Familiar

morfeus · Post by **morfeus** » Tue Aug 14, 2001 6:32 am

Howdy.

I have finished Soa twice and Tob once now. Two times I used a familiar. A pseudo-dragon both times. The first time I didnt know I could stack him (her?) in the sack so he/she was killed somewhere without me noticing until much too late.

The second time I got hang of it, but from the second half and the rest of the game he/she/it stayed in my backback.

The familiar was very nice to have as an extra fighter in the first dungeon, and I do apreciate the extra hitpoints, but besides from that I didnt find the familiar too helpful. I got hints that I could talk to it, but I didnt find much value in the answers.

Anybody out there who managed to use the familiar to something more useful than I did?

renegade · Post by **renegade** » Tue Aug 14, 2001 6:45 am

I'm not 100% sure, but the type of familiar you summon depends on your alignment. I had a cat (chaotic neutral) who was an excellent scout (90% hide in shadows and move silently) and could pickpocket things, and a fairy dragon (chaotic good) who could cast a couple useful spells (invisibility 15' radius, which is a real killer in the early stage... mass surprise, anyone?

).
pseudodragons should be for lawful good or neutral good characters, if memory still serves me well. And they give 35% magic resistance

TheDude · Post by **TheDude** » Tue Aug 14, 2001 6:49 am

the typ of familiar u get does depend on what alligement u have.

Astafas · Post by **Astafas** » Tue Aug 14, 2001 6:50 am

The rabbit has, or at least had before ToB, a + 1 fire damage which is great fun for killing trolls.

The cat is good for scouting if you don't have a ranger/thief or want to use spells.

The fairy dragon has a Invisibility 10 Radius spell, which I've often used, too.

But to be honest, familiars real advantage are the extra HPs they offer.

Astafas · Post by **Astafas** » Tue Aug 14, 2001 6:53 am

Originally posted by Silverfist:
<STRONG>
pseudodragons should be for lawful good or neutral good characters, if memory still serves me well. And they give 35% magic resistance </STRONG>

Major misunderstanding: These familiars *have* a magic resistance, they don't give your PC one.

renegade · Post by **renegade** » Tue Aug 14, 2001 6:57 am

Yowch! You right. So sowwy, mah fault

morfeus · Post by **morfeus** » Tue Aug 14, 2001 7:05 am

My psedo dragon had only "Blur". So except for a little help in the first chapter, and the extra HP, I didnt find him to useful.

Do the familar level up? Which one is the best? Has anyone experienced that theire familiar has given helpful hints?

Astafas · Post by **Astafas** » Tue Aug 14, 2001 7:17 am

The familiars don't level up but are improved in ToB. I believe they also heal if you feed them (possible in ToB). Can anyone confirm this? Another thing, if you wait until ToB to conjure your familiar, would you get more HPs then (since the familiar themeselves have more HPs)?

I prefer to choose alignement and then accept whatever familiar that particular alignement will get. It makes no sense to me to let the familiar decide your alignement.

morfeus · Post by **morfeus** » Tue Aug 14, 2001 7:23 am

My Psedo-dragon healed very fast. Didnt have to feed him. He went from "Near Death" to Unwounded within a minute (I think).

I didnt check my familiar in Tob. He stayed in the backpack all the time.

morfeus · Post by **morfeus** » Tue Aug 14, 2001 7:30 am

Astafas:

quote:
"I prefer to choose alignement and then accept whatever familiar that particular alignement will get. It makes no sense to me to let the familiar decide your alignement. "

Well, if a certain alignment gives me a 50´ tall firespurting dragon-golem I would consider going with a "lawful stupid" alignment.

Astafas · Post by **Astafas** » Tue Aug 14, 2001 7:42 am

Originally posted by morfeus:
<STRONG>Astafas:

quote:
"I prefer to choose alignement and then accept whatever familiar that particular alignement will get. It makes no sense to me to let the familiar decide your alignement. "

Well, if a certain alignment gives me a 50´ tall firespurting dragon-golem I would consider going with a "lawful stupid" alignment.</STRONG>

I wouldn't, for the same reason I would never equip a PC/NPC with Crom Fayer in the left hand and Celestial Fury in the right.

average joe · Post by **average joe** » Tue Aug 14, 2001 8:20 am

They would be rad if the familiars did level up...maybe they'd be useful then. If they didn't use party experience, but rather leveled up with the pc...say one level for every two or three pc levels...and their skills increased as they did would be kinda cool.

fable · Post by **fable** » Tue Aug 14, 2001 8:34 am

Folks ought to check the Search facility every now and again. There's tons of material, up there, and you can find out all the details about who things which familiar is best, and why.

In any case, here's Brink's old list:

Lawful Good & Neutral Good-Pseudo Dragon(2 attacks per round at THACO :13 for 1-3 damage.Save or be rendered unconscious for 120 seconds.May cast Blur)
Chaotic Good-Fairy Dragon(May cast Mirror Image,Invisibility 10` radius)
Lawful Neutral-Ferret(Has good pickpocketing stats,may detect traps and use stealth)
True Neutral-Rabbit (has detect traps and stealth but no pickpocketing ability)
Chaotic Neutral-Cat(Has hide in shadows and move silently at 99%,surprisingly has pickpocketing skills)
Lawful Evil-Imp(May cast Polymorph Spells)
Neutral Evil-Dust Mephit(May cast Glitterdust)
Chaotic Evil-Quasit(May cast Blur and Horror)

Xyx · Post by **Xyx** » Tue Aug 14, 2001 11:36 am

Chaotic Good's Fairy Dragon gives less Hit Points (9 instead of 12), but is the only one that can cast a beneficial spell on the party.

UserUnfriendly · Post by **UserUnfriendly** » Tue Aug 14, 2001 11:47 am

Neutral evil, I think has the most useful ability. Glitterdust is an incredably useful spell. against the masses its "mass blindness...aaaagggghhh!!! I can't see!" spell. I always get it. {lanning on using in giant sige camp, should work against the battles too. The only creatures that it does not work against are fairly high level creatures, their minions, especially humanoids, are very supseptable to it.

For the high level creatures, the druid spell natures beauty, if it does not kill outright, will cause blindess, NO SAVE.
Plan to try out on dragons and demogorgon, using simacrum helm for jaheira.

Raven Avenger · Post by **Raven Avenger** » Tue Aug 14, 2001 12:15 pm

You should all try the Quasit...the way it talks

The hat seems useful

THE JAKER · Post by **THE JAKER** » Tue Aug 14, 2001 12:27 pm

Yes, Raven - hats ARE useful.

Raven Avenger · Post by **Raven Avenger** » Tue Aug 14, 2001 12:37 pm

sorry.. Cats I mean

Izgoth · Post by **Izgoth** » Tue Aug 14, 2001 12:51 pm

How the heck do you put a familiar in your backpack?

morfeus · Post by **morfeus** » Tue Aug 14, 2001 1:03 pm

Start talking to it, Then you'll see.