What I'd really like to see of for familiars to mitigate metamagic costs. This could work for all wizards, specialists or universalists.
Metamagic Assistant: Your familiar can help you prepare a spell with a metamagic feat you know applied to it. You prepare the spell normally, in its normal slot, while your familiar uses the "aid another" action (the familiar must succeed at a Spellcraft check at DC 10 + the level of the spell + the level of the metamagic adjustment). For example, if you have the Maximize Spell feat, and want to prepare a maximized fireball, you would prepare fireball as a 3rd level spell, while your familiar aids you with a DC 16 Spellcraft check.
When you cast the spell, as long as your familiar helps you cast it as well (succeeds at another Spellcraft check to aid another), the spell gains the benefit of the selected metamagic feat, even though the spell was prepared in the normal slot. If your familiar isn't touching you, fails (or is unable to attempt) the aid another check, or is distracted, the spell gets only the regular spell effect, not the metamagic boost as well.
Your familiar may assist you by casting up to 1 spell level worth of metamagic adjustment per 3 caster levels you have.
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This allows the familiar to actually make you a better wizard. Also, it's limited in that the familiar has to help you cast, so if you're distracted during casting, you lose the spell as normal, and even if the familiar is distracted during casting, you'd lose the metamagic part.
An improved familiar that can fight, as many people are advocating, could be an option to get instead of a metamagic-assistant familiar.
I'll second seeker in that I really like the METAMAGIC ASSISTANT, my questions though is Metamagic assistant an ability or a feat?
What I would like to do is add the Meta Asst to my proposed idea above, and if it's an ability we can do that. But I think we should also have two more abilities as options. To allow wizards to costumize their fimiliars a bit more, like the bonded Object.
If we add Meta Asst to the Improved Arcane Bond, maybe we could add another familiar abilitiy when the wizard gets Greater Arcane Bond.
I was also thinking about adding Grand Arcane Bond(familiar) as a 9th level ability. In which the wizard can add the celestial/infernal template to their Improved Familiar feat they gain at 7th. Let me know what you think of a celestial psuedodragon at 9th level. or an infernal earth elemental.(both are familiars that are allowed with the Improved familiar feat.)
I don't want to pollute the waters by adding to much, but I still think that the familiar I posted above could use a little ummph.
Something that just occured to me is that we can put the Metamagic assistant in the Familiar Abilities chart, instead in my write up. We could maybe put in at about the 5-6 HD area. what do you think?
Master Natural
Class Level Armor Adj. Int Special
1st–2nd +1 6 Alertness,improved evasion,share spells, empathic link
3rd–4th +2 7 Deliver touch spells
5th–6th +3 8 Speak with master, Metamagic Assistant
7th–8th +4 9 Speak with animals of its kind
9th–10th +5 10 —
11th–12th +6 11 Spell resistance
13th–14th +7 12 Scry on familiar
15th–16th +8 13 —
17th–18th +9 14 —
19th–20th +10 15 —
threeblood 5th is a nice place to put it i think
I always thought, that all familiars/special mounts/companions should be ruled the sameway.
Sorry, was in Vegas for the week! I have all kindsa familiar thoughts. :-)
So I strongly agree with Draco's thought here. I've always hated that familiars, animal companions, companion mounts, followers (leadership) etc etc all use different rules. I think it would be easy to come up with some more unified mechanic for all "minions."
I do think that familiars should be removed from being a core wiz ability and made into more of an option.
My experience from real play is that all the familiars/mounts/companions are often worthless. The people that play these really want something more like WoW's warlock or hunter - a real pet, useful and not gonna die in the dungeon.
ok this is what i'm working with right now
Level---Ability
1-2…...Alertness, improved evasion, share spells, telepathic link, range 5’ per level
3-4…...Deliver touch spells
5-6…... Metamagic assistance 1
7-8…...Outer planner intellect adds another +2 to INT checks,
9-10… Speak with others, increased telepathic range 50’ per level
11-12…metamagic assistance II
13-14.. Arcane thought adds a +2 to spellcraft checks
14-16…
17-18…Metamagic assistance III
Metamagic assistance allows up to 3 metamagic levels to be carried by the familiar, this increases to 5 at 11th level and 7 at 17th level
well my goal is to make them more of a tool and a companion then something ya really use or even see. still needs some work
I always thought, that all familiars/special mounts/companions should be ruled the sameway.I respectfully disagree with with you and DRACO on this, because I feel that each of creatures above need to be seperated. I feel that they are entirely different in their concepts so should all be treated differently.
