The Familiar Who Would Be a Real Boy: Now with homebrew class!

[Yorae]

So, my DM and I have encountered a conundrum, and I thought I'd ask for advice:

So, our campaign has come to an end. We've defeated the big bad, and much rejoicing was had.

My character is a gish (Jade Phoenix Mage) that uses shapechanging magic. Some time ago, in character, his familiar voiced his frustration with seeing everything we're doing and never being able to help or venture out on his own a little.

So, late in the campaign my character takes Enspell Familiar (Dragon Mag. feat, extends radius of Share Spells to 1 mile, the same distance as Empathic Link), has a few words with his familiar (i.e., "You turn into anything that's going to get you killed, and I'll wring your foolish fuzzy neck"), and begins fighting alongside his familiar, sharing his buffs, asking the party Incantatrix to help extend his Shapechange so that the familiar can spend more time in his preferred humanoid form. The familiar is ecstatic. He gets thumbs, a face people will talk to, and a good sense of adventure.

After defeating the big bad, the goddess that requested we do so offered us generous and miraculous rewards. The gist of one of those was that the familiar would be able to, in addition to being a familiar, also be his own person, able to stay in his human form as long as he wishes.

So, he's both a familiar and a person in his own right.

Then, the DM decided she might want to do a few epilogue adventures about the kinds of shenanigans folks get into between now and the start of the next campaign, which starts a couple hundred years down the road in the same setting (pretty much everyone got some form of extended lifespan, so even the humans in the party will make it that far).

Here arises my problem - I need to know how to stat up these guys for the couple of intervening adventures, as well as any cameos they might have (likely) as NPCs during our next campaign. The DM feels that the familiar should start gaining class levels, but I'm not sure how to handle it, since that's not a normal thing to have happen. The familiar rules and the PC rules will contradict one another. For instance, how much HP does he have? Half of his partner's HP, as a familiar? Or, does he only get HP from his class levels, which leaves him far too fragile to adventure with his partner, defeating the point? Maybe give him a bunch of monster-race-ish hit dice to bring him up to an equivalent level with everyone? I'm not really sure how to handle this unusual situation, so I though I might ask the playground what they thought.

Any ideas?

[ryu]

Give him equal hp to the wizard at the time of infinite shapeshift duration granting, then only give him more through class levels. Seems fair to me. He's at least somewhat healthy NOW, and will only get healthier with the party. Need a fluff reason? A god quite literally made the familiar a full fledged person. That almost had to of come with benefits.

[Grollub]

The DM feels that the familiar should start gaining class levels, but I'm not sure how to handle it, since that's not a normal thing to have happen. The familiar rules and the PC rules will contradict one another. For instance, how much HP does he have? Half of his partner's HP, as a familiar? Or, does he only get HP from his class levels, which leaves him far too fragile to adventure with his partner, defeating the point? Maybe give him a bunch of monster-race-ish hit dice to bring him up to an equivalent level with everyone? I'm not really sure how to handle this unusual situation, so I though I might ask the playground what they thought.

Any ideas?

I think i would take the familiar's stats at the point he "became a real boy".. then just add whatever class(es) you think would fit.. and add those stats into his "base stats"

Btw.. what kind of familiar was it ?

[Yorae]

I think i would take the familiar's stats at the point he "became a real boy".. then just add whatever class(es) you think would fit.. and add those stats into his "base stats"

Btw.. what kind of familiar was it ?

It was a weasel. :smallsmile:


Because we wanted the familiar to be a fully character in its own right, and I enjoy doing things like this... homebrew class! Let me know what you think. It's not exactly powerful, but hey, it works.


Independent Familiar

This class grants a freed familiar benefits similar to those it already had as a familiar and those gained from advancing in magical beast (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/typesSubtypes.htm#magicalBeastType) hit dice.

Entry Requirements
Type: Magical Beast
Special: Must be a currently serving as a familiar.
Special: Must be granted their independent familiar status by a powerful effect, such as a Miracle.

