[4e] Casting through familiars

[Jose]

So in DnD you can usually cast through a familiar. Im looking to recreate this in GURPS.
Im not sure how to model it, my first guess would be some weird twist of telesend as seen here: http://forums.sjgames.com/showthread.php?t=72692.. However it seems a bit clunky and doesnt give that advantage the familiar has.

So what Id like: An ability to cast through my ally, a familiar within some small range of my character.
Im pretty sure someone has already figured it out.

Also kudos for the mages of GURPS. Despite some initial frustrations I find mages in GURPS very interesting.
Your not a damage dealer, but a support mage is very interesting: The spells are really expensive so its casting the perfect spell at the perfect time.
Really requires some strategic thinking here. I like it.

[Christopher R. Rice]

In my article "A Familiar Path" from Pyramid #3/75: Hero's Jackpot I discuss this on p. 19. Kenneth Peters also discusses the same effect in his artlcle "The Edge of Psience" in Pyramid #3/29: Psionics (p. 21)

[GWJ]

Wait, I don't understand. You want to cast spell on your familiar, for example toad, and then throw your toad in the foe to cast spell on him?

[roguebfl]

Originally Posted by GWJ

Wait, I don't understand. You want to cast spell on your familiar, for example toad, and then throw your toad in the foe to cast spell on him?

No it mean casing the spell then treating it as if the familiar was the source so things like range penalty would be calcualted from where the familiar was not the caster.

[munin]

Originally Posted by Ghostdancer

… Kenneth Peters also discusses the same effect in his artlcle "The Edge of Psience" in Pyramid #3/29: Psionics (p. 21)

The box on p. 22 actually.

It suggests the the GM may allow a familiar's owner to use a familiar with the Special Abilities enhancement as the origination of the owner's abilities at a skill penalty of -4 as long as the owner can see both the familiar and the target.

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by munin

The box on p. 22 actually.

It suggests the the GM may allow a familiar's owner to use a familiar with the Special Abilities enhancement as the origination of the owner's abilities at a skill penalty of -4 as long as the owner can see both the familiar and the target.

Huh. PDF viewer went weird then... but yeah, that's the one.

[Jose]

Originally Posted by GWJ

Wait, I don't understand. You want to cast spell on your familiar, for example toad, and then throw your toad in the foe to cast spell on him?

This was my first thought when I got the familiar in game, that and spiky armour.
Im not sure which skill to use though. The good thing is my familiar is some small fairy like creature meaning if it didnt hit too hard, it might even return!

Whats the throwing skill for throwing a small humanoid?

Also thanks for the help guys there is a lot of usefull things here.

[Phantasm]

Originally Posted by Jose

Whats the throwing skill for throwing a small humanoid?

Not coincidentally, most throwing for the sake of throwing (accuracy but not damage) is handled by Throwing; Throwing Art is also viable, but commonly for stuff like using cards, needles, or pens as weapons. Weapons designed to be thrown are typically handled with a specialty of Thrown Weapon.

For throwing a pixie, I'd just use Throwing. :)

[Emerald Cat]

Originally Posted by Jose

The good thing is my familiar is some small fairy like creature meaning if it didnt hit too hard, it might even return!

I'd be cautious about trying this. Any abilities with the Granted by Familiar limitation will stop working if you familiar dies. If you're throwing your familiar at your enemies to deliver spells, they will strike at the familiar if they get a chance. Don't do it if your fairy familiar can't take a hit.

Another problem with this strategy is that any abilities with the Granted by Ally limitation are lost if the ally decides to stop providing them to you. As a GM, I'd apply similar logic to Granted by Familiar because it is a specific example of Granted by Ally. Meaning that your familiar would leave you and cut you off from those abilities if you literally threw them at the enemy without permission, especially if they had low HP.

Getting your familiar's permission first will make this tactic more likely to succeed anyway.

[roguebfl]

Granted by Ally just needs the ally present, it doesn not have "I chhose to stop giving them it" clause. That's part of Pact.