Familiars: Design Theory?

[Scurvy Cur]

Yeh. If you compare a wizards spellbook to the druid's wizard's do have them beat spell-wise. Druids do have some notable healing spells, which obviously pure-caster arcanists do not have, and disabler AoE's (not that arcanists don't have nice ones themselves). But pretty much in the other spellcasting fields wizard's have them beat.

I'll agree with this only to a point. Spellbook to spellbook, I wholeheartedly agree, but it breaks down a little when one looks at the class package as a whole.

Wizards can beat or match a druid for most functions when it comes to spellcasting, but druids are much more role flexible. The healing abilities can't be discounted, and SR access makes them way more stable against dispels as far as the buff platform goes. Additionally, even non-totem druids can make effective use of the greater elemental forms in the vast majority of Arelith's zones. Then there's the fact that it's been a bit since I've seen a druid that's not going to have dragon shape by 24. The druid kit is not hurting for potency.

[Morderon]

True enough.

I am disappointed about the spell resistance affecting dispel. Or rather. I like that change. There is a lot of, possibly enhanced, dispels out there (PVM) so it's helpful to have what is basically a slippery mind to dispel checks , or better if the divine caster is helping a low-leveled caster. I just don't think it's a field that divine casters should beat out arcanist. Arcanist have mantles; but good luck having those last from encounter to encounter and the wizard has to be the one drawing the aggro for it to be effective.

[Lorkas]

I agree with you Mord--it's always bothered me that divine casters have long-lasting spell resistance available to them while mages don't. Yes, the mantles are fairly absolute since there's no check involved, but it is still bothersome to me.

Is it possible to make Greater Dispelling remain uncapped for wizards, sorcerers, and possibly bards, but keep it capped for clerics and druids? That way at least wizards and sorcs would outclass divines in magic removal. (They do already outclass them in counterspelling, but that is rarely used from what I've seen)

I suppose one possibility for addressing this and familiars at the same time is giving wiz and sorc some amount of SR (based on level) while they have their familiars summoned.

[Morderon]

Okay so familiars.

General:

1) After x amount of levels and while within x distance of the mage the mage is effectively immune to blind unless if the familiar is also blinded. This may require divination focuses.

2) Familiars have access to to the -command epic spells that their master has.

3) These definently need to be more fleshed out and possibly have the book thrown against the wall.

Specifics:

House Cat: Combat Familiar. House cats have druid levels though without most of the boons (namely, immunity to poison and spellcasting). House cats have wildshape Totem-panther and perhaps other polymorph/shape change goodness. Wildshape differs from a druid's wildshape in that it can be dispelled. Brought to you by to many Saturday Morning Cartoons.

Bat:
Late level trait: Blindsight. This is effecively true sight though it has a smaller range.

What the bat can do:
Cast ultavision (simulate that it helps it's master navigate in the dark)

What it could help it's master do better:
The damage of sonic spells are improved (is there any?) or spells that normally don't do sonic now do.
Clairaudience/clairvoyance may find it's duration increased and/or otherwise improved.

Imp:
Usual devil/imp elemental resistances
Late level trait: When nearby allows it's master to understand and speak infernal.

What they can do?
Invisibility

What can the master do?
Fire-based spells now have a chance to cause inferno-like burning

Toad:
Special trait: The master can breath underwater without requiring anything other than his familiar. Not that this is entirely to helpful. Alternatively or in addition: Helps with climb checks.

What does it help it's master do better:
Curses. Blindness. Poison type stuff.

Snake:
Special trait: Helps with disguise checks (though i don't entirely like this as it requires multiclassing; plus having to have your snake familiar out might just make a poor disguise). Alternatively: Helps with climb checks.


What does it help it's master do better?
See toad.


Eyeball:

What can it do?
Weak dispell magics.
Clarity (low caster level, it's purpose is to basically remove magic already in effect)
Remove fear

What does it help it's master do better?
Abjuration spells (perhaps raises the cap a tad, but I'm not sure if i'd let this stack with abjuration focuses), perhaps it provides some spell penetration to them.

And.. I'm done for now.

[Urch]

Cool ideas Morderon.

If I were to make familiars I'd give them abilities similar to Baldur's Gate. Useless in combat but gives a few neat bonuses.

The mage would get half the familiar's HP as temporary hit points. The mage would also lose those hitpoints and 1 CON permanently if the familiar dies. (except in nwn I'd make it permanent until a restoration spell is cast).
I'd also give the mage some sort of magical bonus. By this I mean, +2 DC to particular spells or spell schools, or some such, +2 to resisting certain spells/spell schools. E.g. The pixie would enhance enchantment spells and saves vs mind effecting. This bonus would only work if the familiar is summoned.
Also I'd add a few skill bonuses/additions depending on the type of familiar. E.g. The bat would give +5 listen. The toad would give +5 bonus hp. The Eyeball would give +5 spot. The snake would give +2 reflex saves. Raven would grant a bonus language depending on the mage's alignment (and subsequently be lost if the mage chooses a different familiar). etc. This bonus would work regardless of whether the familiar is summoned or not.

[SwampFoot]

As a, primarily, ranger player, I have to disagree that the companions require a nerf. Do they make soloing as a ranger easier? Absolutely. But rangers are best as a dex build meaning damage takes a huge hit unless fighting your specific favored enemies. Even with his badger it can take my ranger two hours to work his way through the arelith wood. Comparitively, a fighter of the same level can blast through that wood in a third of the time.

In PvP the companion is easy to beat by simply ignoring it and killing the ranger that commands it. And Crippling Strike is defeatable with a simple Negative Protection, available to all in potion form and purchasable at easily found NPCs.

[Scurvy Cur]

Ranger is in sort of an odd position, and I actually have to agree that the companions aren't too problematic. Vanilla ranger is very underwhelming to take lots of levels in, and giving characters with lots of ranger levels a decent companion helps alleviate some of he underwhelming-ness. Playing a class where the pet is the best feature isn't for everyone, but that's why we've got so many of them.

The issue is that Druids get the exact same companion, are a far stronger class to begin with, and can provide the companion not just greater magic fang, but also barkskin, death ward, FoM, stoneskin, SR, protection from elements, and awaken. Rangers miss most of these buffs, and the ones they do have, they often don't get the castings per day to use on both themselves and the companion. And that's not even touching the fact that the Druid is likely to be much harder to kill, and has some high caliber healing spells to toss at the animal companion. This makes it something of a triple whammy: the Druid can make the companion stronger than the ranger can, the Druid can support the companion better than the ranger can with heal and AoE control, and the Druid is simply a more dangerous, more durable class to begin with.

Edit: also, you may be using one of the utility, on-hit companions; which always struck me as a little weaker than their flank damage counterparts; the wolf in particular is quite strong, though it can be hard to tell which one a Druid is using, as they all get skinned as ravens anyway.

[Urch]

Rangers do have the benefit of being more competent meleers though without the reliance on wildshaping. Not to mention stealth abilities and trap setting.

The key point is they have completely different play styles.