Amy tips on having my familiar not slow down combat?

[Rfkannen]

Howdy!

So last session I got myself a familiar, and I was wondering if you guys had any tips for having it not slow down combat.

The gm housed ruled companions work on player initiative.

The main problem is group size, we have a party of 6 and when it's all said and done 4 of those players are going to have a companion of some kind ( warlock, wizard, ranger, artificer) and I'm afraid with that much combat will be slow as hell.

Have you found that familiars slow combat?

So yeah, any tips on useing the familiar and not slowing down combat?


Ps. I'm a tome warlock and the familar is an owl.

[JackPhoenix]

Why would it slow down combat? "It stays *here*, flies up to *this enemy* and uses Help action, then it flies back *here* again". Easiest way to not slow down combat is knowing what do you want to do with it and give it orders that won't take forever to resolve.

[smcmike]

Keep it in a pocket dimension.

[Toadkiller]

Basically, yeah. Don't use it every round.

[Thrudd]

Familiars generally don't have a lot to do in combat, so it shouldn't slow things down. You absolutely don't want it to get killed, so putting it in danger should be a sort of rare and desperate situation. At the beginning of combat say "it's flying up out of range of the fight" or "hiding in a nearby tree" or whatever, and then only mention it again if you want it to do something specific.

[Koren]

I personally don't let my familiar out of its pocket dimension during combat. Partially because familiars in combat are not well described rules-wise, partially because I don't want to have to re summon my familiar. The help action is generally unnecessary anyway.

I might change my tune when I run into a baddie I can't seem to hit.

[Quoxis]

Familiars generally don't have a lot to do in combat, so it shouldn't slow things down. You absolutely don't want it to get killed, so putting it in danger should be a sort of rare and desperate situation. At the beginning of combat say "it's flying up out of range of the fight" or "hiding in a nearby tree" or whatever, and then only mention it again if you want it to do something specific.

That's kind of a roleplaying thing, isn't it? If i'm playing an evil warlock with an imp familiar the character doesn't care about (he can revive it/get a replacement within an hour anyways) i can use it as bait, cannon fodder, one time use touch spell deliverer or trap disabler whenever i like.

"Master, this doesn't look like a good ide-"
"Shut up, you disobedient runt, and stay still while i prepare my fireball!"

To the OP:
By RAW, i think i remember that tiny creatures can share the same spot with a medium one. Have your spider cling to your back, your hawk sit on your shoulder, your cat snuggle at your feet etc. where they can provide help actions in melee (especially good for rogues' sneak attacks, or in case this attack spell absolutely has to hit).
If your opponent (e.g. the gm) isn't an ******** and kills the support while the damage dealer pokes them in the head your familiar should be relatively safe, the real danger are aoe effects like the dreaded fireball.
Following that strategy means you'll say "my familiar follows me around/sits on me" once at the beginning and "my familiar helps me" every round of combat, tops.

[Thrudd]

That's kind of a roleplaying thing, isn't it? If i'm playing an evil warlock with an imp familiar the character doesn't care about (he can revive it/get a replacement within an hour anyways) i can use it as bait, cannon fodder, one time use touch spell deliverer or trap disabler whenever i like.

I don't tend to use warlocks in my games, but isn't there a penalty to the character if your familiar dies? Or at least a very long waiting period before you can summon another one? Also, the types of familiars that actually have some small combat utility, like the imp/quasit/pseudodragon, are pretty rare/difficult to get ahold of, aren't they? But sure, if a character doesn't care about their familiar (which is sort of contrary to the definition of what a familiar is supposed to be, but whatever), you could use them like an extra combatant that can deliver extremely weak attacks or to soak up an extra few HP worth of damage for you.

[Biggstick]

I don't tend to use warlocks in my games, but isn't there a penalty to the character if your familiar dies? Or at least a very long waiting period before you can summon another one? Also, the types of familiars that actually have some small combat utility, like the imp/quasit/pseudodragon, are pretty rare/difficult to get ahold of, aren't they? But sure, if a character doesn't care about their familiar (which is sort of contrary to the definition of what a familiar is supposed to be, but whatever), you could use them like an extra combatant that can deliver extremely weak attacks or to soak up an extra few HP worth of damage for you.

There is no penalty to your character if your Familiar dies.

The waiting period to summon another Familiar if you've gained it through any of the normal means is 1 hour and costs 10 gp.

The types of familiars that are a bit more robust (Imp, Quasit, etc) are rarer, but they don't take any more time to summon.

It doesn't mean you don't care about your Familiar if you're utilizing it for combat.

