So sure when low level Wizard you'll surely have a simple Familiar right from PHB, RAW. But as a Wizard levels up is it possible to call for a more powerful Familiar?
No... the only way, RAW, to get a more powerful Familiar is by playing as a Warlock. I can say with confidence that a Familiar is so useful it doesn't really need to be made any more powerful, but the best I can say is to remember that you can still cast spells on a Familiar. For example, one of the better-known Familiar exploits is to cast Dragon's Breath on your Familiar... since it's not actually an "attack", you can use it to have your Familiar output damage reliably throughout battle... I mean, until someone throws a rock at it and it dies.
Another alternative is to take some of the summon/conjuring spells, and just flavoring it as giving your Familiar a temp boost.
By the rules, not unless you find a creature that can become a familiar in the wild, like a pseudodragon.
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Look at what you've done. You spoiled it. You have nobody to blame but yourself. Go sit and think about your actions.
Don't be mean. Rudeness is a vicious cycle, and it has to stop somewhere. Exceptions for things that are funny. Go to the current Competition of the Finest 'Brews! It's a cool place where cool people make cool things.
How I'm posting based on text formatting: Mod Hat Off - Mod Hat Also Off (I'm not a mod)
WAY COOL! Thank you! So I figure that unless I magically find a specific list online of the critters that can be Familiars, I could go and stroll through the MM again. I enjoy the research.
By the rules, not unless you find a creature that can become a familiar in the wild, like a pseudodragon.
The tricky thing about that is that employing a pseudodragon as a familiar does not, by default, grant it all the benefits of the Find Familiar spell. It doesn't gain the teleportation functions and, perhaps most importantly, doesn't gain the Familiar's ability to be re-summoned if it ever gets knocked down to 0 HP. If you find a Pseudodragon and convince it to join you, if it dies it stays dead unless you can revive it.
By the rules, not unless you find a creature that can become a familiar in the wild, like a pseudodragon.
The tricky thing about that is that employing a pseudodragon as a familiar does not, by default, grant it all the benefits of the Find Familiar spell. It doesn't gain the teleportation functions and, perhaps most importantly, doesn't gain the Familiar's ability to be re-summoned if it ever gets knocked down to 0 HP. If you find a Pseudodragon and convince it to join you, if it dies it stays dead unless you can revive it.
You can cast spells on your familiar to make it more dangerous, but since it can't attack, your options are pretty limited. Dragon's Breath, from Xanathar's Guide to Everything, is (to the extent of my knowledge) the only spell that would allow your familiar to use its own action to deal damage.
Polymorph can transform your familiar. The highest CR familiar is 1/8. I've done the work for you: None of the possible forms can do anything besides attack, and since it's still your familiar, it can't even do that.
If you are in the Strixhaven setting (have the strix background), there is a feat you can get that gives better familiars, most of which are better than the warlock familiars (Pest isn't).
Also, Dragon's breath can be cast on familiars. Oh, and Flock of Familiars summon several familiars.
Thanx! My current DM is actually pretty accommodating when it comes to accepting stuff from "official" sources even if it someting that is technically outside of the setting/realm being played. He's not totally nuts though. 😀 It does have to be something that the players pretty much all agree that it does make some sort of sense.
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So sure when low level Wizard you'll surely have a simple Familiar right from PHB, RAW. But as a Wizard levels up is it possible to call for a more powerful Familiar?
No... the only way, RAW, to get a more powerful Familiar is by playing as a Warlock. I can say with confidence that a Familiar is so useful it doesn't really need to be made any more powerful, but the best I can say is to remember that you can still cast spells on a Familiar. For example, one of the better-known Familiar exploits is to cast Dragon's Breath on your Familiar... since it's not actually an "attack", you can use it to have your Familiar output damage reliably throughout battle... I mean, until someone throws a rock at it and it dies.
Another alternative is to take some of the summon/conjuring spells, and just flavoring it as giving your Familiar a temp boost.
Watch Crits for Breakfast, an adults-only RP-Heavy Roll20 Livestream at twitch.tv/afterdisbooty
And now you too can play with the amazing art and assets we use in Roll20 for our campaign at Hazel's Emporium
By the rules, not unless you find a creature that can become a familiar in the wild, like a pseudodragon.
Look at what you've done. You spoiled it. You have nobody to blame but yourself. Go sit and think about your actions.
Don't be mean. Rudeness is a vicious cycle, and it has to stop somewhere. Exceptions for things that are funny.
Go to the current Competition of the Finest 'Brews! It's a cool place where cool people make cool things.
How I'm posting based on text formatting: Mod Hat Off - Mod Hat Also Off (I'm not a mod)
WAY COOL! Thank you! So I figure that unless I magically find a specific list online of the critters that can be Familiars, I could go and stroll through the MM again. I enjoy the research.
The tricky thing about that is that employing a pseudodragon as a familiar does not, by default, grant it all the benefits of the Find Familiar spell. It doesn't gain the teleportation functions and, perhaps most importantly, doesn't gain the Familiar's ability to be re-summoned if it ever gets knocked down to 0 HP. If you find a Pseudodragon and convince it to join you, if it dies it stays dead unless you can revive it.
Watch Crits for Breakfast, an adults-only RP-Heavy Roll20 Livestream at twitch.tv/afterdisbooty
And now you too can play with the amazing art and assets we use in Roll20 for our campaign at Hazel's Emporium
Good point! Thank you!
AHA! Weirdest thing. Actually by searching outside D&D Beyond I wound back at THIS thread:
https://www.dndbeyond.com/forums/d-d-beyond-general/general-discussion/96510-compendium-of-all-the-official-familiars
I'm goin' wid it! 😀
You can cast spells on your familiar to make it more dangerous, but since it can't attack, your options are pretty limited. Dragon's Breath, from Xanathar's Guide to Everything, is (to the extent of my knowledge) the only spell that would allow your familiar to use its own action to deal damage.
Polymorph can transform your familiar. The highest CR familiar is 1/8. I've done the work for you: None of the possible forms can do anything besides attack, and since it's still your familiar, it can't even do that.
For better durability, you can cast Mage Armor on it, since familiars cannot wear armor anyway.
If you are in the Strixhaven setting (have the strix background), there is a feat you can get that gives better familiars, most of which are better than the warlock familiars (Pest isn't).
Also, Dragon's breath can be cast on familiars. Oh, and Flock of Familiars summon several familiars.
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Thanx! My current DM is actually pretty accommodating when it comes to accepting stuff from "official" sources even if it someting that is technically outside of the setting/realm being played. He's not totally nuts though. 😀 It does have to be something that the players pretty much all agree that it does make some sort of sense.