Pitlord
04-07-2002, 04:56
Familiars: Things that might be handy to know.
* How does the Empathic Link ability work? Am I limited to communicating via emotions?
No, you are not limited to communicating via emotions. Empathic Link allows "communicate telepathically," which is mental conversation.
Since Empathic Link is a supernatural ability (as mentioned in the ability description), it takes a standard action to use. See the "Use Special Ability" subsection of the "Magic Actions" section of the Combat chapter in the PH for more details on using supernatural abilities.
* Why even bother with the Speak with Master ability at 5th-level? Empathic Link is clearly superior, and you get it at 1st-level, right?
Well, yes, you do gain Empathic Link at 1st-level. However, Empathic Link is a supernatural ability and therefore takes a standard action to use in a combat situation. Speak with Master allows verbal communication, which is a free action. Therefore, communicating with your familiar in a combat situation (which is necessary when using your familiar to deliver a touch spell) is much faster and easier once you gain the Speak with Master ability.
According to the definition of supernatural abilities in the PH, Empathic Link does not "function in areas where magic is supressed or negated, such as inside an antimagic field." Speak with Master is an extraordinary ability, and can be used in those situations.
* Do familiars gain feats, skills, and ability increases as they gain Hit Dice?
No. In fact, familiars don't really gain Hit Dice; they simply have higher Hit Dice as their master gains levels.
The PH says "use the basic statistics for a creature of its type ... but make these changes." The list of changes does not include increased stats, skills, or feats. Likewise, the PH says "familiars have special abilities ... depending on the level of their master." The list of special abilities also does not impart extra stats, feats, or skills.
* My wizard (or sorcerer) lost a level. What happens to his familiar?
A familiar's abilities (from table 3-19 in the PH) are directly tied to his master's class level in wizard (or sorcerer). If the master loses levels in wizard (or sorcerer), the familiar's abilities are reduced to match the master's new wizard (or sorcerer) level on Table 3-19.
A familiar's HD and hp are directly tied to his master's overall character level. If the master loses levels in any of his classes, the familiar's HD are reduced by the same amount, and the familiar's hp should be recalculated based on the master's new hp.
* How does the Empathic Link ability work? Am I limited to communicating via emotions?
No, you are not limited to communicating via emotions. Empathic Link allows "communicate telepathically," which is mental conversation.
Since Empathic Link is a supernatural ability (as mentioned in the ability description), it takes a standard action to use. See the "Use Special Ability" subsection of the "Magic Actions" section of the Combat chapter in the PH for more details on using supernatural abilities.
* Why even bother with the Speak with Master ability at 5th-level? Empathic Link is clearly superior, and you get it at 1st-level, right?
Well, yes, you do gain Empathic Link at 1st-level. However, Empathic Link is a supernatural ability and therefore takes a standard action to use in a combat situation. Speak with Master allows verbal communication, which is a free action. Therefore, communicating with your familiar in a combat situation (which is necessary when using your familiar to deliver a touch spell) is much faster and easier once you gain the Speak with Master ability.
According to the definition of supernatural abilities in the PH, Empathic Link does not "function in areas where magic is supressed or negated, such as inside an antimagic field." Speak with Master is an extraordinary ability, and can be used in those situations.
* Do familiars gain feats, skills, and ability increases as they gain Hit Dice?
No. In fact, familiars don't really gain Hit Dice; they simply have higher Hit Dice as their master gains levels.
The PH says "use the basic statistics for a creature of its type ... but make these changes." The list of changes does not include increased stats, skills, or feats. Likewise, the PH says "familiars have special abilities ... depending on the level of their master." The list of special abilities also does not impart extra stats, feats, or skills.
* My wizard (or sorcerer) lost a level. What happens to his familiar?
A familiar's abilities (from table 3-19 in the PH) are directly tied to his master's class level in wizard (or sorcerer). If the master loses levels in wizard (or sorcerer), the familiar's abilities are reduced to match the master's new wizard (or sorcerer) level on Table 3-19.
A familiar's HD and hp are directly tied to his master's overall character level. If the master loses levels in any of his classes, the familiar's HD are reduced by the same amount, and the familiar's hp should be recalculated based on the master's new hp.