My experience from real play is that all the familiars/mounts/companions are often worthless. The people that play these really want something more like WoW's warlock or hunter - a real pet, useful and not gonna die in the dungeon.
While I think this would be great for the Ranger and the Druids animal companion, I don't think it should be the mechanic used for the familiar.
I don't think we should be trying to build a 'battle familiar'. I think we should try to help build a familiar that engages the wizard more with classic wizarding abilities. like Kirth's Metamagic assissant, or some of seekers idea to add +1 to DC's or being able to cast magic through the familiar other than with touch spells. Or Maybe act as a material component respetacle, in that as long as the familiar is within close range of his wizard, that wizard does not need use any material component(under a certain gp limit of course. Stone skin could get awful cheap otherwise lol.)
Just my two cents
ok lets try this one
1st..... Alertness, telepathic link 5’
2nd.... Share spells 5’ per 2 caster levels
4th.... Deliver touch spells
5th.... Meta magic assistance I
6th.... Extend telepathic link 5’ per level
7th.... Speak with others
8th.... Outer planner intellect adds another +2 to int checks,
11th... Meta magic assistance II
12th... Greater range up to 50' per caster level
14th... Arcane thought adds a +2 to spellcraft check
18th... Meta magic assistance III
I always thought, that all familiars/special mounts/companions should be ruled the sameway.My experience from real play is that all the familiars/mounts/companions are often worthless. The people that play these really want something more like WoW's warlock or hunter - a real pet, useful and not gonna die in the dungeon.
I respectfully disagree with with you and DRACO on this, because I feel that each of creatures above need to be seperated. I feel that they are entirely different in their concepts so should all be treated differently.
While I think this would be great for the Ranger and the Druids animal companion, I don't think it should be the mechanic used for the familiar.
I don't think we should be trying to build a 'battle familiar'.
With a good mechanic, you could do both, which is the best scenario! And without adding separate rulesets for each. Proliferation of mini-rulesets is the worst thing about D&D. Many other games, even crunchy ones like GURPS, manage to fit all of these concepts into one ruleset. And then once you do, you find you can achieve many different effects than went into it!
Want a "familiar" or some low-level droog? Take the Lesser Companion feat.
Want something midrange, like a follower or guard animal that will keep the mooks at bay? Take Companion.
Want a good WoW-style "pet" or henchman that will hold its own at your level? Take Greater Companion.
Or something like that.
So if a wizard does want a "battle familiar", or a fighter just wants a pet dog that isn't going to see battle but shouldn't die just from the emanations from his +3 armor, they can take the right level.
I'll second seeker in that I really like the METAMAGIC ASSISTANT, my questions though is Metamagic assistant an ability or a feat?
Originally I had in mind as an ability. We have a LOT of cool ideas floating around here, though, and they can't all be abilties (accursed game balance again). So, at the end of the brainstorming, we could take the ones that make the most sense as being "default" and make those the abilities, and make the rest be feats (in that sense, Improved Familiar could potentially stay a feat). Or, we could create a menu of optional abilities by level. I'm open either way.
With a good mechanic, you could do both, which is the best scenario! Want a "familiar" or some low-level droog? Take the Lesser Companion feat. Want something midrange, like a follower or guard animal that will keep the mooks at bay? Take Companion. Want a good WoW-style "pet" or henchman that will hold its own at your level? Take Greater Companion.
Or something like that.So if a wizard does want a "battle familiar", or a fighter just wants a pet dog that isn't going to see battle but shouldn't die just from the emanations from his +3 armor, they can take the right level.
Yeah, I'd be all in favor of that. Like, I've got a fighter character now, and I wanted him to have a semi-intelligent guard dog, (like a familiar/animal companion), but I didn't want to have to take druid or wizard levels (or both) to do it.
Borrowing the the ideas in seekers last post, and adding my own tweaks and additions:
Level---Ability
1-2…...Alertness, improved evasion, share spells, telepathic link, range 5’ per level
3-4…...Deliver touch spells
5-6…... Increase share spell's and deliver touch spell's range to 5ft per level.
7-8…...Outer planner intellect adds another +2 to INT checks,
9-10… Speak with others, increased telepathic range 50’ per level, Metamagic assistance I
11-12… Deliver spells(1-3)
13-14.. Arcane thought adds a +2 to spellcraft checks
15-16…metamagic assistance II
17-18… Deliver spells(4-6)
19-20 Metamagic assistance III*Deliver spells: Starting at the 11 level or higher, the bond between the familiar and wizard improves, allowing the wizard to cast spells through the familiar. The spell is casted as if the wizard was occupied familar's square/space instead of his own. This ability can only be used with spells of 3rd level or lower. At level 17, this ability improves, allowing spells of the 6th level or lower to be casted in this manner.
