[DnD 3.5] Alternate Class Feature to replace Wizard's Familiar

[theonesin]

Simple question. I'm playing a Focused Specialist(Transmutation) Wizard/War Weaver focusing on buffing the party. I don't want a familiar, and am trying to find a good replacement for it. Any ideas?

Thanks.

[Jeff the Green]

If you're worried about your DM swiping/sundering/otherwise taking away your spellbook, Eidetic Spellcaster is nice. You have to give up Scribe Scroll as well, but it makes it so you don't need a spellbook to prepare or learn spells.

[Diarmuid]

UA has some variants, PHB2 has variants, Complete Champion has variants.

[Kosjsjach]

This should help: Alternative Class Features III (http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19872054/Alternative_Class_Features_III).

[deuxhero]

Dragon Magazine has a flaw that axes your familiar for a feat.

[theonesin]

My DM already said no to the flaw.

I can't really give up Scribe Scroll for this as I'm taking the ACF to replace it with a Fighter feat(likely Improved Initiative).

The ACF to keep me from having to use a spellbook wouldn't be bad, except I'm going into Archivist and then Mystic Theurge later, so I'll still have a book for the DM to mess with. I'm not really worried about him messing with it though.

[Andion Isurand]

I think you should consider taking the Martial Study feat (Desert Wind manuver) instead of Improved Initative... that way you can make Tumble a perma class skill, useful for those times when you need to escape from an anti-magic field and/or big bruisers with reach.

If its initiative you want, keep the familiar and play an elf...

Select a Hummingbird Familiar (Dragon Magazine 323 page 98) for +4 initiative... along with the 3rd Elven Wizard substitution level (RotW 157) for the Natural Link ability to double that bonus in exchange for a few of the familiar's abilities (delivering touch spells and speaking to others of its kind).

[dextercorvia]

I think you should consider taking the Martial Study feat (Desert Wind manuver) instead of Improved Initative... that way you can make Tumble a perma class skill, useful for those times when you need to escape from an anti-magic field and/or big bruisers with reach.

If its initiative you want, keep the familiar and play an elf...

Select a Hummingbird Familiar (Dragon Magazine 323 page 98) for +4 initiative... along with the 3rd Elven Wizard substitution level (RotW 157) for the Natural Link ability to double that bonus in exchange for a few of the familiar's abilities (delivering touch spells and speaking to others of its kind).

If he takes Martial Study at first level, he can't choose a maneuver. That would kink of be a waste.

I like the simple variant from UA that grants a 1/2 strength Animal Companion. Take the Natural Bond feat and you have a full strength Animal Companion until 6th level.

[theonesin]

I thought about the animal companion one(I played Ranger with one in another campaign and loved it), but I'm only going to have 3 levels of Wizard, so the AC won't get very strong(I'm going Wizard 3/War Weaver 5. Yes, my DM is allowing the Sanctum Spell early-entry trick).

[Big Fau]

Honestly, keep the familiar. Take Wizard until 5th so you can get Share Spell, then use your Transmutation spells to turn it into a tank. You just need the right buffs to keep it alive, and the right familiar can double as a spellbook protector.

[Flame of Anor]

Check out the wizard ACFs in Dragon 357. I think that's where Eidetic Spellcaster is from, plus there's one that only replaces your familiar called Aligned Spellcaster--you pick a non-neutral alignment component of yours and it makes all of your spells that don't already have the opposite descriptor gain that descriptor. Like if you're good, all your spells that aren't already [Evil] are [Good]. Then add Spell Focus: Good from BoED for +2 DC to all your [Good] spells... :smallbiggrin:

[dascarletm]

Select a Hummingbird Familiar (Dragon Magazine 323 page 98) for +4 initiative... along with the 3rd Elven Wizard substitution level (RotW 157) for the Natural Link ability to double that bonus in exchange for a few of the familiar's abilities (delivering touch spells and speaking to others of its kind).

Sadly the natural link ability, according to RAW, only increases bonuses to certain scores. Initiative is not listed as one of those.