Just out of curiosity...

[Shinizak]

Why doesn't Xykon have a familiar? He's a sorcerer, he's completely entitled to one.

[Silverraptor]

Why doesn't Xykon have a familiar? He's a sorcerer, he's completely entitled to one.

But that doesn't mean he has to get one. You have to do some extra stuff to get familiar and he probably didn't want to spend the time.

[xyzzy]

(Small SoD spoiler)

...Maybe his dog was his familiar until he accidentally zombified it? :smalltongue:

Yes, I know there's not actually rules for that particular species as a familiar (at least, none that I know of), but I'm pretty sure that's the only living creature Xykon has had a real emotional connection to in the comic.

[Katana_Geldar]

I hard think poor Barky counts, as we don't see him after the first page

[Ron Miel]

Maybe Redcloak counts as his familiar.

[JaxGaret]

Could be that he just doesn't want one, or could be he has an ACF.

[Starscream]

Could be that he just doesn't want one, or could be he has an ACF.

I'd buy that. There's one for sorcerers that lets them trade in their familiars in order to not need extra time for metamagic. We've seen him use a fair amount of metamagic, and there's no real sign that it takes him extra long.

Or maybe he just doesn't want one. He's not the sort of person to care about any living thing. He just likes to watch things die. If he had a familiar he'd probably be tempted to kill it for fun, and when doing so costs you XP it's a temptation best avoided.

[Hatchet]

Being the epic level badass he is, I wouldn't be surprised if the MitD turned out to be his familiar.

...naw. That's just silly.

[rewinn]

Why doesn't Xykon have a familiar? He's a sorcerer, he's completely entitled to one.

A bird familiar would want to perch on his clavical, which would be annoying.

A frog familiar would fall into his rib cage, maybe end up resting on his hip.

Either way: maybe Xykon DOES have a familiar, but he just hasn't THOUGHT about it .... ever ;-)

[73 Bits of Lint]

A bird familiar would want to perch on his clavical, which would be annoying.

A frog familiar would fall into his rib cage, maybe end up resting on his hip.
That could be fun. With a few minor alterations, a lich's ribcage could serve as a birdcage. Then he could get a pair of Auriparus flaviceps.

*Begins opening his coat*
Would you like to see my tits? They're penduline!

[NerfTW]

Being the epic level badass he is, I wouldn't be surprised if the MitD turned out to be his familiar.

...naw. That's just silly.

I doubt it,
he was epic level long before they found the MitD

[Morty]

He'd probably end up ignoring it most of the time anyway, so he decided to avoid the hassle.

[Haruki-kun]

He'd probably kill it and zombify it, then forget he had it. I don't think Xykon really needs a familiar.

[Morquard]

Maybe Redcloak counts as his familiar.

Hihi, I like that :)

[Olorin Maia]

ACF seems most likely to me; metamagic seems more Xykon than a familiar does.

[The Neoclassic]

Or maybe he just doesn't want one. He's not the sort of person to care about any living thing. He just likes to watch things die. If he had a familiar he'd probably be tempted to kill it for fun, and when doing so costs you XP it's a temptation best avoided.

Agreed. Also, I'd imagine that most animals would be repulsed by undead, so finding a familiar might be hard? I remember reading something about that a while back, but I could be wrong...

[veti]

Maybe he does have one, but like any sensible spellcaster, he leaves it somewhere quiet and out of harm's way while he does dangerous stuff. If the Order ever finds Xykon's home (lair, crypt, whatever), it'll be there.

[Optimystik]

I doubt he has a familiar; having a small pet of any kind would humanize him too much, and the Giant doesn't want anyone identifying with him at all (SoD commentary.)

An ACF would be much more his style, and definitely play into his "I don't need anyone else to be badass" attitude. This is especially ironic since Blackwing inconvenienced him so much and indeed almost removed his get out of death free card from the equation entirely.

[Elfin]

In my opinion an ACF definitely seems moat likely.

[Fluffles]

Spellstiched Familiar? That gots killed?

[pendell]

That could be fun. With a few minor alterations, a lich's ribcage could serve as a birdcage. Then he could get a pair of Auriparus flaviceps.

*Begins opening his coat*
Would you like to see my tits? They're penduline!

*Head asplodes*

You, sir, have just won the thread.

Respectfully,

Brian P.

[Thoran]

If I remember correctly if a sorcerer or wizard becomes a lich their familiar immediately abandons them unless it is a rat or a bat. So it's possible that Xykon had familiar at one point in time but it left him when he transformed. It's also possilbe (and I think more likely) that he never had one. I've known players who view familiars as liabilities since they represent an XP drain if they die and I can see Xykon sharing this view.

[ZFR]

OK, what is ACF?

[Olorin Maia]

I don't know the official wording, but it means you can use meta-magic (maximized, quickened, ect.) without taking any longer to prepare it. Sorcerers would normally have to take an extra half turn in order to do this, and ACF would eliminate the wait. I think.

[Bibliomancer]

I don't know the official wording, but it means you can use meta-magic (maximized, quickened, ect.) without taking any longer to prepare it. Sorcerers would normally have to take an extra half turn in order to do this, and ACF would eliminate the wait. I think.

ACF stands for Alternative Class Feature, some of which are listed in the PHBII. The one for sorcerers allows them to swap the ability to have a familiar for the ability to cast metamagic without increasing the casting time.