PotC Warlock Familiar attack...

[Kyoami]

If I hex a target then use my attack action to have my familiar attack the hexed target, would my familiars attack get the 1d6 bonus necrotic damage?

Thanks in advance for any help or input.

[Millstone85]

That is a very good question I hadn't considered.
I would say the rules do not allow it even though they really should.
It is already quite stupid how the familiar can't attack on its own.

[Segev]

Per the RAW, no, your familiar does not trigger your bonus hex damage. I would ask your DM to house rule it, however, as it makes sense and probably isn't overpowered. You are expending your own action to let your familiar attack, after all.

[GWJ_DanyBoy]

From a RAW reading I would say no, as you must be the one to make the attack for Hex to trigger.

But as a DM making a table ruling I would have little problem with Hex triggering when the Pact Familiar is attacking, as it's basically an extension of the character, and familiars do so little damage anyway.

[Kyoami]

Thanks for the quick responses. Also, if i were to use my attack action to have my familiar attack, would my familiar still have it's own action to disengage? Again, thanks for any help!

[Millstone85]

Thanks for the quick responses. Also, if i were to use my attack action to have my familiar attack, would my familiar still have it's own action to disengage? Again, thanks for any help!This attack actually has a double cost:
* for you, an action.
* for your familiar, a reaction.

Remember that your familiar has its own initiative and turn, distinct from yours.

So yes, your familiar could still use an action, when its turn comes.

[Kyoami]

This attack actually has a double cost:
* for you, an action.
* for your familiar, a reaction.

Remember that your familiar has its own initiative and turn, distinct from yours.

So yes, your familiar could still use an action, when its turn comes.

Is it specified anywhere that the PotC familiars attacks are using their reaction instead of there action?

[Millstone85]

Is it specified anywhere that the PotC familiars attacks are using their reaction instead of there action?It is in the errata.
Pact of the Chain (p. 107). When you let your familiar attack, it does so with its reaction.Or in the PHB proper if yours is recent enough.

What might achieve the result you want is using the Ready action-reaction to give the order on the turn of the familiar. That would let your familiar move to the enemy, Attack (reaction), Disengage (action) and move away unharmed. Or better yet, instead of disengaging, your familiar could use its action to become invisible (again, after attacking made it visible). I think that forbids opportunity attacks too. But I am not entirely sure about any part of that plan.

[tieren]

Per the RAW, no, your familiar does not trigger your bonus hex damage. I would ask your DM to house rule it, however, as it makes sense and probably isn't overpowered. You are expending your own action to let your familiar attack, after all.

If you're going to do that. You should also allow beast master pets to get hunters mark extra dmg.

[RickAllison]

If you're going to do that. You should also allow beast master pets to get hunters mark extra dmg.

That is a house-rule I'd be fine with making.

[Naanomi]

The only time I've seen a familiar attack is defending itself from minor threats while scouting... A quasit threw Magic Stones at lone guards and the like

[Millstone85]

The only time I've seen a familiar attack is defending itself from minor threats while scouting... A quasit threw Magic Stones at lone guards and the likeThis is exactly the reason why I find this thread interesting. How does a familiar defend itself while scouting? With the warlock's telepathic guidance, can a familiar do maneuvers like the one I described?

[Gastronomie]

This is exactly the reason why I find this thread interesting. How does a familiar defend itself while scouting? With the warlock's telepathic guidance, can a familiar do maneuvers like the one I described?Well, Pact Familiars can become invisible, and even if it was a normal Familiar, almost no one will care for a spider scurrying across the wall, so that should be enough most of the time.

I have used my Familiar to, apart from use Help or act as an expensive meat shield, grease the floor, drop ball bearings, open a Bag of Holding, steal stuff from a desk, lure a goblin away from his guarding point, carry bags for me, retrieve a weapon from a killed enemy, and once, pretend to offer a NPC a pact with the Archdevils and decieving him into becoming an ally.

[Millstone85]

Well, Pact Familiars can become invisible, and even if it was a normal Familiar, almost no one will care for a spider scurrying across the wall, so that should be enough most of the time.Most of the time, yes. Familiars do make awesome scouts and spies, especially pact ones. Still, there could (should, really) be situations where the familiar has caught the attention of a guard or predator and can't get away without a fight. A hit-and-run technique, using Attack (reaction) and Disengage (action), would make pact familiars even better. Does anyone else think it is allowed by RAW?


I have used my Familiar to, apart from use Help or act as an expensive meat shield, grease the floor, drop ball bearings, open a Bag of Holding, steal stuff from a desk, lure a goblin away from his guarding point, carry bags for me, retrieve a weapon from a killed enemy, and once, pretend to offer a NPC a pact with the Archdevils and decieving him into becoming an ally.Don't get me wrong. I see how creative you can get with a familiar, even when it can't fight at all. But a pact familiar can attack and does so with a reaction instead of an action. There must be ways to use that too.

For example, a pact familiar also makes a great messenger, even more so with the VotCM invocation. What if your interlocutor finds themself in danger? The warlock is far away but the familiar isn't. Yes, it could use Help, but what if it could attack too?

[Gastronomie]

Well, with the eratta, I suppose it's RAW.

It's not gonna be used anyways in most situations. But it may be very useful in some.