For those of you who remember the spell compendium (crickets), there was a spell called something like 'switch places', it teleported the caster away and replaced him with a beasty. Once the spell ended or the creature died, the caster returned in the creatures place. Not too powerful, but a nice spell. Using that as a king of jumping board...
Feat: Cast a large shadow, req 8th level caster, 2+ feats invested into familiar.
This feat grants your familiar, not the caster, the ability to, for a brief period of time, cause its shadow to surge in size and solidity of a creature (as a supernatural) while the familiar sinks into the new creature's shadow. The creature is determined at the time the feat is taken, is built using the animal companion rules of an equal level master, and developes as the caster goes up levels. The caster can not trigger this ability, only the familiar can, it takes a standard action, and the form can be held for up to 2*LV R a day. If the creature is slain, the familiar returns in its place exhausted.
Thoughts - this ability is short lived, has some nice flavor, and allows the familiar to run over and try to save the boss. I was going to suggest this as a hex, but I thought a wizard should have the option too.
Too good?
For those of you who remember the spell compendium (crickets), there was a spell called something like 'switch places', it teleported the caster away and replaced him with a beasty. Once the spell ended or the creature died, the caster returned in the creatures place. Not too powerful, but a nice spell. Using that as a king of jumping board...
Feat: Cast a large shadow, req 8th level caster, 2+ feats invested into familiar.
This feat grants your familiar, not the caster, the ability to, for a brief period of time, cause its shadow to surge in size and solidity of a creature (as a supernatural) while the familiar sinks into the new creature's shadow. The creature is determined at the time the feat is taken, is built using the animal companion rules of an equal level master, and developes as the caster goes up levels. The caster can not trigger this ability, only the familiar can, it takes a standard action, and the form can be held for up to 2*LV R a day. If the creature is slain, the familiar returns in its place exhausted.
Thoughts - this ability is short lived, has some nice flavor, and allows the familiar to run over and try to save the boss. I was going to suggest this as a hex, but I thought a wizard should have the option too.
Too good?
So, if I read you correctly, this feat effectively polymorphs your familiar into something bigger, right?
If so, it could work. Need better description of what it morphs into though... how would its stats/attacks/skills/etc change? What's to say I can't chose a mature Gold Dragon for this/what are the limits? Until that information on how potent it is arrives, I can't put my word to anything.
So, if I read you correctly, this feat effectively polymorphs your familiar into something bigger, right?If so, it could work. Need better description of what it morphs into though... how would its stats/attacks/skills/etc change? What's to say I can't chose a mature Gold Dragon for this/what are the limits? Until that information on how potent it is arrives, I can't put my word to anything.
Ah, the intent is the master writes up his pets alternative form using the druid animal companion rules (so that bat could bulge-out and turn into a bear-ish creature with tiny, useless wings...).
The familiar is not polymorphed, he is shunted aside while the shadow alternative is there - the master loses all benefits of his familiar while this ability is in progress.
This feat grants much less then an animal companion (well, an animal companion for 2*LV R a day).
Actually, perhaps I should remove most/all of the requirements. A 1st level witch/wizard familiar = 1st lv druid companion for 2 R. Not exactly over the top.
Anyway, the thought was to remind the master he does have a familiar and give the master an advantage in exchange for putting his little buddy in the direct line of fire. heh.
So, if I read you correctly, this feat effectively polymorphs your familiar into something bigger, right?If so, it could work. Need better description of what it morphs into though... how would its stats/attacks/skills/etc change? What's to say I can't chose a mature Gold Dragon for this/what are the limits? Until that information on how potent it is arrives, I can't put my word to anything.
Ah, the intent is the master writes up his pets alternative form using the druid animal companion rules (so that bat could bulge-out and turn into a bear-ish creature with tiny, useless wings...).
The familiar is not polymorphed, he is shunted aside while the shadow alternative is there - the master loses all benefits of his familiar while this ability is in progress.
This feat grants much less then an animal companion (well, an animal companion for 2*LV R a day).
Actually, perhaps I should remove most/all of the requirements. A 1st level witch/wizard familiar = 1st lv druid companion for 2 R. Not exactly over the top.
Anyway, the thought was to remind the master he does have a familiar and give the master an advantage in exchange for putting his little buddy in the direct line of fire. heh.
....OK, now that you've clarified, yes, I think that could work.
Although the mechanic sounds horrible (shunting my familiar is never something I want to do...), I'd let that fly in a game of mine.
Any thoughts as to power level? I had planned requiring 8th level mastery, but on second thought, lower level use would not be out of line....
Shameless bump.
Any thoughts as to power level? I had planned requiring 8th level mastery, but on second thought, lower level use would not be out of line....
Shameless bump.
Well, I'd just have it be like a persistent animal companion of Druid level equal to the wizard level, or Wizard level -3.
Well, I'd just have it be like a persistent animal companion of Druid level equal to the wizard level, or Wizard level -3.
This is supposed to be a short term boost to the familiar, not a permanent replacement. The familiar is subsumed into the 'animal companion' form's shadow, the master losing all benefits of a familiar (and gaining an animal companion) for a limited number of rounds. This is under the familiars control, allowing the familiar a little play in the game. Limited to 2*LV R per day, and taking a standard action to trigger, the uses need not be contiguous, but it is a limited resource that may not be used every day. The alternate form is written up in advance, the familiar is aware of what is occuring with the animal companion and can give it commands (treat the familiar's animal handling as = LV of master +4 for issuing commands). A permanent change would be different (I think there was a 3.0 or 3.5 feat to give a class a weaker animal companion permanently).
Given the limited number of rounds a day, I was pegging the animal companion level = master's level in power. If it were permanent, I't would have to be lower.