You're basing your opinion of Familiars and how Players use them off of an older version of D&D. They (Familiars) no longer cost what they used to, and can be much more easily utilized without fear of real loss.

[Saggo]

I don't tend to use warlocks in my games, but isn't there a penalty to the character if your familiar dies? Or at least a very long waiting period before you can summon another one? Also, the types of familiars that actually have some small combat utility, like the imp/quasit/pseudodragon, are pretty rare/difficult to get ahold of, aren't they? But sure, if a character doesn't care about their familiar (which is sort of contrary to the definition of what a familiar is supposed to be, but whatever), you could use them like an extra combatant that can deliver extremely weak attacks or to soak up an extra few HP worth of damage for you.

There's no penalty besides recasting and no additional waiting besides the hour cast time. Chain Warlocks can get their unique familiar every time.

If your DM theoretically granted the familiar variant of an actual (for example) imp, then yeah, that one's costly since you probably won't get it back.

[Quoxis]

I don't tend to use warlocks in my games, but isn't there a penalty to the character if your familiar dies? Or at least a very long waiting period before you can summon another one? Also, the types of familiars that actually have some small combat utility, like the imp/quasit/pseudodragon, are pretty rare/difficult to get ahold of, aren't they? But sure, if a character doesn't care about their familiar (which is sort of contrary to the definition of what a familiar is supposed to be, but whatever), you could use them like an extra combatant that can deliver extremely weak attacks or to soak up an extra few HP worth of damage for you.

The warlock has a third level feature called a "pact" where you can choose to get either a "tome" with three (?) cantrips of whatever spell list, a "blade" which grants you a magical weapon akin to the eldritch knight's, or a "chain" pact which gives you the "find familiar" ritual with the possibility to choose from the regular list or get an imp/sprite/quasit/pseudodragon instead. The imp familiar is literally a class feature.

[Thrudd]

Well then, I guess familiars are now meat shields. I stand corrected. Just say that the thing is always flying near you to absorb any missile attacks while you cast your spells or whatever, and then send it out to deliver spells to targets if you have a touch attack.

[JackPhoenix]

Well then, I guess familiars are now meat shields. I stand corrected. Just say that the thing is always flying near you to absorb any missile attacks while you cast your spells or whatever, and then send it out to deliver spells to targets if you have a touch attack.

That's not how it works. The attacker targets whoever (or whatever) it likes, and familiars are too small to provide cover to medium-sized creature. So it may be flying around you, but the arrows still hit you.

[Thrudd]

That's not how it works. The attacker targets whoever (or whatever) it likes, and familiars are too small to provide cover to medium-sized creature. So it may be flying around you, but the arrows still hit you.

Ok, then send it to scratch at the face of something that looks like might threaten you that round, or hold it back and use it to safely deliver your shocking grasp to someone from a distance. But by the new rules, there seems to be no reason to worry about keeping it safe, so you might as well use it to provide an additional target to enemies and try to draw their attacks away from you. That still shouldn't take up too much combat time, it's just like having an extra ranged attack.

[JackPhoenix]

Ok, then send it to scratch at the face of something that looks like might threaten you that round, or hold it back and use it to safely deliver your shocking grasp to someone from a distance. But by the new rules, there seems to be no reason to worry about keeping it safe, so you might as well use it to provide an additional target to enemies and try to draw their attacks away from you. That still shouldn't take up too much combat time, it's just like having an extra ranged attack.

Familiars can't attack, except PotC familiars, who can attack as reaction if you take Attack action and sacrifice one of your attacks (so propably your only attack, if you're caster). Um... how about you read the spell and pact first?

[Hrugner]

I've had a familiar in two games now. It hasn't slowed down combat at all. Have a plan for what the familiar is doing before your turn just like you do with your own character. I found it helpful to let the DM worry about the familiar's exact position and have give the familiar standing orders of some form so we know where he is when combat begins. Typically I keep my familiar 100 feet up to boost our horizon line by several miles. This means he tends not to be in combat when it happens and it also means we often have that much more warning before it does happen.

His combat role is either nothing or "he flies in and assists player X, then flies back behind me/cover". The DM then determines if that's possible and we leave it at that.

[Thrudd]

Does the spell say you can't send your familiar to fly around somebody's face? You guys are taking too literally what I'm meaning in a descriptive way.

I was told that there is no mechanical reason why someone should care whether their familiar gets killed, so I was extrapolating that into ways a person might utilize an expendable creature (albeit a small one) that is completely under your command. I don't care how the rules adjudicate what happens, I am talking from the POV of a player/character with a familiar ordering it to do stuff that an animal or small creature could do. If the rules say it can't attack, then the result of me sending it to scratch someone's face will be that it annoys them and doesn't do any damage. But being in their face might make the enemy spend an action attacking it instead of attacking me or distract them enough to give them disadvantage on something.

