Shocker Lizard as a Familiar... [Archive] - Wizards Community

Shocker Lizard as a Familiar... [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
rex_subterrae1008
07-19-07, 11:31 AM I'm thinking of starting another halfling wizard... I'm just wondering about whether he can get a shocker lizard as a familiar, and if so, what level he would have to be... This may have been posted elsewhere, but I can't find it...
Puca
07-19-07, 11:32 AM Fifth level. It is in the SRD under the Improved Familiar feat.
rex_subterrae1008
07-19-07, 11:36 AM Oh, ok... What would you recommend as a familiar for a first level halfling wizard?
Watsyurname529
07-19-07, 11:40 AM If you take the Improved Familiar Feat you can get a Shocker Lizard at 5th Caster Level. As for the bonus it grants to your Wizard, I would use the +3 Climb bonus from the Lizard Familiar.
Puca
07-19-07, 11:43 AM I dont know. Really, familiars for me are more about flavor than anything.

A familiar is a little, scampering way for me to lose my xp. I dont take them unless there is something specific I want to do or be and a falimiar can make it work.

So, tell me what you want to do and be, and lets see if there is a regular familiar that fits. Also, there are a number of new options you can swap out a familiar for. One of them might appeal to you more. Which books are you allowed?
rex_subterrae1008
07-19-07, 11:55 AM So, tell me what you want to do and be, and lets see if there is a regular familiar that fits. Also, there are a number of new options you can swap out a familiar for. One of them might appeal to you more. Which books are you allowed?

Well, I'm kind of limited to the books here at the public library... PHB & PHB 2, DMG & DMG 2, MM 1-4, Draconomicon, Heroes of Valour, Complete Warrior, and Complete Mage...
Puca
07-19-07, 12:03 PM Thats a lot.
What kind of wizard are you? General or specialist?

What kind of wizard do you want to play? Blaster? buffer? Any and all? Any PrC plans?

What is his alignment? His personality?

None of this really matters, but, like I said, familiars for me are more about the flavor of the character. I use them more as a way to impart my personality than to deliver touch spells.
rex_subterrae1008
07-19-07, 12:13 PM Thats a lot.
What kind of wizard are you? General or specialist?

What kind of wizard do you want to play? Blaster? buffer? Any and all? Any PrC plans?

What is his alignment? His personality?

None of this really matters, but, like I said, familiars for me are more about the flavor of the character. I use them more as a way to impart my personality than to deliver touch spells.

In order: general, any and all, maybe Ultimate Magus...
Either N or CN, haven't decided yet... But he tends to either do things without thinking it through first, or spending so much time thinking he misses a lot of what's going on... He's the kind of person who would travel across the country just because he's bored... lol. He also hates being called short... He also has kind of a bad memory, except when it comes to his magic... He's REALLY bad with names... For instance, he would called the Elf Vaecaesin instead of his/her actual name... (He tends to mix Draconic with his Common, so most people have no clue what he's saying...)
malignor
07-19-07, 12:22 PM I suggest either...

- a lizard. It can be a "young shocker lizard in training", which can be a snazzy BS excuse as to why you suddenly get a shocker lizard at level 5 (which requires a houseruling from your DM). Plus a lizard hangs onto your shoulder tightly (thinking of my sister's Chameleon - it's got a heck of a grip on stuff like cloth or branches), so your absent-minded mage won't forget his little buddy.

- a Raven, which nags and corrects you constantly, remembering names for you and so on. The party would get a kick out of your constant bickering with your nagging familiar, probably make cracks about it being your wife and stuff.
Puca
07-19-07, 12:36 PM I wrote this before I read your reply, so much of it is irrelevant, but I wrote it, so Im posting it anyway:

Blaster/Evoker/or any powerfully assertive personality might take a hawk. The whole talon-thing.

One bard I had with a hawk familiar routinely masqueraded as a young, very arrogant, noble, and for flavor the hawk was a “falcon.” A change in name only, but he wore the falconers gauntlet and the hawk had jesses hanging from its ankles.

Were I playing a halfling, Id take a hawk if I was really touchy about my size maybe. Sort of the way a needledick picks a giant 4x4 truck - overcompensation for a flaw.

The only rat familiar Ive had was as a very ugly, dirty, skuzzy half-elf transmuter.

At your size, a rat is relatively like a small dog to a medium sized creature, so Id pick one of those as sort of a dirty parody of a lap-dog. Holding it and stroking its ratty fur.
Think of like that James Bond villain with the cat, or Dr. Evil with the hairless cat. Except, its a filthy rodent.

Dark, secretive, disturbed characters could be inclined for a snake or a bat. A snake would be more for an enchanter type. Yeah, the bonus to Bluff is there, but also snakes have a symbolic association with deceivers and manipulators.

