Feat to gain familiar? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Feat to gain familiar? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Kameko
03-25-07, 10:33 PM Is there a feat that allows any class to gain a familiar? I have looked but can't seem to find one. I swore that there was such a feat.....

Thanks in advance.
rice830
03-25-07, 10:39 PM ~Yes, in the Complete Arcane there is the feat, "Aquire Familiar." Im guessing thats what you were talking about. I dont have my book but i believe you need Arcane Caster Lvl 3 as a pre-req.
TheRealOrion
03-25-07, 10:42 PM What class that has Arcane L3 wouldn't already have the familiar class feature? I can think of a couple of Prestige classes, but you generally have to already have Arcane L3 for, say, Mystic Theurge, or something like that.
Mystyc
03-25-07, 10:42 PM On a similar subject, is there a feat to gain an animal companion? I know a feat exists to increase your effect AC level, but not about one that gives it to you to start with.
Goreg Skullcrusher
03-25-07, 10:45 PM What class that has Arcane L3 wouldn't already have the familiar class feature? I can think of a couple of Prestige classes, but you generally have to already have Arcane L3 for, say, Mystic Theurge, or something like that.

The Bard comes to mind. I'm sure others exist as well.
Mystyc
03-25-07, 10:46 PM What class that has Arcane L3 wouldn't already have the familiar class feature? I can think of a couple of Prestige classes, but you generally have to already have Arcane L3 for, say, Mystic Theurge, or something like that.
Bards, the three new classes in Complete Arcane (warlock, warmage and wu jen), a sorc or wizard who chose a substitution level or replacement class ability that removed the familiar, any prestige class with independent arcane advancement (like Suel Arcanamach), etc, etc...
enygmatic_me
03-25-07, 10:48 PM On a similar subject, is there a feat to gain an animal companion? I know a feat exists to increase your effect AC level, but not about one that gives it to you to start with.

Animal Companions for Everyone (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20031118a)

Obtain Familiar I believe only needs you to be able to cast arcane spells. As to other classes, Duskblades, Spell Thieves, Bards, not sure about the Factotum, Savant. There are several arcane casters that don't gain familiars.
Mystyc
03-25-07, 10:54 PM Animal Companions for Everyone (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20031118a)

Obtain Familiar I believe only needs you to be able to cast arcane spells. As to other classes, Duskblades, Spell Thieves, Bards, not sure about the Factotum, Savant. There are several arcane casters that don't gain familiars.
Awesome, thanks!

Also, you don't even need to be able to cast arcane spells, just be an arcane caster. It's a narrow distinction, but one that warlocks are very interested in.
enygmatic_me
03-25-07, 11:01 PM Awesome, thanks!

Also, you don't even need to be able to cast arcane spells, just be an arcane caster. It's a narrow distinction, but one that warlocks are very interested in.

Would this mean that the Factotum could take the feat then as they gain arcane spells as spell-like abilities?
Mystyc
03-25-07, 11:05 PM Would this mean that the Factotum could take the feat then as they gain arcane spells as spell-like abilities?
I would imagine. The Arcane Dilettante ability states that "your caster level is equal to your class level."
Board_Rider
03-26-07, 12:03 AM I believe that there is a feat within Tome of Magic that grants a shadow familiar of some sort.
Narris
03-26-07, 02:37 AM wild cohort?
stsword
03-26-07, 09:53 PM Does anyone else have images of a Duskblade with a familiar : Fluffy, the housecat of doom?
HobbitGuy1420
03-26-07, 11:34 PM Well, I do *now.* thanks a lot. :-P
enygmatic_me
03-28-07, 04:50 PM It makes me think of a Bard with a Lyrebird Familiar.
Kurama Youko
03-28-07, 07:19 PM The cool thing about Bard Familiars is that the familiar has equal ranks in all its masters skills plus its own ability modifier, meaning all those fairy tale scenes of sleeping beauty singing to birds and the birds singing back can now be incorprated into DnD.
kyros_the_spawnslayer
03-30-07, 09:52 AM I would agree that if you want something similiar to an AC then take Wild Cohort. But I have always wondered why other divine casters don't get an equvialent of a familiar, like some sort of base animal (avaliable to wizards and sorcerers) but they have a alignment template placed on them (fiendish, celestial and the other two I can't remember). I could really see something like that for maybe a Favored Soul and the companion is a gift from the god or goddess they represent. Just a passing thought though.
bloodtalon
03-30-07, 10:18 AM Animal Companions for Everyone (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20031118a)