Table: The Independent Familiar
Hit Die: d10

{table="head"]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|Intellect Bonus|Natural Armor Bonus
1st|+1|+2|+2|+0|Familiar Bonus, Humanoid Form, Alertness, Improved Evasion, Share Spells, Empathic Link|+0|+1
2nd|+2|+3|+3|+0||+0|+1
3rd|+3|+3|+3|+1|Deliver Touch Spells|+0|+2
4th|+4|+4|+4|+1||+1|+2
5th|+5|+4|+4|+1|Speak with Partner|+1|+3
6th|+6/+1|+5|+5|+2||+1|+3
7th|+7/+2|+5|+5|+2|Speak with Animal|+1|+4
8th|+8/+3|+6|+6|+2||+2|+4
9th|+9/+4|+6|+6|+3||+2|+5
10th|+10/+5|+7|+7|+3||+2|+5
11th|+11/+6/+1|+7|+7|+3|Spell Resistance|+2|+6
12th|+12/+7/+2|+8|+8|+4||+3|+6
13th|+13/+8/+3|+8|+8|+4|Scry on Partner|+3|+7
14th|+14/+9/+4|+9|+9|+4||+3|+7
15th|+15/+10/+5|+9|+9|+5||+3|+8
16th|+16/+11/+6/+1|+10|+10|+5||+4|+8
17th|+17/+12/+7/+2|+10|+10|+5||+4|+9
18th|+18/+13/+8/+3|+11|+11|+6||+4|+9
19th|+19/+14/+9/+4|+11|+11|+6||+4|+10
20th|+20/+15/+10/+5|+12|+12|+6||+5|+10[/table]


Class Skills (2 + Int modifier per level) (x4 at first level): Balance, Jump, Concentration, Diplomacy, Climb, Escape Artist, Disguise, Knowledge (Arcana), Listen, Spot, Tumble, Use Magical Device

An Independent Familiar is a rare creature, indeed. Independent Familiars are individuals formerly in the service of a spellcaster as a magical beast familiar who were granted an additional measure of individuality by a powerful magical effect, such as a Wish, Miracle, or the direct intervention of a deity. These individuals retain their unique link to their former master, now known as a bonded partner. They are no longer subservient to theirbonded partner; in fact, their partner is as much the newly freed creature's familiar as the familiar is theirs. The bonded partner loses the previous benefits of having a familiar, but gains similar ones, based on the class features of this class (see below). Any abilities that the bonded partner possesses that affect the familiar (such as feats) continue to function, if possible.

There is no way to progress through this class by gaining experience. The only way to gain levels in this class is to be granted them at the time of conversion to an Independent Familiar. When the transformative effect takes place, the familiar loses their former familiar abilities and is granted a number of levels in this class equal to the total of his bonded partner's class levels that advance familiar progression. For instance, if the Independent Familiar previously served a 12th level Wizard, they would instantaneously gain 12 levels of this class.


Class Features

Humanoid Form: Upon becoming an Independent Familiar, the character chooses a humanoid race without a level adjustment. This race is hereafter treated as the character's natural race, including any
racial traits, penalties, and bonuses associated with it. It acquires new attribute scores as if it were a first level character of the chosen race. It gains the Alternate Form (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm) supernatural ability, enabling it to change into it's original form as a standard action.

Intellect Bonus: The Independent Familiar's mental faculties benefit from having been bonded to an arcane caster. He or she receives an inherent bonus to his or her intellect score, based on the above table. This bonus is similar to, though less pronounced than, the increases in intellect it received while progressing as a familiar.

Natural Armor Bonus: An Independent Familiar retains the preternatural toughness it gained as a servant familiar. He or she receives a bonus to natural armor as detailed on the chart.

Familiar Bonus (Ex): At first level, an Independent Familiar gains the same bonus that they previously granted their bonded partner. For example, an Independent Familiar whose original form was a Weasel would receive a +2 bonus to reflex saves. As long as the bonded partner remains within 1 mile of the character, they gain this benefit as well. If this ability provides a bonus to a skill, the Independent Familiar also treats that skill as a class skill.