If the familiar can't usually attack and can't take hits for you, then what I said in the very beginning was correct - familiars won't get used in combat for the most part and won't slow anything down - they aren't like a pet dog or an animal companion that is trained to fight with you. It's just that the rules for why this is so are now different. Now the things it can do are restricted by the rules for reasons, rather than potentially penalizing the character for willingly putting their familiar in danger.

If, for any reason, the familiar becomes able to attack or do anything that can disrupt opponents, it appears that there is no reason not to use it to do so. My pseudodragon would be trying to sting the crap out of anything close to me - if it gets killed, I can just summon a new one at the next short rest. Right?

[Millstone85]

If the rules say it can't attack, then the result of me sending it to scratch someone's face will be that it annoys them and doesn't do any damage. But being in their face might make the enemy spend an action attacking it instead of attacking me or distract them enough to give them disadvantage on something.Or as said much earlier in this thread...
Why would it slow down combat? "It stays *here*, flies up to *this enemy* and uses Help action, then it flies back *here* again". Easiest way to not slow down combat is knowing what do you want to do with it and give it orders that won't take forever to resolve.... it would give someone else advantage on an attack roll against this enemy. This is the most often mentioned use of familiars in combat.


if it gets killed, I can just summon a new one at the next short rest. Right?If you have an extra hour to spare, yes. Also 10 gp worth of components.

[Koren]

If you have an extra hour to spare, yes. Also 10 gp worth of components.

This I think is what you're looking for. Even if your character thinks absolutely nothing of their familiar, the 10 gold and hour long rite might make him question throwing them away carelessly. If the character (and player) doesn't care then by all means see if your DM would allow you to use your Imp as a meat shield (one-time +2 ac? Temp HP equal to the Imps? Possibilities!) (Edit: yes it's a terrible idea, I know that.)

Mechanically, the eye scratching would definitely fit under the ever-vague Help action though. As would most interactions with enemies, I imagine.

For RP combat uses you could tell him to grab their legs, try to steal their sword, crotch kick/headbutt, eye scratching as you mentioned, of course the touch spell trick, watch for flanking... That's all that I can pull off the top of my head.

[Gignere]

Not sure why you think familiar would take a longer time in combat then anything else. I play a wizard, I even made the rogue carry a basket on his back, so my bat familiar can take help action and go into the basket and become carried so not a legal target anymore.

You know what I almost always took the least time in combat and this include the raging barbarian that just basically say smash every turn. If you plan out your action on other PCs turn you can make combat go a lot faster.

[Safety Sword]

If your familiar is going to attack on your turn then you can just assign it a specific colour d20 and d(whatever) damage dice and just roll it whenever you have your turn. Then get really good at saying "and my familiar hits AC 18 for 6 points of slashing damage"

That's how animal companions happen at my table. I guess a familiar that can attack should work the same?

[Koren]

If your familiar is going to attack on your turn then you can just assign it a specific colour d20 and d(whatever) damage dice and just roll it whenever you have your turn. Then get really good at saying "and my familiar hits AC 18 for 6 points of slashing damage"

That's how animal companions happen at my table. I guess a familiar that can attack should work the same?

The Find Familiar spell specifically says they can't attack, it lists the few actions the familiar can take

[Malifice]

Howdy!

So last session I got myself a familiar, and I was wondering if you guys had any tips for having it not slow down combat.

The gm housed ruled companions work on player initiative.

The main problem is group size, we have a party of 6 and when it's all said and done 4 of those players are going to have a companion of some kind ( warlock, wizard, ranger, artificer) and I'm afraid with that much combat will be slow as hell.

Have you found that familiars slow combat?

So yeah, any tips on useing the familiar and not slowing down combat?


Ps. I'm a tome warlock and the familar is an owl.

How long is it talking to say 'It moves to the creature and flies in its face [help action] and then flies off'?

You dont even have to roll a die.

If you're taking more than 2-3 seconds to state your actions, your DM should be telling you you take the Dodge action and your turn ends, then moving onto the next player and giving them 2-3 seconds. And so forth.

Its what I do. Speeds up combat (and keeps players focussed) amazingly well. Phones get put away very quick.

I cant stand players treating combat like a game of chess. The monster is trying to stab you in the face. Roleplay it.