Obtain Familiar I believe only needs you to be able to cast arcane spells. As to other classes, Duskblades, Spell Thieves, Bards, not sure about the Factotum, Savant. There are several arcane casters that don't gain familiars.

i see one promblem with that feat
if you ahve a party of mainly humans they use thier free feat to take it and you may end up with a party of 4 charchater, 4 animal companions, a druids compainion, a wizards familiar in the first level
5 wolves can beat most first level encounters
Narris
03-30-07, 12:27 PM thanks for the tip
enygmatic_me
03-30-07, 06:11 PM i see one promblem with that feat
if you ahve a party of mainly humans they use thier free feat to take it and you may end up with a party of 4 charchater, 4 animal companions, a druids compainion, a wizards familiar in the first level
5 wolves can beat most first level encounters

Not sure how much of a problem this feat really is considering most classes don't have handle animal as a class skill.
Kurama Youko
03-30-07, 08:32 PM Not sure how much of a problem this feat really is considering most classes don't have handle animal as a class skill.

Exactly, which is the real kicker here. Sure you can have one but unless you got the ranks to really teach it the important tricks to make it useful then its kind of a eye sore. It's already going up a little slower than a animal companion and it doesnt get all the cool abilities a animal companion does. So its not that powerful in my opinion but it can be useful, especially for people like Fighters who are building a customized knight like character and need a mount (I mean come on why let Paladins have all the fun?), the actual knight class should definitely have this as a bonus feat. A Barbarian riding atop a bison is a very intimidating sight, ranger with a actually combat useful wild cohort = Drizzt Do'Urden style ranger and its damn sneak panther. :)
Jaxgaret
03-30-07, 08:45 PM they have a alignment template placed on them (fiendish, celestial and the other two I can't remember).

Axiomatic (Lawful) and Anarchic (Chaotic).

As to the Animal Companion, there is a variant rule from UA that allows a Wizard to trade their Familiar for an Animal Companion of half their Wizard level. Equal to a Ranger's Animal Companion, in other words.

Use that variant of Acquire Familiar, and the Natural Bond feat (which increases the character's Animal Companion level by 3, up to PC's HD), and you essentially have a slightly down-powered Animal Companion for two feats. Natural Bond is in CAdv.

