Ravenloft: Prisoners of the Mist

Suggestions, Feedback & Bug Reports (OOC) => Module Feedback and Suggestions => Topic started by: BahamutZ3RO on February 20, 2013, 03:50:39 PM

Title: A thought on familiar/summon death
Post by: BahamutZ3RO on February 20, 2013, 03:50:39 PM
Why not just put a timer on how long they need to recover if they're slain in combat? Something like 12 hours iRL?
Title: Re: A thought on familiar/summon death
Post by: Ryltar/ Robert Archer on February 20, 2013, 04:33:23 PM
personally i'd be more interested for those familars who aint 'undead' to have a unconsious script and bleed out like pcs do that'd be interesting i think! if it could be done
Title: Re: A thought on familiar/summon death
Post by: Bluebomber4evr on February 20, 2013, 05:45:51 PM
Why not just put a timer on how long they need to recover if they're slain in combat? Something like 12 hours iRL?
That's basically the default way of handling familiar's deaths that Bioware implemented. :P
Title: Re: A thought on familiar/summon death
Post by: Silverfox on February 20, 2013, 05:53:46 PM
In P&P losing your familiar is a big deal. They need to be raised or replaced, if memory serves.

However, much unlike Prisoners, Familiars are actually useful in P&P.

C'est la vie.
Title: Re: A thought on familiar/summon death
Post by: Honoun on February 21, 2013, 03:59:17 AM
Why not just put a timer on how long they need to recover if they're slain in combat? Something like 12 hours iRL?
That's basically the default way of handling familiar's deaths that Bioware implemented. :P

Actually isn't the default once per rest cycle? And seeing as you can rest at any time and as many times as you like in the vanilla game that equates to... Companion dead? No worries, just rest and summon it again.
Title: Re: A thought on familiar/summon death
Post by: Bluebomber4evr on February 21, 2013, 12:45:54 PM
Why not just put a timer on how long they need to recover if they're slain in combat? Something like 12 hours iRL?
That's basically the default way of handling familiar's deaths that Bioware implemented. :P

Actually isn't the default once per rest cycle? And seeing as you can rest at any time and as many times as you like in the vanilla game that equates to... Companion dead? No worries, just rest and summon it again.
We restrict rests to 3/day, so a timer of every 12 hours is very close to that, which is why I used the qualifier "basically." :P

But yes, the "no worries, just rest and summon again" mentality is why we changed the familiar system in the first place.
Title: Re: A thought on familiar/summon death
Post by: Ryltar/ Robert Archer on February 21, 2013, 12:57:17 PM
Why not just put a timer on how long they need to recover if they're slain in combat? Something like 12 hours iRL?
That's basically the default way of handling familiar's deaths that Bioware implemented. :P

Actually isn't the default once per rest cycle? And seeing as you can rest at any time and as many times as you like in the vanilla game that equates to... Companion dead? No worries, just rest and summon it again.
We restrict rests to 3/day, so a timer of every 12 hours is very close to that, which is why I used the qualifier "basically." :P

But yes, the "no worries, just rest and summon again" mentality is why we changed the familiar system in the first place.

blue would there be anyway to implement an 'bleeding' unconscious system for those familiars/animals that are 'alive' aka not the undead ones obviously like we got for pcs?
Title: Re: A thought on familiar/summon death
Post by: Bluebomber4evr on February 21, 2013, 12:59:10 PM
I really don't know, I'm not a scripter
Title: Re: A thought on familiar/summon death
Post by: shadymerchant on February 21, 2013, 01:07:02 PM
Quote

But yes, the "no worries, just rest and summon again" mentality is why we changed the familiar system in the first place.

"Being careful", alas, just means far less familiar use or rp since it is not worth the consequence. I simply don't use animal companions, and i stopped relying on my imp, who many players would simply murder like one steps on an insect.
Title: Re: A thought on familiar/summon death
Post by: Silverfox on February 21, 2013, 01:16:50 PM
Quote

But yes, the "no worries, just rest and summon again" mentality is why we changed the familiar system in the first place.