Thoughts?
I really like that...
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Keep in mind familiars already have all the same skills at the same rank as the caster, so they can already provide "aid another" bonuses pretty much on everything the caster can do already. I think that covers the "+2 Int checks" and "+2 Spellcraft checks".
I still say +1 caster level (and some tweaks for survivability) would be just about enough to fix the familiar issues.
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Many many people don't use familiars much...May I ask you why you think that is? Not a trick question. I'll elaborate on my theory below.
Because many people on this forum and on the WotC forum have expressed such, because myself and others I know don't like to use them because they are as much a liability as a benefit. Also, in larger groups a familiar becomes yet another ineffective piece on the battle mat slowing the game down. Obviously this is all opinion, maybe the people who dislike them are a vocal minority. I haven't taken a poll.
As such don't want to see the rest of the class features nerfed to expand the powers of the familiar.A reasonable point. I don't think I'd want to the class nerfed so that familiars are necessary. At the same time, I still think they aren't used so often is because they're a little on the boring side. An NPC animal that usually only the Wizard can role-play off of.. and the lack of variety reinforces that.
One of the reasons I'm not fond of the familiar is because it tends to steal game play from other players. Why have the rogue scout ahead when the Wizard can cast invis on his cat and have it stealth in and out? The more 'effective' you make the familiar the more roles which were previously the realm of other classes get marginalized.
I don't want to turn this thread into a big debate on the subject but I wanted to make it clear that not everyone is in favor of suping up this class feature, further, many of the suggestions are simply power ups for the wizard itself. "Meta-magic assistant?"
-- Dennis
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As a player with a cat familiar in the game I'm playing in I agree that the familiar could use a boost to keep it more dynamic, then again I didn't even realize that I could use it for aid another, that alone will increase ratatat's face time. I don't even want him to be a battle familiar, but I would like him to do a little more. As it stands, I use a whip to trip opponents then have him rush in and claw the face while they are down, even a small boost like say, the natural weapons of your familiar are considered magic and get a boost of +1 damage per two caster levels. This doesn't turn it battle, but it is a small boost. Also whichever poster talked about a dex increase, I'm in complete agreement. Maybe even give it a feat every three levels (not two like a character, three that way they don't wind up rediculous). That way you can build a completely unique familiar, want him to be a skill assistant, load him up with those to a character useless skill feats, maybe give your animal with scent track etc., want a battle familiar, imp. natural weapon and combat feats FTW. Actaully wait a minute, if a familiar counts as having a caster hit die, am I proposing something I didn't realize that they already get?
if not something like this (if they already gain those then these can still make decent bonuses)
Familiar bonuses
1st... A familiars natural weapons are considered magic for the purpose of bypassing damage reduction, also for every 2 caster levels they deal an additional 1 point of damage.
2nd... +1 Dex
3rd... feat
6th... +1 Dex, Feat
9th... Feat
10th... +1 Dex
12th... Feat
14th... +1 Dex
15th... Feat
18th... +1 Dex, Feat
I would also add that improved familiars only gain benefits from the point that they join with you, therefor if at 7th level you get a psuedodragon then the only start this advancement at 9th level. But a cat will already have had +2 dex and 2 feats, this is an incentive to keep your first level buddies.
I think with small boosts like this you would see wizards more willing to put their familiars to use I know this wouldn't turn Ratatat into a combat god, I'd still only send him in after a trip because I don't want him hurt, but this would go a long way to preventing him from becoming forgoten at higher levels when I'm not running out of spells and needing to rely on the whip to get by. But at the same time the feats could halp me use him as a skill assistant with aid another checks for my knowledge skills, I would totally load him up with skill focus (knowledge blah) feats.
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Many of the suggestions are simply power ups for the wizard itself. "Meta-magic assistant?"
-- Dennis
Completely agree with you here, this doesn't make people say oh hey, this is my familiar, this makes them think of it even less and just cast more metamagic. I would like my name thrown in as opposed to this.
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Borrowing the the ideas in seekers last post, and adding my own tweaks and additions:
Level---Ability
1-2…...Alertness, improved evasion, share spells, telepathic link, range 5’ per level
3-4…...Deliver touch spells
5-6…... Increase share spell's and deliver touch spell's range to 5ft per level.
