Improved familiars dont have a "special"

**swervedriver** · 2007-09-05, 12:49 PM (ISO 8601)

i have want to take a Pseudodragon as a improved familiar for my 7th level wizard do recieve a special power as 1st level wizard would i.e. toad's Master gains +3 hit points?

If i do what would that power be and how would i convince my DM that i should recieve the power?

**UserClone** · 2007-09-05, 12:54 PM (ISO 8601)

Nope. No "Special." His "Special" Is being a boatload more useful than a Toad.

**Falconsflight** · 2007-09-05, 12:55 PM (ISO 8601)

well, according to the Raw, you don't. The whole point is you gain somethign more powerful and more usable than a regular familiar.

What you could do, is figure out something fair that fits the type. (I.e. Weasel gave bluff bonus, owl gave spot bonus, etc.) and ask your dm for it.

**Mewtarthio** · 2007-09-05, 12:58 PM (ISO 8601)

The special power is that it's a pseudodragon instead of a tiny animal. It's got blindsense and telepathy out to sixty feet. It's got poison. It's just better than a toad. Plus it looks cool.

**swervedriver** · 2007-09-05, 01:00 PM (ISO 8601)

Yeh ill try that but i am sure i will struck down the books are the recourse for a poor PC such as my self and my comrades as creative as my DM is... cruel and unyeilding is he also.

thanks for you advise! keep it coming!

**MrNexx** · 2007-09-05, 11:23 PM (ISO 8601)

For my part, I don't require a feat for improved familiars; I just let you take them like a Druid takes an improved animal companion, just notching you down the familiar abilities table the appropriate number of levels (if you can't take it until 3rd level, you're -2 levels on the table).

However, for a pseudodragon, a 1st and 2nd edition Pseudodragon could extend its Magic Resistance to a chosen companion if they were in contact... though they seem to have lost that ability in transition, sadly.

**John Campbell** · 2007-09-06, 12:38 AM (ISO 8601)

Eh, just take the toad.

You're 7th level. Your familiar's hit dice, for the purposes of spell effects, are equal to your character level. You can cast polymorph. Need I go on?

(Though, personally, I'd recommend the rat or the weasel over the toad. The bonus 3 hp is better than wide-angle vision, I suppose, and it's nice at low levels, but 3 hp is just a drop in the bucket later on. +2 on one of your weak saves is good all the way, though... even at 20th level, that's a third of your base save.

And, seriously, it's a toad. How cool can you possibly be if your faithful animal companion is a frickin' toad?)

**Shhalahr Windrider** · 2007-09-06, 08:33 AM (ISO 8601)

Originally Posted by John Campbell

(And, seriously, it's a toad. How cool can you possibly be if your faithful animal companion is a frickin' toad?)

Hey! You better not be badmouthin' toads. Toads rock!

**John Campbell** · 2007-09-06, 09:11 AM (ISO 8601)

Originally Posted by the SRD

Toad
These diminutive amphibians are innocuous and beneficial, since they eat insects.

That's their whole description. That's the Monster Manual equivalent of "Mostly harmless." They don't even get an attack!

Also, they'll give you warts.

**swervedriver** · 2007-09-06, 01:07 PM (ISO 8601)

Went with the Dragon. its telepathy has been a big issue last night it we were slung into a assains game and we were using the Pseudo as a mental translator for silent talk. However our DM the cunning bastard that he is has now started adding a pseudo flare in in his tranlations to other PC's.

I do like the idea of transfering the magic resitance to the wizard that will be a possible being that it existed in previous books.

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