Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Dempster 04-22-07, 10:48 PM	How do you determine what feats your familiar has? Do they have to have the standard feats given for a common animal in the monsters manual or can you choose thier starting feats? Do they gain feats as you gain hit die?
runestar 04-22-07, 11:00 PM	I would let them change their starting feat. But since familiar do not actually advance in HD(they are merely treated as having more HD for related purposes), they will never get more feats.
Dead_Weasel 04-22-07, 11:48 PM	My opinion on the familiar/animal companion/cohort building issue is that the player should be allowed to design their own, subject to the DM's approval - just like a PC.
BlakesTiger 04-23-07, 02:15 AM	Your familiar is a common version of the animal you select augmented as stated in the PHB. Therefore, it has the feats as described in the MM. That being said, I personally don't see it imbalancing anything if your DM wants to allow you to change the starting feat (changing out a Hawk's Alertness since it gains it as a bonus for being a familiar, for example). Of course, I haven't scoured all sources for feats for which various animals qualify to find any broken combinations. Oh, and as stated by others, your familiar never gains hit dice, so it doesn't gain any new feats. Animal companions are another story all together.
runestar 04-23-07, 02:36 AM	I suppose you could give your familiar mounted combat, take ranks in ride and have it mount you...:P
RobbyPants 04-23-07, 02:46 PM	I suppose you could give your familiar mounted combat, take ranks in ride and have it mount you...:P That'd be awesome!!! Then it could use its Ride skill to replace your AC if you're hit!!! :P