[3.5] Grimalkin (MM2)

[Thurbane]

Hey all,

I'm interested in having one of these (http://www.keepandshare.com/doc20/2292/grimalkin-pdf-88k?da=y) as a cohort/familiar in an upcoming game.

Two questions:

1.) What would be an appropriate requirement for one as an Improved Familiar (as a houserule - I will be DM, so no "check with your DM" please). It is a CR2, medium 4HD, magical beast. Looking at the Improved Familiars in Complete Warrior, a Worg is a CR 2, 4HD medium magical beast, and requires CL3 and BAB +3. A Blink Dog is also a CR2, 4HD medium magical beast, but requires CL5 and BAB +5. Would a Grimalkin be in line with the Blink Dog as a familiar?

2.) The Grimalkin has the following ability (as per 3.5 update/errata):

Alternate Form (Su): Can assume any animal or vermin form of Medium size or smaller as a free action. This ability functions as a polymorph spell cast on itself at a caster level of 4th, except that the creature does not regain hit points for changing form and can only assume the form of an animal or vermin. The creature can remain in its animal or vermin form until it chooses to assume a new one or return to its natural form.
What would be some good animal and vermin forms for it to assume?

Any thoughts and suggestions welcome.

Cheers - T

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by Thurbane
I'm interested in having one of these as a cohort/familiar in an upcoming game.

Not sure if you realized this, but when I clicked on your link to "these" it gave me a login screen.


Originally Posted by Thurbane
What would be some good animal and vermin forms for it to assume?

I suppose that depends on what you as the DM would like it to be doing. Is this for an NPC, or are you pre-approving a player's options?

Any animal or vermin that's Medium or smaller is incredibly versatile. Do you plan to put any restrictions on it--such as the druid's requirement to be familiar with potential wildshape forms--or will this creature have access to the resources of an entire biosphere?

Just off the top of my head, an eyelash viper would be a nice shape, or maybe a boomslang or a spitting cobra. An eel would be fantastic underwater (cue M.C. Hammer: Can't touch this) while an otter would be just plain fun, and an unobtrusive riparian scout.

For lithe ferocity on land, a mongoose would be great, and a honey badger (aka ratel) probably even better. A hummingbird combines the best aerial maneuverability in the vertebrate world with hard-to-beat speed and about the smallest possible target profile, as well as being surprisingly cryptic in forest environments. A hummingbird with Flyby Attack holding a touch spell could be decently useful.

For silence, strength, and wicked talons, a snowy owl would be my raptor of choice. If you want nimble, probing hands, a capuchin monkey is great--intelligent, inventive and natural tool-users. If you want an instant source of contact poison, any of a number of poison-dart frogs could be just the thing. And speaking of toxins, if you want a combined hemotoxin, myotoxin and neurotoxin, the yellow-bellied sea snake (Pelamis platurus) fits the bill.

If you'd like a strong aerial scout that can also make underwater forays, one of the diving ducks might work well, perhaps an eider duck. For a fast arboreal form capable of navigating a rainforest canopy, the gibbon is your man, or at least your lesser ape. If you need an armored burrower, one of the Tolypeutes armadillos will do nicely; for a ghostlike sand-swimmer, there's the pink fairy armadillo.

For an aerial observation platform with extended loiter time, there's always the vulture; as a bonus they're easy to feed. If you're looking for something tiny in a forest and it's deepest night, an echolocating gleaner bat will find it for you. And if you want a dainty, gaudy, mildly dopey creature with deceptively powerful claws, the giant anteater is the way to go.

That should do for a start. If you can be a little more specific about what you'd like your polymetamorph to be doing, I'll see what else I can suggest.

[Thurbane]

Well, in terms of animals and vermin, I was looking specifically for creatures with official WotC stats.

Wasn't aware of the login requirement: it should just be a link to a pdf with some info summarized from the MM2.

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by Thurbane
Well, in terms of animals and vermin, I was looking specifically for creatures with official WotC stats.

All of them?

:smalltongue:

[Thurbane]

All of them?

:smalltongue:
Well, just ones that jumped out as having good combat and/or out of combat uses.

[Palanan]

Otter is at the top of my list, since they're fast and versatile. Eels are great for the same reason; there's a version in Stormwrack, although I haven't looked too closely at it.

The Monster Manual probably has most of the standard, common forms; the wolverine is probably a decent stand-in for the honey badger. The MM also has a generic monkey which could be used for the capuchin, which would make a fantastic familiar.

One of the Forgotten Realms books has a lynx, although I can never remember which book it's in. Beyond that it would really depend on the situation. Giant centipedes are in the MM, I think--a good one for all your scuttling poisonous needs. And so forth.