FIND FAMILIAR: Baldur's Gate 2 BG2

Find Familiar is a Baldur's Gate spell in BioWare's cRPG of 1998-2001, Baldur's Gate.

◦ Find Familiar (Conjuration/Summoning, SCRL6D): This first circle arcane spell allows Charname-only Mages, Sorcerers, Bards and UAI Thieves to summon an alignment-flavored familiar with a few tricks up its sleeve such as scouting and utility skills. In addition its master receives a one-off and permanent HP bonus equal to 50% of the familiar's HPs. A Pseudo Dragon, for example, grants us +12 HPs if summoned in SoA and +24 HPs if summoned in ToB. 

I advise keeping the familiar tucked away in the backpack because our spellcaster incurs a permanent one-point penalty to Constitution if it dies. Sorcerers should cast Find Familiar from a scroll rather than wasting a choice on it.

Most people just summon their Familiar for the one-off HP boost, keep it tucked away in their backpack so that it doesn't die, and then forget about it. NWN made Familiars more useful; we could also "possess" them. 

Do not choose Find Familiar as a Sorcerer; it is a complete waste. Cast the spell from an itemized scroll instead.

Each familiar has the Pick Pockets ability with varying degrees of proficiency, as well as a degree of magic resistance.

• Find Familiar 
• (Conjuration/Summoning)
• Level: 1
• Range: n/a
• Duration: Special
• Casting Time: 1 round
• Area of Effect: 1 familiar
• Saving Throw: Special

This spell enables the caster to attempt to summon a familiar to act as his aide and companion.  Familiars are typically small creatures.  A creature acting as a familiar can benefit a wizard, conveying its sensory powers to its master, conversing with him, and serving as a guard/scout/spy as well.  A wizard can have only one familiar at a time, and he has no control over what sort of creature answers the summoning, if any come at all.

(Note:This spell may only be cast by the protagonist.)

The creature is always more intelligent than others of its type (typically by 2 or 3 Intelligence points), and its bond with the wizard confers upon it an exceptionally long life.

The wizard has an empathic link with the familiar and can issue it mental commands.

The caster receives half the familiars total hit points as bonus hit points.  However the caster must take care to treat his familiar well, for if the familiar should die, the caster loses the bonus hit-points and half the familiar's hit-points again as damage.  Also when a familiar dies, the caster loses 1 point of constitution PERMANENTLY.

Example: A mage has 12 hit points and casts find familiar. The imp summoned has 18 hit points, so the caster gets a bonus of 9 hit points.  The caster now has 21 hit points.  If the familiar dies the caster loses those 9 hit points (putting him back at 12), 1 point of constitution permanently (which may cause additional hit point loss), and takes 9 damage.

List of Familiars

Here is a list of the familiars that the player receives according to alignment:

Pseudo Dragon Familiar

• LAWFUL GOOD, NEUTRAL GOOD
• Armor Class: -2
• Hit Points: 24
• Magic Resistance: 50%
• Special abilities: 2 attacks per round at THACO: 13 for 1-3 damage.  Save or be rendered unconscious for 2 turns.

Ferret Familiar

• LAWFUL NEUTRAL
• Armor Class: 0
• Hit Points: 24
• Magic Resistance: 50%
• Special abilities:  Has 75% pick pockets ability, 40% Hide in Shadows/Move Silently, and 20% Detect Traps.

Imp Familiar

• LAWFUL EVIL
• Armor Class: 2
• Hit Points: 18
• Magic Resistance: 25%
• Special abilities:  Can cast the Polymorph self spell.

Rabbit Familiar

• NEUTRAL
• Armor Class: -4
• Hit Points:  24
• Magic Resistance: 75%
• Special abilities:  Has a 50% Detect Traps, and 30% Hide in Shadows/Move Silently.

Dust Mephit Familiar

• NEUTRAL EVIL
• Armor Class: 6
• Hit Points: 24
• Magic Resistance: 10%
• Special abilities:  Can cast glitter dust 2 times per day.

Fairy Dragon Familiar

• CHAOTIC GOOD
• Armor Class: 4
• Hit Points: 24
• Magic Resistance: 32%
• Special abilities:  Can cast mirror image and invisibility 10' radius.

Cat Familiar

• CHAOTIC NEUTRAL
• Armor Class: 0
• Hit Points: 24
• Magic Resistance: 50%
• Special abilities:  Has a 99% in Move Silently and Hide in Shadows.

Quasit Familiar

• CHAOTIC EVIL
• Armor Class: 2
• Hit Points: 24
• Magic Resistance: 25%
• Special abilities:  Can cast Horror and Blur.

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