I have a wizard that likes giving his familiar Dragons Breath. From there he thinks he can have his familiar cast the Dragon Breath attack and he can cast his own spells, as long as they aren't concentration.
I originally said no to this as a familiar doesn't get an attack action, but he argues it's just an action since the breath requires a saving throw, not an attack throw.
So, the question is, can a familiar use Dragons Breath on their own turn or does it count as the wizards attack?
The Wizard has to use their own action to [Tooltip Not Found] Dragon's Breath, and according to the description of Find Familiar, they can target the familiar with the spell from up to 100 ft. away. It is a touch spell, and the familiar can target themselves with the touch spell, as they are within their reach, and can be touched.
Once applied, the Dragon's Breath spell give the target the capability (not an Attack) to "exhale energy of the chosen type in a 15-foot cone." So yes, the familiar can use this on their own turn, as their own action.
Ruling that the Wizard has to use their action might also mean that if the wizard gave this ability to the Rogue, both the Rogue and the Wizard would have to exped their actions for the spell-granted ability to work, on the Rogue's turn - should they choose to "exhale energy".
[Edit:] The Wizard casts the spell, and maintains concentration on it. The Familiar is using the spell effect (exhaling energy) as their action. The Familiar is not casting a spell.
Just my take on the spell interaction. If you want to rule this differently at your table, please feel free.
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.” - Mark Twain - Innocents Abroad
So, the question is, can a familiar use Dragons Breath on their own turn or does it count as the wizards attack?
I have dealt with this exact situation in my game, and I concur with Kaavel.
The wizard must obey the rules regarding casting touch spells on familiars, and must maintain concentration on the spell; the familiar must use its action to cause the effect.
I have a wizard that likes giving his familiar Dragons Breath. From there he thinks he can have his familiar cast the Dragon Breath attack and he can cast his own spells, as long as they aren't concentration.
I originally said no to this as a familiar doesn't get an attack action, but he argues it's just an action since the breath requires a saving throw, not an attack throw.
So, the question is, can a familiar use Dragons Breath on their own turn or does it count as the wizards attack?
This is actually a popular use of the Dragon's Breath spell that gets listed on youtube channels and listicles about secret tactics that you can pull off with a Familiar or other such things. RAW, the Dragon's Breath is not an attack and is a unique action unto itself... it is not casting a spell, attacking, using an object, etc. It's within the DM's purview to decide that they won't allow it to work that way in their game, since it's kind of getting away on a technicality, but not allowing it to work would technically be a form of homebrew
The flip side of this is familiars are squishy. As a DM I tend to ignore familiars when they’re performing the Help action, administering healing potions, etc.. but when a familiar has a breath weapon …. swat!
The flip side of this is familiars are squishy. As a DM I tend to ignore familiars when they’re performing the Help action, administering healing potions, etc.. but when a familiar has a breath weapon …. swat!
That's why you're a Pact of the Chain Warlock with a permanently invisible familiar, or you have a friend cast Invisibility on your familiar.
*answered, thanks all*
I have a wizard that likes giving his familiar Dragons Breath. From there he thinks he can have his familiar cast the Dragon Breath attack and he can cast his own spells, as long as they aren't concentration.
I originally said no to this as a familiar doesn't get an attack action, but he argues it's just an action since the breath requires a saving throw, not an attack throw.
So, the question is, can a familiar use Dragons Breath on their own turn or does it count as the wizards attack?
The Wizard has to use their own action to [Tooltip Not Found] Dragon's Breath, and according to the description of Find Familiar, they can target the familiar with the spell from up to 100 ft. away. It is a touch spell, and the familiar can target themselves with the touch spell, as they are within their reach, and can be touched.
Once applied, the Dragon's Breath spell give the target the capability (not an Attack) to "exhale energy of the chosen type in a 15-foot cone." So yes, the familiar can use this on their own turn, as their own action.
Ruling that the Wizard has to use their action might also mean that if the wizard gave this ability to the Rogue, both the Rogue and the Wizard would have to exped their actions for the spell-granted ability to work, on the Rogue's turn - should they choose to "exhale energy".
[Edit:] The Wizard casts the spell, and maintains concentration on it. The Familiar is using the spell effect (exhaling energy) as their action. The Familiar is not casting a spell.
Just my take on the spell interaction. If you want to rule this differently at your table, please feel free.
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.” - Mark Twain - Innocents Abroad
I have dealt with this exact situation in my game, and I concur with Kaavel.
The wizard must obey the rules regarding casting touch spells on familiars, and must maintain concentration on the spell; the familiar must use its action to cause the effect.
This is actually a popular use of the Dragon's Breath spell that gets listed on youtube channels and listicles about secret tactics that you can pull off with a Familiar or other such things. RAW, the Dragon's Breath is not an attack and is a unique action unto itself... it is not casting a spell, attacking, using an object, etc. It's within the DM's purview to decide that they won't allow it to work that way in their game, since it's kind of getting away on a technicality, but not allowing it to work would technically be a form of homebrew
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The flip side of this is familiars are squishy. As a DM I tend to ignore familiars when they’re performing the Help action, administering healing potions, etc.. but when a familiar has a breath weapon …. swat!
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That's why you're a Pact of the Chain Warlock with a permanently invisible familiar, or you have a friend cast Invisibility on your familiar.