7-8…...Outer planner intellect adds another +2 to INT checks,
9-10… Speak with others, increased telepathic range 50’ per level, Metamagic assistance I
11-12… Deliver spells(1-3)
13-14.. Arcane thought adds a +2 to spellcraft checks
15-16…metamagic assistance II
17-18… Deliver spells(4-6)
19-20 Metamagic assistance III*Deliver spells: Starting at the 11 level or higher, the bond between the familiar and wizard improves, allowing the wizard to cast spells through the familiar. The spell is casted as if the wizard was occupied familar's square/space instead of his own. This ability can only be used with spells of 3rd level or lower. At level 17, this ability improves, allowing spells of the 6th level or lower to be casted in this manner.
Thoughts?
My problem is things like +2 to int checks don't make you use the familiar more, they just make you add +2 to your int checks. and the same with spellcraft boosts. These don't make the familiar a used class feature these just make the wizard better.
I havn't read this thread for some days now, so I don't know what's been discussed, but the last poster mentioned something, that brought me to this idea:
I think we have to define FIRST, what general benefit/usage a familiar AND a bonded object should have.
I hope you know what I mean but I will give an example:
Bonded Object - Helps the wizard to focus his powers
Familiar - Helps the wizard to ... ???
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I havn't read this thread for some days now, so I don't know what's been discussed, but the last poster mentioned something, that brought me to this idea:
I think we have to define FIRST, what general benefit/usage a familiar AND a bonded object should have.
I hope you know what I mean but I will give an example:Bonded Object - Helps the wizard to focus his powers
Familiar - Helps the wizard to ... ???
be a little more varied in his abilities and deliver touch spells that would otherwise leave the wizard creamed.
I also don't like the idea of Metamagic Assistant. It's just turning the familiar into a metamagic rod.
I'm planning to add the following to my game:
-The familiar can maintain concentration on a spell for the master for 1 rd per point of intelligence. The master may pick up concentration again from the familiar anytime before the last round.
-When scrying (either by spell or the ability) on the familiar the master may borrow its body in a fashion similar to using a magic jar. The familiar's soul resides in the master's body but is unconcious.
-If the master is affected by a fear or mind-affecting effect which the familiar is not affected by (either due to immunity, not being the target, successfully saving against it, etc) the master gains a +2 bonus on his saving throw. Further with regards to charm, an unaffected familiar gives the master a +2 bonus on opposed charisma checks and any threat against the familiar is considered a threat against the master himself.
-The familiar may cast a number of cantrips (known to the master) per day equal to 1/2 the master's caster level.
-Once per day the master may cast a spell through the familiar (the spell originates from the familiar's space). The master must have line of effect to the familiar and the spell must be 3 levels or lower than the highest level spell the master can cast.
-The master may choose to have a shared spell that is affecting both himself or the familiar stay with the familiar or himself when they separate by more than 5 feet.
I'm also introducing a 5th level spell called Empower Familiar that works like Animal Growth but raises the familiar all the way to medium size (then add the same benefits as animal growth, but +2 hp per master's caster level rather than +4 to Con). This allows the familiar to serve in combat (the flavor of the spell also has the familiar assume a similar but more aggressive form, a cat would become a leopard, a raven becomes an eagle or dire hawk, a rat a dire rat, toad a monitor lizard, etc). I'm considering whether or not this should be a spell or a X/times per day ability.
Penalties for losing a familiar will be changed to 1 permanent negative level until a new familiar is obtained or the old one raised from the dead.
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I also don't like the idea of Metamagic Assistant. It's just turning the familiar into a metamagic rod.
I'm planning to add the following to my game:
-The familiar can maintain concentration on a spell for the master for 1 rd per point of intelligence. The master may pick up concentration again from the familiar anytime before the last round.
-When scrying (either by spell or the ability) on the familiar the master may borrow its body in a fashion similar to using a magic jar. The familiar's soul resides in the master's body but is unconcious.
-If the master is affected by a fear or mind-affecting effect which the familiar is not affected by (either due to immunity, not being the target, successfully saving against it, etc) the master gains a +2 bonus on his saving throw. Further with regards to charm, an unaffected familiar gives the master a +2 bonus on opposed charisma checks and any threat against the familiar is considered a threat against the master himself.
-The familiar may cast a number of cantrips (known to the master) per day equal to 1/2 the master's caster level.
-Once per day the master may cast a spell through the familiar (the spell originates from the familiar's space). The master must have line of effect to the familiar and the spell must be 3 levels or lower than the highest level spell the master can cast.
