For instance, can a familiar use a ring of spell storing to cast a stored concentration spell, therefore meaning the familiar, rather than the caster, is concentrating?
For instance, can a familiar use a ring of spell storing to cast a stored concentration spell, therefore meaning the familiar, rather than the caster, is concentrating?
Could they activate a wand of fireballs?
It completely depends on the familiar and the item. Here are some rules of thumb:
The majority of familiars can't speak, and hence cannot speak most command words. An example of a familiar that can speak is the raven: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfsnHVaScjg If you can set your own custom command words, you may be able to set them to animal squawks and so on.
How well a familiar can operate a complex tool varies wildly, from the truly incapable, like a seahorse, to the capable of anything, like an octopus. This can matter for many items, like opening a decanter of endless water.
Ring of Spell Storing requires the wielder to actually cast the spell, meaning components must be provided - so a generic familiar can activate it, but outside of a raven may be incapable of the V component, outside of the octopus may be incapable of the S component, and the M component will vary heavily, although you can strap an adorable little component pouch to them.
Wand of Fireballs works the same way, but allows me to be less generic. Fireball is VSM. I don't think any of the familiars in the stock spell can handle all three components, but 100% a Warlock's familiar Imp could operate the wand, no question. He'd need a component pouch or maybe a little tuxedo with working pockets.
For instance, can a familiar use a ring of spell storing to cast a stored concentration spell, therefore meaning the familiar, rather than the caster, is concentrating?
Could they activate a wand of fireballs?
It completely depends on the familiar and the item. Here are some rules of thumb:
The majority of familiars can't speak, and hence cannot speak most command words. An example of a familiar that can speak is the raven: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfsnHVaScjg If you can set your own custom command words, you may be able to set them to animal squawks and so on.
How well a familiar can operate a complex tool varies wildly, from the truly incapable, like a seahorse, to the capable of anything, like an octopus. This can matter for many items, like opening a decanter of endless water.
Ring of Spell Storing requires the wielder to actually cast the spell, meaning components must be provided - so a generic familiar can activate it, but outside of a raven may be incapable of the V component, outside of the octopus may be incapable of the S component, and the M component will vary heavily, although you can strap an adorable little component pouch to them.
Wand of Fireballs works the same way, but allows me to be less generic. Fireball is VSM. I don't think any of the familiars in the stock spell can handle all three components, but 100% a Warlock's familiar Imp could operate the wand, no question. He'd need a component pouch or maybe a little tuxedo with working pockets.
There is one familiar that can both speak and operate magic items. On page 126 of Volo's guide to monsters is the the stat block for the gazer which is a tiny aberration which has the mimicry trait which is identical to that of a raven, a telekinetic ray which can be used to exert fine control over objects and an optional familiar variant which makes it eligible to be bound for the find familiar spell, provided you can find or summon one. They are however, exceptionally rare, fickle and tiny head-sized bullies if you are willing to put up with them
When I went back to read up on the spells I noticed that it says familiars can not attack... not that they can't take the Attack action. So they wouldn't be able to make an attack roll no matter what gave them one (casting a spell, using a magic item etc.)
The warlock's pact of the chain is the exception, as whenever they take the Attack action they can forego one of their attacks to let their familiar make an attack. Now, thank's to Tasha's, there is an Invocation that buffs familiars for pact of the chain warlock's, and one of those buffs is using a Bonus action to command the familiar to attack.
So now as a warlock, you can have your familiar make 2 attacks in 1 round but it would cost your action and bonus action, (with your movement you can gtfo dodge).
As for the Imp, he is not alone as the Quasit and Sprite can both speak and use tools with their limps (similar to humanoid... 2 legs, 2 arms etc.). So all 3 are easy candidates for the wand of magic missiles and other items that can be used by them.
I still remember the Imp I had who flew around invisibly and used the wand, along with some beads of force he was the quite the little Imp to reckon with.
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This is not entirely true. A familiar cannot take the Attack action, but it can take other actions as normal, so he could use the cast a spell action, or the use magic item and if that involves an attack roll, nothing prevents it.
Here's what the spell says:
A familiar can't attack, but it can take other actions as normal.
When the rules talk about one of the standard actions everyone can take, they pretty much always say "take the X action", with the action's name since it's a proper noun. The spell doesn't say "A familiar can't take the Attack action"; it's a general prohibition on making an attack.
