Exactly. There is small overlap in regards to utility, but the design purpose for both are very distinct. I personally think mounts are the best kind of animal companion/ pet spells in 5E. But if I have an Arcane Trickster who is ALL about his familiar, I’m going be considerate in how I use my mount so the party synergy is good and we don’t get all bummed out. If I have a happy go luck player with me in a short campaign beer and pretzels low key setting I will troll the heck out of him.
Find Familiar: You gain the service of a tiny spirit familiar which takes an animal form you choose, though it is a celestial, fey, or fiend (your choice) instead of a beast up to CR 1/8. In combat, it rolls its own Initiative and acts on your command. A familiar can't Attack, but it can take other actions as normal. 100 feet telepathic communication. Within 100 ft, your familiar can deliver your touch spells using its Reaction using your attack modifier for the roll if the spell needs to hit. As an action, you gain the benefits of any Special Senses that the familiar has by perceiving through their senses. During this time, you are deaf and blind with regard to your own Senses. As an action, you can temporarily dismiss your familiar into a pocket dimension where it awaits your summons. You can cause it to reappear in any unoccupied space within 30 feet of you. ********************** Find Steed: You gain the service of a medium or large spirit steed which takes an animal form you choose, though it is a celestial, fey, or fiend (your choice) instead of its normal type up to CR 1/2. In combat, it has the same initiative as you and acts on your command. Your steed can only attack when unmounted, but can take other actions as normal. 1 mile telepathic communication. Spells you cast that target only you also target your steed when mounted. Its Intelligence becomes 6 if the base type’s is lower, and gains one language of your choice.
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IMHO, Earthdawn is still the best fantasy realm, Shadowrun is the best Sci-Fi realm, and Dark Sun is the best D&D realm.
Yeah I’d say that’s about right. I’m also certain that familiars can also deliver spells for you if the range of the spell is touch. At the end of the day, they are both animal sidekicks that are catered for their specific class.
If you do that on your animal companion, I think you have to roll, or an Intimidation check, or CHA check, just to ensure this animal gonna LET you be mounted by you. I guess you have to discuss this with the DM.
And, this thread just gave me an idea:
Imagine I have a Paladin char and, he have a riding horse. At this point, everything seems normal, huh ? BUT, what happens if my paladin breaks his oath ?? Will my horse still be loyal with me ?? Or it will turn him so afraid of me ??
If my horse runs away from me, can I go to a cemetary and use an invocation spell to see if I can ride a corpse, or a dead animal ??? Do you see what I mean here ??
Both spells summon a spirit which is totally loyal and obeys every one of your commands. Even if your commands are suicidal or against your oath, the spirit is bound to you through the spell magic and not your class. The steed takes 10 minutes to summon at any time, but the familiar takes 10g and an hour. They are not living breathing creatures, just spirits which have taken the shape of one. That is why it is such an easy spell to just reskin the attributes of a creature with the appropriate CR into whatever you want with GMs approval.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
IMHO, Earthdawn is still the best fantasy realm, Shadowrun is the best Sci-Fi realm, and Dark Sun is the best D&D realm.
I can't tell if that was sarcasm or not, but I didn't want my response to downplay your idea. I was just clarifying the spell specifics. If you want to create a familiar that is real and breathing an suffers death for character development play, I applaud you. Just re-read the way I presented the information and felt it seemed curt and could have seemed like a cold rebuttal of your idea. It is a game and it can take what ever shape your imagination can bring.
If not, then...tally ho and all that.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
IMHO, Earthdawn is still the best fantasy realm, Shadowrun is the best Sci-Fi realm, and Dark Sun is the best D&D realm.
Came back to give props to this thread. It has I have revisited it a couple times for inspiration and has subtly changed my approach and even which creatures I have summoned for utility and RP value. What is your latest encounter with your mounts?
My GM was really cool and allowed me to summon my mount as a large or medium creature depending on the situation. If we are dungeon delving or taking up in a crowded metropolis, Mr. Fluffy is a medium build support companion. In the open spaces and for travel it is my most fuzzy buddy and floppy mount. It has made the companion super handy, still needs to be treated gently if a fight breaks out, but is a whiz when I decide to intimidate by allowing a help action.
"Do we have an issue?" said the guy happily petting a fluffball full of snarling razors to the mark.
It is also nice to use it to assist and shape the battlefield. Moving to apply help actions for other players who are struggling or when our rogue gets cut off with their bow. I just leave it back by him to add some extra protection. I really try to keep it useful, but not abuse the role. If it gets creamed, I just need 10 minutes to re-summon, which does mean it takes up a spot in my memorization, but its utility is so worth it. Also, tons of additional role-play opportunities when interacting with NPCs.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
IMHO, Earthdawn is still the best fantasy realm, Shadowrun is the best Sci-Fi realm, and Dark Sun is the best D&D realm.