Alertness (Ex): As long as either the Independent Familiar or its bonded partner are within physical reach of the other, they both gain the benefit of the Alertness (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/general-feats/alertness---final) feat.

Improved Evasion (Ex): If an Independent Familiar is subject to a reflex save against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, he or she takes no damage on a successful save, or half damage on a failed save.

Empathic Link (Su): The Independent Familiar and its bonded partner share an empathic link out to a distance of up to 1 mile. They cannot see through one another's eyes, but they can communicate empathically. Because of the limited nature of the link, only general emotional content can be communicated.

Share Spells (Su): When either the Independent Familiar or their bonded partner cast a spell on themselves, they may have it affect both of them. For this to occur, the Independent Familiar and bonded partner must be adjacent to one another. If the spell or effect has a duration other than instantaneous, it stops affecting the half of the pair that didn't cast the spell if the two of them move farther than 5 feet apart. The spell effect will not be shared again even if the distance between the two is reduced to less than 5 feet. Additionally, either party may cast a spell with a target of “You” on the other as a touch range spell.

Deliver Touch Spells (Su): At 3rd level, an Independent Familiar can deliver touch spell for their bonded partner or vice versa (if the familiar is able to cast spells). If the other member of the pair is within reach of the caster and is willing, then he or she can deliver the touch spell just as the caster could. As usual, if the caster casts another spell before the touch is delivered, the touch spell dissipates.

Speak with Partner (Su): At 5th level, the link between the Independent Familiar and bonded partner grows stronger. As long as they are in range of one another for the purposes of Empathic Link, the two are able communicate with one another telepathically in any language that they share.

Speak with Animals (Ex): At 7th level, an Independent Familiar can talk with creatures of the same general type as his or her alternate form.

Spell Resistance (Ex): At 11th level or higher, a Independent Familiar gains spell resistance equal to their number of Hit Dice + 5.

Scry on Partner (Sp): At 13th level, an Independent Familiar and bonded partner may scry on one another (as if casting the scrying (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/scrying.htm) spell) once per day apiece.



Epic Independent Familiars:

An Independent Familiar's abilities continue to improve past level 20.

Intellect Bonus: An Independent Familiar's intellect bonus continues to improve, increasing to +6 at level 24 and by an additional +1 every four levels thereafter.

Natural Armor Bonus: An Independent Familiar's natural armor bonus continues to improve, increasing to +11 at level 21 and by an additional +1 every two levels thereafter.

Familiar Spell (Sp): At level 21 and every ten levels thereafter the Independent Familiar gains the benefit of the Familiar Spell feat, as if it had been taken by his or her bonded partner: The Independent Familiar chooses a spell known by his or her bonded partner of 8th level or less that does not have an experience point cost or a material cost worth more than 1 gp. The Independent Familiar may cast that spell once per day as a spell-like ability. The spell's caster level is equal to the Independent Familiar's hit dice and the DC is based on the primary casting attribute of the bonded partner, but uses the Independent Familiar's ability score (E.g., if the bonded partner was a Wizard, the save DC would be based on the Independent Familiar's intelligence score). Additionally, the Independent Familiar may take the Familiar Spell feat additional times as one of his or her normally chosen feats, even if they do not meet the requirements to do so. Every time it is chosen, the Independent Familiar gains another of his or her bonded partner's spells as a once per day spell-like ability.

[Yorae]

Any opinions? I'm considering possibly nerfing or removing the armor bonuses and maybe throwing in a bonus feat every 5 levels or something.

Also, if you were statting up one, what class levels would you give an Independent Familiar once they started gaining xp on their own?

[ryu]

Is there a cleric in the party? If not cleric. If so is there a druid? if not then that. If so wizard so he can crib notes off the spellbook or possibly just share yours if that's rules legal at the table.