EdroGrimshell
2012-08-28, 03:26 PM
This thing tied for 3rd place on the GitP PrC Contest XXXIII: Pet Me! (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=249689) so I decided to repost it for critique and refining.
Familiarist
http://us-p.vclart.net/vcl/Artists/Xaven/Fan%20art%20and%20other/Selune_small.jpg
"She is not some mere beast, she is my dearest friend, and she doesn't take kindly to people attacking me."
Albrick Sol, Familiarist
A familiar is a magical example of a small animal that is bonded to a mage, stronger and smarter than others of its kind, it is often seen as a servant or vulnerability by mages. Not so for the familiarist, they see it as a living extension of their magic that can be cultivated and made stronger, a body guard capable of keeping up with the mage, and a partner and friend that they will have for life. They are able to alter, empower, and make their familiar better, and improve on themselves along the way as well.
BECOMING A FAMILIARIST
A familiarist is always an arcane spellcaster or invoker that has some combat training and the ability to summon a familiar. Bards are surprisingly common among the ranks of the familiarist, as are battle sorcerers and dragonfire adepts. Other common familiarists are the hexblade and duskblade, both of whome benefit greatly from the enhanced familiar.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Base Attack Bonus: +3
Skills: Knowledge (Arcana) 8 Ranks, Spellcraft 8 Ranks
Feats: Bonded Familiar, Improved Familiar
Spellcasting: Arcane Caster Level 5th
Special: Proficiency with at least one martial weapon
Special: Ability to summon a familiar
Special: Must have had the same familiar for a year and a day.
Class Skills
The Class Name's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Handle Animal (Cha), Knowledge (Arcana/The Planes)(Int), Ride (Dex), Spellcraft (Int).
Skills Points at Each Level: 4 + int
Hit Dice: d8
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|Spellcasting
1st|
+0|
+0|
+0|
+2|Familiar Advancement, Infused Familiar|---
2nd|
+1|
+0|
+0|
+3|Familiar Growth|+1 Arcane Caster Level
3rd|
+2|
+1|
+1|
+3|Augment Familiar|+1 Arcane Caster Level
4th|
+3|
+1|
+1|
+4|Familiar Growth|+1 Arcane Caster Level
5th|
+3|
+1|
+1|
+4|Enhance Familiar|+1 Arcane Caster Level
6th|
+4|
+2|
+2|
+5|Familiar Growth|---
7th|
+5|
+2|
+2|
+5|Fortify Familiar|+1 Arcane Caster Level
8th|
+6|
+2|
+2|
+6|Familiar Growth|+1 Arcane Caster Level
9th|
+6|
+3|
+3|
+6|Empower Familiar|+1 Arcane Caster Level
10th|
+7|
+3|
+3|
+7|Familiar Growth, Shared Spells|+1 Arcane Caster Level[/table]
Weapon Proficiencies: A familiarist does not gain any new weapon or armor proficiencies.
Spellcasting: At every familiarist level except 1st and 6th, the familiarist gains new spells per day as if he had also gained a level in a spellcasting class he belonged to before adding the prestige class. He does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained, except for an increased effective level of spellcasting. If a character had more than one spellcasting class before becoming a familiarist, he must decide to which class he adds the new level for purposes of determining spells per day.
Familiar Advancement: A familiarist's bond to his familiar is greater than that of other mages. For the purposes of determining the familiars abilities treat his character level as his level for determining familiar benefits and abilities.
Infused Familiar (Ex): A familiarist's familiar is filled to the brim with magical power, more so than a normal familiar, and this causes a number of changes in the familiar itself, the first of which is that the familiar has a number of Hit Die equal to its own Hit Die + the familiarist's caster level - 2. The familiar uses it's own Base Attack Bonus, HP, and Hit Die for any ability or effect if it would be higher.
Familiar Growth (Ex): Each time this ability is gained, the familiar gains the abilities of another familiar that the familiarist could obtain. This has multiple possible effects as described below:
*Size Increase: The familiar's size increases one size category, with all the normal bonuses and penalties. Maximum size for a familiar is Large.
*Combined Familiar: You combine the traits of a creature you could gain as a familiar to your existing familiar. The familiar gains all the special attacks, special qualities, and natural attacks. Use the best of each familiar's ability scores, movement modes, and natural attacks.
*Strange Familiar: Give your familiar a template with an LA up to half your familiarist level.
