Familiars and Druids

[bjm123]

Just had some ideas about the wizard and Druid classes and wanted to see what people thought.

It's been mentioned a few times that the class's are adaptable so I was wondering what people thought of being able to focus the wizard more on their familiars creating a sort of summoner/Pokemon trainer class.

How vulnerable will familiars be in game could they be used melee combat or would they be to easily destroyed.

How many familiars can you have at once would having several engaged in combat unbalance the game.

Could they be used out of combat for non combat skills (like having a flying creature carry you)

Could you use a grimior to summon powerful limited time creatures

I would like to see more diversity in the kinds of creates you can have beyond the basic glowing animal kind of thing but I'm not sure what direction it should go

 

For Druids it has been said that they take on different forms but the whole turn into a wolf thing has been done to death I think it would be more interesting if they took on aspects of different animals like claws of the wolf for melee combat, speed of the hare as a boast. It would also be a lot easier to represent this in game because you could have something like a set of ghostly claws appear over the characters hands similar to a piece of equipment rather than the full transform.

[rjshae]

From what I've read, familiars with be fairly fragile and you'll suffer a price for their loss, albeit briefly. For that reason I suspect that you wouldn't want to be putting your familiar in harm's way. That being said, I don't know why they couldn't include some selectable 'talents' for making familiars more useful.

 

Alternatively, as you suggest, they could include one or more arcane tomes, each with the real name of a specific summonable being. But they could make actually summoning such a creature more difficult. Maybe you need to build a summoning circle in your stronghold first, then you must also sacrifice an object of value?

Edited January 29, 2013 by rjshae

[Lephys]

I'll just say that, as far as mechanics and design go, the Wizard's familiar is being used, at least in P:E's design, to differentiate the Wizard from the other classes (among other things that also contribute to the class distinction.)

 

So, in the context of P:E, I don't see Druids also getting Familiars. But, only because that term/creature-type has already been so specifically defined.

 

I don't see why Druids couldn't get something at least remotely similar, though. I mean, they seem to be focusing on the Druids actually taking on animal forms more than having animal companions (again, for class distinction, methinks, as the Ranger will have animal "pets"), but that isn't to say it's impossible for Druids to have some creature companions.

 

Also...

I think it would be more interesting if they took on aspects of different animals like claws of the wolf for melee combat, speed of the hare as a boast. It would also be a lot easier to represent this in game because you could have something like a set of ghostly claws appear over the characters hands similar to a piece of equipment rather than the full transform.

First thing that came to mind was: "I SHALL DESTROY YOU WITH MY BEAR HANDS!"

 

A good idea, though. Really. Creative exploration, that is.

Edited January 29, 2013 by Lephys