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Exactly. There is small overlap in regards to utility, but the design purpose for both are very distinct. I personally think mounts are the best kind of animal companion/ pet spells in 5E. But if I have an Arcane Trickster who is ALL about his familiar, I’m going be considerate in how I use my mount so the party synergy is good and we don’t get all bummed out. If I have a happy go luck player with me in a short campaign beer and pretzels low key setting I will troll the heck out of him.
Is this about right?
Find Familiar:
You gain the service of a tiny spirit familiar which takes an animal form you choose, though it is a celestial, fey, or fiend (your choice) instead of a beast up to CR 1/8.
In combat, it rolls its own Initiative and acts on your command. A familiar can't Attack, but it can take other actions as normal.
100 feet telepathic communication.
Within 100 ft, your familiar can deliver your touch spells using its Reaction using your attack modifier for the roll if the spell needs to hit.
As an action, you gain the benefits of any Special Senses that the familiar has by perceiving through their senses. During this time, you are deaf and blind with regard to your own Senses.
As an action, you can temporarily dismiss your familiar into a pocket dimension where it awaits your summons. You can cause it to reappear in any unoccupied space within 30 feet of you.
**********************
Find Steed:
You gain the service of a medium or large spirit steed which takes an animal form you choose, though it is a celestial, fey, or fiend (your choice) instead of its normal type up to CR 1/2.
In combat, it has the same initiative as you and acts on your command. Your steed can only attack when unmounted, but can take other actions as normal.
1 mile telepathic communication.
Spells you cast that target only you also target your steed when mounted.
Its Intelligence becomes 6 if the base type’s is lower, and gains one language of your choice.
IMHO, Earthdawn is still the best fantasy realm, Shadowrun is the best Sci-Fi realm, and Dark Sun is the best D&D realm.
Yeah I’d say that’s about right. I’m also certain that familiars can also deliver spells for you if the range of the spell is touch. At the end of the day, they are both animal sidekicks that are catered for their specific class.
If you do that on your animal companion, I think you have to roll, or an Intimidation check, or CHA check, just to ensure this animal gonna LET you be mounted by you. I guess you have to discuss this with the DM.
And, this thread just gave me an idea:
Imagine I have a Paladin char and, he have a riding horse. At this point, everything seems normal, huh ? BUT, what happens if my paladin breaks his oath ?? Will my horse still be loyal with me ?? Or it will turn him so afraid of me ??
If my horse runs away from me, can I go to a cemetary and use an invocation spell to see if I can ride a corpse, or a dead animal ??? Do you see what I mean here ??
My Ready-to-rock&roll chars:
Dertinus Tristany // Amilcar Barca // Vicenç Sacrarius // Oriol Deulofeu // Grovtuk
Both spells summon a spirit which is totally loyal and obeys every one of your commands. Even if your commands are suicidal or against your oath, the spirit is bound to you through the spell magic and not your class. The steed takes 10 minutes to summon at any time, but the familiar takes 10g and an hour. They are not living breathing creatures, just spirits which have taken the shape of one. That is why it is such an easy spell to just reskin the attributes of a creature with the appropriate CR into whatever you want with GMs approval.
IMHO, Earthdawn is still the best fantasy realm, Shadowrun is the best Sci-Fi realm, and Dark Sun is the best D&D realm.
Okay....
My Ready-to-rock&roll chars:
Dertinus Tristany // Amilcar Barca // Vicenç Sacrarius // Oriol Deulofeu // Grovtuk
I can't tell if that was sarcasm or not, but I didn't want my response to downplay your idea. I was just clarifying the spell specifics. If you want to create a familiar that is real and breathing an suffers death for character development play, I applaud you. Just re-read the way I presented the information and felt it seemed curt and could have seemed like a cold rebuttal of your idea. It is a game and it can take what ever shape your imagination can bring.
If not, then...tally ho and all that.
IMHO, Earthdawn is still the best fantasy realm, Shadowrun is the best Sci-Fi realm, and Dark Sun is the best D&D realm.
Came back to give props to this thread. It has I have revisited it a couple times for inspiration and has subtly changed my approach and even which creatures I have summoned for utility and RP value. What is your latest encounter with your mounts?
My GM was really cool and allowed me to summon my mount as a large or medium creature depending on the situation. If we are dungeon delving or taking up in a crowded metropolis, Mr. Fluffy is a medium build support companion. In the open spaces and for travel it is my most fuzzy buddy and floppy mount. It has made the companion super handy, still needs to be treated gently if a fight breaks out, but is a whiz when I decide to intimidate by allowing a help action.
"Do we have an issue?" said the guy happily petting a fluffball full of snarling razors to the mark.
It is also nice to use it to assist and shape the battlefield. Moving to apply help actions for other players who are struggling or when our rogue gets cut off with their bow. I just leave it back by him to add some extra protection. I really try to keep it useful, but not abuse the role. If it gets creamed, I just need 10 minutes to re-summon, which does mean it takes up a spot in my memorization, but its utility is so worth it. Also, tons of additional role-play opportunities when interacting with NPCs.
IMHO, Earthdawn is still the best fantasy realm, Shadowrun is the best Sci-Fi realm, and Dark Sun is the best D&D realm.