"Being careful", alas, just means far less familiar use or rp since it is not worth the consequence. I simply don't use animal companions, and i stopped relying on my imp, who many players would simply murder like one steps on an insect.

Yeah Shady's right. I've barely ever seen anyone use familiars as anything more than free buffs at battle start, and Animal Companions at all. Lot of players get stomp happy the minute they see anything of the sort.
Title: Re: A thought on familiar/summon death
Post by: Bluebomber4evr on February 21, 2013, 01:25:16 PM
Quote

But yes, the "no worries, just rest and summon again" mentality is why we changed the familiar system in the first place.

"Being careful", alas, just means far less familiar use or rp since it is not worth the consequence. I simply don't use animal companions, and i stopped relying on my imp, who many players would simply murder like one steps on an insect.

Yeah Shady's right. I've barely ever seen anyone use familiars as anything more than free buffs at battle start, and Animal Companions at all. Lot of players get stomp happy the minute they see anything of the sort.
That's still much better than people using them as meatshields
Title: Re: A thought on familiar/summon death
Post by: Ryltar/ Robert Archer on February 21, 2013, 02:43:19 PM
Quote

But yes, the "no worries, just rest and summon again" mentality is why we changed the familiar system in the first place.

"Being careful", alas, just means far less familiar use or rp since it is not worth the consequence. I simply don't use animal companions, and i stopped relying on my imp, who many players would simply murder like one steps on an insect.

Yeah Shady's right. I've barely ever seen anyone use familiars as anything more than free buffs at battle start, and Animal Companions at all. Lot of players get stomp happy the minute they see anything of the sort.
That's still much better than people using them as meatshields

Forgive me on this blue but I think that is to me at least disappointing? I  understand the change on familiar and companions, wholeheartedly yet I feel we went from one extreme of 'meat shield' to the other of 'oh noes no summon them cause they cost too much' could a sort of medium ground be reached? I really wish I could make more progress on my self taught tutorials i read online on scripting and the toolset, just setting up areas and stuff and designing them etc i think I am good at, but anytime it drifts to scripting a special thing outside the norm of nwn i just fuddle up
Title: Re: A thought on familiar/summon death
Post by: RedwizardD on February 21, 2013, 04:11:27 PM
A medium ground would be nice. Right now Animal Companions and Familiars are really not worth summoning, Which is problematic for a class like druid that SHOULD be using their pet.
Title: Re: A thought on familiar/summon death
Post by: Honoun on February 21, 2013, 05:03:30 PM
Yeah, kinda miffed about my druid not being able to associate with her chosen companion cause its just too darn dangerous out there to justify having the pet out at all. Although I use the pet mostly as a RP tool which is fine I guess but darn it... She has a panther as a companion! Aren't panthers supposed to be..Oh I don't know.. A deadly predator?
Title: Re: A thought on familiar/summon death
Post by: Ryltar/ Robert Archer on February 21, 2013, 05:10:21 PM
Yeah, kinda miffed about my druid not being able to associate with her chosen companion cause its just too darn dangerous out there to justify having he pet out at all. Although I use the pet mostly as a RP tool which is fine I guess but darn it... She has a panther as a companion! Aren't panthers supposed to be..Oh I don't know.. A deadly predator?

yeah better question is why is it a lvl 11 ranger can sneak by a pack of werewolves upon on the baratak range but cant sneak by 3 emaciated crag cats?  :lol:
Title: Re: A thought on familiar/summon death
Post by: Honoun on February 21, 2013, 05:25:51 PM
Yeah, kinda miffed about my druid not being able to associate with her chosen companion cause its just too darn dangerous out there to justify having he pet out at all. Although I use the pet mostly as a RP tool which is fine I guess but darn it... She has a panther as a companion! Aren't panthers supposed to be..Oh I don't know.. A deadly predator?

yeah better question is why is it a lvl 11 ranger can sneak by a pack of werewolves upon on the baratak range but cant sneak by 3 emaciated crag cats?  :lol:

