I like this familiar it's incredibly weak physically overall but it's sort of cool having your own sentient light bulb :)

Further to this is it possible for these guys to spawn with an item on them that grants then continual light 60' or something? (if only for the familiar versions, not the monster versions)

Then again i've only had him as a level 1 familiar maybe he does get "brighter" as he goes up in levels. Not sure what his power progression is (if any) but some thematic powers for him could be.

1) Colour Spray (1-4 per day based on level) 2) Searing light (1 per day at level 5) 3) Hammer of the gods ( 1 per day at level 7) 4) Healing Circle (1 per day at level 9) 5) Sunbeam (1 per day ,for level 13 familiar) 6) Sunburst ( 1 per day for level 15 familiar)

The best spell that other (Bioware) familiars can cast is Improved Invisibility. That's a level 4 spell. Sunburst is a level 8 spell that causes permanent blindness.

I'm a bit iffy about spells like Hammer of the Gods too since it's a divine spell. What patron deity is your sentient light bulb calling that hammer down from? :roll:

I think all of those spells are way to overpowered except for colour spray, searing light at lvl 2? :? and four colour sprays at lvl 1? Heck, id be happy with a familiar that could colour spray once a day :shock:

- Bare in mind, i never play wizards so i have no idea what im on about.

I'd be happy if he just had a bit more HP, say - at least - two more HPs per level (he'll still be very weak) and maybe a bit more dexterity. He's basically an excellent RPing tool, but he doesn't emit light and he can cast minor healing and that's it. True that he's the only familiar that can, but it's still a bit pathetic if in the middle of a fight he heals you, gets an AoO from a rat and dies.

Your list is a bit (much) overpowered, though. With those spells, he could have a chance against Drow Matrons! :twisted:

Those spells the high end ones, are for familiars of HIGH LEVEL , so when the caster is level 15 etc then the familiar is that level and can cast the spell.

It's a positive energy spirit, it's extremely fragile (50% of any attack on it will kill it one hit), I'm not sure what it's like vs a level 0 cantrip but without some sort of damage resistances it's instant toast :)

Hammer of gods I use because the EFFECT is like some sort of blast of light.. same with the other effects, they're just spells I picked to give the orb a LIGHT theme, yeah they're probably overpowered. It's just effects I thought suited a POSITIVE ENERGY creature.

I never play NWN at high levels, maybe you could push the caster level requirement up a bit so it's not the same as if the thing was a cleric.

Anyway as always it's just an idea.. and as such can be (and usually are) ignored ;)

I find myself agreeing with Chaosprism as well. I like playing mages, and familiars are a fun part of that. Obviously the ones in single player NWN are FAR too powerful, but we need some encouragement to use them, I feel.

And they make great RP tools!

Efu_Darkness2 I think all of those spells are way to overpowered except for colour spray, searing light at lvl 2? :? and four colour sprays at lvl 1? Heck, id be happy with a familiar that could colour spray once a day :shock:

- Bare in mind, i never play wizards so i have no idea what im on about.

He proposed one Searing Light at level 5, and 1-4 Color Sprays, dependent on familiar level. Naturally, the progression would go 1 Color Spray/day/level.

I agree with ChaosPrism in the sense that these spells are being used here for their effects, both visual and otherwise. There is no intention of proposing these spells for the familiar because, specifically, of their divine nature.

- Kiaring

It does improve with levels, and as I recall gets concealment as well as various healing spells, making it one of the better utility use familiars.

Yeah it's too bad the 1.67 patch isnt going to allow designers to RENAME spells before they're cast. (the set name feature thats comig with 1.67 d.m's are going to love but it doesnt extend to spells, only objects)

Then you could make it cast a hammer of light but the text that would come up (for those that roll the spellcraft roll) could be anything else you'd like "Blinding Flash" or something.

I recently took this familiar hoping it actually shone with light. I don't care so much for the heal spells, I just hoped that I would have a little moving torch for my sorcerer who's hands are occupied. Could you please please with a cherry on top give this familiar a continual light effect?

Currently the penalty for familiars/companions is very steep, the light being one of the weaker ones. The only reason xp penalties were put in the pnp version was because the familiars are fairly innoculous non-combat entities (generally) that you can control fairly easily, which is not the case in NWN so the occurance of their death was fairly low to the extremely high occurance you'll find in the more combat orientated NWN. The xp penalties were transfered across from PnP but I STRONGLY believe that a time lapse before re-summon would have been far more appropriate penalty. In fact a companion and familiar of ONCE (each) per server reset would be appropriate. They put so much work into making these customisable summons but then popped in such a hefty penalty for their (inevitable) demise, it seems such a waste.

Anyway i've made my opinions clear on this, I have no need to keep harping on about it, nobody else feels strongly about it from what I can tell, so it's likely that the status quo will be maintained.

I'll get back to enjoying the rest of the what is 90% an excellently designed and run PW, p.s. having great players and d.ms helps also so congrats to all of you for your continuing efforts.

Yes. The XP penalty for familiar death is too much. I don't care what the PnP version says, NWN is not PnP nor will it ever be. They can't be compared. A computer roleplaying game can never be compared to a real roleplaying game. Therefore, no reason to follow PnP rules like they were something divine. Two different formats. Plus, D&D is definitely not the best rpg-system around, so all the more reason to use common sense.

I also don't think that being able to summon your familiar only once per server reset is the way to go either. I say, a smaller XP penalty (like 10 pts a level), and maybe something like 16 game hours before the familiar can be summoned again.

And yeah, the Light should emit light. Duh.

:twisted:

Kobolde Plus, D&D is definitely not the best rpg-system around, so all the more reason to use common sense.

In any case, I don't get what the big deal is. If you don't want the penalty, unsummon before entering dangerous areas. And no, this does not necessarily mean metagaming. Anyone with a bit of common sense (for lack of a better word 8) ) can see the potential danger in entering a spider cave. Granted, Asgrim won't be utilizing summons any time soon (not to say at all), but I've already got plans for my next character. :)

For shits and giggles, let me just agree with chaosprism for once. The xp penalty on familiars is too much, and I would like to see it removed.

Once a reset sounds like a good solution, however, the precise outline can always differ - It's the thought that counts.

Aww.. come-on cold you're meant to argue with me at every turn, wheres the fun in that!!

All I can say is that they must have strong reasons for doing what they did even AFTER the effort they put into implementing new ones, so we'll let those looking at the bigger picture analyse it themselves.

Not to criticize anyone, but I can imagine that DM's would have the hardest time seeing the bigger picture. While working on all kinds of cool things, they might fail to see potential flaws. That's where player feedback comes in, to give them advice. Only then can a DM review everything, and decide on more changes or leave it the way it is/ was.