*Evolve Familiar: Your familiar gains a number of evolution points to spend on Eidolon Mutations (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/summoner/eidolons) equal to your Casting Stat bonus + half your Familiarist level, your selection of evolutions is limited to the ones a Summoner of your caster level could select. This Familiar Growth can only be taken once.
*Extra Familiar: You gain an additional familiar. It benefits from all the same Familiar Growths as the original, but different options can be chosen for each ability (Ex. Combined Familiar could combine an imp into one familiar, but a bat into another). A familiarist can only take this Familiar Growth once.
*Familiar Class: Your familiar can gain the class features of a class of your choice as if they had a number of levels in the class equal to half their Hit Die. It gains no other benefits from that class. You cannot choose a spellcasting or manifesting class (unless there's an alternate that trades the spellcasting/manifesting abilities).
*Familiar Fusion: The familiarist fuses with his familiar, gaining all movement modes, natural attacks, special qualities, and special attacks of the familiar (including feats and class features). Additionally, the familiarist gains a bonus to his physical ability scores equal to the same ability scores -10 (Ex: a familiar with Str 14, Dex 18, and Con 16 would result in a +4, +8, and +6 bonus respectively). The familiarist can separate from his familiar at will. The familiarist may use this ability a number of times per day equal to their casting stat modifier or half their class level, whichever is lower. The familiarist must be at least 8th level to select this Familiar Growth. If the familiarist has the Extra Familiar Familiar Growth, he can only fuse with one of his familiars at a time.
Augment Familiar (Sp): A familiarist of 3rd level gains the ability to cast Augment Familiar as a spell-like ability a number of times per day equal to his class level + his Casting Stat. Additionally, the familiarist can sacrifice a spell of 2nd level or higher spell to cast Augment Familiar. Spells that specifically target your familiar are now Extended as if by the Extend Spell feat.
Enhance Familiar (Sp): A familiarist of 5th level gains the ability to cast Enhance Familiar as a spell-like ability a number of times per day equal to his class level + his Casting Stat. Additionally, the familiarist can sacrifice a spell of 3rd level or higher spell to cast Enhance Familiar. Spells that specifically target your familiar have their effects doubled.
Fortify Familiar (Sp): A familiarist of 7th level gains the ability to cast Fortify Familiar as a spell-like ability a number of times per day equal to his class level + his Casting Stat. Additionally, the familiarist can sacrifice a spell of 4th level or higher spell to cast Fortify Familiar. Spells that specifically target your familiar are now Persisted as if by the Persist Spell feat.
Empower Familiar (Ex): A familiarist of 9th level can spend a use of Augment Familiar, Enhance Familiar, and Fortify Familiar to cast all three on his familiar simultaneously as long as it is within close range of its familiarist. Additionally, the familiar grows one size category and has the damage die of its natural attacks increased as if by taking Improved Natural Attack when under the effects of Empower Familiar.
Shared Spells (Ex): At 10th level, whenever the familiarist casts a spell on his familiar, he may duplicate its effect on himself (including spells that would only affect the familiar) as if he was benefiting from the Share Spell ability. Additionally, the familiarist may share spells with his familiar as long as it is within close range.
PLAYING A FAMILIARIST
A familiarist is dedicated to their partner, and vice versa. They are connected in a way that's deeper and more meaningful than blood ties. The Familiarist relies on his familiar, just as the familiar relies on the familiarist.
Combat: A familiarist is one that gets into the fray alongside their familiar, the mage able to hang back and fire off spells while the familiar plows into the enemy or both charging in to tear into their foes.
Advancement: Because the familiarist's familiar is based on character level rather than class level, it is advised that the familiarist continues to meld sword and sorcery, whether as a spellsword, an eldritch knight, a knight phantom, or an abjurant champion, as long as the mix is advanced, the familiarist will grow in power.
Resources: A familiarist draws on the same resources as most mages and warriors.
FAMILIARISTS IN THE WORLD
"Neva seen an't'ing like it b'fore, tha' fella's pe', was qui'e a beaut' too."
Unknown street rat after seeing a familiarist's familiar
Familiarists are fairly rare, the dedication to their familiar is beyond what most mages do, and the cultivation of the bond is a tedious task for many. Only the most dedicated of mages can get to the point where their familiar 'evolves' and they can become a familiarist.
Daily Life: Familiarists often try to cultivate their bond with their familiar, caring for them and training with them, always strengthening their bond as it's the source of their abilities and strength.
