Hi all, I've been overlooking this forum for a while now (many thanks to all for the good work by the way! you simply made this game wonderful!) but there's one thing i can't seem to find in it (might probably be the only thing for that matter!) : familiars and animal companions evolution! Since I'm starting the game again (been through once) with a sorcerer and meleny in my party and i'd like to use familiars and animal companion (i didn't the first time) but i'd like to know wich one to choose, and how they're gonna evolve (when, what they'll gain, what they'll give me, etc). BTW I'm using co8 patch 4.0.0, so maybe just point me to the right file (and explain me how to read it) if no actual list has already been made for this (old) version. Anyone (probably modders) can help with this? I might do a complete chart (with values and all) if you point me to the right place... Sorry if this has already been answered in another thread, but i haven't found it...
BUMP! No one can help with this? I've been googling a bit, and even looking around the protos.tab file (and most files in the data/rules directory that Phalzyr's editor can open) and found what i think are the base stats of the familiars and animal companions in it, but still i don't konw how they evolve (if they do at all). This feels quite important to me : imagine you summon a toad at level 1, 3hp for a magician or sorcerer of level 1 (about 8hp) is quite an important improvement. But now if the familiar doesn't evolve, or at least the life bonus he brings you doesn't, then 3hp past level 5 or 6 is useless, and your not supposed to be able to summon a new one for a year and a day (that means never in the game, am i right?). For animal companion, the problem is even worse, since you gain access to new lists as your druid gains levels, but your druid is considered some levels lower if you are to choose an animal from those list... so how am i to know which companion to start with, and when to change, or even if it is good to change at all (might an evolved jackal be better than a bear?) :questionm If anyone can help, i'd be very thankful! :notworthy
I don't think ToEE does any of that. In fact, I'm outright sure it doesn't. I don't think I've ever seen any newer Animal Companions by level, and I know for a fact that the Familiar's abilities do not get stronger at higher levels. I've never heard of anything about that before you mentioned it.
I think that NWN has something like that. Not sure about the rules... but I think I came across something like that. Oh, where the hell is Kalshane?!
I'm not sure exactly how (or even IF) animal companions get better as thier owner advances in levels, but I KNOW familiars do, but you should put it back in your pack and summon it again (after a level up) to get the new stats applied to it.
I don't have all the stats, but I have some observations. First, use ToEEFE. Now, check the box that says "show exact HP for NPCs" You'll be able to see how many HP your animal companions have, and your familiars once you release them. Animal companions upgrade, gaining HP and bonuses to hit and damage as you LU. The progression appears to follow the SRD, as seen in the Animal Companion chart on this page: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/classes/druid.htm#animalCompanion The animals do not gain link, share spells, or devotion. You can summon more powerful animal companions as your Druid or Ranger gains levels. I don't know if Familiars upgrade as per the SRD in ToEE under the Co8 patch, but you can release your familiar and send it into combat, summon a new one if it gets killed, and talk to it a bit after 5th level.
I started the familiars mod (Blue did some really impressive scripting for them) and I tested them extensively, they gain power as they should accourding to the SRD http://www.d20srd.org/srd/classes/sorcererWizard.htm#familiars however, most of the special abilities don't work, the one exception to this is that the Spellresistance for the familiar if the owner is 11th level and higher DOES work.
Familiars do indeed upgrade as their masters increase in level (per the SRD), but not when out of the backpack. You need to put them back in the pack and then re-summon them to see the upgrade. The bonuses they give their masters do not increase.
Thanks. So, in summary, familiars and animal companions get tougher as per the SRD, but most of the special abilities don't kick in.
Just to point out that in 3.5 (as opposed to 1st ed) you DON'T GET YOUR FAMILIAR'S HIT POINTS ADDED TO YOUR'S. Yes, a Toad gives you 3 extra hp by virtue of its special ability, but no other familiar gives you extra hp. When familiars improve, they improve in other ways.
It was exactly my point : summoning a toad at level 1 is interesting, since it brings you 3hp, but if the bonus doesn't increase (and apparently that is the case) then it get useless in the long run, so i'd better summon a weasel that gets me bonus to reflex (since i'm not gonna send it to combat: i would not risk it to die... actually, it never got out of my pack! maybe i shall try it...). Correct me if i'm wrong : i shall dismiss my familiar and summon a new one after each time i level up? Aren't you supposed to NOT be able to summon a new one for a year and a day after your previous one dies or is dismissed? I'll give it a shot, but that sound quite interesting! Thanks for the links to the charts, that's exactly the kind of ressource i was looking for (but couldn' seem to find) although i can't find some of the animal companions in it (like jackal, panda, etc), but anyway, that's fine! If I have time (and I should), I'll try to do some charts for every animal companion available and maybe for familiars (even though this might be less relevant). Unless they are already available on the wiki (never went there, should I?) BTW : i'm using toffee 4.0.1. BTW2 : i'm a french native speaker, so excuse my poor english... :anger:
My sorcerer is currently at level 14...so my question is this: if I just now bothered to summon a familiar, did the hawk miss out on acquiring powers, having not been around throughtout my adventures, or does it just automatically receive the bonuses for a 14th level master?
No, you do not dismiss the familiar. You put it back in your pack, and take it back out. The only things that improve with the familiar as the master gains levels are: Hit Points Base Attack Bonus Intelligence Save Bonuses Natural Armor Bonuses Spell Resistance These only effect the familiar, and only when it is out of the pack.
Thanks ShadowD. I know in the normal PnP (can't remember the last time I made a character with pen and paper), if a sorcerer holds out long enough he or she get better familiars. Just wasn't sure whether having a hawk was worth the while. This one being my first, wasn't sure what to expect.