After that, a familiar cannot carry an item with him in his extradimensional pocket, so there is a risk in giving him one.
The rules don't really address this, and you could make an argument for both rulings. It's generally assumed that creatures bring worn, carried and held items with them when they teleport or plane shift, because the alternative is clearly silly and impractical. On the other hand allowing a familiar to take an item with it duplicates the effects of Secret Chest (though with a lower weight/volume limit), which is arguably too good for a 1st level ritual spell of basically unlimited duration. But then again, I think it's perfectly natural for a Paladin to stick some Horseshoes of Speed on their faithful Find Steed mount and expect that to "stick" between summonings. And if that's fair game, why not a magical trinket on a familiar?
An AOE is specifically not an attack as spells such as dragon's breath are confirmed to work on and be used by familiars
Correct. This'll probably strike a lot of people as super arbitrary and it is, but it's what the rules say.
In previous editions the term "attack" encompassed any kind of harmful action regardless of whether an attack roll was involved, so it's possible this was just an oversight after they changed the definition of attack in 5e. It's likely this is how the Invisibility spell ended up with this loophole as well.
I have not come across such a restriction, where is it from ? I think that AL has a ruling that attunement from familiars, beast companions , etc. comes out of your own slots for balance purpose, but I don't think that there is such a restriction in the RAW.
Correct. This also boils down to a judgment call from the DM. The rules don't explain the attunement process in any great detail and it can mean different things for different items:
Attuning to an item requires a creature to spend a short rest focused on only that item while being in physical contact with it (this can't be the same short rest used to learn the item's properties). This focus can take the form of weapon practice (for a weapon), meditation (for a wondrous item), or some other appropriate activity.
The whole thing hinges on whether your familiar has the intelligence and attention span to do whatever the "appropriate activity" is. Based on those examples weapons are probably off the table, but the DM could allow attunement to wondrous items the animal can properly wear.
Please note that all creatures using equipment that is not of the correct size for that creature is impeded in some way, including familiars. A medium sized creature will struggle to gain benefit from equipment sized for giants and familiars will equally struggle to use equipment sized for medium creatures. A pixie wields pixie-sized equipment and may not have the strength to lift, say, a staff of frost or a helmet of telepathy nor the dexterity to swish a wand of fireballs that is as tall as itself so your options may be limited depending on how cruel your DM is
What about ring of spell storing though? Technically, if familiars can use one, then you can have infinite familiars - by having you familiar use the ring to cast find familiar, then having the newly created familiar cast it, and so on. The only limit is spell slots and incense, but a high level wizard can have this as their signature spell, and can hopefully afford a lot of incense!
If you're the DM and that sort of thing bothers you, just house rule that servant spirits can't have their own servants. In my opinion Find Familiar and Find Steed should've stayed as class features. Turning them into spells was likely a case of 5e's designers taking their streamlining a bit too far and forcing a square peg into a round hole. Same with Hex and Hunter's Mark.
What about ring of spell storing though? Technically, if familiars can use one, then you can have infinite familiars - by having you familiar use the ring to cast find familiar, then having the newly created familiar cast it, and so on. The only limit is spell slots and incense, but a high level wizard can have this as their signature spell, and can hopefully afford a lot of incense!
This would not work as the signature spell would not carry over to infinite uses of the ring and you would have to go through the entire process of casting the spell twice as the casting time is not reduced in either casting of the spell. Additionally, as an extension of yourself, the familiar would cast the spell as if you had cast it, creating a different familiar each time instead of creating a familiar^2. Even if it did work, you would have to have every familiar^2 attune to the item as you can only cast stored spells while attuned to the ring
While there are no written rules about familiars using magic items and being able to attune to them I designed a magic item for a familiar, the Chameleon Collar, and I wrote answers into it for some of the unanswered questions about how familiars can use and attune to magic items and what happens when they disappear into a pocket dimension or are dropped to 0 HP.
I designed it for a specific PC, but I used it against the party first. I think it took them 5 or 6 sessions before they finally managed to defeat the wizard whose familiar was wearing that and a Ring of Spell Storing. It worked out extremely well and I’m looking forward to seeing how my player uses it now that he has it.
Ring of Spell Storing requires the wielder to actually cast the spell, meaning components must be provided...
Wand of Fireballs works the same way, but allows me to be less generic. Fireball is VSM.
Casting a spell from a magic item requires no components unless the item says so.