Instead of a feat, i would have it as a 3rd lv. spell. and have the familir's shadow aquire the dire template, as well as a Shadows abilites.
after all, spells are cheap, and feats are expensive.
Instead of a feat, i would have it as a 3rd lv. spell. and have the familir's shadow aquire the dire template, as well as a Shadows abilites.
after all, spells are cheap, and feats are expensive.
True, it would be a nice spell, but the benefit of it being a feat was that the caster didn't spend an action to trigger it, the familiar did. The caster drops to negative HP, the familiar can puff up to protect him - or perhaps right after delivering a touch attack he becomes a physical (and flanking) threat.
With a spell it would be under the master's control but it would not take up a feat, be a nice wand (no save to worry about), and continue on the power curve even if the caster multi-classes (caster level, not familiar master's level). I rather like the suggestion of shadow powers - great offence & scouting. Hell, I want both!
What if you made it a spell that gets cast at the start of the day and lasts for 24hrs or until triggered by the familiar taking a standard action to trigger it?
That way you don't have to worry about the action and you don't have to use up a feat.
2nd level spell probably?
Or make it a permanent magic item that the familiar can wear and activate as a standard action?
So many ways you could do this, it's rediculous. :D
Just have to work out the details.
|
Because of that old Star Trek halloween episode where the 'witches cat' grows to giant size and chases the crew around the haunted planet, I totally dig the idea of a spell to supersize your familiar.
(IIRC, Agatha Harkness' cat, Ebony, did the same thing, turning into a black leopard to defend her, not that she really ever needed defending...)
A spell that increased a Tiny familiar by X number of size classes, based on the level of the caster, could be neat. At the lowest level, the familiar would just be bumped up to size Small, and be a minor threat, then size Medium, with leopard-like stats, then size Large, with tiger stats, and then Huge, with dire tiger stats, at 11th+ level.
While (potentially) hot for cats (and eagles, etc.), using flat size increases for bats and toads creates some pretty craptacular combat familiars (ooh, my size Huge toad bites you for 1d4!), so the spell wouldn't be equally cool for all familiar types. Using the Giant creature template would be particularly dire, as a Large housecat would have a Dex of 9 and Str 15, unlike a Large dire tiger with a Dex of 15 and Str 27...
You'd pretty much need to come up with some alternate options for different sized versions of bats, rats, cats, hawks, ravens, etc. from the ground up, as the Giant template is overly simplistic for this purpose, and would produce wonky results.
In the end, your idea of just replacing the familiar stats with the most appropriate animal companion advancement, based on the caster level, would probably be the most elegant solution, although you'd need to come up with Animal Companion progressions for bats, rats, weasels, etc. Any hawk, owl, eagle, raven could count as 'Bird.' Monkeys could upgrade to Apes. Lizards to crocigators. Vipers to bigger snakes. Cats to Small, then Big, Cats, etc.
While (potentially) hot for cats (and eagles, etc.), using flat size increases for bats and toads creates some pretty craptacular combat familiars (ooh, my size Huge toad bites you for 1d4!), so the spell wouldn't be equally cool for all familiar types.
Change to my size Huge toad swallows you with its huge mouth and you're taken out of the fight and this works well. :)
...You'd pretty much need to come up with some alternate options for different sized versions of bats, rats, cats, hawks, ravens, etc. from the ground up, as the Giant template is overly simplistic for this purpose, and would produce wonky results.
In the end, your idea of just replacing the familiar stats with the most appropriate animal companion advancement, based on the caster level, would probably be the most elegant solution, although you'd need to come up with Animal Companion progressions for bats, rats, weasels, etc. Any hawk, owl, eagle, raven could count as 'Bird.' Monkeys could upgrade to Apes. Lizards to crocigators. Vipers to bigger snakes. Cats to Small, then Big, Cats, etc.
I agree, though at first my solution was an eidilon form derived from the familiar's stock type, as it would require the least effort for the most range. The animal companion I suggested is great, but as you noted, your toad familiar is either going to completely suck or not really be a toad. I held off on using an eidilon as I was afraid it would be seen as stepping on the summoners toad. Mind you, this whole thing was intended as a feat (or a hex, I suppose), last LV R, and be triggered by your little buddy. As a spell, it requires an effort by the caster, but if too good, it would rival the summoner or druid companion for sure.
|
I offered a new prestige class a few months ago that focused on wizards with familiars and came up with a new spell to support the class. I've included it below if you want to use it or tweak it for your purposes. The prestige class can be found here if you're interested.
School transmutation; Level sorcerer/wizard 6, witch 6
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, F (a mummified cat’s paw)
Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target Caster’s familiar
Duration 1 min./level
Saving Throw Fortitude negates (harmless;) Spell Resistance yes
Description:
This alteration enlarges the caster’s familiar by three size categories, granting a +12 size bonus to Strength and a +12 size bonus to Constitution (and thus an extra 6 hit points per HD), and imposes a –6 size penalty to Dexterity. The hit points gained through the use of this spell are temporary bonus hit points and are, therefore, lost first and vanish at the end of the spell's duration. The creature’s existing natural armor bonus increases by +9. The size change also affects the animal’s modifier to AC, attack rolls, and its base damage. The familiar’s space and reach change as appropriate to the new size, but its speed does not change. If insufficient room is available for the desired growth, the creature attains the maximum possible size and may make a Strength check (using its increased Strength) to burst any enclosures in the process. If it fails, it is constrained without harm by the materials enclosing it—the spell cannot be used to crush a creature by increasing its size. All equipment worn or carried by the familiar is similarly enlarged by the spell, though this change has no effect on the magical properties of any such equipment. Any enlarged item that leaves the enlarged creature’s possession instantly returns to its normal size. Multiple magical effects that increase size do not stack.