-The master may choose to have a shared spell that is affecting both himself or the familiar stay with the familiar or himself when they separate by more than 5 feet.
I like a lot of these, at what levels will the familiar gain which abilities?
I'm personally a fan of the high cost of loosing a familiar, I think it represents a strong bond that the character should cherish, but then when roleplaying I'm a bit of a drama queen (I can min max and often do but I put character before mechanics).
Thanks lastknightleft, glad you liked them.
I haven't actually worked out what levels they're going to come in at because my current campaign is already at 8th level so they'll probably all get added in at once via a newly discovered arcane ritual.
I'm open to suggestions.
I don't blame you for liking the high cost of losing a familiar, in my campaign though I've abolished experience loss of any kind. I use permanent negative levels in almost all cases where a level or a significant chunk of experience are lost.
My goal in putting these together (many of which I freely admit I stole from earlier posts in this thread) was to create ways to make the familiar a more active participant in things. These struck me as abilities that would put the familiar more center stage. The familiar could do things like attack someone who has charmed their master in the hopes that they will attack back breaking the spell on the master. The familiar becomes a much more useful scout with the borrowing ability. The familiar can fight with the Empower Familiar spell. Tactical options open up with the ability to let them hold onto a shared spell instead of the master (such as invisibility) and by giving them cantrips and the limited ability for the master to cast through them.
Metamagic Assistant just seems like an unneeded power boost for the master, one that is completely duplicated by an existing magic item to boot, and doesn't really involve the familiar as a character in any meaningful way.
Personally i am using the +1 caster level.
On the other side, if the familiar dies, the mage loses one level, which cannot be restored, and 1 Constitution point, which can be recovered with time. Then he must wait for one full year before getting a new familiar.
But i saw some pretty interesting things in this thread, and i might shamelessly steal them, either adding them to the familiar abilities or converting them into familiar feats.
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Having really liked Arne's suggestions I have incorporated them with some of my own to create a new familiars table. Any abilities that aren't written out are the same as contained in pathfinder. (NAB stands for Natural Armour Bonus)
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Level---- NAB:-- Dex:-- Int:---Special:
1st-2nd:-- +1--- +1----6----Alertness, Improved evasion, share spells, empathic link, magical nature
3rd-4th:-- +2--- +1----7----Deliver touch spells, Concentrate for master, Bonus feat
5th-6th:-- +3--- +2----8----Speak with master, bonus feat
7th-8th:-- +4--- +2----9----Speak with animals of its kind, mental bond
9th-10th:- +5--- +3---10---Cantrips, bonus feat, Cast through familiar
11th-12th: +6--- +3---11---Spell resistance, bonus feat
13th-14th: +7--- +4---12---Scry on familiar
15th-16th: +8--- +4---13---Possess familiar, bonus feat
17th-18th: +9--- +5---14---Call Familiar, Bonus feat
19th-20th: +10-- +5---15---Magical Beast
Magical Nature: A familiar’s natural weapons are considered magic for the purpose of bypassing damage reduction, also for every 2 caster levels they deal an additional 1 point of damage.
Concentrate for master: The familiar can maintain concentration on a spell for the master for 1 rd per point of intelligence.
Bonus Feat: from the level at which the familiar joins its master it may learn feats at each applicable level. (example: if a familiar joins a master at 7th level it does not gain any feats till 9th level)
Mental Bond: If the master is affected by a fear or mind-affecting effect which the familiar is not affected by (either due to immunity, not being the target, successfully saving against it, etc) the master gains a +2 bonus on his saving throw. Further with regards to charm, an unaffected familiar gives the master a +2 bonus on opposed charisma checks and any threat against the familiar is considered a threat against the master himself.
Cantrips: The familiar may cast a number of cantrips (known to the master) per day equal to 1/2 the master's caster level.
Cast Through Familiar: Once per day per the master may cast a spell through the familiar (the spell originates from the familiar's space). The master must have line of effect to the familiar and the spell must be 3 levels or lower than the highest level spell the master can cast.
Possess Familiar: When scrying (either by spell or the ability) on the familiar the master may borrow its body in a fashion similar to using a magic jar. The familiar's soul resides in the master's body but is unconscious.
Call Familiar: Once per day as an immediate action you may call the familiar to yourself from any distance. The familiar is teleported to your space just as if the spell teleport had been cast.
Magical Beast: Your familiar has now become a truly arcane creature, It may now cast spells as spell like abilities as a 6th level wizards and knows a # of spells as a 6th level sorcerer, the spells chosen must be spells in your spellbook.
