Scary, scary Familiar!

[Gan The Grey]

Let me start off by saying this: I know the dangers of allowing a familiar into combat. I know that there are more powerful builds of Wizard, and I could probably do everything I wanted and more with a Malconvoker build.

But I don't wanna. :smallsmile:

Here's what I want. I want a caster build, level 12, that focuses on buffing the crap out of his familiar, mostly with polymorph/alter self, into murdering machine. I think this would be fun. I really want to focus on Polymorph. I like the idea of a little raven turning into a scary, scary owlbear or something all of a sudden.

Are there ways around a familiar's limitations (1/2 your character's HP for one)? What do you think?

Oh yea. 3.5, no ToB...just about everything else though me thinks.

[Vizzerdrix]

Polymorph.

Improved familiar (Earth Mephits are okay. they can become medium. give it a bow or other range weapon)

Honestly, Anything other than Wiz/sorc would work better. Duskblade, UA generic caster (take UMD as a class skill),

[AirGuitarGod32]

Let me start off by saying this: I know the dangers of allowing a familiar into combat. I know that there are more powerful builds of Wizard, and I could probably do everything I wanted and more with a Malconvoker build.

But I don't wanna. :smallsmile:

Here's what I want. I want a caster build, level 12, that focuses on buffing the crap out of his familiar, mostly with polymorph/alter self, into murdering machine. I think this would be fun.

Are there ways around a familiar's limitations (1/2 your character's HP for one)? What do you think?

Oh yea. 3.5, no ToB...just about everything else though me thinks.

Let me start by saying the combo as follows is lame as crap, but it runs on buff:

Sorcerer 1/Cleric 11

Take Improved and Dragon Familiar feats, along with the Celestial Familiar substitution, take up a little Celestial version of your fave dragon and raise some serious Hell, buffing the dragon buddy with any and all 5th level Cleric Buff Spells

[Deth Muncher]

Let me start by saying the combo as follows is lame as crap, but it runs on buff:

Sorcerer 1/Cleric 11

Take Improved and Dragon Familiar feats, along with the Celestial Familiar substitution, take up a little Celestial version of your fave dragon and raise some serious Hell, buffing the dragon buddy with any and all 5th level Cleric Buff Spells

Wouldn't really be raising Hell, would you? :P

[Demons_eye]

Wouldn't really be raising Hell, would you? :P

:smallsigh:

[Drekk]

Well if you're looking for a scary familiar, Arcane Heirophant is really the way to go...

If you want to stick straight mage, just remember that your familiar can accept any spell you can cast on yourself, so things like Lesser Red Dragonshape (my personal favorite), Trollform, Tenser's Transformation, Mirror Image, Warforged Titan...And then there's some 3rd level familiar buffs in the Spell Compendium worth peering at as well.

[Deth Muncher]

:smallsigh:

:D

You have no idea how many times I've been life-threatened due to my dryish sense of humor.

[cupkeyk]

I once had a wizard whose name escapes me but whose familiar I definitely remember: Onion. Onion is a beholderkin eyeball with enhance familiar, fortify familiar and reduce person permanencied on him. Then he has contingent spells and is imbued with spell ability. He shoots my shivering touches for me. And I load up on them other touch spells. I loved Onion.

[mabriss lethe]

I ran with a goblin hexblade (lance charger) with a Worg improved familiar as a mount. That was a lot of fun.

[Gan The Grey]

Okay, so what feats and spells are integral for making a scary, scary familiar?

[Zaydos]

If you can get a 3rd party book, the Encyclopedia Arcane series has a book on familiars which has a way to get a familiar with full hp (probably not going to be allowed).

The Dragon Magazine Compendium (more likely to be allowed) has Enspell Familiar that lets you share spells from 1 mile away.

As for feats and spells:
Improved Familiar (get a better base familiar, see if your DM will add creatures to the base list). Feat.
Enhance Familiar: +2 to most things for 1 hour/caster level. 3rd level spell.
Draconic Polymorph (listed as a Wiz/Sor spell in SpC but I can only find it in Draconomicon): A personal range polymorph that grants improved Str and Con. Lv 5 Spell.
Any Polymorph subschool spell as you can cast it on your familiar instead of yourself keep all your casting and have it go to town.
Dragonskin: +1 to 5 enhancement bonus to nat armor and energy resistance to 1 type for 10 minutes/caster level (SpC) Lv 3 spell.
Mage Armor/Greater Mage Armor/Greater Luminous Armor: AC buffs can be nice on the familiar.
Any miss chance/concealment you can give it.

Also check with your DM if it keeps its increased Natural Armor while polymorphed that could be nice (mine didn't allow it, neither would I for that matter).

Those are just what I'm using in an upcoming game (my DM gave me a pixie familiar :smallbiggrin:).

[Thurbane]

I once did a level 12 Duskblade build, focused on using an Improved Familiar (Winter Wolf) as a mount. I'll see if I can dig it up.