[Safety Sword]

The Find Familiar spell specifically says they can't attack, it lists the few actions the familiar can take

You'll note I wasn't saying it could, only comparing it to animal companion IF it could.

Some people might run games where familiars can attack. Good luck to them.

[Koren]

You'll note I wasn't saying it could, only comparing it to animal companion IF it could.

Some people might run games where familiars can attack. Good luck to them.

Ah I misunderstood, I apologise.

[Tanarii]

That's kind of a roleplaying thing, isn't it?
No, it's a tactical decision. Generally speaking, the value of Familiars in combat is low compared to the non-combat value + cost of replacing them. Generally speaking, risking losing use of your Familiar out of combat until you spend an hour and ten minutes to replace them just isn't worth it. Especially since that time can't also be a Short Rest.

I used to think Familiars being able to help in combat was a big problem as a DM. But most of my players know better than to try that now, at least on the regular. It's a tactically choice they'll occasionally make when they decide it's worth the risk of 'spending' their resource, and that's as it should be.

[Maxilian]

Why would it slow down combat? "It stays *here*, flies up to *this enemy* and uses Help action, then it flies back *here* again". Easiest way to not slow down combat is knowing what do you want to do with it and give it orders that won't take forever to resolve.

This.

Just have in mind what you want your familiar to do, you could just give your DM a general idea, like, go into range of enemy, use help action, fly up its max speed.

Note: In general, depending the mob, the familiar may see itself getting killed often, in many cases, it may never be attacked, in general, it depends on the DM.

(I really like to use my familiar in combat -though for most people, it will always do the same).

[Footman]

That's kind of a roleplaying thing, isn't it? If i'm playing an evil warlock with an imp familiar the character doesn't care about (he can revive it/get a replacement within an hour anyways) i can use it as bait, cannon fodder, one time use touch spell deliverer or trap disabler whenever i like.

"Master, this doesn't look like a good ide-"
"Shut up, you disobedient runt, and stay still while i prepare my fireball!"


Bwahahahah! The Roleplay Potential for that would be so hilarously Great, especially with an Evil Warlock.
*Imp is being resummond, and stares angrily at the Warlock*
Warlock: "Whats with that upset look Servant" *Warlock raises an Eyrow.*
Imp: "You just FED me,... to a Giant Spider!"
Warlock: "Don't be such a Baby, it ate you so quickly, tha could have barely hurt."
Imp: "And just Yesterday your Froze me!"
Warlock: "Now that was an accident."
Imp: "And the day before you used me as a SHIELD!"
Warlock: "Well i had to protect my beautiful Face, you were the only thing i could grab to protect it on that short notice."
Imp: "And the Day BEFORE THAT you killed me to Test out that stupid new Spell of yours."
Warlock: "Pfeh, you know Full well that the Paladin won't let me Test it out in the Middle of Battle, "too much colleteral Damage he says", pfah the Fool. As if a few Fireballs would kill him."

To the OP:
My DM always handled it like the Familiar could "Attack" in a sense, but would automatically Deal no Damage, and only annoy the opponent. Depending on the Circumstances of the Fight sometimes they simply ignored the Familiars or killed them with an Attack. The Idea with the Basket or letting it stick to the back is good as well. Familars can't really do all that much in Combat.

[Millstone85]

I have depicted my GOO patron as a swarm of creatures just like the one I use as a familiar.

So far, the critter has died...
* from a failed fastball special (it couldn't fly at the time)
* from commanded self-termination in the hope of shaking the influence of another GOO (not sure if it worked)
* from various other things according to the warlock's backstory

The continuity of consciousness between summonings is left as a matter of debate, but I always give the familiar the same name which is not that of the swarm.

[Safety Sword]

As an aside to the main topic:

If you're gaining an advantage (literally) by using your familiar every round I would literally blast it to pieces as the DM. None of this hiding it every round so you can't target it nonsense. You get fireballed, it gets fireballed. You get lightning bolted, so does it.

Nothing comes free.

[Koren]

As an aside to the main topic:

If you're gaining an advantage (literally) by using your familiar every round I would literally blast it to pieces as the DM. None of this hiding it every round so you can't target it nonsense. You get fireballed, it gets fireballed. You get lightning bolted, so does it.

Nothing comes free.

Honestly even RAW this plan only really works with the Owl who has Flyby. Otherwise just hit it with a reaction. I can't imagine any creature NOT trying to take a swing at this thing rushing at them every 6 seconds.

[prototype00]

Honestly even RAW this plan only really works with the Owl who has Flyby. Otherwise just hit it with a reaction. I can't imagine any creature NOT trying to take a swing at this thing rushing at them every 6 seconds.