I like the idea that threeblood suggested. I didn't at first, but after I thought about it for awhile, it makes sense and fits the flavor of the concept pretty well.... Seeker's idea is good, too, but.... I'm not really comfortable with the idea of a psicrystal and a familiar being practically the same thing.
Agree on both counts, except for the fact that I liked Threeblood's idea a lot from the get-go. It's brilliant. The fact that it would actualize an OOTS trope is just a bonus. And it's only an OOTS trope because so many games are actually played more or less that way.
I'm a big fan of paving the dirt paths people are already walking on.
Add the suggestion re: rising levels of instant metamagic ability to the current familiar progression table, plus Threeblood's suggestion that it can take an Improved Familiar shape at the appropriate time, and I think we're done. That gives serious benefits (any more would be unbalancing), follows players' natural desires, scales with levels, and follows the "familiar is derived from and improves your connection to magic" historical conventional rather than the "familiar = psicrystal" approach.
That package would be matched up against Seeker's concept in a competition for the realized solution - both qualify. As noted above, I prefer the Threeblood + metamagic option.
I think one of the tests I would apply to any new familiar benefit is the "pocket test". That is, does the familiar grant the wizard the bonus even if the familiar itself is kept hidden in the wizard's pocket the entire time. If the answer is yes, then the ability is just a power up for the master and doesn't need to be given to the familiar since it can be provided by other sources. They do nothing to depict the unique nature of the relationship between the familiar and its master or to make the familiar a more active participant in gameplay.
Metamagic assistance, bonus to spell DCs, and bonus to intelligence checks (except those granted by aid another) all fail the "pocket test." They just make the familiar into an unslotted magic item.
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I think one of the tests I would apply to any new familiar benefit is the "pocket test". That is, does the familiar grant the wizard the bonus even if the familiar itself is kept hidden in the wizard's pocket the entire time. If the answer is yes, then the ability is just a power up for the master and doesn't need to be given to the familiar since it can be provided by other sources. They do nothing to depict the unique nature of the relationship between the familiar and its master or to make the familiar a more active participant in gameplay.
Metamagic assistance, bonus to spell DCs, and bonus to intelligence checks (except those granted by aid another) all fail the "pocket test." They just make the familiar into an unslotted magic item.
I think I love you, btw what did you think of the level progression I applied to your abilities, and the abilities I gave it.
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I think familiars are just about right. They're rather limited in the hands of a narrowly played combat caster, but I've seen them shine as the assistants of crafty sorts. That's probably why the item option was added, to give the former a toy more suited to their playstyle.
Many of the options presented in this thread are awesome, but rather fussy. Many players would probably forget half of the new additions.
I'd suggest something simpler, like a +2 to all ranged touch attacks when the familiar can also see (or in some cases, smell or hear) the target. It's a simple, cambat friendly, reflection of the heightened sensitivity and spacial awareness that a familiar imparts.
I wanna see craftable familiars ^_^ not like homunculus.... errr...example...
Dragon magazine #341 =) clockwork familiars. They should really expand on this me thinks.
Eberron presents some construct familiars.
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I think familiars are just about right. They're rather limited in the hands of a narrowly played combat caster, but I've seen them shine as the assistants of crafty sorts. That's probably why the item option was added, to give the former a toy more suited to their playstyle.
Many of the options presented in this thread are awesome, but rather fussy. Many players would probably forget half of the new additions.
I'd suggest something simpler, like a +2 to all ranged touch attacks when the familiar can also see (or in some cases, smell or hear) the target. It's a simple, cambat friendly, reflection of the heightened sensitivity and spacial awareness that a familiar imparts.
and fails the pocket test
OK take 2.
There are two ways a familiar comes into being. The first the caster summons forth a normal animal and though arcane magic imparts a piece of his soul into the creature making it into a being of magic. The second method the caster takes his own blood and non magical materials, earth, rock, plants, metal and though arcane magic imparts a piece of his soul into it giving it form. Familiars created in such a away often have shapes such as metal crabs, small winged humanoids, fairies, and small dragons but function the same away as animal familiars do.
