Ex-Familiars

[Jeff the Green]

What happens to a familiar if it's disowned or its master died? The PHB suggests that a familiar was previously a normal animal, so would it revert to being one again, or just vanish?

Or are there no rules for this?

[Bhaakon]

It goes off to a secret mountain monastery to practice martial arts in order to either take revenge on the master who abandoned it or their killer.

I'm pretty sure that's also the back-story for Kung Fu Panda. How else do you explain the talking animals with preternatural abilities?

[Kefkafreak]

I had an ex-familiar Wizard cat PC in the first campaign I DM'd. When his epic Wizard master died (permanently) he lost most of his powers, but retained the Intelligence and started gaining class levels. I had him regain his Natural Armor as he leveled up, since a cat can't wear armor. I also gave him permanent Mage Hand for obvious reasons.

[gorfnab]

I played an ex-familiar PC as well. It was a Beguiler (Shining South) whose master had died of old age. The PC ended up being a Beguiler (Shining South) Beguiler (PHBII).

[Leon]

They become Unfamiliar

[Jeff the Green]

It goes off to a secret mountain monastery to practice martial arts in order to either take revenge on the master who abandoned it or their killer.

I'm pretty sure that's also the back-story for Kung Fu Panda. How else do you explain the talking animals with preternatural abilities?

Now I want a red panda familiar. And I want to kidnap Dustin Hoffman and make him do the voice for it.

[Yuki Akuma]

I had an ex-familiar Wizard cat PC in the first campaign I DM'd. When his epic Wizard master died (permanently) he lost most of his powers, but retained the Intelligence and started gaining class levels. I had him regain his Natural Armor as he leveled up, since a cat can't wear armor. I also gave him permanent Mage Hand for obvious reasons.

Cats... can totally wear armour. Anything can wear armour.

Of course, as he's a Wizard, he couldn't ever wear armour anyway, so... what's the point of the natural armour?

[Kefkafreak]

I mean he can't wear Bracers of Armor.

Edit: Actually I allow such things now, but it was my first time as a DM so I wasn't as lenient.

[Yuki Akuma]

I mean he can't wear Bracers of Armor.

Yes he can. Magical bracers resize to fit their wearer, and it's explicitely stated four-legged animals treat their forelegs as 'arms' for magic items.

[Kefkafreak]

I've never seen that rule, and in any case, he couldn't equip them in my campaign, whether or not I was wrong.

[Thurbane]

I'm pretty sure that's also the back-story for Kung Fu Panda. How else do you explain the talking animals with preternatural abilities?
Maybe they got exposed to mutagenic goo in the sewer? :smalltongue:

P.S. I think the RAW on ex-familiars is they revert to normal animals (or are freed from service, in the case of Improved Familiars like Imps or Pseudodragons). Of course, allowing them to keep their intelligence is a bit more interesting.

[Psyren]

I've never seen that rule

Rules Compendium pg. 84