The Owl has 60ft fly speed. For me, that Familiar is going to fly 30ft above my foes, swoop down to give me advantage and then fly out of Melee reach straight up each turn.

"Go for the Eyes!"

[Koren]

The Owl has 60ft fly speed. For me, that Familiar is going to fly 30ft above my foes, swoop down to give me advantage and then fly out of Melee reach straight up each turn.

"Go for the Eyes!"

This is a good plan, my statement was mostly for anyone who doesn't have/want an owl for whatever reason.

Rephrasing for understanding: if you didn't pick Owl, whatever you pick will die the second anything decides to do an opportunity attack.

[Saggo]

This is a good plan, my statement was mostly for anyone who doesn't have/want an owl for whatever reason.

Rephrasing for understanding: if you didn't pick Owl, whatever you pick will die the second anything decides to do an opportunity attack.

Owl or Chain Familiars with Invisible.

[Gignere]

This is a good plan, my statement was mostly for anyone who doesn't have/want an owl for whatever reason.

Rephrasing for understanding: if you didn't pick Owl, whatever you pick will die the second anything decides to do an opportunity attack.

Not if you have a container on your back, Familiar helps climbs into container no opportunity attack because didn't move 5 feet, remember it is tiny can share your space. Next round it crawls back out help again, and repeat. I like putting the container on the rogue and basically have my familiar ride his shoulder every combat. Once in container not a legal target as it is being carried.

To be fair the owl is still way more flexible by being able to fly freely to help anyone. But at least with this trick you don't have to feel nerf for taking a rat or a bat as Familiar.

[Millstone85]

Not if you have a container on your back, Familiar helps climbs into container no opportunity attack because didn't move 5 feet, remember it is tiny can share your space.To be more precise, a creature can move through another creature's space if it is either nonhostile, at least two sizes removed or both. It can't end its move in that space, unless it mounts a willing creature that is at least one size larger. PHB p191 & p198. If there is a special rule for Tiny creatures, I am not aware of it.


I like putting the container on the rogue and basically have my familiar ride his shoulder every combat. Once in container not a legal target as it is being carried.I am not clear on what difference the container makes.

[JackPhoenix]

Not if you have a container on your back, Familiar helps climbs into container no opportunity attack because didn't move 5 feet, remember it is tiny can share your space. Next round it crawls back out help again, and repeat. I like putting the container on the rogue and basically have my familiar ride his shoulder every combat. Once in container not a legal target as it is being carried.

To be fair the owl is still way more flexible by being able to fly freely to help anyone. But at least with this trick you don't have to feel nerf for taking a rat or a bat as Familiar.

In addition to what Millstone85 noted, crawling into the container would trigger opportunity attack. OA doesn't care if you move 5', only if you leave the attacker's reach. Reach doesn't extend through total cover, so the familiar crawling into the container would leave the enemy's reach and provoke OA.

Relevant (https://twitter.com/JeremyECrawford/status/717122193948147713) SA (https://twitter.com/JeremyECrawford/status/717125820003713026) and discussion (https://rpg.stackexchange.com/questions/72665/does-moving-behind-full-cover-count-as-leaving-the-opponents-reach-for-purpos) on the same topic

[Gignere]

In addition to what Millstone85 noted, crawling into the container would trigger opportunity attack. OA doesn't care if you move 5', only if you leave the attacker's reach. Reach doesn't extend through total cover, so the familiar crawling into the container would leave the enemy's reach and provoke OA.

Relevant (https://twitter.com/JeremyECrawford/status/717122193948147713) SA (https://twitter.com/JeremyECrawford/status/717125820003713026) and discussion (https://rpg.stackexchange.com/questions/72665/does-moving-behind-full-cover-count-as-leaving-the-opponents-reach-for-purpos) on the same topic

Oh well back to cheesy owl but on my table I would rule differently because I am sick of owl familiars.

[Biggstick]

Oh well back to cheesy owl but on my table I would rule differently because I am sick of owl familiars.

Then remove Flyby, or give it to other flying Familiars in place of whatever bonus feature they have.

That would solve your problem with being sick of Owl Familiars, as there is no longer a reason to specifically choose an Owl as a Familiar anymore.

[Chugger]

Hey, slow combat if that means a good RP moment between you and fam!

If it's pulling assist, there are several shorthands you can use. Like others said, have a premade routine w/ the owl, if it's an owl. See if DM will let your fam have your init. Or roll two inits and take the lower one - i.e. see if he'll let you and fam time your turns so to speak. Cuz yeah, the ready move and all that crap because you beat your fam's init sucks.