Familiar Equipment 3.5

[derninus]

Hello, my friend are building a hellfire warlock with the improved familiar feat,
he "needs" a rod of bodily restoration to make up for the con dmg he takes from using his hellfire to add damage to his eldritch blast.

anywho, he got a small air elemental as a familiar and wants to equip that with the rod, can an air elemental use the item since its.. air basicly

[BowStreetRunner]

The description of the air elemental in the Monster Manual certainly describes a creature that appears amorphous and cloud-like, however the game mechanics do not actually show it to be insubstantial or non-corporeal. In fact, the creature actually possess a physical attack (a slam attack). So for purposes of adjudicating game mechanics with this creature, it should be considered a physical creature, although with a very different appearance that what might be found in a non-magical universe.

Note that it has a supernatural whirlwind form that it can assume that allows it to transform. In this form it can trap creatures and debris within its form, so it might also be considered as able to pick up and carry objects in this same way.

Because it has elemental traits and since it is neither described as having a humanoid form nor indicated as wearing armor it is therefore proficient only with natural weapons and with no forms of armor. So it would be very limited in what kinds of equipment it could use, and any armor would necessarily have to apply the armor for unusual creature rules, but there is nothing explicit in the game mechanics preventing an air elemental from using equipment.

[derninus]

Yes but even though the rules doesnt talk about it, isnt it a thing that is just not thought of, should an air elemental be able to use rods?

and i know my simple logic and common sence is no match for the complex world of D&D

[BowStreetRunner]

Air elementals are not non-corporeal, they are not invisible, they are not gaseous. If it helps, google 'air elemental' and focus on whichever image helps you best visualize a physical, corporeal, visible, solid creature that appears amorphous and cloud-like.

An air elemental should be able to manipulate objects just fine. Think of an unseen servant, which has no corporeal existence at all.

[Kelb_Panthera]

It's definitely a go by RAW, and I'm not even seeing a logical problem.

An air elemental is a reasonably intelligent, solid creature (the fact that it's solid air makes physicists cry, but lets just leave it alone) that's even capable of speech. Why wouldn't it be able to use tools? It's amorphous nature does nothing to prevent it from picking stuff up as far as I can tell. It's not hard to imagine the creature extending the same pseudopod it uses for its slam attack to act as a hand. Unless you assume that its slam is more of a tackle than a punch, but that's all fluff anyway.

[Deadline]

Alternatively, since any kind of Mephit is available as an Improved Familiar (as per Complete Scoundrel), just take one of those instead of an Air Elemental.

But yeah, an Air Elemental is a physical creature. Don't over-think it. :smallsmile:

[Jalle]

Hi I'm the friend OP is mentioning.

The whole deal is that I'm creating a Hellfire Warlock and I want a familiar to hold my rod of bodily restoration (MIC) and activate it on me when needed, so my character doesn't have to spend actions to heal my con damage.

So now I ask you fellas. Do you have any good ideas how to execute this strategy?

I'm new to D&D and the pages regarding familiars and improved familiars is confusing. I picked the Air elemental because it has perfect flight and fly-by attack, which I guess means that it can stay out of danger, and in one round fly to me, activate the rod, and then fly out of the danger zone again (I'm a melee warlock).

Best regards
Jalle.

[Ravens_cry]

Ah, if I remember correctly, Hellfire Warlock doesn't take Constitution damage, or drain, but BURN, which can only be healed by sleeping it off.

[Kelb_Panthera]

There's actually a -really- simple way around this problem. Do you have Tome of Magic available at your table?

If you do, take a 1 level dip in the Binder class and bind the Vestige Naberius. You heal a point of ability damage on each ability every round at that point; allowing you to use whatever ability damaging powers you want.

[Jalle]

Ah, if I remember correctly, Hellfire Warlock doesn't take Constitution damage, or drain, but BURN, which can only be healed by sleeping it off.

It is damage, and the book actually suggest using rods/wands to compensate for the damage:

"Using the abilities granted by this prestige class carries dangerous
consequences. The Consitution damage that results
from the use of your powers can be healed, and many hellfi re
warlocks carry wands of lesser restoration to compensate for
the draining nature of their power."


There's actually a -really- simple way around this problem. Do you have Tome of Magic available at your table?

If you do, take a 1 level dip in the Binder class and bind the Vestige Naberius. You heal a point of ability damage on each ability every round at that point; allowing you to use whatever ability damaging powers you want.

Sadly my DM has not allowed me to dip binder NOR use the shape soulmeld feat :(

[Kelb_Panthera]

It is damage, and the book actually suggest using rods/wands to compensate for the damage:

"Using the abilities granted by this prestige class carries dangerous
consequences. The Consitution damage that results
from the use of your powers can be healed, and many hellfi re
warlocks carry wands of lesser restoration to compensate for
the draining nature of their power."



Sadly my DM has not allowed me to dip binder NOR use the shape soulmeld feat :(

I wouldn't allow the strong-heart vest to fly either, but that's too bad about binding naberius.

Hey! maybe you could get an imp instead of an air elemental. You're already bargaining with infernal powers for the hellfire anyway, why not go the whole nine yards and make a pact with a devil? (I'm rather fond of the fiendish codices.)

[Jalle]

I wouldn't allow the strong-heart vest to fly either, but that's too bad about binding naberius.

Hey! maybe you could get an imp instead of an air elemental. You're already bargaining with infernal powers for the hellfire anyway, why not go the whole nine yards and make a pact with a devil? (I'm rather fond of the fiendish codices.)

I'm Chaotic Good (yeah I know it's most hellfire warlocks are evil, but my DM accepted that I am one of the few using my power in the name of good).

Edit: I think I'll go with the Air Mephit.

[Duke of Urrel]

I would second Deadline's advice to go with a mephit, which clearly has a humanoid shape, regardless of its elemental composition.

Even if your DM agrees that air elementals are solid and not merely gaseous creatures, he or she may not agree that they have grasping appendages. Air elementals certainly have arm-like limbs to slam with, but there's no mention of opposable thumbs in their description.

[Jalle]

My character will be introduced tomorrow and I've decided to go with the air mephit.

Thank you all for your inputs.

Best regards.