I this possible?

[kimfu]

Ok, i'm running a charging fighter in my party, but things have escalated to the point where everyone in the party has a Dragon, I got myself a Gold Dragon but before i give him Class Levels, I wanted to know something.

If I make the Dragon a Wizard, can my Fighter become his familiar??
At first i though only small animals could become familiars, then I found out Guardinals can and also Dragons can be Familiars, so I wondered, what would stop a human from becoming one?

And if my fighter became a familiar, would he be considered a magical beast?
It would be awesome to have it like that, and rp wise would be interesting.

So I ask for your ideas, opinions, slaps back to reality you can throw at me.
All is appreciated :smallsmile:

[OldTrees1]

If I make the Dragon a Wizard, can my Fighter become his familiar??

No. Sorry but ask your DM and he might allow it for a cost.

[Zweisteine]

You can not have a character as a familiar.

Also, be very, very careful when adding classes to a dragon; it can get very confusing. (Read the link in my sig, and the Draconomicon before you even think about trying.)

[kimfu]

You can not have a character as a familiar.


And if it wasn't a character??
What if it was a standard human, npc or something?

[Invader]

If you just want to treat the dragon as your character and have the fighter be secondary you could probably pull it off by giving the dragon leadership and making the fighter the its cohort.

Just curious what level is the fighter and what age is the dragon?

[Red Fel]

And if it wasn't a character??
What if it was a standard human, npc or something?

Familiars are special. There's nothing special about humans.

Seriously, just take him as a cohort instead. Leadership is a thing.

[Zweisteine]

And if it wasn't a character??
What if it was a standard human, npc or something?
Everything alive is a character, with the exception of no sentient creatures (probably?).

It's right there in the name: Non-Player Character

But, more specifically, a familiar is an animal summoned by a caster and bound to do the caster's will and nearly share in the caster's soul. I imagine it has something to do with the base creature's intelligence. A familiar is generally a creature with an easily-overwritten mind, something the caster can transform with a ritual. A human is far too complex for that.


A familiar is a normal animal that gains new powers and becomes a magical beast when summoned to service.
Thus, a familiar must be an animal, except here specific exceptions are made.

[otakumick]

a human is no more complex than an imp or a pseudodragon

[Crake]

the big thing to remember is that familiars cannot have class levels. They only get their familiar "HD" in addition to familiar benefits. So a human would be a pretty lousy familiar, since it wouldnt have much over a tiny animal.

[otakumick]

fair enough, I just object to the idea that a human is "more complex" than... pretty much any improved familiar

[Red Fel]

fair enough, I just object to the idea that a human is "more complex" than... pretty much any improved familiar

It's not just "more complex," it's a completely different type. As Zwei pointed out, most familiars are animals that become magical beasts by nature of being made into familiars. The Improved Familiar feat offers additional options, but they are essentially either extraplanar animals, tiny Outsiders representing an alignment, in one case a Construct, or in one case a Dragon. In each case, they are Tiny or Small, never larger.

Humans are neither Animals, nor Magical Beasts, nor Outsiders, nor a Dragon. They are Humanoid. Yes, in real life, a human is an animal, but an Animal is a specific creature type in D&D - and Humans are not Animals. Nor are most Humans, by default, Tiny or Small, unless they're particularly young.

In essence, apart from the nominal intelligence many familiars have, Humans have nothing in common with any of the creatures that can be made into familiars. It's not a question of complexity. They don't fit the mold.