Notables: One of the most notable of familiarists is Adriana Gian and Guinevere. Adriana was a skilled bard that made a bond with a simple house cat named Guinevere. Over time, she grew more and more attached to it and the cat bacame her familiar, and eventually, the bond grew stronger until she became a familiarist. The cat grew in size, gained a pair of feathered wings like those of a falcon, and a gold crown shrouded in blue flames floated above its head, it became her greatest companion. Combining her music and the familiar's combat skills, it was quite an impressive display. Eventually, she settled down, joining a mage's college alongside Guinevere where they taught others to become familiarists. She became known as the Mother of Familiars, and Guinevere gained the name The Sapphire Queen.
On the other end of the spectrum, is the mage known as Ironhand, a battle sorcerer that bred a powerful imp as his familiar, which he then fused with other beings, increasing its strength and size, turning it into a greater devil, a carnage machine with the brute strength, cunning, and stealth to be a threat all its own. It was at that point, that the imp was "promoted" and became a new creature, one far more powerful than before. With this being at his side, Ironhand was able to infiltrate a Magocratic City and assassinate the leaders, taking over with his familiar as his advisor, where he ruled until the day he died and his familiar took the reins, quickly plunging the city into the Nine Hells along with everyone in it. The familiar can still be found in hell today, surving his reborn master, a pit fiend of great influence and power fighting in the blood war.
Organizations: Most mage colleges have at least one familiarist in their ranks, though most are only beginners that have retired early in their careers. However, for the more experienced familiarists, there's one organization that caters specifically to them, The Beast Magi Guild.
NPC Reaction
Mostly, the familiar is what is noticed more than the familiarist, the familiar is often exotic and magestic in appearance, having obvious signs that it is magic. The familiarist, unless he shows his magical skills, is almost always seen as an adventurer that picked up some sort of exotic magical beast and tamed it.
FAMILIARISTS IN THE GAME
A familiarist is like an arcane druid, its familiar being a smarter version of the druid's animal companion. This has about the same impact as the animal companion itself.
Adaptation: As it stands, the familiarist's familiar is simply evolving as more magic is poured into the bond and the familiar, causing it to change and become more powerful. A GM could easily change it so that the familiarist fuses other possible familiars into his main one or it could search out an exotic animal and infuse his existing familiar into the beast, making it his new familiar.
Encounters: When faced with a familiarist, you must be cautious, as the mage and familiar are often finely tuned to each other, fighting in a tactical manner that optimizes their abilities. They are a truely dangerous pair.
Familiarist
http://us-p.vclart.net/vcl/Artists/Xaven/Fan%20art%20and%20other/Selune_small.jpg
"She is not some mere beast, she is my dearest friend, and she doesn't take kindly to people attacking me."
Albrick Sol, Familiarist
A familiar is a magical example of a small animal that is bonded to a mage, stronger and smarter than others of its kind, it is often seen as a servant or vulnerability by mages. Not so for the familiarist, they see it as a living extension of their magic that can be cultivated and made stronger, a body guard capable of keeping up with the mage, and a partner and friend that they will have for life. They are able to alter, empower, and make their familiar better, and improve on themselves along the way as well.
BECOMING A FAMILIARIST
A familiarist is always an arcane spellcaster or invoker that has some combat training and the ability to summon a familiar. Bards are surprisingly common among the ranks of the familiarist, as are battle sorcerers and dragonfire adepts. Other common familiarists are the hexblade and duskblade, both of whome benefit greatly from the enhanced familiar.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Base Attack Bonus: +3
Skills: Knowledge (Arcana) 8 Ranks, Spellcraft 8 Ranks
Feats: Bonded Familiar, Improved Familiar
Spellcasting: Arcane Caster Level 5th
Special: Proficiency with at least one martial weapon
Special: Ability to summon a familiar
Special: Must have had the same familiar for a year and a day.
Class Skills
The Class Name's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Handle Animal (Cha), Knowledge (Arcana/The Planes)(Int), Ride (Dex), Spellcraft (Int).
Skills Points at Each Level: 4 + int
Hit Dice: d8
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|Spellcasting
1st|
+0|
+0|
+0|
+2|Familiar Advancement, Infused Familiar|---
2nd|
+1|
+0|
+0|
+3|Familiar Growth|+1 Arcane Caster Level
3rd|
+2|
+1|
+1|
+3|Augment Familiar|+1 Arcane Caster Level
4th|
+3|
+1|
+1|
+4|Familiar Growth|+1 Arcane Caster Level
5th|
+3|
+1|
+1|
+4|Enhance Familiar|+1 Arcane Caster Level
6th|
+4|
+2|
+2|
+5|Familiar Growth|---
7th|
+5|
+2|
+2|
+5|Fortify Familiar|+1 Arcane Caster Level
8th|
+6|
+2|
+2|
+6|Familiar Growth|+1 Arcane Caster Level
9th|
+6|
+3|
+3|
+6|Empower Familiar|+1 Arcane Caster Level
10th|
+7|
+3|
+3|
+7|Familiar Growth, Shared Spells|+1 Arcane Caster Level[/table]
Weapon Proficiencies: A familiarist does not gain any new weapon or armor proficiencies.
