D&D 3E/3.5 [3.5] Improved Familiar Feat

[Hypersmurf]

New prerequisite - "Sufficiently high level".

In 3.0, I can take the Improved Familiar feat at 1st level. This gives me the ability to select a familiar from the improved list when I get around to summoning one.

Naturally, at first level, none of the creatures from the improved list are available to me... but at 7th, I can summon a pseudo-dragon, because I have the feat.

Does the new prerequisite mean I can't select the feat before 7th level any more if I want to use it to summon a pseudo-dragon? Or is it just a badly-placed prerequisite (which isn't really a prerequisite for the feat, just for the ritual), just like the "compatible alignment" prerequisite (which, again, shouldn't be a requirement for the feat, just for the ritual)?

I would have preferred to see the single non-prerequisite removed from the Prerequisites block, rather than another one added...

-Hyp.

 

[IanB]

They probably will change the wording. I think it is a bit strange the way they have the potential creatures split up into two lists as well - what purpose does that serve, really?

 

[Hypersmurf]

They probably will change the wording.

You mean between the "Look at this 3.5 Feat!" Revision Spotlight and the release?

-Hyp.

 

[Chun-tzu]

I'm not convinced the ability to summon improved familiars should require a feat. The higher character level is more than enough. After all, Paladins don't require a feat to select a more powerful mount.

 

[IanB]

Well, they do go out of their way to say REMEMBER EVERYBODY NOTHING IS FINAL TIL YOU HAVE THE BOOK IN YOUR HOT LITTLE HANDS... so I would think there's at least a chance they'll change the wording from the Revision Spotlight to now, yeah.

 

[Olive]

i want to know why the Psuedodragon's CR is '--'

 

[jaldaen]

i want to know why the Psuedodragon's CR is '--'

I would assume that it is not given a CR b/c the Psuedodragon is considered part of the wizard's class features and thus is already factored into the CR of the wizard... similar to how normal familiars work...

Good Gaming!
Joseph Miller

 

[Pax]

I'm not convinced the ability to summon improved familiars should require a feat. The higher character level is more than enough. After all, Paladins don't require a feat to select a more powerful mount.

Increased caster level s ALREADY a factor -- the familiar gets better natural armor, intelligence, and other special abilities.

If the level-requirement for the enhanced familiars was SUBTRACTED form yru caster level, to get an EFFECTIVE caster elvel with which the enhanced familiar gained those benefits ... great.

As for paladins, that's how it works ... the more powerful your mount's base creature abilities are, the slower you gain those extra HD and so on.

 

[Kae'Yoss]

I've stumbled on another thing: You may select a familiar who's alignment is one step away from yours on each axis, while AFAIK it usually is one step on one axis. I wonder whether that will be the new standard.

 

[jaldaen]

Increased caster level s ALREADY a factor -- the familiar gets better natural armor, intelligence, and other special abilities.

If the level-requirement for the enhanced familiars was SUBTRACTED form yru caster level, to get an EFFECTIVE caster elvel with which the enhanced familiar gained those benefits ... great.

Actually this is one of the cornerstones of the design in the upcoming (in June) EA: Familiars- Crouching Monkey, Hidden Toad that I wrote last year... it seemed the best way to balance things... although there is much more in the book than just the ability to summon up to CR 13 creatures as familiars ;-)

Good Gaming!
Joseph Miller