I was just thinking, if a Wizard wanted to forgo a familiar in order to increase their own power (or "fuse" or "consume" it somehow) what would appropriate bonuses be?
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I would say that the wizard, upon devouring his familiar, could then regurgitate that energy into an amulet, ring, staff, wand, or weapon. This item would grant the wizard the ability to cast any one spell he knows once per day. If, however, he becomes separated from it, he must make a concentration check or lose any spell he's trying to cast.
I would say that the wizard, upon devouring his familiar, could then regurgitate that energy into an amulet, ring, staff, wand, or weapon. This item would grant the wizard the ability to cast any one spell he knows once per day. If, however, he becomes separated from it, he must make a concentration check or lose any spell he's trying to cast.
Ohh your so Wicked ;P
so perhaps a familiar like goldfish that give waterbreathing until you go so they are easy to carry and eat
hehe or maybe one you stick into your ear, to translate languages for ya.
I was just thinking, if a Wizard wanted to forgo a familiar in order to increase their own power (or "fuse" or "consume" it somehow) what would appropriate bonuses be?
I think this could be simply a particularly gruesome or grotesque background for a sorcerer (most likely the Aberrant, Destined, or Undead "bloodline"- though the character's action would be the taint that grants him the sorcerous powers instead of his family tree). In essence, the wizard would be doing away with the hassle of having to study to maintain his spells and exchanging his wizardly powers for sorcerous ones (perhaps jumping up a few levels if you wanted to give more mechanical justifications/temptations for this process). Perhaps in order to keep this advanced level the familiar eater must regularly consume other peoples' familiars.
Templates are always an option. If you want to go with a "You are what you eat twist", going with a sort of self-afflicted lycanthropy might be an option. Of course, this could also be part of the path to lichdom.
If you want to venture out of the core pathfinder rules and into 3.5 rules, there is Mahu-tsukai (from Oriental Adventures) or Tainted Scholar (from Heroes of Horror) that draw on taint and their own blood for spellcasting. The Bloatmage (from Pathfinder Chronicles: City of Strangers) offers similar options. The Cancer Mage's (from the Book of Vile Darkness) cancerous companion could easily be the remnant of the ingested familiar. The DMG2 has a section on designing special npcs (complete with CR modifications) and has one suggestion- "vestigial twin" which could easily have be applied here- though instead of there being a vestigial twin there is instead some part of the familiar that has grown out of the wizard's own body.
Very cool topic, btw. Disturbing b/c it turns all the master-familiar relationship assumptions on its head. Kudos.
i wonder if a class that gave magical powers based off what the character eats would be fun to play? you know like youeat some cockatrice and then cast stinking cloud out of your butt
I actually have something like that in the works XD
I was just thinking, if a Wizard wanted to forgo a familiar in order to increase their own power (or "fuse" or "consume" it somehow) what would appropriate bonuses be?I think this could be simply a particularly gruesome or grotesque background for a sorcerer (most likely the Aberrant, Destined, or Undead "bloodline"- though the character's action would be the taint that grants him the sorcerous powers instead of his family tree). In essence, the wizard would be doing away with the hassle of having to study to maintain his spells and exchanging his wizardly powers for sorcerous ones (perhaps jumping up a few levels if you wanted to give more mechanical justifications/temptations for this process). Perhaps in order to keep this advanced level the familiar eater must regularly consume other peoples' familiars.
Templates are always an option. If you want to go with a "You are what you eat twist", going with a sort of self-afflicted lycanthropy might be an option. Of course, this could also be part of the path to lichdom.
If you want to venture out of the core pathfinder rules and into 3.5 rules, there is Mahu-tsukai (from Oriental Adventures) or Tainted Scholar (from Heroes of Horror) that draw on taint and their own blood for spellcasting. The Bloatmage (from Pathfinder Chronicles: City of Strangers) offers similar options. The Cancer Mage's (from the Book of Vile Darkness) cancerous companion could easily be the remnant of the ingested familiar. The DMG2 has a section on designing special npcs (complete with CR modifications) and has one suggestion- "vestigial twin" which could easily have be applied here- though instead of there being a vestigial twin there is instead some part of the familiar that has grown out of the wizard's own body.
Very cool topic, btw. Disturbing b/c it turns all the master-familiar relationship assumptions on its head. Kudos.
Thank you :D
I wasn't assuming it would be for good, normal, happy characters.It could be part of some necromancy prestige class.
Like "Sacrifice your familiar in order to gain regeneration equal to the number of HD it had for rounds = to your caster level or something. Any bonus the familiar normally grants (like a bat gives a +3 bonus to fly checks) is instead manifested physically and the bonus now comes from the caster until the end of the duration of the spell. (A character with a bat might gain a small membrain under it's arms and some bat-like features)
Btw I always LOVED the book of vile darkness. It touched subjects not normally brought up. (And the fact that we could make a party of cancer mages and go dormant long enough to turn D&D3.5 into a D20 Modern game :D )
It you take it euphamistically (rather than literally chowing down on the little critter) I could definately see a wizard deciding that, due to the DM's style of game, he wanted to forgo both the arcane bond achille's heel as well as the familiar.
In any event, the bonus you receive for doing away with the little critter is not having that "problem" following you around during the campaign. No "magic button" to exploit and possibly extort your character with. As for an affirmative bonus to not getting one (i.e. something extra) I would probably go against it.. But thats just me.
I can see some interesting "this amulet of bone gives me the alertness feat" type thing though- if crafted from the critter and such though :)
-S
I am remind of a scene most familiar.
I am remind of a scene most familiar.
XD
Win
Two other sources you might look for ideas/inspiration (both are freebie PDFs in the paizo store
Necromancers of the Northwest: Liber Vampire http://paizo.com/store/downloads/necromancersOfTheNorthwest/v5748btpy8g5e&a mp;source=search
Rite Publishing; book of monster templates preview #1 (the bloody maw)
http://paizo.com/store/byCompany/r/ritePublishing/pathfinderRPG/templates/v 5748btpy8fui&source=search
the first has blooduckers draining people for blood points to power various special abilities. The second has a monster template that allows the bloody maw creature to devour chunks of flesh/extremities from foes (including magical items on those extremities). The magical items are held in a "second stomach" of sorts on the creature and can be used with a successful use device check. Either mechanic prolly would require some work to get what you want (exchanging magical items for familiars for the bloody maw, for example) but might be a place to start.
Thanks!
I'll look into those!