Spellcasting: At every familiarist level except 1st and 6th, the familiarist gains new spells per day as if he had also gained a level in a spellcasting class he belonged to before adding the prestige class. He does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained, except for an increased effective level of spellcasting. If a character had more than one spellcasting class before becoming a familiarist, he must decide to which class he adds the new level for purposes of determining spells per day.
Familiar Advancement: A familiarist's bond to his familiar is greater than that of other mages. For the purposes of determining the familiars abilities treat his character level as his level for determining familiar benefits and abilities.
Infused Familiar (Ex): A familiarist's familiar is filled to the brim with magical power, more so than a normal familiar, and this causes a number of changes in the familiar itself, the first of which is that the familiar has a number of Hit Die equal to its own Hit Die + the familiarist's caster level - 2. The familiar uses it's own Base Attack Bonus, HP, and Hit Die for any ability or effect if it would be higher.
Familiar Growth (Ex): Each time this ability is gained, the familiar gains the abilities of another familiar that the familiarist could obtain. This has multiple possible effects as described below:
*Size Increase: The familiar's size increases one size category, with all the normal bonuses and penalties. Maximum size for a familiar is Large.
*Combined Familiar: You combine the traits of a creature you could gain as a familiar to your existing familiar. The familiar gains all the special attacks, special qualities, and natural attacks. Use the best of each familiar's ability scores, movement modes, and natural attacks.
*Strange Familiar: Give your familiar a template with an LA up to half your familiarist level.
*Evolve Familiar: Your familiar gains a number of evolution points to spend on Eidolon Mutations (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/summoner/eidolons) equal to your Casting Stat bonus + half your Familiarist level, your selection of evolutions is limited to the ones a Summoner of your caster level could select. This Familiar Growth can only be taken once.
*Extra Familiar: You gain an additional familiar. It benefits from all the same Familiar Growths as the original, but different options can be chosen for each ability (Ex. Combined Familiar could combine an imp into one familiar, but a bat into another). A familiarist can only take this Familiar Growth once.
*Familiar Class: Your familiar can gain the class features of a class of your choice as if they had a number of levels in the class equal to half their Hit Die. It gains no other benefits from that class. You cannot choose a spellcasting or manifesting class (unless there's an alternate that trades the spellcasting/manifesting abilities).
*Familiar Fusion: The familiarist fuses with his familiar, gaining all movement modes, natural attacks, special qualities, and special attacks of the familiar (including feats and class features). Additionally, the familiarist gains a bonus to his physical ability scores equal to the same ability scores -10 (Ex: a familiar with Str 14, Dex 18, and Con 16 would result in a +4, +8, and +6 bonus respectively). The familiarist can separate from his familiar at will. The familiarist may use this ability a number of times per day equal to their casting stat modifier or half their class level, whichever is lower. The familiarist must be at least 8th level to select this Familiar Growth. If the familiarist has the Extra Familiar Familiar Growth, he can only fuse with one of his familiars at a time.
Augment Familiar (Sp): A familiarist of 3rd level gains the ability to cast Augment Familiar as a spell-like ability a number of times per day equal to his class level + his Casting Stat. Additionally, the familiarist can sacrifice a spell of 2nd level or higher spell to cast Augment Familiar. Spells that specifically target your familiar are now Extended as if by the Extend Spell feat.
Enhance Familiar (Sp): A familiarist of 5th level gains the ability to cast Enhance Familiar as a spell-like ability a number of times per day equal to his class level + his Casting Stat. Additionally, the familiarist can sacrifice a spell of 3rd level or higher spell to cast Enhance Familiar. Spells that specifically target your familiar have their effects doubled.
Fortify Familiar (Sp): A familiarist of 7th level gains the ability to cast Fortify Familiar as a spell-like ability a number of times per day equal to his class level + his Casting Stat. Additionally, the familiarist can sacrifice a spell of 4th level or higher spell to cast Fortify Familiar. Spells that specifically target your familiar are now Persisted as if by the Persist Spell feat.