I was actually wondering about that little quirk myself :P
Title: Re: A thought on familiar/summon death
Post by: Jeebs on February 21, 2013, 05:50:57 PM
Yeah, kinda miffed about my druid not being able to associate with her chosen companion cause its just too darn dangerous out there to justify having he pet out at all. Although I use the pet mostly as a RP tool which is fine I guess but darn it... She has a panther as a companion! Aren't panthers supposed to be..Oh I don't know.. A deadly predator?

yeah better question is why is it a lvl 11 ranger can sneak by a pack of werewolves upon on the baratak range but cant sneak by 3 emaciated crag cats?  :lol:

Wait what? I've snuck past crag cats with my lvl 3 Ranger... werewolves as well for the most part but I've definitely gotten past the crag cats multiple times with him. He's got around 14 Hide/MS if I recall (haven't played him in a while). On a semi-related note, is there any way to make your companion enter stealth mode? I've never found one myself.  But I'm going off-topic here. I somewhat agree with the original point that there should be some middle ground here as I've often enjoyed companion/familiar RP and I rarely see it anymore. Blue made a valid point about the rest cycles, so perhaps a solution worth considering is to simply reduce the cost per level for raising a companion? On the flip-side of the coin though, you can't really fault a player for being IC about wanting to murder your imps or other blatantly demonic/monstrous familiars. Heck, even some animal companions I can understand a fear response from. It might be nice if they at least gave the pet's owner a bit of time to respond with some RP before they up and slaughter it though, much like you would in normal PvP.
Title: Re: A thought on familiar/summon death
Post by: FullMoon on February 21, 2013, 06:57:11 PM
How about if your familiar dies it is gone until next reset ?
Title: Re: A thought on familiar/summon death
Post by: Bluebomber4evr on February 21, 2013, 07:48:07 PM
How about if your familiar dies it is gone until next reset ?
That sounds worse than paying to raise it, honestly. :P What if we don't do a reset for a week?
Title: Re: A thought on familiar/summon death
Post by: APorg on February 21, 2013, 07:59:58 PM
What if we don't do a reset for a week?

After 48 hours, the server crashes two or three times a day until people bitch and moan for a reset...
Title: Re: A thought on familiar/summon death
Post by: DangerousToGoAlone on February 21, 2013, 08:45:02 PM
It would also mean the corpse cannot get lost.

Which is the reason I am reluctant to bring my character's fragile familiar out, moreso than the money.
Title: Re: A thought on familiar/summon death
Post by: Silverfox on February 21, 2013, 08:58:02 PM
Just a crazy thought. Are there any non-staff that are actually in support of the current Familiar/Companion death system?
Title: Re: A thought on familiar/summon death
Post by: Ryltar/ Robert Archer on February 21, 2013, 09:01:29 PM
Just a crazy thought. Are there any non-staff that are actually in support of the current Familiar/Companion death system?

I support it, I just think that with it should have came a semi boost to animal companions mostly or expanded choices for druids/rangers.....ravens anyone? sheesh rp material there alone for me woulda been awesome  :lol:
Title: Re: A thought on familiar/summon death
Post by: Ramika on February 21, 2013, 09:27:38 PM
Just a crazy thought. Are there any non-staff that are actually in support of the current Familiar/Companion death system?

I support it, I just think that with it should have came a semi boost to animal companions mostly or expanded choices for druids/rangers.....ravens anyone? sheesh rp material there alone for me woulda been awesome  :lol:

I support it too. But, I do think that if we have to pay to raise them, a boost would be nice. I feel like every companion I have ever used or tried with my characters has been super squishy and not worth the money lost to raise if it dies.
Title: Re: A thought on familiar/summon death
Post by: FullMoon on February 21, 2013, 10:02:05 PM
How about if your familiar dies it is gone until next reset ?
That sounds worse than paying to raise it, honestly. :P What if we don't do a reset for a week?

