Familiar Link and Spell Casting

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ShadowLogan
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Familiar Link and Spell Casting

Unread post by ShadowLogan »

Two questions that have potential ramifications for the 9th Level spell Familiar Link depending on how they are answered.

#1. Given that the "Familiar Link" creates a sensory extension for the mage would the Mage be able to use the familiar's senses and location for spell casting aspects of range, touch, self, and line of sight?

#2. If a Mage casts a spell that effects him/her, does it also effect the familiar due to their link (when the familiar takes damage, they also take damage), or vise versa?
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Re: Familiar Link and Spell Casting

Unread post by Nekira Sudacne »

1: kinda. You can see through your familiars eye for line of sight, but the range is still from you. Still handy for casting certain spells around corners though.

2: Nope. No free casting of buffs on familiars and damage is not split
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Re: Familiar Link and Spell Casting

Unread post by Library Ogre »

It would be an increase in power of the spell to allow buffs applied to the mage to also apply to the familiar, but I don't think it's necessarily an unreasonable one. Given the fandom's tendency towards legalistic and "allowed-if-not-forbidden" wording, the phrase "because the two are now one; an extension of each other." in the spell could allow that level of flow.

I'd allow the familiar to be used for targeting by default, though the assumption is that the spell originates from the mage. Going further than that is an expansion beyond what I think was intended, but within the wording.
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Re: Familiar Link and Spell Casting

Unread post by eliakon »

I would only allow buffs to affect the familiar if it went both ways.
In other words if I cast a spell on the Familiar then it affects the mage... with the Familiars saving throw being used.

Thus if you want to say that your Armor of Ithan spell will protect your Familiar when you cast it, then if I cast Agony on your Familiar then you are affected as well. And since the argument is that it is the same casting affecting one being at one time, then this means that the mage would not get a saving throw since their familiar saved for them and they are simply being affected 'two as one'
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Re: Familiar Link and Spell Casting

Unread post by Axelmania »

Wouldn't that also mean that the familiar gets all my save bonuses?
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Re: Familiar Link and Spell Casting

Unread post by eliakon »

Axelmania wrote:Wouldn't that also mean that the familiar gets all my save bonuses?

No.
Since the familiar doesn't get your hit points or your strength or your IQ then it shouldn't get any of your other characteristics.
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Re: Familiar Link and Spell Casting

Unread post by drewkitty ~..~ »

ShadowLogan wrote:Two questions that have potential ramifications for the 9th Level spell Familiar Link depending on how they are answered.

#1. Given that the "Familiar Link" creates a sensory extension for the mage would the Mage be able to use the familiar's senses and location for spell casting aspects of range, touch, self, and line of sight?

#2. If a Mage casts a spell that effects him/her, does it also effect the familiar due to their link (when the familiar takes damage, they also take damage), or vise versa?


#1 The canon text is loose enough that GMs can rule that within the familiar's sight is within the mage's sight for their games. From a GM's perspective I would take it on a case by case (spell by spell) basis. saying y/n/<other> about each individual spell.
Off the cuff, I would rule that range is counted only from the mage, even if the mage can 'extend' his or her Line of Sight (around corners) with the use of a familiar.

example of what I mean with the RUE LLW's see magic energy ability. it has a range distance of 1000', but also has a LOS caveat. If the mage sends out her familiar to see around a corner to see if there is magic around the other side the familiar would be able to let the mage "see" magic power emanations that would of been blocked by the physical objects up to 1000' from the mage. Whether that is strait line distance or doglegs from the familiar's position would be up to a GM.

#2 NS has answered.
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