Attuned staff variant to traditional Familiar or Psycrystal

[Corenthius]

Hello everyone,

This is an idea i came up with while watching LotR wizards in action. I wanted to create a variant to the normal familiar or psycrystal casters that used a staff as an extension of themselves rather than a bonding/partnership with an animal or crystal.

The build was built next to the other builds for personal use when coming up with ideas for balancing purposes. I would appreciate any feedback as to what you guys think in general, balancing purposes, or alternative ideas to features. I am not trying to create something pushing the boundaries of balanced and too powerful.

http://www.dandwiki.com/w/images/c/c8/Attuned_Staff_online_changes.pdf

[Yuki Akuma]

...Um. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/magic/itemFamiliars.htm)

[Mnemnosyne]

I like it, and at a glance the abilities look good, except for one. The ability to detect other attuned staffs seems a little boring, at best. Since the range is only fifty feet, it doesn't serve as an early warning of another wizard approaching. Besides that, I'm not sure what the point is. What usefulness does the ability to detect other staffs bring to the table?

I would replace that ability with the ability to transform the staff into a mundane item of some sort. Not quite sure how to word it or what limitations to suggest, but the idea being to be able to inconspicuously leave it somewhere so you can then use the scry on staff ability.

Edit: also, give the staff it's saves at all times, not only when within five feet of the master. Additionally, the wording on the enhancement bonus is odd and suggests its not a real enhancement bonus. Make it clear that it is, and the item thus qualifies for enchantment without having to be made +1 or higher separately. Also important to make clear that the staff's enchantment bonus applies to abilities like Defender. Or, make it clear that it does not apply to those, if it turns out that giving the pluses for free is too powerful. Either way, it should be made a bit clearer.

The table should also be clarified, because while text trumps table, there's no need to introduce confusion if it can be avoided. You have the enhancement bonuses increases for +3 and +5 listed in a table line that covers one level earlier than the text states the enhancement increases at.

[Corenthius]

Thanks for the input. I will make some adjustments to the wording for the enhancement bonus. I will also look at adjusting the detect staff feature some or replace it entirely.

I have looked at the item familiar from the Unearthed Arcana book already. The variant they provide is completely different in concept than what I am proposing. The idea they present is more for any class to have a lucky coin in their pocket that you infuse some parts of your character into (xp, skill points, etc.) in return for a little extra back. It also takes a feat to acquire.

[Thrice Dead Cat]

Pathfinder beat you to it. (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/wizard)