	Yeah, it's a matter of anatomy. I believe there is a collar that gives creatures the ability to speak. Get that, and it'd be able to speak--and quite well, too.
Tharivol_Nailo 03-03-07, 11:52 AM	Im a lvl 9 sor, and my familiar is an eagle.
Domriso 03-03-07, 11:54 AM	At level 9 your should be able to talk with your eagle, and your eagle can talk with other eagles. And if anyone has a comprehend languages or tongues on, they should be able to understand your eagle.
Tharivol_Nailo 03-03-07, 11:59 AM	Ok thank you, now another question. My character has the telepathy ability. Can I speak telepathically with my eagle?
Thomar_of_Uointer 03-03-07, 12:00 PM	Being intelligent doesn't necessarily mean you can't speak, many magical beasts are intelligent but only understand language, and are not able to speak. The PHB's note on low intelligence scores refers to speech impediments and an inability to fully grasp language in ordinary or subaverage individuals. The only familiar in the PHB capable of speaking is the raven. The DMG also has rules that allow you to gain a familiar capable of speech.
Domriso 03-03-07, 12:38 PM	Explain how you have the telepathic ability. It depends on how you have it.
Tharivol_Nailo 03-04-07, 08:59 AM	Our dm had a new breed of dragon in the campain. This dragon has some psionic powers, of which telepathy is included. I had some dragon blood in me already from my backstory. In a dungeon i found a ring that when it was touched by the blood of falled dragon, it activated my draconic bloodline. I got the power of telepathy among a few other things.
Domriso 03-04-07, 12:54 PM	In a normal creature can you and the other speak back and forth? Personally I would say that you can speak telepathically with your familiar, especially since you already have the empathic link ability and telepathy. According to the telepathy description in the Monster Manual, "A creature with this ability can communicate telepathically with any other creature within a certain range (usually 100 ft.) that has a language." I would say that you familiar has a language and that your telepathy with it is simply a greater version of the empathic link feature.
Tharivol_Nailo 03-05-07, 04:00 PM	ok thank you.
Domriso 03-05-07, 10:08 PM	Glad to help.