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View Full Version : THE FAMILIAR IS BACK!! (spoilers)



Crazeemeel
2009-06-01, 07:33 PM
The familiar is showing up again for the third time since the OOTS started it. I love this joke because I remember so much how when I was playing as a wizard/sorcerer and would suddenly remember about my familiar, which has of course been following us around this whole time.

Now will we have a dramatic scene with the familiar dodging Xykon's spells to get to the rift, or will it simply refuse to listen to V as it has before. Or will it perish and leave V even more weakened?

What do people think.

Boogastreehouse
2009-06-01, 07:37 PM
"...escape had not really crossed my mind."

Of course it hadn't.

Awesome.

Edit: I'm sorry, I meant to post this on the episode discussion thread...

Kaytara
2009-06-01, 07:38 PM
V will demonstrate his change in character by begging the bird to do it. Maybe.

And don't you just love how Rich keeps coming up with developments that are completely obvious in retrospect, yet no one sees them coming? :D

EmeraldPhoenix
2009-06-01, 07:39 PM
I started a thread a long time ago about blackwing coming back...

MINE! (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=5942762&posted=1#post5942762)

Darius1020
2009-06-01, 07:40 PM
Woooo!

Go Bird-That-Miss-Starshine-Named!

Dagren
2009-06-01, 07:53 PM
Nitpick: This is the fourth time Blackwing has appeared.

Kaytara
2009-06-01, 07:54 PM
I started a thread a long time ago about blackwing coming back...

MINE! (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=5942762&posted=1#post5942762)

Sorry, but I think that predicting that Blackwing will return at some point during the Splice arc, berate V for going evil and cause V to lose the Splice is quite different from predicting Blackwing to appear in a way that is both directly instrumental with destroying the threat of Xykon, in keeping with the theme of redemption from acts of (justified) cowardice AND symbolic of Vaarsuvius learning to think outside the spells=power mindframe... ^^;

Crazeemeel
2009-06-01, 07:54 PM
Nitpick: This is the fourth time Blackwing has appeared.

Oh yeah I forgot about when it showed up during the bandit scene

Darius1020
2009-06-01, 07:56 PM
Nitpick: This is the fourth time Blackwing has appeared.

Nitpick: Fifth time; 3rd strip, bandits, oracle, death knight, now

Cestrian
2009-06-01, 08:02 PM
Seventh. There was also the trial and the lizard arc.

Darius1020
2009-06-01, 08:04 PM
ok, thats it, right?

shadzar
2009-06-01, 08:17 PM
I got a feeling this here bird will respond like once before when asked for help that may end in death...you know after all the bandit arrows that is.

Wizards in 3rd don't take damage when a familiar dies do they?

I wonder if he appeared or V remembered him? After the oracle you think he might use this trick to make sure V never forgets again and brought himself out.

But how does he plan on living through this to rub his existence into V's face so he is never forgotten about again?

archon_huskie
2009-06-01, 08:29 PM
He only needs to get the bling above the rift. Gravity will take care of the rest.

holywhippet
2009-06-01, 08:36 PM
Wizards in 3rd don't take damage when a familiar dies do they?


From the SRD:


If the familiar dies or is dismissed by the sorcerer, the sorcerer must attempt a DC 15 Fortitude saving throw. Failure means he loses 200 experience points per sorcerer level; success reduces the loss to one-half that amount. However, a sorcerer’s experience point total can never go below 0 as the result of a familiar’s demise or dismissal. A slain or dismissed familiar cannot be replaced for a year and day. A slain familiar can be raised from the dead just as a character can be, and it does not lose a level or a Constitution point when this happy event occurs.

It's not physical damage - but it sucks to lose XP.

Mando Knight
2009-06-01, 08:39 PM
It's not physical damage - but it sucks to lose XP.

It's a lot less XP than losing a level from being raised.

PId6
2009-06-01, 08:40 PM
It's not physical damage - but it sucks to lose XP.
I'd rather take physical damage. That's why I never bother with familiars; walking (or flying) XP bombs just don't seem worth it with the few benefits they actually give.

shadzar
2009-06-01, 08:43 PM
From the SRD:



It's not physical damage - but it sucks to lose XP.

Ah ok, a few less magic items you can make then....well V isn't a sorcerer so I guess that don't affect V, but if sorcerers get familiars then where is Xykons'? :smalleek:

Sanguine
2009-06-01, 08:48 PM
Ah ok, a few less magic items you can make then....well V isn't a sorcerer so I guess that don't affect V, but if sorcerers get familiars then where is Xykons'? :smalleek:


It is the same rules for a sorcerer and wizard's familiar. Also you don't have to have a familiar it is an optional feature.