Empower Familiar (Ex): A familiarist of 9th level can spend a use of Augment Familiar, Enhance Familiar, and Fortify Familiar to cast all three on his familiar simultaneously as long as it is within close range of its familiarist. Additionally, the familiar grows one size category and has the damage die of its natural attacks increased as if by taking Improved Natural Attack when under the effects of Empower Familiar.
Shared Spells (Ex): At 10th level, whenever the familiarist casts a spell on his familiar, he may duplicate its effect on himself (including spells that would only affect the familiar) as if he was benefiting from the Share Spell ability. Additionally, the familiarist may share spells with his familiar as long as it is within close range.
PLAYING A FAMILIARIST
A familiarist is dedicated to their partner, and vice versa. They are connected in a way that's deeper and more meaningful than blood ties. The Familiarist relies on his familiar, just as the familiar relies on the familiarist.
Combat: A familiarist is one that gets into the fray alongside their familiar, the mage able to hang back and fire off spells while the familiar plows into the enemy or both charging in to tear into their foes.
Advancement: Because the familiarist's familiar is based on character level rather than class level, it is advised that the familiarist continues to meld sword and sorcery, whether as a spellsword, an eldritch knight, a knight phantom, or an abjurant champion, as long as the mix is advanced, the familiarist will grow in power.
Resources: A familiarist draws on the same resources as most mages and warriors.
FAMILIARISTS IN THE WORLD
"Neva seen an't'ing like it b'fore, tha' fella's pe', was qui'e a beaut' too."
Unknown street rat after seeing a familiarist's familiar
Familiarists are fairly rare, the dedication to their familiar is beyond what most mages do, and the cultivation of the bond is a tedious task for many. Only the most dedicated of mages can get to the point where their familiar 'evolves' and they can become a familiarist.
Daily Life: Familiarists often try to cultivate their bond with their familiar, caring for them and training with them, always strengthening their bond as it's the source of their abilities and strength.
Notables: One of the most notable of familiarists is Adriana Gian and Guinevere. Adriana was a skilled bard that made a bond with a simple house cat named Guinevere. Over time, she grew more and more attached to it and the cat bacame her familiar, and eventually, the bond grew stronger until she became a familiarist. The cat grew in size, gained a pair of feathered wings like those of a falcon, and a gold crown shrouded in blue flames floated above its head, it became her greatest companion. Combining her music and the familiar's combat skills, it was quite an impressive display. Eventually, she settled down, joining a mage's college alongside Guinevere where they taught others to become familiarists. She became known as the Mother of Familiars, and Guinevere gained the name The Sapphire Queen.
On the other end of the spectrum, is the mage known as Ironhand, a battle sorcerer that bred a powerful imp as his familiar, which he then fused with other beings, increasing its strength and size, turning it into a greater devil, a carnage machine with the brute strength, cunning, and stealth to be a threat all its own. It was at that point, that the imp was "promoted" and became a new creature, one far more powerful than before. With this being at his side, Ironhand was able to infiltrate a Magocratic City and assassinate the leaders, taking over with his familiar as his advisor, where he ruled until the day he died and his familiar took the reins, quickly plunging the city into the Nine Hells along with everyone in it. The familiar can still be found in hell today, surving his reborn master, a pit fiend of great influence and power fighting in the blood war.
Organizations: Most mage colleges have at least one familiarist in their ranks, though most are only beginners that have retired early in their careers. However, for the more experienced familiarists, there's one organization that caters specifically to them, The Beast Magi Guild.
NPC Reaction
Mostly, the familiar is what is noticed more than the familiarist, the familiar is often exotic and magestic in appearance, having obvious signs that it is magic. The familiarist, unless he shows his magical skills, is almost always seen as an adventurer that picked up some sort of exotic magical beast and tamed it.
FAMILIARISTS IN THE GAME
A familiarist is like an arcane druid, its familiar being a smarter version of the druid's animal companion. This has about the same impact as the animal companion itself.
Adaptation: As it stands, the familiarist's familiar is simply evolving as more magic is poured into the bond and the familiar, causing it to change and become more powerful. A GM could easily change it so that the familiarist fuses other possible familiars into his main one or it could search out an exotic animal and infuse his existing familiar into the beast, making it his new familiar.
Encounters: When faced with a familiarist, you must be cautious, as the mage and familiar are often finely tuned to each other, fighting in a tactical manner that optimizes their abilities. They are a truely dangerous pair.