Obtain Familiar feat and Familiar death

[zilios]

So everyone knows that if a sorceror's familiar dies, he loses a bunch of xp and can't have a familiar for a year and a day (so typically never again).

I'm looking to create a Duskblade that'll pick up Obtain familiar and improve familiar for a Winter wolf for a flanking and combat buddy. My question is do the same limitations apply to a familiar obtained with the feat when/if it dies? If so, how does everyone deal with keeping a combat familiar safe? Everywhere I look these 2 feats are highly recommended for Duskblades for a variety of reasons but I don't see ways to make sure it won't just flat out die to a random full attack by a BBEG. Sure I could keep it away from seemingly hard hitting foes but a) that doesn't necessarily mean it's safe and b) I think it kinda defeats the purpose of having it. Kinda makes you wonder about the disposable nature of Animal companions.

[Necroticplague]

So everyone knows that if a sorceror's familiar dies, he loses a bunch of xp and can't have a familiar for a year and a day (so typically never again).

I'm looking to create a Duskblade that'll pick up Obtain familiar and improve familiar for a Winter wolf for a flanking and combat buddy. My question is do the same limitations apply to a familiar obtained with the feat when/if it dies?Yes.



You can obtain a familiar in the same manner as a sorcerer or wizard (see the sorcerer class description and the accompanying sidebar, page 52 of the Player's Handbook). As with a sorcerer or wizard, obtaining a familiar takes 24 hours and uses up magic materials worth 100 gp. For the purpose of determining familiar abilities that depend on your arcane caster class level, your levels in all classes that allow you to cast arcane spells stack.
So, unless it says otherwise, it's the same as the SORC/WIZ ability. Thus, the answer is 'yes'.


If so, how does everyone deal with keeping a combat familiar safe? Everywhere I look these 2 feats are highly recommended for Duskblades for a variety of reasons but I don't see ways to make sure it won't just flat out die to a random full attack by a BBEG. Sure I could keep it away from seemingly hard hitting foes but a) that doesn't necessarily mean it's safe and b) I think it kinda defeats the purpose of having it. Kinda makes you wonder about the disposable nature of Animal companions.
By not having it in combat. Seriously, why would you expect something with half the HP of a caster to be doing anything anywhere near combat? Obtain familiar is useful for Improved Familiar, which can give you options with some excellent out-of-combat utility.

[Stealth Marmot]

So everyone knows that if a sorceror's familiar dies, he loses a bunch of xp and can't have a familiar for a year and a day (so typically never again).

I'm looking to create a Duskblade that'll pick up Obtain familiar and improve familiar for a Winter wolf for a flanking and combat buddy. My question is do the same limitations apply to a familiar obtained with the feat when/if it dies? If so, how does everyone deal with keeping a combat familiar safe? Everywhere I look these 2 feats are highly recommended for Duskblades for a variety of reasons but I don't see ways to make sure it won't just flat out die to a random full attack by a BBEG. Sure I could keep it away from seemingly hard hitting foes but a) that doesn't necessarily mean it's safe and b) I think it kinda defeats the purpose of having it. Kinda makes you wonder about the disposable nature of Animal companions.

Making a familiar combat ready involves a hefty investment of feats and spells. There are spells that can enhance your familiar, and more to the point since you SHARE spells, buffing yourself means buffing the familiar. However, your familiar won't have a lot of hit points and likely will not have a great AC, what's worse is that if they die you lose a level. Yes the same limitations apply.

If you want a companion to help flank, try instead the Wild Cohort feat. It gets you a lesser version of a Druid's animal companion, which doesn't cost you a level when it dies. You will have to get ranks in Handle Animal though.

[Elkad]

It's only 100xp/level (assuming you make the easy Fort save). That's pretty equivalent with crafting.

Even if your game really does go 1-20 in a few weeks so you can't replace it, it can be raised from the dead. (I love how the default game never takes months off for crafting, building castles, sailing to a far continent, etc)

As a Duskblade, "half your hitpoints" should give your familiar more hitpoints than the wizard anyway.

Obviously for a combat familiar, you'll want to give it gear. It needs AC boosters, same as everyone else. Typically my familiars end up with AC slightly higher than the best in the party, though that is partially due to (Tiny) size bonuses and higher dex.