Ellye
2009-06-01, 08:51 PM
I guess Blackwing will end up destroyed and Qarr will replace him in the future.

BlueWizard
2009-06-01, 08:53 PM
The familiar is showing up again for the third time since the OOTS started it. I love this joke because I remember so much how when I was playing as a wizard/sorcerer and would suddenly remember about my familiar, which has of course been following us around this whole time.


This is so true for most PC familiars. :smallcool:

Xondoure
2009-06-01, 08:58 PM
Ah ok, a few less magic items you can make then....well V isn't a sorcerer so I guess that don't affect V, but if sorcerers get familiars then where is Xykons'? :smalleek:

A battle of familiars... I can see that being interesting incredibly tedious.

ericgrau
2009-06-01, 09:08 PM
Ya I noticed that about familiars. So many defenses just to help prevent an xp loss, but seemingly no benefit. Why get them at all? So I didn't bother. But looking more carefully at rules and the way I've heard of people use them, I found a purpose for them: They seem to act like an extension of the caster's body for the purpose of casting. They deliver spells and they can be the target of various spells even letting you target 2 "selfs" at once. They're like an automatic henchman designed specifically for wizards. You can prep a touch spell before combat for the familiar to deliver, polymorph the familiar, use him as a spy (possible invis'ed or otherwise buffed), or - in the recent comic for example - send him off to deliver something.

shadzar
2009-06-01, 09:09 PM
It is the same rules for a sorcerer and wizard's familiar. Also you don't have to have a familiar it is an optional feature.

So V could be minorly inconvenienced?


A battle of familiars... I can see that being interesting incredibly tedious.

It would be friggin' hilarious!

An undead rat vs a cheeky old bird...wait were we talking about familiars or Xykon and V themselves? :smallconfused:

Sanguine
2009-06-01, 09:11 PM
Yes V would be inconvenienced by the death of his familiar. Anyone with a familiar would be except a Hexblade as they have mettle which would negate the xp loss if they made there save.

ZeroNumerous
2009-06-01, 09:12 PM
On familiars not being worth it: Any personal spell you cast can be shared. On top of that, Imbue Familiar with Spell Ability from Spell Compendium basically doubles your actions. In the end, I've always felt it worth it to have a familiar rather than be without.

Kaytara
2009-06-01, 09:17 PM
A better question probably is....

Would Blackwing be inconvenienced by the death of Vaarsuvius?

I'm not sure, but doesn't a familiar disappear if the master is killed? If Xykon connects all the right dots, he may realise that the fastest way to stop his phylactery from being destroyed is relieving the injured elf of what hitpoints he still has left....

Silverraptor
2009-06-01, 09:18 PM
So Blackwing has finnally reappeared from the "Forgotten about by V" space.:smallamused:

Sanguine
2009-06-01, 09:22 PM
A better question probably is....

Would Blackwing be inconvenienced by the death of Vaarsuvius?

I'm not sure, but doesn't a familiar disappear if the master is killed? If Xykon connects all the right dots, he may realise that the fastest way to stop his phylactery from being destroyed is relieving the injured elf of what hitpoints he still has left....

He would still exist as when you gain a familiar you imbue a normal animal with sentience. So the real question is not whether or not it would still exist but whether or not it would devolve into a mindless animal.

Dagren
2009-06-01, 09:24 PM
He would still exist as when you gain a familiar you imbue a normal animal with sentience. So the real question is not whether or not it would still exist but whether or not it would devolve into a mindless animal.I don't think this is covered in the rules, but I would say he should remain a magical beast. They have to come from somewhere, after all. (Yes, I know that's not really what it means. Still a good character concept)

The MunchKING
2009-06-01, 09:26 PM
On familiars not being worth it: Any personal spell you cast can be shared. On top of that, Imbue Familiar with Spell Ability from Spell Compendium basically doubles your actions. In the end, I've always felt it worth it to have a familiar rather than be without.

Once you get Epic it'll start dropping up to 8th level Magic on it's own IIRC.

Sanguine
2009-06-01, 09:30 PM
Once you get Epic it'll start dropping up to 8th level Magic on it's own IIRC.

Exactly the reason you take them is for when you are at epic levels and they are invulnerable do to magic items and they can cast insanely powerful spells via there own actions.

Simanos
2009-06-02, 09:16 AM
A better question probably is....

Would Blackwing be inconvenienced by the death of Vaarsuvius?

I'm not sure, but doesn't a familiar disappear if the master is killed? If Xykon connects all the right dots, he may realise that the fastest way to stop his phylactery from being destroyed is relieving the injured elf of what hitpoints he still has left....
Well Quaar didn't vanish when Kubota was killed, but then again that wasn't a proper wizard-familiar relationship. So I'd really like to know what the answer to this is in the SRD/RAW please, anyone?