Here it is: as far as I got with it in a text file, anyway:


Duskblade 12

STR 13
DEX 12
CON 18
INT 14
WIS 10
CHA 8

BAB +12

Fort +12
Ref +5
Will +8

HP 106

H Power Attack
1 Mounted Combat
B Combat Casting
3 Obtain Familiar
6 Improved Familiar
9 Bonded Familiar
12 Enspell Familiar
* Alertness

- Concentration 15
- Ride 15
- Knowledge (Arcana) 15
- Sense Motive 15
- Jump 5
- Handle Animal 5

Arcane attunement 5/day
Armored mage (medium, heavy shield)
Arcane channeling
Quick cast 2/day
Spell power +3


- Regroup
- Dispelling Touch
- Greater Magic Weapon
- Energy Aegis

- Bull's Strength
- Fly, Swift
- Scorching Ray
- Dimension Hop

- Expeditious Retreat, Swift
- Ray of Enfeeblement
- Blade of Blood
- Obscuring Mist
- True Strike
- Resist Energy
- Lesser Deflect

- Acid Splash
- Disrupt Undead
- Touch of Fatigue
- Ray of Frost

GELUPUS
Large Magical Beast (Cold)
HD: 6 (12), 53hp
Init: +5
AC: 21 (T 10, FF 20)
Base Attack/Grapple: +12/+20
Attack: Bite +15 (1d8+6 plus 1d6 cold)
Saves: Fort +11 Ref +9 Will +9
STR 18, DEX 13, CON 16, INT 11, WIS 13, CHA 10
Alertness, Improved Initiative, Track

Alertness
Improved evasion
Share spells
Empathic link
Deliver touch spells
Speak with master
Speak with animals of it's kind (?)
Spell resistance 17

5000 Collar of Healing
17200 Mithril Chain Shirt Barding (Mindarmor, Improved Agility, Axeblock)
12000 Riding Boots
Metamagic Rod of Extend, Lesser
Eternal Wand of Augment Familiar
Eternal Wand of Enhance Familiar
Eternal Wand of Fortify Familiar

[AustontheGreat1]

saw a prestige class somewhere. dungeon magazine i believe. ill dig up the issue in a sec, lets you get a living spell as a familiar. i haven't taken it myself but i once had a living illusion spell as a familiar, a phantasmal killer. not technically possible but it sure was fun.

[Zaydos]

Dragon #357. Spell Sovereign. Loses 3 levels of casting (1 at Lv 1). Gets a living spell familiar. It's a Lv 4 spell at 10th level in the PrC.

[AustontheGreat1]

Dragon #357. Spell Sovereign. Loses 3 levels of casting (1 at Lv 1). Gets a living spell familiar. It's a Lv 4 spell at 10th level in the PrC.

I haven't read too thoroughly into it, just noticed it and thought it was interesting. Is it worth it? Good class or no?

[Zaydos]

I haven't read too thoroughly into it, just noticed it and thought it was interesting. Is it worth it? Good class or no?

No idea. Started a thread asking just that a few days ago (which is why I knew this much).

[Grumman]

Okay, so what feats and spells are integral for making a scary, scary familiar?
You can persist Personal spells.

Persist Body of War on your familiar.
Persist Tenser's Transformation on your familiar.
Persist Nightstalker's Transformation on your familiar.

Laugh.

[Gan The Grey]

The biggest issue I'm having is finding a way to overcome the low HP problem of a familiar...still looking for an answer to that issue.

[Grumman]

The biggest issue I'm having is finding a way to overcome the low HP problem of a familiar...still looking for an answer to that issue.
...Persist Necrotic Empowerment on your familiar. It has to wait for level 15, though.

[Sstoopidtallkid]

The biggest issue I'm having is finding a way to overcome the low HP problem of a familiar...still looking for an answer to that issue.Don't do this as a Wizard.

Cast temp-HP buffs such as False Life on it.

Be an Arcane Heirophant.

Be Necropolitan.

[noiadodh]

convince your DM to use That Damned Crab™ as a familiar :smallbiggrin:

[cZak]

Don't do this as a Wizard.

Cast temp-HP buffs such as False Life on it.

Be an Arcane Heirophant.

Be Necropolitan.

How does Necropolitan help?

[Siegel]

Why isn't there a way to make my Familiar my Psycristal, Paladin Mount and Animal Companion ?

That would be awesome

[KillianHawkeye]

How does Necropolitan help?

Undeads get a d12 Hit Die. Thus, more HP.

[Sinfire Titan]

Polymorph.

Improved familiar (Mirror Mephits are okay. they can create Simulacrums of you for free.)

Honestly, Anything other than Wiz/sorc would work better. Duskblade, UA generic caster (take UMD as a class skill),

Fixed. And FYI, Wizards work just fine for Familiars. You just need to share Temporary HP with them. A lot.

Edit:


Undeads get a d12 Hit Die. Thus, more HP.

Actually, you end up losing out on some. The difference between a d12+0 and a d4+3 is an average of 1HP (2.5 for d4, 6.5 for d12). Its possible to get a Con of 30 fairly easily, thus it is d12+0 VS d4+10. In the best case scenario (Dread Necromancer with Corpse Crafter and a Desecrated Altar), it's d12+6 VS d4+10 (average 12.5 VS 12.5), thus you break even. Then comes the Fort saves problem.


In other words, keep your Con score.

[Thurbane]

Undeads get a d12 Hit Die. Thus, more HP.
Counterbalanced by no CON, so no bonus HP. Still, unless you have a really high CON (18+), it works out as more.

[Zaydos]

Arcane Hierophant will net you a rather scary familiar. I've seen it, take Natural Bond (to make up for the loss of 3 druid levels) and cast enhance familiar on it, then Barkskin and the Natural Bond feat. Now sit back watch, and make the fighter cry. Although at this point you're more druid than wizard. Does have it's own hp which is likely to be better than yours or equal, and you don't lose XP when it dies and can summon a new one with only 24 hours. Loses your skills though.