Someone with a bat is more inclined toward illusion. Darkness, hiding, staying unseen.

The wise, scholarly, ranks in every knowledge skill wizard is going to take either an owl, for the obvious symbolic reasons, or the raven, just because I think it fits that flavor too.

A character who was a little roguish, maybe a future Arcane Trickster, would go for a weasel: fast, quick-striking little creature, just like the character.

These are just my opinions. You, and every other reader, are going to have different connotative associations with different animals. Using your feelings/thoughts/associations/symbolism when picking a familiar is, IMHO, a good basis for the decision. Better than trying to get a +3 to a check you never use any way.

In order: general, any and all, maybe Ultimate Magus...Well, ultimate magi are kind of, well, “Im the ultimate.” So that might fit with the “power wizard” hawk sort I mentioned.

Either N or CN, haven't decided yet... But he tends to either do things without thinking it through first, or spending so much time thinking he misses a lot of what's going on... He's the kind of person who would travel across the country just because he's bored... lol.

He also has kind of a bad memory, except when it comes to his magic... He's REALLY bad with names... For instance, he would called the Elf Vaecaesin instead of his/her actual name... (He tends to mix Draconic with his Common, so most people have no clue what he's saying...)Sort of an absent-minded professor thing? That seems very raven to me. Same way it did Malingor. Maybe the raven can translate for him? Make sense of the halflings ramblings and relate it to the rest of the party?

He also hates being called short... That was my idea for a hawk-owner. Little-man complex with a tough familiar. (Not that D&D hawks are that tough. Just the connotation of them.)
rex_subterrae1008
07-19-07, 12:37 PM I suggest either...

- a lizard. It can be a "young shocker lizard in training", which can be a snazzy BS excuse as to why you suddenly get a shocker lizard at level 5 (which requires a houseruling from your DM). Plus a lizard hangs onto your shoulder tightly (thinking of my sister's Chameleon - it's got a heck of a grip on stuff like cloth or branches), so your absent-minded mage won't forget his little buddy.

- a Raven, which nags and corrects you constantly, remembering names for you and so on. The party would get a kick out of your constant bickering with your nagging familiar, probably make cracks about it being your wife and stuff.

Hmmm... I think the Raven would probably be a better choice... It would definitely fit in with his personality... I just was wondering about the Shocker Lizard because, well, I think it's kind of cute...

