The Find Familiar spell in Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition (5e) is a cornerstone for many spellcasters, offering versatility and utility both in and out of combat. This guide delves into everything you need to know about this essential spell, ensuring you maximize its potential in your D&D adventures.
At its core, Find Familiar conjures a spirit that takes the form of an animal, becoming your loyal companion. You choose the form from a list including creatures like a bat, cat, crab, frog (toad), hawk, lizard, octopus, owl, poisonous snake, fish (quipper), rat, raven, sea horse, spider, or weasel. This familiar isn’t just a beast; it’s a celestial, fey, or fiendish spirit (your choice) manifested in the chosen animal shape.
Once summoned to an unoccupied space within range, your familiar acts independently, taking its own turn in combat and always following your commands. While it can’t make attacks, it can perform other actions, making it incredibly useful for various tasks. If your familiar’s hit points drop to zero, it simply disappears, leaving no physical remains, ready to be summoned again when you recast the spell.
Communication with your familiar is seamless within 100 feet, thanks to a telepathic link. Furthermore, as an action, you can perceive the world through your familiar’s senses until your next turn begins. This allows you to see and hear what your familiar does, benefiting from any special senses it possesses. Be aware, however, that while using your familiar’s senses, you become deafened and blinded to your own surroundings.
Flexibility is a key feature of Find Familiar. You can dismiss your familiar as an action, sending it to a pocket dimension until you need it again. Alternatively, you can permanently dismiss it. Bringing it back from temporary dismissal is also an action, causing it to reappear in an unoccupied space within 30 feet of you.
You can only have one familiar at a time. Casting Find Familiar while you already have one doesn’t grant you an additional companion; instead, it allows you to change your current familiar’s form. You can choose any form from the spell’s list, and your familiar will transform accordingly.
Perhaps one of the most potent uses of Find Familiar is its ability to deliver touch spells. When you cast a spell with a range of touch, your familiar, if within 100 feet, can use its reaction to deliver the spell as if it had cast it itself. If the spell requires an attack roll, you use your spell attack modifier for the roll, effectively casting through your familiar. This tactic significantly extends your reach and tactical options in combat.
In conclusion, the 5e Find Familiar spell is more than just a pet; it’s a versatile tool that enhances your spellcasting capabilities, provides valuable scouting, and offers unique tactical advantages. Mastering its uses is crucial for any player looking to optimize their spellcaster in D&D 5e.