Familiars however are no longer creatures of just flesh and blood but rather a part of the caster. A familiar has two states of being manifested and bonded. While manifested the familiar has a physical form and is visible. In this state the familiar may move about as normal, it may walk, fly, crawl or swim up to 30 feet per round as its form dictates this ability improves by 10 feet every 5 caster levels. As long as it stays within the range of its caster as defined by the casters level the caster the caster is granted all the benefits of the familiars bond. While is physical form the familiar has HP equal to the casters level+3 and an AC of 15+1/2 the caster level any damage to the familiar that exceeds its HP its forms fractures and dissipates and it can not be called forth again for 24 hours. Further more the caster takes a -1 caster level for that time. While bonded the familiar is apart of the casters body. A caster may bond with its familiar as long as he is touching it doing so is a move action. Once bonded the familiar is still active and can commutate with its master. The caster still receives all benefits from the familiar that do not depend on it being separate.
Benefits of a familiar.
The familiar grants the caster a +2 to all INT checks. The familiar helps the caster keep track of notes and small spell gestures and arcane words
The caster is granted this even if the familiar is bonded but does not if its out of range or dissipated for 24 hours.
Personality
Upon creating a familiar a part of the caster soul is imparted into it grating it a personality and the caster extra benefits. The familiar has an INT equal to the caster -2
Artist ------+3 bonus on Craft checks
Bully --------+3 bonus on Intimidate checks
Coward ---- +3 bonus on perception checks for avoiding surprise attacks
Friendly ----+1 step to starting attitude if at lest indiffent
Hero --------+2 bonus on Fortitude saves
Meticulous -+3 bonus on perception checks
Nimble ------+2 bonus on Initiative checks
Observant ---may make a check to spot secret/concealed doors within 10 feet
Poised -------+3 bonus on acrobatics checks
Resolved ----+2 bonus on Will saves
Sage ---------+3 bonus on checks involving any one Knowledge skill the owner already knows; once chosen, this does not vary
Single-minded -+3 bonus on any one skill
Sneaky ------- +3 bonus on stealthy checks
Storyteller -+3 bonus on bluff checks
Sympathetic --+3 bonus on diplomacy checks
Or they may keep the bonus from there original form
Bat.... Master gains a +3 bonus on Listen checks
Cat.... Master gains a +3 bonus on Move Silently checks
Hawk... Master gains a +3 bonus on Spot checks in bright light
Lizard. Master gains a +3 bonus on Climb checks
Owl ....Master gains a +3 bonus on Spot checks in shadows
Rat ....Master gains a +2 bonus on Fortitude saves
Raven1..Master gains a +3 bonus on Appraise checks
Snake2 .Master gains a +3 bonus on Bluff checks
Toad ...Master gains +3 hit points +1 per level
Weasel .Master gains a +2 bonus on Reflex saves
Improving familiars
Level---Ability
1st……….Alertness, telepathic link 5’, Improved evasion
2nd…........Share spells 5’ per 2 caster levels
4th……… Deliver touch spells
5th…… …Meta magic assistance I
6th……….Extend telepathic link 5’ per level
7th……….Speak with others
8th………. Deliver spells [1-2][1/day per 4 caster levels]
11th………Meta magic assistance II
12th……... Extend telepathic link 25’per level
14th………Deliver spells [3-4]
18th………Meta magic assistant III, telepathic link 50’ per level
20th………Deliver spells[5-6]
Feats
Improved familiar
Your familiar gains a second personality trait, or animal form .You gain the benefits of both familiar personalities/forums. Your familiar personality adjusts and becomes a blend between all implanted personality fragments. Or if animal form an manifest as both forms
You can take this multiple times.
Hardy Familiar
This feat improves your familiars’ toughness. They gain Hp equal to the caster +3 also there natural attacks improve by 1 die.
Perquisite
Improved familiar
Spell receptacle
The familiar bond with the caster allows him to store up to his INT mod of spell levels in his familiar the familiar remembers the spells and can transfer them to the caster .This is a move action
Perquisite
Improved familiar
Morphic familiar
You may alter your familiars form as a full round action and it must be bonded to you to do so. I t allows it to take on the form and movement type of a creature of smiler size and HD
Angelic/demonic familiar
Your familiar becomes a imp{le} or a quasit [ce] while manifested also any spell cast vs. the opposite aliment is at a +2 DC.. Angelic have the same states imp[LG] quasit[CG/NG]
Perquisite
Improved familiar, caster level 8
Still thinking of adding the +1 DC back and making the familiar gone for a week if killed. any thoughts
lastknightleft,
I think your progression is fine. I probably would have combined a few things (like mental bond would just be part of empathic link, possess familiar would just be part of scry on familiar), but in general I think it's quite workable.
I like the call familiar ability as well. May have to steal that one!
