D&D (2024) Find Familiar, the Alert feat, and the loss of the fly-by Owl.

[mellored]

So, I suspect find familiar is going back to giving us a menu of monster manual stat blocks.

That still won't change the "go immediately after you" part.

Which makes the help action harder to use.

 

[Charlaquin]

That still won't change the "go immediately after you" part.

Which I did say I thought would probably be the case in my post.

Which makes the help action harder to use.

Does it? I mean, the benefit lasts until the familiar’s next turn.

 

[Kobold Stew]

I've always hated he way the find familiar spell gets abused for situations exactly as described in the OP,

Genuine question: where's the "abuse"?
I've outlined four ways the rules appear to interact, and outlined pros and cons of each.

And the "situations" described are a Rogue wanting to use Sneak Attack. Is that what you hate?

so I can't say that I am sad about the changes.

I'm not sad either. In fact, I think the changes are good because I see all four of the sequences above as more-or-less balanced: each has a meaningful opportunity cost.

I also hate that familiars are more ubiquitous in the 2024 rules. Familiars are a pain in the butt,

or: "part of the game since AD&D"

unbalanced,

if so, please explain. Saying doesn't make it so.

and allow players to hog the mic.

aren't players supposed to hog the mic on their turn?

Fortunately, you can just ban the spell in games you run!

Most of us will be seeing characters choosing the spell. I'm trying to understand (anticipate) what the new rules will say. What I'm seeing is something that's considerably dialled back from the fly-by owl that I've seen become standard in 5e. I like that there will be more variation in the use of familiars, I am not convinced that they will be more ubiquitous, in part because they will be more vulnerable in combat.

 

[mellored]

Does it? I mean, the benefit lasts until the familiar’s next turn.

And an ally might attack first.
Or the enemy might turn invisible.

Not impossible, but harder than just "give me advantage now".

 

[Clint_L]

Genuine question: where's the "abuse"?
I've outlined four ways the rules appear to interact, and outlined pros and cons of each.

And the "situations" described are a Rogue wanting to use Sneak Attack. Is that what you hate?

Yes, among other things, but that is the most common.

I'm not sad either. In fact, I think the changes are good because I see all four of the sequences above as more-or-less balanced: each has a meaningful opportunity cost.

I think it’s way too powerful for a level 1 spell.

or: "part of the game since AD&D"

So? Plus, it wasn’t nearly as powerful in AD&D.

if so, please explain. Saying doesn't make it so.

aren't players supposed to hog the mic on their turn?

Find familiar often effectively gives them another turn, let’s them also be the party scout, etc. it also makes turns drag on.

Fortunately, you can just ban the spell in games you run!

Most of us will be seeing characters choosing the spell. I'm trying to understand (anticipate) what the new rules will say. What I'm seeing is something that's considerably dialled back from the fly-by owl that I've seen become standard in 5e. I like that there will be more variation in the use of familiars, I am not convinced that they will be more ubiquitous, in part because they will be more vulnerable in combat.

Yes, it needs to be nerfed.

 

[Kobold Stew]

Yes, among other things, but that is the most common.

Yeah, it would be terrible if a class could use their primary combat feature.

So, no abuse.

Yes, it needs to be nerfed.

...and it was.

 

[Horwath]

Though, I wouldn’t be surprised if they do change it to acting right after the caster instead of having its own initiative.

any sidekick, summon, familiar of whatever should act on players turn of the player that controls it.
it just speeds up the play.

 

[Charlaquin]

And an ally might attack first.

By my reading of the Help action, you help a specific ally to perform a specific task or hit a specific enemy. The owl can, as far as I know, help you hit the target, and it shouldn’t matter if an ally attacks the target before you make your attack.

Or the enemy might turn invisible.

Not impossible, but harder than just "give me advantage now".

Fair enough.

 

[Charlaquin]

Yes, among other things, but that is the most common.

I think it’s way too powerful for a level 1 spell.

So? Plus, it wasn’t nearly as powerful in AD&D.


Find familiar often effectively gives them another turn, let’s them also be the party scout, etc. it also makes turns drag on.

Yes, it needs to be nerfed.

I anticipate you really hating Vex weapons.

 

[Charlaquin]

any sidekick, summon, familiar of whatever should act on players turn of the player that controls it.
it just speeds up the play.

I agree