Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Conmhara Aug 29, 2014 9:55:00	Hi, So here's the thing. I was quick to get the 5e PHB looking to immediately build a new wizard character. Never played a wizard character before so I was really excited about trying it out finally. After much thought and reading I had most of my level 1 wizard sorted.    One of the spells I was opting for was Find Familiar and I really want a fey (maybe celestial) weasel but I find the book lacking in the details of a weasel familiars features, most importantly, its hit points. And it's not just with weasel either, there's no details on crab, lizard, octopus, quipper, seahorse or spider. Likewise, they don't seem to list the difference between celestial, fey or fiend.   This wouldn't bother me as much if it didn't say in the spell description that it disappears when it reaches 0 hit points and that it has the natural abilities available to that creature. Are these creatures just meant to be useless rejects of the animal kingdom or what?   Any insight anyone can share would be greatly appreciated.
#2 shivafang Aug 29, 2014 10:20:21	The PHB has a limited selection of stat blocks.  I expect that the additional options will appear in the Monster Manual.   It is disheartening that all those options are listed in find familiar but stat blocks are not given.
#3 Moribund Aug 29, 2014 10:25:32	Many of those can be found in the DM Basic Rules, including your weasel.
#4 Captain_Kobold Aug 29, 2014 10:33:00	You can extrapolate many of the stats from similar creatures that are given in the PHB for the moment.   Hit points will either be 1 or 2. AC will be around 11.   Weasels could be given Cat stats with reduced movement. Lizards and spiders could be given Rat stats, with a few tweaks (Climb speed for the spider for example.) Crabs as Frogs without the leap, but maybe an extra point of AC. And so on.   They will have the same stats whether they are Celestial, Fey, or Fiend. The only thing that type will affect is their reaction to some spells and abilities.
#5 catonfire Aug 29, 2014 14:22:08	Check the DM downlaod, it has a lot of monsters and the like that you can use or talk your dm in to letting you use
#6 Conmhara Aug 31, 2014 8:46:23	Thanks everyone, All very helpful. Checking out the DM Basic Rules thing now.
#7 Conmhara Aug 31, 2014 8:51:18	...yup, sorted :D Thanks again everyone, Moribund in particular. The lack of info in PHB was head-wrecking.
#8 DrDragonlance Aug 31, 2014 18:17:22	Are familiars just scouts, spies and meat bag that allows rogues to sneak attack? I am trying to identify all their uses. Any ideas?
#9 2Chlorobutanal Aug 31, 2014 18:23:53	They are primarily spies, scouts, or sometimes messengers or harbingers.  This is fitting with the "classic" use of a "familiar"- such as seeing a black cat in town and assuming there is a witch living nearby, or seeing a raven in a tree and assuming the evil wizard is spying on you.   However, a generic find familiar-style familiar can also deliver touch spells for its master.   Chain Warlock familiars are quite a bit more capable than the default variety and can take attacks or use certain spell-like abilities, depending on the form of the familiar.
#10 BW0222 Aug 31, 2014 21:42:26	Common uses of a familiar...   Extra eyes. They provide perception checks and alert you of danger. (Essentially an advantage, or better) Guard. You sleep, they do guard duty. Scout. They go ahead of the party and report back. Spy. They follow someone, listen in on their conversations, watch who they speak with. Possibly using the ability to see through their eyes. Messenger/Delivery. They carry messages or small items (scrolls, lock picks, spell components, etc.) to someone else. Stealthy Missions. Climb in the mayor's window and put a stolen ring in his pocket. Clues/information. They are intelligent and can communicate (with you). They might be a way for the DM to impart information or to make their own skill checks to remember something or provide assistance. Distractions. They can leave false trails, make noise to lead persuers in the wrong direction, unwrap a rock with a light or darkness spell on it and leave it in some distant location, or carry it around, etc. Mark Trails. Follow someone while dropping pieces of cloth. Annoy Someone. Hoot all night outside the bad guys camp, circle above an group of orcs outside of bow range, Delivering Touch Spells. Offensive spells aren't good (even their low hit points), but there are a lot of other touch spells which may be useful. Buffs, cures, and defensive spells on other PCs help with those with limited range. Certain trap, glypth, magic mouth, and object affecting spells -- used to set traps.
#11 Yunru Sep 01, 2014 0:48:19	Also (especially for the Owl): using the Help Action to grant you Advantage.