[DF] Fighting with a cat on your shoulders
 

This is the problem with the wizard taking a cat as familiar and training said cat to rest on her shoulders... when danger threatens, the cat seeks security, which means his human, which means... uh-oh.

So, the party is attacked by orcs and the cat decides to seek shelter on the wizard's shoulder. What penalties accrue? Apart from encumbrance.

Re: [DF] Fighting with a cat on your shoulders
 

Depends on how willing the wizard is to harm or dislodge the cat. I don't think it would hamper movement at all if you were willing to accept the outcome that you knock the cat off with your first major movement.

Re: [DF] Fighting with a cat on your shoulders
 

He's being grappled, so use those rules. Looks like encumbrance and a -4 to DX for anything involving the body part the cat is holding on to.

Re: [DF] Fighting with a cat on your shoulders
 

That sounds a bit harsh. After all, the cat isn't trying to obstruct the wizards in the way a normal grappler would be. But that does set one end of the spectrum for us...

Re: [DF] Fighting with a cat on your shoulders
 

I'd say that if the cat isn't taking any combat actions but "Hang on and stay out of the way!", there's no effect beyond encumbrance. I've walked, run, and even made dinner whilst hanging onto or supporting a cat. If my cat had IQ 10 or 12 or 14 instead of IQ 4, and could read my mind, I doubt that it would present any problems beyond its weight.

Re: [DF] Fighting with a cat on your shoulders
 

And the answer also cover pirate's parrots, and the mini dragon on your shoulders... though the last one has been to know to throat throttle with it's tail while trying to maintain balance...

Re: [DF] Fighting with a cat on your shoulders
 

The cat functions as encumbrance equal to at least its weight - probably more, thanks to how it keeps shifting to stay on. Unless the mage has padded shoulders, she's also going to be suffering from a persistent shock penalty (-2 or so) and may suffer a penalty to HT for resisting certain blood agent-like effects (thanks to the open wounds). This is because the cat will be using its claws to stay on, and constantly digging claws in as you move around hurts. The mage could avoid this by moving such that she won't disturb the cat, but this would be difficult and take a good deal of practice - it may be appropriate to enforce a skill cap equal to the mage's Mount skill (alternatively, a -4 or so to skill, which can be bought off as a Hard Technique, might work).

On the cat's side, he'll be making constant Balance checks to not fall off as the mage moves around. If the cat is intelligent, he can opt not to use his claws to keep hold, although this will give a penalty to the Balance check. If the mage is using the Mount skill (or Cat Carrying Technique), the Balance check is waived.

Re: [DF] Fighting with a cat on your shoulders
 

Maybe the cat has the Riding (Human) skill! :)

Re: [DF] Fighting with a cat on your shoulders
 

Of course, most fantasy PCs – including mages – wear armor. A cat should be able to sink claws into any nonmetallic armor without much effect on the wizard . . . In my personal experience, even the thickest "DR 0" clothing will insulate you fully from cat's claws, so a DR 1 enchanted robe or cloth armor should be more than adequate.

Re: [DF] Fighting with a cat on your shoulders
 

If the penalty is encumbrance I suggest a small cat

No 20lb Maine Coons as familiars

Re: [DF] Fighting with a cat on your shoulders
 

But a 20 lb. Maine Coon has more hit points.

I guess certain options would be unavailable though... Acrobatic Dodge comes to mind.

Re: [DF] Fighting with a cat on your shoulders
 

For DF, nothing but the encumbrance and even that seems a little too severe for DF (depending on the size of the cat of course).

TO target the cat on the Wizard's shoulder, probably face penalties (-5) for a 'medium' sized house cat (say a slender cross-eyed siamese).

For the vigorous wizard (flipping running jumping) Id assume the cat stays put as long as its concious and not failing fright checks.

Nymdok

Re: [DF] Fighting with a cat on your shoulders
 

Isn't it more appropriate to just completely forget about the familiar unless it's useful? :)

Re: [DF] Fighting with a cat on your shoulders
 

I think you only get to do that in GURPS if you bought it with the switchable enhancement.

Re: [DF] Fighting with a cat on your shoulders
 

Since it is a genre convention, then it can be a free campaign feature.

Re: [DF] Fighting with a cat on your shoulders
 

A drowning person isn't trying to obstruct their rescuer in the way a normal grappler would... it just happens because they're panicking and trying to save themselves using their rescuer as an anchor.

However, due to SM differences most cats wouldn't really hamper a person that severely. I'd say if it's just clinging to his shoulder and he's not trying to dislodge it (meaning taking care with his actions) maybe impose a -1 to -2 to DX for physical activities AT MOST. If it's in a full panic, it might serve as forcing Will rolls to avoid distraction in concentrate maneuvers as well.

EDIT: But in either of these cases it would only really be justified if they purchased the familiar as a Dependent as well as an Ally. If they just bought pure Ally, then it should never do anything that would intentionally impair it's master for it's own safety... it would be aware enough to rest there without obstructing him and maintain it's own balance. You should never find ways to make an Ally inconvenient to the character who took it... that's the job of a Dependent.