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
rex_subterrae1008 07-19-07, 11:31 AM	I'm thinking of starting another halfling wizard... I'm just wondering about whether he can get a shocker lizard as a familiar, and if so, what level he would have to be... This may have been posted elsewhere, but I can't find it...
Puca 07-19-07, 11:32 AM	Fifth level. It is in the SRD under the Improved Familiar feat.
rex_subterrae1008 07-19-07, 11:36 AM	Oh, ok... What would you recommend as a familiar for a first level halfling wizard?
Watsyurname529 07-19-07, 11:40 AM	If you take the Improved Familiar Feat you can get a Shocker Lizard at 5th Caster Level. As for the bonus it grants to your Wizard, I would use the +3 Climb bonus from the Lizard Familiar.
Puca 07-19-07, 11:43 AM	I dont know. Really, familiars for me are more about flavor than anything. A familiar is a little, scampering way for me to lose my xp. I dont take them unless there is something specific I want to do or be and a falimiar can make it work. So, tell me what you want to do and be, and lets see if there is a regular familiar that fits. Also, there are a number of new options you can swap out a familiar for. One of them might appeal to you more. Which books are you allowed?
rex_subterrae1008 07-19-07, 11:55 AM	So, tell me what you want to do and be, and lets see if there is a regular familiar that fits. Also, there are a number of new options you can swap out a familiar for. One of them might appeal to you more. Which books are you allowed? Well, I'm kind of limited to the books here at the public library... PHB & PHB 2, DMG & DMG 2, MM 1-4, Draconomicon, Heroes of Valour, Complete Warrior, and Complete Mage...
Puca 07-19-07, 12:03 PM	Thats a lot. What kind of wizard are you? General or specialist? What kind of wizard do you want to play? Blaster? buffer? Any and all? Any PrC plans? What is his alignment? His personality? None of this really matters, but, like I said, familiars for me are more about the flavor of the character. I use them more as a way to impart my personality than to deliver touch spells.
rex_subterrae1008 07-19-07, 12:13 PM	Thats a lot. What kind of wizard are you? General or specialist? What kind of wizard do you want to play? Blaster? buffer? Any and all? Any PrC plans? What is his alignment? His personality? None of this really matters, but, like I said, familiars for me are more about the flavor of the character. I use them more as a way to impart my personality than to deliver touch spells. In order: general, any and all, maybe Ultimate Magus... Either N or CN, haven't decided yet... But he tends to either do things without thinking it through first, or spending so much time thinking he misses a lot of what's going on... He's the kind of person who would travel across the country just because he's bored... lol. He also hates being called short... He also has kind of a bad memory, except when it comes to his magic... He's REALLY bad with names... For instance, he would called the Elf Vaecaesin instead of his/her actual name... (He tends to mix Draconic with his Common, so most people have no clue what he's saying...)
malignor 07-19-07, 12:22 PM	I suggest either... - a lizard. It can be a "young shocker lizard in training", which can be a snazzy BS excuse as to why you suddenly get a shocker lizard at level 5 (which requires a houseruling from your DM). Plus a lizard hangs onto your shoulder tightly (thinking of my sister's Chameleon - it's got a heck of a grip on stuff like cloth or branches), so your absent-minded mage won't forget his little buddy. - a Raven, which nags and corrects you constantly, remembering names for you and so on. The party would get a kick out of your constant bickering with your nagging familiar, probably make cracks about it being your wife and stuff.
Puca 07-19-07, 12:36 PM	I wrote this before I read your reply, so much of it is irrelevant, but I wrote it, so Im posting it anyway: Blaster/Evoker/or any powerfully assertive personality might take a hawk. The whole talon-thing. One bard I had with a hawk familiar routinely masqueraded as a young, very arrogant, noble, and for flavor the hawk was a “falcon.” A change in name only, but he wore the falconers gauntlet and the hawk had jesses hanging from its ankles. Were I playing a halfling, Id take a hawk if I was really touchy about my size maybe. Sort of the way a needledick picks a giant 4x4 truck - overcompensation for a flaw. The only rat familiar Ive had was as a very ugly, dirty, skuzzy half-elf transmuter. At your size, a rat is relatively like a small dog to a medium sized creature, so Id pick one of those as sort of a dirty parody of a lap-dog. Holding it and stroking its ratty fur. Think of like that James Bond villain with the cat, or Dr. Evil with the hairless cat. Except, its a filthy rodent. Dark, secretive, disturbed characters could be inclined for a snake or a bat. A snake would be more for an enchanter type. Yeah, the bonus to Bluff is there, but also snakes have a symbolic association with deceivers and manipulators. Someone with a bat is more inclined toward illusion. Darkness, hiding, staying unseen. The wise, scholarly, ranks in every knowledge skill wizard is going to take either an owl, for the obvious symbolic reasons, or the raven, just because I think it fits that flavor too. A character who was a little roguish, maybe a future Arcane Trickster, would go for a weasel: fast, quick-striking little creature, just like the character. These are just my opinions. You, and every other reader, are going to have different connotative associations with different animals. Using your feelings/thoughts/associations/symbolism when picking a familiar is, IMHO, a good basis for the decision. Better than trying to get a +3 to a check you never use any way. In order: general, any and all, maybe Ultimate Magus...Well, ultimate magi are kind of, well, “Im the ultimate.” So that might fit with the “power wizard” hawk sort I mentioned. Either N or CN, haven't decided yet... But he tends to either do things without thinking it through first, or spending so much time thinking he misses a lot of what's going on... He's the kind of person who would travel across the country just because he's bored... lol. He also has kind of a bad memory, except when it comes to his magic... He's REALLY bad with names... For instance, he would called the Elf Vaecaesin instead of his/her actual name... (He tends to mix Draconic with his Common, so most people have no clue what he's saying...)Sort of an absent-minded professor thing? That seems very raven to me. Same way it did Malingor. Maybe the raven can translate for him? Make sense of the halflings ramblings and relate it to the rest of the party? He also hates being called short... That was my idea for a hawk-owner. Little-man complex with a tough familiar. (Not that D&D hawks are that tough. Just the connotation of them.)
rex_subterrae1008 07-19-07, 12:37 PM	I suggest either... - a lizard. It can be a "young shocker lizard in training", which can be a snazzy BS excuse as to why you suddenly get a shocker lizard at level 5 (which requires a houseruling from your DM). Plus a lizard hangs onto your shoulder tightly (thinking of my sister's Chameleon - it's got a heck of a grip on stuff like cloth or branches), so your absent-minded mage won't forget his little buddy. - a Raven, which nags and corrects you constantly, remembering names for you and so on. The party would get a kick out of your constant bickering with your nagging familiar, probably make cracks about it being your wife and stuff. Hmmm... I think the Raven would probably be a better choice... It would definitely fit in with his personality... I just was wondering about the Shocker Lizard because, well, I think it's kind of cute...