Base AC for Winter Wolf is 15. Add a masterwork chain shirt or Mage Armor (+4), +1 Deflection ring, +1 NatArmor amulet, and +3 for your level bonus = 24. Not great yet. With the share spells at 1 mile feat, it's also benefiting from your Shield spell, etc.

It's doable, it just takes investment.

[zilios]

Another thought: Could I somehow give my winter wolf familiar the warbeast template? That way it gets a good CON boost and some armor proficiencies. Maybe then I can stack some heavy armor on it to keep it safe?

Wild Cohort is nice but unfortunately my DM is not allowing it ATM. Maybe it's worth it getting a feat like bonded familiar for the 1/day save from death?

Unfortunately I don't think duskblade spell list has the familiar-esque spells on his spell list, so no augment and fortify familiar available. Maybe I can convince the party cleric to cast shield other on it :smalltongue:

[sleepyphoenixx]

Unfortunately I don't think duskblade spell list has the familiar-esque spells on his spell list, so no augment and fortify familiar available. Maybe I can convince the party cleric to cast shield other on it :smalltongue:

You don't need familiar-specific buffs. Every buff you cast on yourself can be shared with your familiar.
Since Duskblade casts spontaneously you can also get a Ring of Theurgy (CArc) and have the party cleric (or other caster) load it up with personal-only buffs.
Since he'll likely cast them on himself anyway just buy a Pearl of Power of the relevant level and he shouldn't mind supplying you. If you can cast 4th level spells ask for Delay Death for emergencies.
You can also use a combination of temporary HP and Shield Other to emulate the popular psicrystal & Share Pain combo.

Temp HP in general are a good pick since they're generally rather cheap or come with other benefits. And temp HP from different sources stack unless specified otherwise.
Have a list.

Aid (Cl2, Lck2) 1d8+CL (max 10), touch, 1 min/level
Aid, Mass (Cl3) 1d8+CL (max 15), AoE 1 min/level
Aid, Legions (Cl4) 1d8 +Cl (max 20), AoE 1 min/level
Bears's Heart (Dr4, Cl5) +1d4/Cl, AoE, 1 round/level
Chaav's Laugh (Cl5) 1d8 +CL (max 20), good only, AoE 1/min level
Divine Power (Cl4) 1/CL, personal, 1 round/level
False Life (Wiz2) 1d10 +CL (max 10), personal, 1 hour/level
Feast of Champions (CL9) 1d8 +1/2CL (max 10), AoE, 12 hours
Heart of Earth (Dr4, Wiz4, WJ4) 2xCL (max 30), personal, 1 hour/level
Heat Drain (Cl8) 2/target, AoE attack, 20ft burst, 1 min/level
Heroes' Feast (Brd6, Cl6) 1d8 +1/2CL (max 10), AoE, 12 hours
Heroism, Greater (Brd5, Wiz6) +1/CL (max 20), touch, 1 min/level
Leech Undeath (Cl7, Wiz8) 5/CL, single attack, close, 1 hour
Lion's Roar (CL8) 1d8 +CL (max 20), AoE, 1 min/level
Righteous Fury (Pa3) 5/CL (max 50), personal, 1 hour
Righteous Wrath of the Faithful (Cl7) 1d8 or 2d8, AoE, 1 round/level
Ruin Delver's Fortune (Ba4, Wiz4) 4d8 + Cha, personal, 1 round/level
Sta[wart Pact (Cl5) 5 x 1/2CL (max 35), touch, permanent until triggered at half health, then 1 round/level
Unicorn Blood (Dr5, Wiz5) 1 x CL (max 15) or 2 x CL (max 30), touch, non-self, 10 min/level
Vampiric Touch (Wiz 3) 1d6 x 1/2 CL (max 10d6), touch attack, 1 hour
Ask your cleric to cast one or more of the AoE options if he doesn't already - it will benefit the whole party - or get one of the personal-only ones in a Ring of Theurgy.

You can also get your familiar a Necklace of Natural Attacks (SS) and enchant it with Wrathful Healing, Vampiric, Bodyleech, Spell Storing or Bloodstone to give it the option to heal itself.

As for it dying, yes, possibly. The solution is to treat it like you treat your character, not as a disposable minion like a summon.
And if it does die the loss of XP is rather minor, so i wouldn't worry too much about it.
The inability to get a new one is far more severe, so you'll likely want to raise it - one reason not to get an outsider familiar at low level.