That aside, don't forget that familiars can't attack, so any spell that includes an attack roll is off the table.
Good call, I missed that rule entirely. So, it comes down to other requirements depending on the item, like how a seahorse has no way to get a decanter of endless water open.
For instance, can a familiar use a ring of spell storing to cast a stored concentration spell, therefore meaning the familiar, rather than the caster, is concentrating?
Could they activate a wand of fireballs?
Also, can they concentrate on spells?
There is no rule against familiars attuning or using magic items. Just note that most familiars can't speak, thus can't say command words; and except pact of the chain, familiars can't attack, which limits the kind of spell they could cast from items.
Ring of Spell Storing requires the wielder to actually cast the spell, meaning components must be provided...
Wand of Fireballs works the same way, but allows me to be less generic. Fireball is VSM.
Casting a spell from a magic item requires no components unless the item says so.
That aside, don't forget that familiars can't attack, so any spell that includes an attack roll is off the table.
This is not entirely true. A familiar cannot take the Attack action, but it can take other actions as normal, so he could use the cast a spell action, or the use magic item and if that involves an attack roll, nothing prevents it.
After that, a familiar cannot carry an item with him in his extradimensional pocket, so there is a risk in giving him one.
I hope someone has corrected this. The spell says that the familiar cannot attack. This has nothing to do with what action economy actions the familiar has access to, and all to do with the concept "If there's ever any question whether something you're doing counts as an attack, the rule is simple: if you're making an attack roll, you're making an attack."
This is more for my understanding of "A familiar can't attack, but it can take other actions as normal."
If I were to cast Dragon's Breath on my familiar
You touch one willing creature and imbue it with the power to spew magical energy from its mouth, provided it has one. Choose acid, cold, fire, lightning, or poison. Until the spell ends, the creature can use an action to exhale energy of the chosen type in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a Dexterity saving throw, taking 3d6 damage of the chosen type on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Since the spell does not specifically state an Attack action the familiar can rain holy heck on an enemy where it was an attack but not an Attack action.
For instance, can a familiar use a ring of spell storing to cast a stored concentration spell, therefore meaning the familiar, rather than the caster, is concentrating?
Could they activate a wand of fireballs?
Also, can they concentrate on spells?
It completely depends on the familiar and the item. Here are some rules of thumb:
So an imp can probably use the ring of spell storing too?
Casting a spell from a magic item requires no components unless the item says so.
That aside, don't forget that familiars can't attack, so any spell that includes an attack roll is off the table.
The Forum Infestation (TM)
Aha, but is an AOE the same as an attack roll, if it is just a save?
Except familiars cannot attune to an item.
An AOE is specifically not an attack as spells such as dragon's breath are confirmed to work on and be used by familiars
There is one familiar that can both speak and operate magic items. On page 126 of Volo's guide to monsters is the the stat block for the gazer which is a tiny aberration which has the mimicry trait which is identical to that of a raven, a telekinetic ray which can be used to exert fine control over objects and an optional familiar variant which makes it eligible to be bound for the find familiar spell, provided you can find or summon one. They are however, exceptionally rare, fickle and tiny head-sized bullies if you are willing to put up with them
When I went back to read up on the spells I noticed that it says familiars can not attack... not that they can't take the Attack action. So they wouldn't be able to make an attack roll no matter what gave them one (casting a spell, using a magic item etc.)
The warlock's pact of the chain is the exception, as whenever they take the Attack action they can forego one of their attacks to let their familiar make an attack. Now, thank's to Tasha's, there is an Invocation that buffs familiars for pact of the chain warlock's, and one of those buffs is using a Bonus action to command the familiar to attack.
So now as a warlock, you can have your familiar make 2 attacks in 1 round but it would cost your action and bonus action, (with your movement you can gtfo dodge).
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As for the Imp, he is not alone as the Quasit and Sprite can both speak and use tools with their limps (similar to humanoid... 2 legs, 2 arms etc.). So all 3 are easy candidates for the wand of magic missiles and other items that can be used by them.
I still remember the Imp I had who flew around invisibly and used the wand, along with some beads of force he was the quite the little Imp to reckon with.
Here's what the spell says:
When the rules talk about one of the standard actions everyone can take, they pretty much always say "take the X action", with the action's name since it's a proper noun. The spell doesn't say "A familiar can't take the Attack action"; it's a general prohibition on making an attack.