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and fails the pocket testI think familiars are just about right. They're rather limited in the hands of a narrowly played combat caster, but I've seen them shine as the assistants of crafty sorts. That's probably why the item option was added, to give the former a toy more suited to their playstyle.
Many of the options presented in this thread are awesome, but rather fussy. Many players would probably forget half of the new additions.
I'd suggest something simpler, like a +2 to all ranged touch attacks when the familiar can also see (or in some cases, smell or hear) the target. It's a simple, cambat friendly, reflection of the heightened sensitivity and spacial awareness that a familiar imparts.
Nope, it doesn't. It's pretty hard for a familiar to improve your spacial awareness when its hidden in a pocket. It would have to be, like, out.
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Nope, it doesn't. It's pretty hard for a familiar to improve your spacial awareness when its hidden in a pocket. It would have to be, like, out.and fails the pocket testI think familiars are just about right. They're rather limited in the hands of a narrowly played combat caster, but I've seen them shine as the assistants of crafty sorts. That's probably why the item option was added, to give the former a toy more suited to their playstyle.
Many of the options presented in this thread are awesome, but rather fussy. Many players would probably forget half of the new additions.
I'd suggest something simpler, like a +2 to all ranged touch attacks when the familiar can also see (or in some cases, smell or hear) the target. It's a simple, cambat friendly, reflection of the heightened sensitivity and spacial awareness that a familiar imparts.
So when your player says it's head is poking out of the pocket? I know i have players who have had animal companions like snakes and spiders that were coiled around their arm or resting on their shoulder, and never once got used. the idea of the pocket test is to avoid meaningless bumps that a player can get around with the slightest bit of creativity.
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lastknightleft,
I think your progression is fine. I probably would have combined a few things (like mental bond would just be part of empathic link, possess familiar would just be part of scry on familiar), but in general I think it's quite workable.I like the call familiar ability as well. May have to steal that one!
well, part of the reason to keep them seperate is the fact that it helps to discourage PRCing out. Plus I wanted each level to have a little something, and honestly I consider mental bond a really good boost that I just don't think should hit at 1st. The scry on familiar and possess I actually weighed in heavily on doing just that, but then I decided it also makes sense to say that it takes a little time after gaining the scrying ability to actually possess the familiar through it, and it prevents me having to think of a new ability in its place, like I said I wanted to give them something at every level. If you want to merge them and can think of an ability at that level that would be an appropriate replacement by all means I'd love to hear it.
I REALLY like the idea of the Familiar NOT being an actual animal BUT a sort of humunculus SHAPED into animal form and constantly liked to the casters mind and soul.
This way, you don't have to mess around with skills and feats for the familiar since it could (maybe) just use all the skills and feats YOU (the wizard) possesses.
Furthermore, the wizard would be able to take feats to improve his familiar and it would even make sense that way.
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This way, you don't have to mess around with skills and feats for the familiar since it could (maybe) just use all the skills and feats YOU (the wizard) possesses.
While I understand where you're coming from, I think it's kinda limiting to a familiar if every last aspect of it is either just a boost or a weaker version of you. I want my familiar to actually be it's own creature with its own mind and abilities. If it just used my feats I would feel rather limited. Plus by giving it feats that you don't know it then can gain the ability to fill a role the party may be lacking. Not every group has a ranger to track or a rogue to spy. While I agree that it would be rude to expect your familiar to fulfill another players role, being able to use a familiar to fulfill a role that isn't there can be a great boon that you just wouldn't have if your familiar is just a lesser version of you that.
Also, familiar abilities really shouldn't be something that you could change to a once per day you can do this format. metamagic assistant is a good ability, but in what way do you need the familiar for it? You could just give the wizard a spontaneous metamagic ability and not have a familiar at all.
I just feel that if you are improving the familiar you should improve the familiar, not yourself by extension. Otherwise the familiar is just a grab bag of abilities that you could rule the player gets without having a familiar. This theory extends to lessening the restrictions of familiar loss too.
My favored version would be something like this:
A wizard can use some part of his life/magical/soul energy to fuel/besoul either:
- an object which than boosts his magical power (bonus spells per day, increased caster level, better metamagic, or something similar)
- a creature/humunculus which than can act on its own but is likewise a personification of himself thus granting full control about the "animal" if concentrating.
While the bonded object might sound better, I would let the wizard suffer if the object is not present at his body/hand.
Furthermore, the animal itself will grow other time and become stronger and stronger (similar to an animal companion).
Maybe it's not that bad idea to let the familiar improve with it's own skills and feats but ADD an ability at some level that allows the familiar to use the masters skills and feats or vice versa.