Sorcerous Familiars

From: Tim Ellis <tim_at_...>
Date: Sun, 25 Jun 2000 20:27:47 +0100


Philip Hibbs wrote (on the HeroWars Digest - but this is getting rulesy) on the subject of Familiars being treated in HW as Followers

>One that can add their APs to any spell that the sorceror casts, or can
>augment the sorceror's grimoire ability? Would that require that the
>creature has the Grimoire ability, or could it do that wth a generic "Aid
>Master" ability? I'd allow the latter, but I'm not too sure about game
>balance issues.

I think comparing them with a Shaman's Fetch might help here - (Not, I hasten to add, because a Familiar is anything like a fetch, but because both are "special case" followers, and, under RQ rules, both required the sacrifice of Characteristics to create...

According to HW RiG p208
"The Fetch's might is always equal to the Shaman's own best ability. The fetch acts as a follower, giving the Shaman AP and access to its abilities"
"It may be able to help him on the Mundane Plane as well depending on what it is"

and on P214
"A player may choose to create a shaman as his character [...] The relationship between a shaman and fetch is one of mutual obligation. The fetch expects the shaman to behave in a certain way and will withdraw it's aid if the pact is broken."

It costs 3 HP to cement a Fetch should one decide to become a Shaman through play, and the initiation ceremony in which the Shaman journeys to the other side to awaken his fetch should be played out.

So, based on this, I don't think there is a particular play balance problem with a familiar having a general "Help Master" ability - which it could use to support the Sorcerer opening a Portal of Power, or Casting spells. Since Familiars are likely to be more helpful on the mundane plane than Fetches, I might treat them more like followers (-8/-10 from Characters ability) rather than allies (-2/-6), but I'm reasonably open to arguments or other suggestions.

I think there should be some obligation on the sorcerer to provide for the Familiar in some way (Which other traditions will see as some sort of infernal pact...)

Something was also mentioned about whether a familiar could be a talisman for a spell, in contravention of the rule about Living Things not being Talismans. I think not, but might allow a Familiar to posses a talisman separate from that owned by his master (which might be a bending of the rule on not having two talismans for the same spell)

-- 
Tim Ellis

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