The rules don't really address this, and you could make an argument for both rulings. It's generally assumed that creatures bring worn, carried and held items with them when they teleport or plane shift, because the alternative is clearly silly and impractical. On the other hand allowing a familiar to take an item with it duplicates the effects of Secret Chest (though with a lower weight/volume limit), which is arguably too good for a 1st level ritual spell of basically unlimited duration. But then again, I think it's perfectly natural for a Paladin to stick some Horseshoes of Speed on their faithful Find Steed mount and expect that to "stick" between summonings. And if that's fair game, why not a magical trinket on a familiar?
In short, talk to the DM about it.
Correct. This'll probably strike a lot of people as super arbitrary and it is, but it's what the rules say.
In previous editions the term "attack" encompassed any kind of harmful action regardless of whether an attack roll was involved, so it's possible this was just an oversight after they changed the definition of attack in 5e. It's likely this is how the Invisibility spell ended up with this loophole as well.
Correct. This also boils down to a judgment call from the DM. The rules don't explain the attunement process in any great detail and it can mean different things for different items:
The whole thing hinges on whether your familiar has the intelligence and attention span to do whatever the "appropriate activity" is. Based on those examples weapons are probably off the table, but the DM could allow attunement to wondrous items the animal can properly wear.
The Forum Infestation (TM)
Please note that all creatures using equipment that is not of the correct size for that creature is impeded in some way, including familiars. A medium sized creature will struggle to gain benefit from equipment sized for giants and familiars will equally struggle to use equipment sized for medium creatures. A pixie wields pixie-sized equipment and may not have the strength to lift, say, a staff of frost or a helmet of telepathy nor the dexterity to swish a wand of fireballs that is as tall as itself so your options may be limited depending on how cruel your DM is
What about ring of spell storing though? Technically, if familiars can use one, then you can have infinite familiars - by having you familiar use the ring to cast find familiar, then having the newly created familiar cast it, and so on. The only limit is spell slots and incense, but a high level wizard can have this as their signature spell, and can hopefully afford a lot of incense!
If you're the DM and that sort of thing bothers you, just house rule that servant spirits can't have their own servants. In my opinion Find Familiar and Find Steed should've stayed as class features. Turning them into spells was likely a case of 5e's designers taking their streamlining a bit too far and forcing a square peg into a round hole. Same with Hex and Hunter's Mark.
The Forum Infestation (TM)
This would not work as the signature spell would not carry over to infinite uses of the ring and you would have to go through the entire process of casting the spell twice as the casting time is not reduced in either casting of the spell. Additionally, as an extension of yourself, the familiar would cast the spell as if you had cast it, creating a different familiar each time instead of creating a familiar^2. Even if it did work, you would have to have every familiar^2 attune to the item as you can only cast stored spells while attuned to the ring
While there are no written rules about familiars using magic items and being able to attune to them I designed a magic item for a familiar, the Chameleon Collar, and I wrote answers into it for some of the unanswered questions about how familiars can use and attune to magic items and what happens when they disappear into a pocket dimension or are dropped to 0 HP.
I designed it for a specific PC, but I used it against the party first. I think it took them 5 or 6 sessions before they finally managed to defeat the wizard whose familiar was wearing that and a Ring of Spell Storing. It worked out extremely well and I’m looking forward to seeing how my player uses it now that he has it.
Professional computer geek
Most definitely.
Good call, I missed that rule entirely. So, it comes down to other requirements depending on the item, like how a seahorse has no way to get a decanter of endless water open.
Alright, let me summarize:
There is no rule against familiars attuning or using magic items. Just note that most familiars can't speak, thus can't say command words; and except pact of the chain, familiars can't attack, which limits the kind of spell they could cast from items.
I hope someone has corrected this. The spell says that the familiar cannot attack. This has nothing to do with what action economy actions the familiar has access to, and all to do with the concept "If there's ever any question whether something you're doing counts as an attack, the rule is simple: if you're making an attack roll, you're making an attack."
This is more for my understanding of "A familiar can't attack, but it can take other actions as normal."
If I were to cast Dragon's Breath on my familiar
Since the spell does not specifically state an Attack action the familiar can rain holy heck on an enemy where it was an attack but not an Attack action.
Warlock Invocation: Investment of the chain master.
Prerequisite: Pact of the Chain feature
When you cast find familiar, you infuse the summoned familiar with a measure of your eldritch power, granting the creature the following benefits: