Familiars' lifespan [Archive] - Wizards Community

Familiars' lifespan [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Frogmantis
05-14-07, 04:13 AM When an animal becomes a magical beast, as when it becomes a familiar, is it granted a longer lifespan? does that toad that lives 6 years in real life die after that long in DnD if that sorcerer takes it as a familiar?
Thorsbjorn
05-14-07, 04:25 AM When an animal becomes a magical beast, as when it becomes a familiar, is it granted a longer lifespan? does that toad that lives 6 years in real life die after that long in DnD if that sorcerer takes it as a familiar?

I'm sure that toad croaks pretty quickly. :D

Sorry--for some reason I've never been able to resist frog croaking puns. :P
Frogmantis
05-14-07, 04:27 AM it's alright; i forgive you

but... seriously, since they're magical beasts and when they die it hurts the spellcaster, i assume that they might live longer as familiars. That's what i'm houseruling, anyway.
Thorsbjorn
05-14-07, 04:30 AM it's alright; i forgive you

but... seriously, since they're magical beasts and when they die it hurts the spellcaster, i assume that they might live longer as familiars. That's what i'm houseruling, anyway.

Thanks. :D

Seriously though, I think most people don't give any thought to a familiar dying from old age, so I think you're on pretty safe ground with your houserule. :)
CantripN
05-14-07, 04:42 AM I sorta assume they become immortal once they become familiars.
If you were to die and brought back with a Wish several millennia later, it might well be there, waiting for you (if it didn't get killed...).
Thorsbjorn
05-14-07, 04:47 AM I sorta assume they become immortal once they become familiars.
If you were to die and brought back with a Wish several millennia later, it might well be there, waiting for you (if it didn't get killed...).

Sort of like Highlander: The Raven? :D
CantripN
05-14-07, 05:43 AM Sort of like Highlander: The Raven? :D

If you wish to bring pop culture into the matter, yes.
Fireclave
05-14-07, 05:44 AM I forget exactly where I read this, but I believe that a familiar's apparent age is the same as their master's. I don't think they gain any bonuses or penalties for aging, but they live as long as their master's natural life span. That means, for example, that the familiar of an elf is much longer lived than a human's familiar.

There's some articles on the main site that cover familiars. I either read it there or possibly in the Tomb and Blood.
Thorsbjorn
05-14-07, 05:52 AM If you wish to bring pop culture into the matter, yes.

I was just making a pun, as with talking about how soon a toad would croak, albeit a less obvious one. :D

I forget exactly where I read this, but I believe that a familiar's apparent age is the same as their master's. I don't think they gain any bonuses or penalties for aging, but they live as long as their master's natural life span. That means, for example, that the familiar of an elf is much longer lived than a human's familiar.

There's some articles on the main site that cover familiars. I either read it there or possibly in the Tomb and Blood.

Hey, I had a buddy who used to refer to Tome and Blood as Tomb of Blood. Your name isn't Bill by any chance, is it? :D

P.S. I love your raichu!
Knute
05-14-07, 12:49 PM My recollection is that a familiar is tied to its caster in all things. The transformation has it age with its caster while its a familiar. Indeed, the familiar looses its special status something like a week after the casters death - presumably it would begin to age again or start to receive the affects of its many years.

Consider the rat that has been a familiar to an elf for a thousand years and then the master is dead.... gotta be pretty hard to just be a rat again.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Frogmantis 05-14-07, 04:13 AM	When an animal becomes a magical beast, as when it becomes a familiar, is it granted a longer lifespan? does that toad that lives 6 years in real life die after that long in DnD if that sorcerer takes it as a familiar?
Thorsbjorn 05-14-07, 04:25 AM	When an animal becomes a magical beast, as when it becomes a familiar, is it granted a longer lifespan? does that toad that lives 6 years in real life die after that long in DnD if that sorcerer takes it as a familiar? I'm sure that toad croaks pretty quickly. :D Sorry--for some reason I've never been able to resist frog croaking puns. :P
Frogmantis 05-14-07, 04:27 AM	it's alright; i forgive you but... seriously, since they're magical beasts and when they die it hurts the spellcaster, i assume that they might live longer as familiars. That's what i'm houseruling, anyway.
Thorsbjorn 05-14-07, 04:30 AM	it's alright; i forgive you but... seriously, since they're magical beasts and when they die it hurts the spellcaster, i assume that they might live longer as familiars. That's what i'm houseruling, anyway. Thanks. :D Seriously though, I think most people don't give any thought to a familiar dying from old age, so I think you're on pretty safe ground with your houserule. :)
CantripN 05-14-07, 04:42 AM	I sorta assume they become immortal once they become familiars. If you were to die and brought back with a Wish several millennia later, it might well be there, waiting for you (if it didn't get killed...).
Thorsbjorn 05-14-07, 04:47 AM	I sorta assume they become immortal once they become familiars. If you were to die and brought back with a Wish several millennia later, it might well be there, waiting for you (if it didn't get killed...). Sort of like Highlander: The Raven? :D
CantripN 05-14-07, 05:43 AM	Sort of like Highlander: The Raven? :D If you wish to bring pop culture into the matter, yes.
Fireclave 05-14-07, 05:44 AM	I forget exactly where I read this, but I believe that a familiar's apparent age is the same as their master's. I don't think they gain any bonuses or penalties for aging, but they live as long as their master's natural life span. That means, for example, that the familiar of an elf is much longer lived than a human's familiar. There's some articles on the main site that cover familiars. I either read it there or possibly in the Tomb and Blood.
Thorsbjorn 05-14-07, 05:52 AM	If you wish to bring pop culture into the matter, yes. I was just making a pun, as with talking about how soon a toad would croak, albeit a less obvious one. :D I forget exactly where I read this, but I believe that a familiar's apparent age is the same as their master's. I don't think they gain any bonuses or penalties for aging, but they live as long as their master's natural life span. That means, for example, that the familiar of an elf is much longer lived than a human's familiar. There's some articles on the main site that cover familiars. I either read it there or possibly in the Tomb and Blood. Hey, I had a buddy who used to refer to Tome and Blood as Tomb of Blood. Your name isn't Bill by any chance, is it? :D P.S. I love your raichu!
Knute 05-14-07, 12:49 PM	My recollection is that a familiar is tied to its caster in all things. The transformation has it age with its caster while its a familiar. Indeed, the familiar looses its special status something like a week after the casters death - presumably it would begin to age again or start to receive the affects of its many years. Consider the rat that has been a familiar to an elf for a thousand years and then the master is dead.... gotta be pretty hard to just be a rat again.