Where are the familiars?

[Seamonkeysix]

I saw this topic brought up in a thread about 2 years ago, but it died. No real reason I could see as to why we don't have familiars in DDO. This is a basic concept in PnP that somehow isn't an option in DDO. Sure, you can summon monsters, but it isn't the same as having a familiar.

Is there some reason why familiars are left out? Overpowered? Too hard to implement? Nobody wants them? I know there are lots of things we would like to see first, but it seems strange that familiars were totally left out of the game.

[CrescentCalling_5]

/signed

I miss my Raven ;c

[Lorien_the_First_One]

So you are good with the loss of XP and not being able to summon another one for a year if they die?

[Seamonkeysix]

So you are good with the loss of XP and not being able to summon another one for a year if they die?

Seeing as how DDO has completely changed the spell casting piece of PnP, I would think it would be tweaked to some degree. Perhaps like a death penalty, similar to the touch of dolruthh...taking you essentially down for a level for a period of time. Then it makes sense that you be unable to re-summon for a cool down period, similar to some of the faith lines (10 minutes I believe).

Luckily DDO doesn't strictly follow a lot of the rules from PnP due to the way the game is played. I don't think my constitution would have been able to handle all the raise deads I have received!

[Chai]

So you are good with the loss of XP and not being able to summon another one for a year if they die?

Yeah, cause you know, we can only rest in DDO once every real life eight hours, right?

I think the spell caster mechanics have been significantly changed enough from D&D where they could come up with viable familiar mechanic for DDO.

I would still rather see fixes to existing issues and things that were previously promised implemented first though...

[Faelyndel]

"Where are the familiars?"

My guess is hiding with the cleric domains. Maybe they're even with the druids and half-elves!

[kernal42]

I certainly like familiars in p&p, but they really have no place in DDO. Especially considering they'd likely behave like summons (or, at best, hirelings), I'm happier not having them around.

I could see if they were implemented similar to p&p domains, or DDO's monk paths (like way of clever monkey, etc) as an AP-based static buff, it'd be a reasonable addition; unfortunately, this is so removed from the classic familiar flavor that I'm sure it wouldn't be implemented.

Cheers,
Kernal

[Memnir]

The Owlbears ate them all, and then the Gnomes ate the Owlbears, so the Druids killed all the Gnomes with their Slings and Spears...


Et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.

[Seamonkeysix]

The Owlbears ate them all, and then the Gnomes ate the Owlbears, so the Druids killed all the Gnomes with their Slings and Spears...


Et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.

Does this end with an old lady who swallows a horse?

[Nott]

Does this end with an old lady who swallows a horse?

Of course.

[Visty]

you dont have a familiar cause wizards and sorcs automaticly get the ACF where you replace your familiar with the 20hp feat at lvl1.
and cause of that the DM houseruled that all other classes get 20hp too, as it would be unbalanced otherwise

[Seamonkeysix]

you dont have a familiar cause wizards and sorcs automaticly get the ACF where you replace your familiar with the 20hp feat at lvl1.
and cause of that the DM houseruled that all other classes get 20hp too, as it would be unbalanced otherwise

But depending on the familiar, you get bonuses to different things than just HP.

[Waukeen]

So you are good with the loss of XP and not being able to summon another one for a year if they die?

QFT.

enjoy your familiars.
ding. whoops,
xp dept reinstated just for you!

[Visty]

But depending on the familiar, you get bonuses to different things than just HP.

umm, no, the familiar type has absolutly no effect

[Seamonkeysix]

QFT.

enjoy your familiars.
ding. whoops,
xp dept reinstated just for you!

I am sticking to my "treat it like the death penalty" idea. Minus level for 1 minute or 2 or whatever. If we actually followed PnP rules around here, none of our toons would be around long.

(Case in point...wonder how long a PnP party of level 7-10s would last against an ancient red dragon )

[Doxmaster]

Does this end with an old lady who swallows a horse?

I saw that video.

I felt fear.

[CrescentCalling_5]

I am sticking to my "treat it like the death penalty" idea. Minus level for 1 minute or 2 or whatever. If we actually followed PnP rules around here, none of our toons would be around long.

(Case in point...wonder how long a PnP party of level 7-10s would last against an ancient red dragon )

My guess is, 5 rounds.

Round 1:
Party attacks annoy the dragon

Round 2:
Dragon contemplates whether he should take pity on the stupidity of the party

Round 3:
Dragon takes pity and waves it's wings, blasting the players away

Round 4:
One player says something offensive

Round 5:
Dragon is thoroughly annoyed and turns all players into barbeque, quickfired.

[Lorien_the_First_One]

umm, no, the familiar type has absolutly no effect

read the book again

[fuzzy1guy]

I'll only support familiars if they make the penalty for their death PERMENANT.

Such as a permenant loss of -2 con. And no possible way to gain it back.



You want the extra power toy? You risk the PERMENANT damage. Play smart.

[Seamonkeysix]

I'll only support familiars if they make the penalty for their death PERMENANT.

Such as a permenant loss of -2 con. And no possible way to gain it back.



You want the extra power toy? You risk the PERMENANT damage. Play smart.

Kind of like when you are supposed to lose 1 Con each time you die and are resurrected?