Pixie Trickster Wizard's Familiar question

[Eradis]

Howdy folks!

I'm about to play in a campaign set with the 4th edition rules and intend to play a trickster-like pixie (probably with a changeling rogue bff), but I am wondering how would the familiar passive mode works as both the familiar and I would be about the same Tiny size (mostly for flavor/illusion prop and a stealth bonus). Is there an actual rule specific for that or is it only ruled by the GM?

Answer: Even on a Tiny PC such as a Pixie, a familiar can be on passive mode. How it feels or in which state it "physically" become though is at the Game Master discretion. It might transform into a coin, shrink, vanish, really at the end it up's to the boss, but you retain all passive bonus regardless. A picky Game Master could simply forbid a familiar or its passive form entirely to a Tiny PC for "realism".

[MwaO]

Howdy folks!

I'm about to play in a campaign set with the 4th edition rules and intend to play a trickster-like pixie (probably with a changeling rogue bff), but I am wondering how would the familiar passive mode works as both the familiar and I would be about the same Tiny size (mostly for flavor/illusion prop and a stealth bonus). Is there an actual rule specific for that or is it only ruled by the GM?

Passive mode means effectively, the Familiar doesn't exist. You just get whatever passive mode benefits there are.

And it isn't at all uncommon to see Familiars solely used in passive mode.

[Eradis]

Passive mode means effectively, the Familiar doesn't exist. You just get whatever passive mode benefits there are.

And it isn't at all uncommon to see Familiars solely used in passive mode.

I thought that passive mode implied that your familiar is on your person. Like in a pocket, bag, on your shoulder, etc. So you're saying that it actually vanishes when in passive mode?

[masteraleph]

I thought that passive mode implied that your familiar is on your person. Like in a pocket, bag, on your shoulder, etc. So you're saying that it actually vanishes when in passive mode?

No, it's there, but the designers of the Pixie were mostly concerned with Pixie flavor and in-game crunch- they weren't concerned with making the rules necessarily work with the conceptual lore. The familiar in passive mode is still there, but it doesn't encumber you in any way, and functions exactly as it would for a Small character. Maybe it is actually smaller and grows when it goes active, or maybe it phases in and out of existence, or maybe it's only there ethereally but you gain the material bonuses for it. However you want to conceptualize of it is fine.

[Eradis]

No, it's there, but the designers of the Pixie were mostly concerned with Pixie flavor and in-game crunch- they weren't concerned with making the rules necessarily work with the conceptual lore. The familiar in passive mode is still there, but it doesn't encumber you in any way, and functions exactly as it would for a Small character. Maybe it is actually smaller and grows when it goes active, or maybe it phases in and out of existence, or maybe it's only there ethereally but you gain the material bonuses for it. However you want to conceptualize of it is fine.

So basically the "for-show" mechanic is ruled by the GM in the bottom line if he prefers it to be shrinkable or even smaller or whatever. That's insightful. Thank you both for your answer.

[MwaO]

No, it's there

Fluff-wise, the familiar is there. For all practical purposes, mechanically, it is not.

That's kind of a subtle distinction in how 4e rules work - basically, when your familiar is in passive mode, it doesn't affect you in any way other than giving passive benefits. Nothing can affect it. It basically doesn't exist in terms of the rules.

But you can role-play what it does, how it acts, etc...and maybe that influences the universe somehow. But if you have a frog familiar and run into someone who hates and kills all frogs - they can't kill or even target your frog unless you deliberately put it into active mode.

[Eradis]

Fluff-wise, the familiar is there. For all practical purposes, mechanically, it is not.

That's kind of a subtle distinction in how 4e rules work - basically, when your familiar is in passive mode, it doesn't affect you in any way other than giving passive benefits. Nothing can affect it. It basically doesn't exist in terms of the rules.

But you can role-play what it does, how it acts, etc...and maybe that influences the universe somehow. But if you have a frog familiar and run into someone who hates and kills all frogs - they can't kill or even target your frog unless you deliberately put it into active mode.

Yeah, I know the basics of familiar, I don't remember a time when I played a caster without one in the 4th (although since I'm mostly GM, that's not that often) since Arcane power came out. My initial question was regarding how the familiar would be physically in passive mode when on a Tiny Hero since both are the same size, but the question has been answered.

[Yakk]

Personally, I'd make the familiar larger than the pixie and have the passive mode be the pixie riding the familiar.

[Eradis]

Personally, I'd make the familiar larger than the pixie and have the passive mode be the pixie riding the familiar.

It is an interesting idea, but anything flightless would be counterproductive since you would lose a significant advantage granted by the race (even with an altitude as low as 5 feet if my memory serves me right). I think I'm gonna ask my GM to be able to ride it as flavor, but actually shrink it or transform into a token in passive mode (I'll even stretch my demand to be able to throw said token to "activate" the familiar. Would give nice diversion options with my rogue partner).