At least this way no one could murder and hide your familiar's body.
Title: Re: A thought on familiar/summon death
Post by: Honoun on February 21, 2013, 10:12:26 PM
It possible to time the summoning skill to once every two hours which is roughly equal to a single game day? This would bring it into line with the PnP rules would it not? Or is the skill hard coded into the game engine?
Title: Re: A thought on familiar/summon death
Post by: Bluebomber4evr on February 22, 2013, 02:09:00 PM
It possible to time the summoning skill to once every two hours which is roughly equal to a single game day? This would bring it into line with the PnP rules would it not? Or is the skill hard coded into the game engine?
There's no such thing as a summoning skill. :? But what you're suggesting is very, very far from PnP rules.

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/classes/sorcererWizard.htm#familiars

Quote
If the familiar dies or is dismissed by the sorcerer, the sorcerer must attempt a DC 15 Fortitude saving throw. Failure means he loses 200 experience points per sorcerer level; success reduces the loss to one-half that amount. However, a sorcerer’s experience point total can never go below 0 as the result of a familiar’s demise or dismissal. A slain or dismissed familiar cannot be replaced for a year and day. A slain familiar can be raised from the dead just as a character can be, and it does not lose a level or a Constitution point when this happy event occurs.
Title: Re: A thought on familiar/summon death
Post by: Honoun on February 23, 2013, 12:48:17 AM
Well keep in mind I've never played a 3rd Ed PnP game so yeah... But when I said skill I meant that redial menu button that you can quick slot to summon an animal companion. Or does that fall under the same ruling as for wizard/sorcerer summoning as well? I was more thinking as per Ranger and Druid animal companions actually ;)
Title: Re: A thought on familiar/summon death
Post by: granny on February 23, 2013, 11:31:54 AM
well... I think the main issue with this topic is that the server is centered around other things and has been giving little attention to the familiars, summons and companions. the whole system of them is close to useless (sometimes even for RP, as your avatar of death from death domains has ridiculous stats and lasts only a few moments, making it horrible for RP).


in sum, or you are going to lose your summoned creature due to mechanics or due to stats... or even worse: you'll expect your creature to stand and drag the attention of your enemy and instead it will stay and watch you being murdered (please, add some emotes of it laughing when they do that, at least our death would be meaningful).

I recently had a look into Ravenloft's books searching for summons reactions and I am aware that they are way harder to control in this setting. Although, so far it seems that we have more a mechanical salad than a setting customization.

I remember of two things from other servers that could help us into making it more worthwhile to deal with the summoned creatures:


And last but not least, I came out with an idea for the wizards and sorcs around: rituals of summoning. Based on concentration, spellcraft, cha/int modifier, and GSF Conjuration existence (if not, it'd be harder), the mage would roll to try and summon a creature from other planes (or even from inside the Mists), depending of the alignment of the creature (opposite alignment would be harder, more powerful creatures, even harder). Of course, some components would be needed to proceed with it. The thing is: to summon the creature is one thing, to keep it under your control, you'd need to make another roll. If unsuccessful, the creature would turn against you (much like as suggested in the books that explain summons in Raveloft). So, depending on your level and skills, it'd be possible to summon, but not to keep it under control.

... of course, you could use the regular procedure of asking a priest to bring your fallen familiar back to life as well.
Title: Re: A thought on familiar/summon death
Post by: Time_Stomped on March 02, 2013, 11:00:27 AM
What if we don't do a reset for a week?

After 48 hours, the server crashes two or three times a day until people bitch and moan for a reset...

Just remember it's not a server crash until I have at least 4+ pages of ore mined up to get wiped out.
Title: Re: A thought on familiar/summon death
Post by: Dire Corby on March 02, 2013, 02:43:26 PM
Just a crazy thought. Are there any non-staff that are actually in support of the current Familiar/Companion death system?

Partially....I am fine with a consequence so that people don't treat their familiars as disposable.  I like the idea that familiars are actually bonded to the player and that the loss hurts.  But making it hurt as much as a PC death is all out of proportion, since familiars are under AI unless possessed and the AI will do crazy stuff.

Many if not most of the familiars available, including custom familiars specific to this server, are geared toward combat.  I do think they should be useful, or at least viable.  This is 10x the case for druids and rangers, whose animal companions are a major part of their RP and also effectiveness. 

