Companions/Familiars [Archive] - Wizards Community

Companions/Familiars [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
splendidplumage
09-20-07, 05:42 PM Hi. I am new to making characters. I am trying to build a level 6 half-orc.
I was planning on the character being blind and having no arms.
I was planning on taking most levels in Monk but thought it would be quite useful to have some sort of imp/fairy/monkey to help get things out of pouchees etc.

Is it possible? I know wizards/sorcerers can have familiars (Although I am not sure what the full range of creatures are. I know druids can have animal companions too but again not sure what can be allowed.

Advise to get this character a useful little helper would be great.
Grumman
09-20-07, 06:03 PM There are familiars which might suit your purposes - mephits and air elementals come to mind (and are discussed in the DMG in the section on familars).

I'd bring up your character concept with the other players first. It would be quite understandable if they considered your character a liability who should just stay in town where he couldn't get everyone killed.
splendidplumage
09-20-07, 06:13 PM They actually thought it was a cool character idea.
I thought with blindfighting feat he should be fine. I was just considering that a familiar might be useful. You can only find so much in your knee pouches with your mouth.
Grumman
09-20-07, 06:33 PM It is certainly different... I'm just saying that your average adventuring party would probably take one look at you and decide you're dead weight.

If you were an adventurer, would you take a blind, armless man with you into the jaws of danger?
PhaedrusXY
09-20-07, 06:51 PM Is this a joke? It sure sounds like one...
happy_fuzzy
09-20-07, 09:35 PM the only you could possibly attack is headbutt (improvised weapon probably, im not sure with a monk0 and kicking (see Snap Kick feat in ToB) however the monk is essentially designed to use fists IMO. Are there compensations for this? (extra wisdom from having a near traumatic experiance, etc.) if you don't then just don't make it. It sounds nice and cool in concept but when you are getting pwned in battle (i guarentee it) then you will be itching to re-roll and its better not to start the problem kn the first place.
hallet
09-20-07, 10:43 PM Actually a monk can make an unarmed strike with any part of his body, so he wouldn't need to take minuses to attack etc.

But otherwise, you'd be a huge liability to your party OP. But there is a feat that lets you get familiars, or you could do a 1 level dip into druid.
pres_man
09-21-07, 12:54 AM 6th level? Take Leadership. Done.
ArgulFraster
09-21-07, 08:09 PM 6th level? Take Leadership. Done.

What he said.
Triyu
09-23-07, 05:49 PM 6th level? Take Leadership. Done.

Because nothing inspires followers like a blind half-orc without any arms.:D
........
Pelor made me do it! *Runs*
BW0222
09-24-07, 02:55 PM splendidplumage,

What party in their right mights would accept a blind half-orc without arms?

You can't open a door, see anything, us a rope, pour a potion down someone's throat, you are as likely to attack your own PCs as the enemy, etc., etc. and you think I'd let you go adventuring? I'd take you to the nearest church or boarding house and give them 50gp to look after you.

As a DM, I'd give everyone adventuring with you an alignment shift towards evil for actually putting such a person in such dangerous situations. Does your group take children and pregnant women adventuring also?

And why wouldn't they just take you to a high-level cleric and get a regenerate spell and/or cure blindness spell cast? (You can work off the debt by serving the church for the next 50 years.)

>Advise to get this character a useful little helper would be great.

Don't make characters which others need to meta-game in order to adventure with.
MrCustomer
09-24-07, 04:18 PM I can see the coolness of having a blind character, but no arms is just being silly. A Blind Monk with Blind Fighting and an empathic familiar is a cool concept. No arms is silly.

At any rate you can fight without arms, you can kick or use any body part to fight as a monk, but the arms provide balance when you are doing those kicks, as well a Monk is normally considered armed even without weapons for purposes of attacks of opportunities that you normally take from fighting an armed opponent with no weapon, without arms to defend yourself with you would loose that ability.

