The Definitive Guide to Familiars in D&D 5e
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The rules surrounding familiars in Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition (5e) can seem a bit mystical at first glance, but they’re actually quite straightforward. A familiar is a magical companion, typically an animal, bound to a spellcaster, offering unique benefits and tactical advantages. They are not mere pets; they are extensions of your magical will, operating under your direction while maintaining their own autonomy.
Essentially, a familiar is a creature summoned by the Find Familiar spell, available primarily to Wizards, Warlocks (Pact of the Chain), and sometimes Druids or other classes through the Magic Initiate feat. Once summoned, your familiar acts independently during combat, rolling its own initiative and taking its turn. While it cannot attack, it can perform other actions, notably the Help action, and can be used for a variety of out-of-combat tasks. If a familiar drops to 0 hit points, it disappears, but can be summoned again by recasting the Find Familiar spell. Crucially, a familiar remains fiercely loyal and obeys all of its master’s commands.
This symbiotic relationship provides a versatile tool for players, allowing for scouting, item delivery, distraction, and even enhancing combat effectiveness without directly contributing to damage output. Familiars serve as a key part of some spellcaster’s playstyle, making them vital to understand.
How Familiars Function
Summoning and Dismissing
The cornerstone of having a familiar is the Find Familiar spell. This ritual spell requires 1 hour and 10 gp worth of material components, which the spell consumes. Upon completing the ritual, you summon a spirit that takes the form of a specific animal and appears in an unoccupied space within 10 feet of you.
The spell also allows for a creature you’ve already summoned to take a new form from the approved list of familiars if you have already summoned one. If the familiar is reduced to 0 hit points it vanishes, leaving behind no body, and must be resummoned. It can also be dismissed using an action and then summoned again with the Find Familiar spell. This makes the familiar somewhat expendable as it cannot truly be killed.
Actions and Abilities
A familiar’s actions in combat are limited; the most important rule is that it cannot attack. However, it can take other actions as normal, such as:
- Help Action: This allows the familiar to assist an ally, granting them advantage on their next attack roll against the target the familiar is also in melee with. This is a popular tactic for characters who can make use of sneak attack.
- Dash, Disengage, Dodge: Familiar can also make use of other basic actions which can allow it to more easily move into position for an action like Help.
- Use an Object: Familiars can interact with the environment, delivering items, activating levers, and so on.
- Take the Ready Action: They can prepare to perform an action based on a condition to occur in the future.
Familiars also have certain innate abilities that they acquire when summoned. Familiars can gain certain specific abilities, such as the Amphibious trait that grants them a swim speed, or the Climber trait that grants them a climb speed, at the discretion of the caster when the familiar is summoned. Other options include Burrower that allows it to dig tiny holes or gaining the Darkvision trait.
Communication and Control
While your familiar acts independently, it always obeys your commands. While within 100 feet of you, you can communicate telepathically with it. Furthermore, while perceiving through your familiar’s senses, you can also speak through it in your own voice. This provides an exceptional method of scouting and reconnaissance.
Limitations
Keep in mind that familiars are fragile. While they can contribute significantly to party strategy, they are not meant for front-line combat. It cannot attack, and they are often quickly dispatched if focused on by enemies.
Legal Familiars in 5e
The list of creatures that can be summoned as a familiar is restricted. These base animals are magically altered to become familiars. The legally summonable familiar list is as follows:
- Bat
- Cat
- Crab
- Frog (Toad)
- Hawk
- Lizard
- Octopus
- Owl
- Poisonous Snake
- Quipper
- Rat
- Raven
- Sea Horse
- Spider
- Weasel
FAQs About Familiars
1. Can any class have a familiar?
While the Find Familiar spell is primarily a Wizard spell, Warlocks of the Pact of the Chain also gain access to it. Characters of any class can hypothetically gain a familiar through the Magic Initiate feat, selecting the spell from the Wizard spell list. It is important to note that some DMs are willing to bend this rule if the circumstances call for it.
2. Do familiars age?
Technically, yes, familiars age, but there are no explicit rules for it. However, common suggestions include having them live as long as their master or until their natural lifespan, whichever is longer. DMs have some leniency with this rule.
3. Can a familiar attack?
No, familiars cannot attack. This is a fundamental limitation. They are intended for utility and support, not direct damage dealing. However they can make use of actions that can enhance your ability to attack.
4. What is the difference between a familiar and an animal companion?
Animal companions are designed for combat and are significantly more powerful in battle than familiars. Familiars, on the other hand, are for utility and aiding the caster. An animal companion will win every time in a fight, even if both are the same base animal.
5. Can familiars hold actions?
Yes, familiars can use the Ready action, holding their action until certain conditions are met. This action can combine well with the help action to provide advantage when needed most.
6. Can you have two familiars?
No, you can only have one familiar at a time. If you recast the Find Familiar spell while already having one, it changes form into a new creature chosen from the list.
7. Can a familiar deliver spells?
Yes, if the spell is a touch-based spell, you can cast it through your familiar. This allows you to cast spells from a distance, as long as the familiar is within 100 feet of you.
8. What happens if a familiar dies?
When a familiar reaches 0 hit points, it simply disappears. You do not need to collect its remains. You can summon it again by casting the Find Familiar spell.
9. Are there special familiars?
Some optional rules in certain published materials provide options for specialized familiars with unique abilities. There are no “rare familiars” in official 5e material, but some DMs may include it in their homebrew settings.
10. Can a familiar flank an enemy?
Yes, a familiar can occupy flanking positions, providing advantages on attacks from its allies, provided the familiar can make melee attacks or is considered armed by the DM.
11. Can you polymorph a familiar?
Yes, you can use the Polymorph spell on your familiar, but you’re limited to creatures of the same CR or less, which is usually CR 0 for most familiars.
12. Do familiars count as allies?
Yes, familiars are considered creatures and are friendly to you, allowing for mechanics like a rogue’s sneak attack to be triggered if the familiar is within 5ft of the rogues target.
13. What do familiars eat?
There are no specific rules on what familiars eat. Generally, it is assumed that they consume small amounts of magical energy, or a small amount of regular food, if they eat at all. This is up to DM discretion.
14. Can familiars be used as scouts?
Absolutely. Familiars are excellent for scouting due to their ability to communicate telepathically, ability to perceive through their senses, and small form.
15. Can my familiar be a dragon?
Generally, no. Dragons are not available to be used as familiars. There is no “Improved Familiar” feat in 5e, making it so the base familiar list is your only option.