The World of Avlis

Familiars have a different skill set than their masters... if a familiar has lots of spot and search, for instance, does that help you normally, or does it only help while possessing it?

Only when you posses it.. though if your familar suddenly starts to attack something you can't see, I guess it would help you as well

hmmm. Is it possible to possess them and leave them in search mode? I seem to remember a trap found by a party member is visible to all- or is that wrong? I am unsure.

I actually never tried that.. then again, Kiri is not going to get herself into any dangerous situation anyway (dangerous being anything scarier than crop rats or running low on yummy food).

Feel free to test this yourself

As soon as I return from my latest juggernaut assault of exams this evening (MST) I will try it out and report back, then.

I will celebrate the weekend Avlis style. woo!

If your familiar finds a trap, secret door, etc, it 'tells' you about it in some way making it appear to the character. It will NOT make invis things visable though it will attack if they are set to hostile.

Not sure about setting them to search and then unpossesing them. Interesting idea if you can.....

I'm pretty sure that if a familiar uses spot to see a hiding enemy, it will move to attack it. Then you blast the area where your familiar is attacking with the area effect spell of your choice...

Midknight wrote:I'm pretty sure that if a familiar uses spot to see a hiding enemy, it will move to attack it. Then you blast the area where your familiar is attacking with the area effect spell of your choice...

You are a mean person.. I pity your familiar

Midknight wrote:I'm pretty sure that if a familiar uses spot to see a hiding enemy, it will move to attack it. Then you blast the area where your familiar is attacking with the area effect spell of your choice...

Oh, wow, finally a use for faerie-dragons!

Ankh Seeker wrote:hmmm. Is it possible to possess them and leave them in search mode?

Yes, and you can leave it in stealth mode too.

I seem to remember a trap found by a party member is visible to all- or is that wrong? I am unsure.

Yes, that is wrong.

Along this line; I know a familiar gains in strength as the caster gains more levels, but is it based on character level or just caster level?

Just your levels in a casting class will make your familiar stronger. For instance, a wizard 5 / fighter 2 will have a level 5 familiar.

However, wizard and sorcerer levels "stack" for this purpose alone and a wizard 5 / sorcerer 2 will have a level 7 familiar.

Keflex wrote:

Midknight wrote:I'm pretty sure that if a familiar uses spot to see a hiding enemy, it will move to attack it. Then you blast the area where your familiar is attacking with the area effect spell of your choice...

Oh, wow, finally a use for faerie-dragons!

Lol.. they have not enough spot ranks.. pseudodragons have true seeing though.

*goes to create the faerie dragon army of duuuum to grief Keflex*

Wyrmwing wrote:

Midknight wrote:I'm pretty sure that if a familiar uses spot to see a hiding enemy, it will move to attack it. Then you blast the area where your familiar is attacking with the area effect spell of your choice...

You are a mean person.. I pity your familiar

Eh, all of them have pretty good reflex saves; the panther even gets evasion as a rogue... right before you launch the fireball, just say "Catch, Fluffy! (or applicable familar name)", and they usually turn out alright.... if a little singed...

Ankh Seeker wrote:hmmm. Is it possible to possess them and leave them in search mode? I seem to remember a trap found by a party member is visible to all- or is that wrong? I am unsure.

You saw them flag the trap, meaning they make it visible to all party members or something