Add the RP negatives from being a half orc (and monks need to be lawful which makes less sense for a holf-orc) particularly a blind and armless half orc. As interesting as it might seem, the negatives you face here are far too large.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
splendidplumage 09-20-07, 05:42 PM	Hi. I am new to making characters. I am trying to build a level 6 half-orc. I was planning on the character being blind and having no arms. I was planning on taking most levels in Monk but thought it would be quite useful to have some sort of imp/fairy/monkey to help get things out of pouchees etc. Is it possible? I know wizards/sorcerers can have familiars (Although I am not sure what the full range of creatures are. I know druids can have animal companions too but again not sure what can be allowed. Advise to get this character a useful little helper would be great.
Grumman 09-20-07, 06:03 PM	There are familiars which might suit your purposes - mephits and air elementals come to mind (and are discussed in the DMG in the section on familars). I'd bring up your character concept with the other players first. It would be quite understandable if they considered your character a liability who should just stay in town where he couldn't get everyone killed.
splendidplumage 09-20-07, 06:13 PM	They actually thought it was a cool character idea. I thought with blindfighting feat he should be fine. I was just considering that a familiar might be useful. You can only find so much in your knee pouches with your mouth.
Grumman 09-20-07, 06:33 PM	It is certainly different... I'm just saying that your average adventuring party would probably take one look at you and decide you're dead weight. If you were an adventurer, would you take a blind, armless man with you into the jaws of danger?
PhaedrusXY 09-20-07, 06:51 PM	Is this a joke? It sure sounds like one...
happy_fuzzy 09-20-07, 09:35 PM	the only you could possibly attack is headbutt (improvised weapon probably, im not sure with a monk0 and kicking (see Snap Kick feat in ToB) however the monk is essentially designed to use fists IMO. Are there compensations for this? (extra wisdom from having a near traumatic experiance, etc.) if you don't then just don't make it. It sounds nice and cool in concept but when you are getting pwned in battle (i guarentee it) then you will be itching to re-roll and its better not to start the problem kn the first place.
hallet 09-20-07, 10:43 PM	Actually a monk can make an unarmed strike with any part of his body, so he wouldn't need to take minuses to attack etc. But otherwise, you'd be a huge liability to your party OP. But there is a feat that lets you get familiars, or you could do a 1 level dip into druid.
pres_man 09-21-07, 12:54 AM	6th level? Take Leadership. Done.
ArgulFraster 09-21-07, 08:09 PM	6th level? Take Leadership. Done. What he said.
Triyu 09-23-07, 05:49 PM	6th level? Take Leadership. Done. Because nothing inspires followers like a blind half-orc without any arms.:D ........ Pelor made me do it! Runs
BW0222 09-24-07, 02:55 PM	splendidplumage, What party in their right mights would accept a blind half-orc without arms? You can't open a door, see anything, us a rope, pour a potion down someone's throat, you are as likely to attack your own PCs as the enemy, etc., etc. and you think I'd let you go adventuring? I'd take you to the nearest church or boarding house and give them 50gp to look after you. As a DM, I'd give everyone adventuring with you an alignment shift towards evil for actually putting such a person in such dangerous situations. Does your group take children and pregnant women adventuring also? And why wouldn't they just take you to a high-level cleric and get a regenerate spell and/or cure blindness spell cast? (You can work off the debt by serving the church for the next 50 years.) >Advise to get this character a useful little helper would be great. Don't make characters which others need to meta-game in order to adventure with.
MrCustomer 09-24-07, 04:18 PM	I can see the coolness of having a blind character, but no arms is just being silly. A Blind Monk with Blind Fighting and an empathic familiar is a cool concept. No arms is silly. At any rate you can fight without arms, you can kick or use any body part to fight as a monk, but the arms provide balance when you are doing those kicks, as well a Monk is normally considered armed even without weapons for purposes of attacks of opportunities that you normally take from fighting an armed opponent with no weapon, without arms to defend yourself with you would loose that ability. Add the RP negatives from being a half orc (and monks need to be lawful which makes less sense for a holf-orc) particularly a blind and armless half orc. As interesting as it might seem, the negatives you face here are far too large.