You may be able to take Natural Bond a second and even a third time to keep up the AnComp improvement, although it might be better to adjudicate it as a custom magical item that adds to effective AnComp level.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Kameko 03-25-07, 10:33 PM	Is there a feat that allows any class to gain a familiar? I have looked but can't seem to find one. I swore that there was such a feat..... Thanks in advance.
rice830 03-25-07, 10:39 PM	~Yes, in the Complete Arcane there is the feat, "Aquire Familiar." Im guessing thats what you were talking about. I dont have my book but i believe you need Arcane Caster Lvl 3 as a pre-req.
TheRealOrion 03-25-07, 10:42 PM	What class that has Arcane L3 wouldn't already have the familiar class feature? I can think of a couple of Prestige classes, but you generally have to already have Arcane L3 for, say, Mystic Theurge, or something like that.
Mystyc 03-25-07, 10:42 PM	On a similar subject, is there a feat to gain an animal companion? I know a feat exists to increase your effect AC level, but not about one that gives it to you to start with.
Goreg Skullcrusher 03-25-07, 10:45 PM	What class that has Arcane L3 wouldn't already have the familiar class feature? I can think of a couple of Prestige classes, but you generally have to already have Arcane L3 for, say, Mystic Theurge, or something like that. The Bard comes to mind. I'm sure others exist as well.
Mystyc 03-25-07, 10:46 PM	What class that has Arcane L3 wouldn't already have the familiar class feature? I can think of a couple of Prestige classes, but you generally have to already have Arcane L3 for, say, Mystic Theurge, or something like that. Bards, the three new classes in Complete Arcane (warlock, warmage and wu jen), a sorc or wizard who chose a substitution level or replacement class ability that removed the familiar, any prestige class with independent arcane advancement (like Suel Arcanamach), etc, etc...
enygmatic_me 03-25-07, 10:48 PM	On a similar subject, is there a feat to gain an animal companion? I know a feat exists to increase your effect AC level, but not about one that gives it to you to start with. Animal Companions for Everyone (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20031118a) Obtain Familiar I believe only needs you to be able to cast arcane spells. As to other classes, Duskblades, Spell Thieves, Bards, not sure about the Factotum, Savant. There are several arcane casters that don't gain familiars.
Mystyc 03-25-07, 10:54 PM	Animal Companions for Everyone (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20031118a) Obtain Familiar I believe only needs you to be able to cast arcane spells. As to other classes, Duskblades, Spell Thieves, Bards, not sure about the Factotum, Savant. There are several arcane casters that don't gain familiars. Awesome, thanks! Also, you don't even need to be able to cast arcane spells, just be an arcane caster. It's a narrow distinction, but one that warlocks are very interested in.
enygmatic_me 03-25-07, 11:01 PM	Awesome, thanks! Also, you don't even need to be able to cast arcane spells, just be an arcane caster. It's a narrow distinction, but one that warlocks are very interested in. Would this mean that the Factotum could take the feat then as they gain arcane spells as spell-like abilities?
Mystyc 03-25-07, 11:05 PM	Would this mean that the Factotum could take the feat then as they gain arcane spells as spell-like abilities? I would imagine. The Arcane Dilettante ability states that "your caster level is equal to your class level."
Board_Rider 03-26-07, 12:03 AM	I believe that there is a feat within Tome of Magic that grants a shadow familiar of some sort.
Narris 03-26-07, 02:37 AM	wild cohort?
stsword 03-26-07, 09:53 PM	Does anyone else have images of a Duskblade with a familiar : Fluffy, the housecat of doom?
HobbitGuy1420 03-26-07, 11:34 PM	Well, I do now. thanks a lot. :-P
enygmatic_me 03-28-07, 04:50 PM	It makes me think of a Bard with a Lyrebird Familiar.
Kurama Youko 03-28-07, 07:19 PM	The cool thing about Bard Familiars is that the familiar has equal ranks in all its masters skills plus its own ability modifier, meaning all those fairy tale scenes of sleeping beauty singing to birds and the birds singing back can now be incorprated into DnD.
kyros_the_spawnslayer 03-30-07, 09:52 AM	I would agree that if you want something similiar to an AC then take Wild Cohort. But I have always wondered why other divine casters don't get an equvialent of a familiar, like some sort of base animal (avaliable to wizards and sorcerers) but they have a alignment template placed on them (fiendish, celestial and the other two I can't remember). I could really see something like that for maybe a Favored Soul and the companion is a gift from the god or goddess they represent. Just a passing thought though.
bloodtalon 03-30-07, 10:18 AM	Animal Companions for Everyone (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20031118a) Obtain Familiar I believe only needs you to be able to cast arcane spells. As to other classes, Duskblades, Spell Thieves, Bards, not sure about the Factotum, Savant. There are several arcane casters that don't gain familiars. i see one promblem with that feat if you ahve a party of mainly humans they use thier free feat to take it and you may end up with a party of 4 charchater, 4 animal companions, a druids compainion, a wizards familiar in the first level 5 wolves can beat most first level encounters
Narris 03-30-07, 12:27 PM	thanks for the tip
enygmatic_me 03-30-07, 06:11 PM	i see one promblem with that feat if you ahve a party of mainly humans they use thier free feat to take it and you may end up with a party of 4 charchater, 4 animal companions, a druids compainion, a wizards familiar in the first level 5 wolves can beat most first level encounters Not sure how much of a problem this feat really is considering most classes don't have handle animal as a class skill.
Kurama Youko 03-30-07, 08:32 PM	Not sure how much of a problem this feat really is considering most classes don't have handle animal as a class skill. Exactly, which is the real kicker here. Sure you can have one but unless you got the ranks to really teach it the important tricks to make it useful then its kind of a eye sore. It's already going up a little slower than a animal companion and it doesnt get all the cool abilities a animal companion does. So its not that powerful in my opinion but it can be useful, especially for people like Fighters who are building a customized knight like character and need a mount (I mean come on why let Paladins have all the fun?), the actual knight class should definitely have this as a bonus feat. A Barbarian riding atop a bison is a very intimidating sight, ranger with a actually combat useful wild cohort = Drizzt Do'Urden style ranger and its damn sneak panther. :)
Jaxgaret 03-30-07, 08:45 PM	they have a alignment template placed on them (fiendish, celestial and the other two I can't remember). Axiomatic (Lawful) and Anarchic (Chaotic). As to the Animal Companion, there is a variant rule from UA that allows a Wizard to trade their Familiar for an Animal Companion of half their Wizard level. Equal to a Ranger's Animal Companion, in other words. Use that variant of Acquire Familiar, and the Natural Bond feat (which increases the character's Animal Companion level by 3, up to PC's HD), and you essentially have a slightly down-powered Animal Companion for two feats. Natural Bond is in CAdv. You may be able to take Natural Bond a second and even a third time to keep up the AnComp improvement, although it might be better to adjudicate it as a custom magical item that adds to effective AnComp level.