D&D 3.5 Question:

[Liadon Xiloscient]

D&D question... if a Human Sorcerer at level 1 summons a Familiar AFTER they are level 1, and they have the Spell Focus (Conjuration) Feat and Augment Summoning Feat, does their familiar receive it's bonus permanently? The Summon Familiar Class-Special is after all, treated as a "spell" if I remember correctly.

[The Forsaken]

Huh?

[Imoutgoodbye]

Ask your DM. If you are the DM, then it's up to you, but stick with that rule if it's one you're going to make.

[Enethier]

Well, the familiar is supposed to be a part of your learning the class at level 1. If I were DM, I'd say no, it was acquired before you were able to master conjuration school spells to that degree. However, other DMs may allow it.

Also, I may be wrong, but I don't believe that familiars are conjured animals, anyway. If memory serves, they are just normal animals with a special link to the caster.

[Kyzarius]

Well, the familiar is supposed to be a part of your learning the class at level 1. If I were DM, I'd say no, it was acquired before you were able to master conjuration school spells to that degree. However, other DMs may allow it.

Also, I may be wrong, but I don't believe that familiars are conjured animals, anyway. If memory serves, they are just normal animals with a special link to the caster.

I would allow the familiar to evolve with the player. Why deny them that? Just to be mean?

[Pali]

I'd say no, if for no other reason than wizards with conjuration as prohibited schools can still call familiars, so clearly the ability to do so is NOT a conjuration spell.

[Beveril]

The familiar does "evolve" that's the whole point behind the advancement tables. And the reason why you can take advanced familiars depending on which books you use (I think it's in Complete Mage). But RAW would state that Summon Familiar would not get the conjuration bonuses as it isn't a spell.

It does require the use of magical materials, but you are summoning an actual magical beast rather than weaving together ether to create a copy of one.

[Enethier]

No, Kyz. The reasoning being that the familiar isn't a conjuration. It's an animal with clear rules already made. Making new rules solely for the use of one player screams favoritism to other players in the group, and should be discouraged.

Familiars are well-defined in the rules. As Beveril and Pali have said, they do not fall under the conjuration school and have clear tables for progression already.

[Mali]

Honey Badger Familiar FTW.

[Liadon Xiloscient]

Honey Badger seems like something a Druid would use... or Ranger.

Familiars are magical beasts, they aren't normal animals by any means... in a way they are created from the mage themselves. In other books an descriptions I've noticed that it's treated like a spell. I had this discussion with other people I play with, and they said ultimately it's up to the DM. Summoning ANYTHING would fall under conjuration, but at the same time if it were to be placed in a school of magic it may just fall under Universal as it's unique in nature.

It could be a broken rule too... Some DM's would probably let it fly, and others, may not. The funny thing is... if it did go, the creature would more than likely have more HP at level one than the caster... which... is hilarious.

[Pali]

Familiar always has half the master's hp, rounded down.

As for their nature... from player's handbook, page 52 (emphasis mine):

A familiar is a normal animal that gains new powers and becomes a magical beast when summoned to service by a sorcerer or wizard. It retains the appearance, Hit Dice, base attack bonus, base save bonuses, skills and feats of the normal animal it once was, but it is treated as a magical beast instead of an animal for the purpose of any effect that depends on its type. Only a normal, unmodified animal may become a familiar.

I'd say that in many way's it's like a paladin's magical mount - a creature is summoned to you and has a special connection to you, but is not created by you. Edit: Then again, the summon monster text reads similarly also... I'd say there's a significant difference, however. Summoning a familiar doesn't count as a spell in most ways... you can't make a scroll of it, it's never mentioned as being affected by anti-magic powers, it doesn't count against daily casting limits. Re-reading the paladin's mount text finds the line "Once per day, as a full-round action, a paladin may magically call her mount from the celestial realms in which it resides. This ability is the equivalent of a spell of a level equal to one-third's the paladin's level." I've never found text like that in regards to calling a familiar.

EDIT: In the end, of course, I'd say DM's call. Familiars really aren't combat creatures anyways - you're essentially giving it a few skill point bonuses, nothing more.

[Liadon Xiloscient]

Survivability if say your DM was being an ***, or the Sorcerer was being reckless.

[Pali]

If your DM's a jerk, they'd probably not allow it.