I propose a middle ground:

1.   Reduce the cost to something more affordable, where the loss hurts but it is still worthwhile to deploy the familiar.  I can't speak for anyone else but I would say 30 gold per level would make you take your familiar's death seriously, but also not afraid to use it.

2.  Allow the player to raise their own familiar.  Having Lizuca raise an imp, an obvious fiend from the hells, is really odd.  Plus there are PCs who are outcasts who might not want to go into the ML church.  It makes sense to me that a PC, having summoned their own familiar in the first place, would be able to call its spirit back from the beyond.
Title: Re: A thought on familiar/summon death
Post by: Ophie Kitty on March 02, 2013, 04:03:20 PM
2.  Allow the player to raise their own familiar.  Having Lizuca raise an imp, an obvious fiend from the hells, is really odd.  Plus there are PCs who are outcasts who might not want to go into the ML church.  It makes sense to me that a PC, having summoned their own familiar in the first place, would be able to call its spirit back from the beyond.

I think if people are playing evil characters, using evil spells, or taking evil familiars, there is probably a little bit of an out-cast value there. Its a bit of the quirks for being evil.
Title: Re: A thought on familiar/summon death
Post by: Endlessorrow on March 02, 2013, 06:15:42 PM
 The arcane familiars are realy outstanding here on PoTM Thematic and spooky. Exotic and fun. Posses able talking surrogates for mages  I love that aspect of the game.  Animal companions are a  important class feature for druids. I understand and have even participated in the abuse. my level 4 sorcerer / witch  summoned her imp like 5 times constantly attacking to kill Radu around 2 years ago.  Also a buffed imp can invis its "master" and grind many a low level cave or dungeon.  How about a cheaper price for raising pets?    normal animals= 25 gp per level  magical beasts and  the like = 50 gp per level outsiders and undead companions = 75 gp per lvl.  if this is to much a scripting feat how about a temple, or grove, or druid npc who can raise the animal companions for free? perhaps in a southern forest map?
Title: Re: A thought on familiar/summon death
Post by: RedwizardD on March 02, 2013, 08:20:04 PM
if this is to much a scripting feat how about a trmple or grove or druid npc who can raise the animal companions for free? perhaps in a southern forest map?


There's actually a tree with a door in it somewhere in the forest. That would be a good place for something like this..
Title: Re: A thought on familiar/summon death
Post by: Snowflame on March 11, 2013, 01:07:25 PM
In P&P losing your familiar is a big deal. They need to be raised or replaced, if memory serves.

However, much unlike Prisoners, Familiars are actually useful in P&P.

C'est la vie.

Actually... if a Wizard loses their familiar in PNP they not only lose exp, but they also can't raise it for 1 year.

As for animal companions you can supposedly pray and bear jesus or whatever nature deity you worship gives you a new animal in 24 hours.

here however, if any of them die you gotta just cough up coin and go on your way.

What is unfortunate however is that unlike typical pen and paper... The Familiar is 10 times more useful I found than the animal companion.

but that would be conversation for another thread.

Title: Re: A thought on familiar/summon death
Post by: Bluebomber4evr on March 11, 2013, 01:20:51 PM
In P&P losing your familiar is a big deal. They need to be raised or replaced, if memory serves.

However, much unlike Prisoners, Familiars are actually useful in P&P.

C'est la vie.

Actually... if a Wizard loses their familiar in PNP they not only lose exp, but they also can't raise it for 1 year.

As for animal companions you can supposedly pray and bear jesus or whatever nature deity you worship gives you a new animal in 24 hours.

here however, if any of them die you gotta just cough up coin and go on your way.

What is unfortunate however is that unlike typical pen and paper... The Familiar is 10 times more useful I found than the animal companion.

but that would be conversation for another thread.


That is incorrect. The familiar can be raised/resurrected at any time. It cannot be replaced with another familiar for a year.

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/classes/sorcererWizard.htm#sorcerer

Quote
A slain or dismissed familiar cannot be replaced for a year and day. A slain familiar can be raised from the dead just as a character can be, and it does not lose a level or a Constitution point when this happy event occurs.
Raise/resurrecting a slain familiar is not replacing it, thus you do not have to wait a year.