A Question about magic items for a familiar

[Sugarbear007]

Ok, so I’m extremely new to table top rpgs, I just started with a kind of established group. My friend is the DM and I’ve always wanted to try it, just never had people.

I’m being very different from my norm. I like heavy armor, shields, and gallantry; however this character I’m coming up with is a wizard of all things. A wizard who is all about law and order, wanting eventually to rule societies not out of some desire to reap the benefits of owning everything, or oppressing the little people, but because he honestly (and completely arrogantly) thinks he knows best for everyone. He also works more with subtly than OMGFIREBALL!

So after reading, way too many books in a row (Its all version 3.5 D&D for the record), I made a lot of character decisions and my final thought came to what kind of familiar should I get? I really didn’t care for a lot of the little familiars, I wanted something a bit bigger… maybe meaner. I came across the improved familiar feat in the DMs guide and also a slightly different list of familiars in the Complete Warriors guide of all things. I’ve got like 30 books in a box here on loan and a bunch of PDFs too. When I read I could have a hell hound….. that was it, wanted it, plus it goes with the idea that everything has its place regardless of what it is, good, evil, whatever, they all serve.

Then I thought, isn’t like every good cleric, paladin, and angry mob going to take one look at my completely awesome hell hound and be like….. kill it with fire!! … or um…. Something it doesn’t like but not as catchy as fire!

I first thought is there a way for me to disguise the creature to look like something more common like a big black mastiff. Maybe some kind of illusionary enchanted item like a collar or something? I found this

Hat of Disguise: This apparently normal hat allows its wearer
to alter her appearance as with a disguise self spell. As part of the disguise,
the hat can be changed to appear as a comb, ribbon, headband,
cap, coif, hood, helmet, and so on.
Faint illusion; CL 1st; Craft Wondrous Item, disguise self; Price
1,800 gp. On page 258 of the dungeon masters guide.

Don’t think I can just staple it too the hounds head though. That doesn’t protect him from abilities that discern alignments though. Can I have him wear something else though that would?

So here is my ultimate question how can I protect my completely amazing hell hound (as you can tell I’m totally sold on him) from the masses of do-gooders?

Sorry if this is a long post, I’m very details oriented.

[Mystral]

There are rules for item slots of non humanoids (Rules Compendium, p. 84 if I'm informed correctly). If it has the body part, it can wear the item. As it has a head, it can wear a head slot item. So a leather helmet specifically fitted for your hounds head and enchanted as a hat of disguise would do the trick (Many games have houserules for magic items that fit themselves to the wearer, so why not to animals, too). Combine this with a necklace (read: collar) of mind shielding and you're good to go.

Just have some excuse ready when your 'mastiff' breaths fire.

[Sugarbear007]

Thanks for the info Mystral. I’ll work that into my gear.

As far as the flame breath, I guess I’ll have to invest in cross classing bluff and saying he has indigestion. Lol is there a spell that acts like the neutralizer from Men in Black?

FLASH! Wow mister I can’t believe you just put that candle in your pocket, what were you thinking. Those were a nice pair of trousers.

[Mystral]

You could just say that you have a spell that gives your familiar a fire breath. Or that you did a ritual for that.

But then, other wizards might want to learn it.

I guess the best idea is to not let your dawg use the breath when there are pesky witnesses.

[TuggyNE]

I guess the best idea is to not let your dawg use the breath when there are pesky witnesses.

Of course, someone with a hellhound for a familiar may wish to tweak this advice slightly: Don't leave any pesky witnesses if your familiar uses its breath.

[avr]

If you're into using bluff, a sorcerer might work better than a wizard. If it's not a focus of the character don't worry about it though.