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View Full Version : Familiars have human intelligence, right?



Maltrich
2007-08-26, 04:26 PM
So if familiars have human intelligence, what stops them from gaining class levels? Ravens, which can speak, could even take spellcaster levels, and have their own familiars. Slightly ludicrous, but I don't see why they can't. Only unmodified animals can become familiars, but that says nothing about what happens after you bind them, and their intelligence rises drastically.

Captain van der Decken
2007-08-26, 04:47 PM
Don't see why not, though it'd have to be a cohort if it did take class levels. Or a PC. That could be interesting.

Wraithy
2007-08-26, 04:51 PM
familiars are classed as part of their owner, without their owner they aren't any more intelligent

InkEyes
2007-08-26, 04:54 PM
Technically, I think there's nothing stopping a familiar from taking class levels other than DM approval and natural limitations of being an animal. Flavor-wise familiars are extensions of the spellcaster and it can be interpreted that they are tied to the class in such a way as to prevent entering a separate class on their own. This is reinforced by the fact that a familiar's HD depends on its master's class level and it gains HP and other stuff when its master levels up.

Edit: There's an article here (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/rg/20050920a) that says familiars can't gain xp or have a class

Maltrich
2007-08-26, 04:56 PM
Ah, I hadn't thought about the cohort thing; that's true.

How would they gain hit points? The familiar template-thing says they have half the master's hp, but if they gained levels on their own they might have a better total.

Also, what would their level adjustment be? If you just said they gained hit dice on their own, instead of based on their master's, I guess it would be small, though some (like weasels) get crazy racial bonuses to things like balance, hide, and climb, which would make weasel rogues crazy good.

EDIT: Ninja'd. I guess the flavor thing about being tied to the master's class makes a lot of sense.

Captain van der Decken
2007-08-26, 05:01 PM
They have half the masters or their own HD, whichever is better.

UglyPanda
2007-08-26, 05:06 PM
You have that mixed up, they have half their master's hp, regardless of hit dice and for effects related to the number of HD, it's whichever is higher.