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Thistle
2007-08-27, 09:23 PM
I find most familiar's kind of dull and don't interact very much unless they are needed for a spot check or something. So I did this to try to fix it. Submitted for your comments. What do you think?

Normal familiars are linked to their mages in such a way that they are almost one being. However there is a different way of obtaining a familiar. Some mages instead of linking a normal creature to themselves, they instead cause magic to manifest as an independent creature. While not as connected to them as normal, the familiar has a deeper connection to magic and can enhance a mage's spells with that understanding.
These types of familiars are highly independent and tend to have opinions of their own. Should a conversation be going on they will want to be included. They know their value to their masters and will refuse assistance if they feel they are being ignored or used purely for their abilities. If a familiar suggests a spell be cast during a battle and its comment is ignored, it may choose to not help preform a ritual or end a ritual early causing the spell to be lost. They tend to be slightly reckless given their rejuvination ablility. Most are not content to sit quietly on their masters shoulder.

Obtaining a familiar such as this requires 35 hours, 200gp, and the improved familiar feat. However the ritual must take place over the course of a lunar cycle. Seven hours of ritual must be preformed during the new moon, the quarter moon, the full moon, the second quarter moon and again on the new moon. At the completion of the ritual the mage must channel all avalible spell slots he has to create the familiar. To maintain the familiar afterwards requires one spell level per hit die of the familiar to be channeled every day at dawn. Should a familiar not recieve these spell levels it loses all abilities (except Int, Improved evasion and Speak with master) and becomes sickened. If the spells are channeled later in the day the familiar is no longer sickened but can still not use abilities until the next day. If a familiar goes without having spell levels channeled to it for two days, it dies and the mage is subject to xp lose as normal.

A familiar can take the appearance of any animal normally available as a familiar. It has the feats of the normal animal, but is treated as a magical beast. A familiar can change its appearance 1/week. Doing so takes one minute.

Familiar Basics: Use the basic stats for a creature of the familiar’s current kind, but make the following changes.
Hit Die: Familiars have Hit Die equal to the master’s caster level The familiar only gains HD from caster levels gained by the class granting the familiar.
Hit points: The familiar gains d8+Con modifier hit points per Hit Die.
Attack: Base attack bonus is equal to ľ the familiars hit die (as cleric).Use the familiar’s Dex or Str bonus (which ever is higher), to get the melee attack bonus with natural weapons. Damage equals that of a normal creature of the familiar’s current kind.
Saving Throws: A familiar has base saving throws based on its hit die. Its good saves are Fort and Ref, its bad saving throw is Will.
Skills: A familiar’s skills do not change with its form (though racial bonuses do). A familiar gains 2+Int mod of skill points per hit die.
Class skills are Balance, Climb, Concentration, Hide, Jump, Knowledge (arcana), Listen, Spellcraft, Spot, Swim, Move Silently
Feats: A familiar does not gain feats from its hit die, only those granted by its current form.


Familiar
{table=head]Hit Die|Base Attack<br>Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special

1st|
+0|
+2|
+2|
+0|Deflection Bonus, Int, Improved Evasion, Speak with Master, Rejuvenation

2nd|
+1|
+3|
+3|
+0|

3rd|
+2|
+3|
+3|
+1|Deliver touch spells

4th|
+3|
+4|
+4|
+1|

5th|
+3|
+4|
+4|
+1|Ritual Metamagic

6th|
+4|
+5|
+5|
+2|

7th|
+5|
+5|
+5|
+2|

8th|
+6|
+6|
+6|
+2|

9th|
+6|
+6|
+6|
+3|

10th|
+7|
+7|
+7|
+3|Spell Resistance, Metamagic Points (4)

11th|
+8|
+7|
+7|
+3|

12th|
+9|
+8|
+8|
+4|

13th|
+9|
+8|
+8|
+4|

14th|
+10|
+9|
+9|
+4|

15th|
+11|
+9|
+9|
+5| One with Magic, Metamagic Points (6)

16th|
+12|
+10|
+10|
+5|

17th|
+12|
+10|
+10|
+5|

18th|
+13|
+11|
+11|
+6|

19th|
+14|
+11|
+11|
+6|

20th|
+15|
+12|
+12|
+6|Metamagic Points (8) [/table]

Deflection Bonus (Su) – This represents the familiar’s innate ability to control magical energy around it in order to protect itself. It is equal to half its HD rounded up.

Int – The familiar’s Int score starts at 10. It increases by one at 3 HD and every other HD after that. A familiar gains skill points retroactively for increased Int bonus.

Improved evasion (Ex) – As normal familiar ability

Speak with Master (Ex) – As normal familiar ability

Rejuvenation (Su) – A familiar that dies reforms from a mage's ambient magic on the next new moon and thus does not require a Fort save from the mage if it dies. Spells must still be channeled daily to maintain the rejuvenating familiar and at the new moon all spell slots must be sacrificed to reform the familiar. However, its nature prevents it from being raised before this time. (A familiar that dies because the spell levels were not channeled to it cannot rejuvenate.)

Deliver touch spells (Su) – As normal familiar ability

Ritual Metamagic (Sp) – At 5th level a familiar can help his master perform metamagic spontaneously and without increasing spell level. In order to do this the mage must know the metamagic feat*, the familiar must be within 10 feet, and the familiar must have enough ritual metamagic points. A familiar has 2 points/5 Hit Die.
Each metamagic point counts as one increase in spell level. Thus with 2 points the ritual could be used to Empower a spell, Silent and Still a spell, or Heighten a spell by two levels*.
A ritual takes a number of casting times equal to the number of points spent plus one. For spells with casting times shorter than one round increase their casting time to one round. For example: A widened Antipathy (casting time 1 hour) would take 4 hours to cast in this manner. Three rounds for the points used to widen the spell and then one more hour of standard casting time.
A widened Antimagic field (casting time 1 standard action) would take 4 rounds. Since the spell's casting time is less than one round the ritual increases its casting time to one round. So three rounds for the points used to widen the spell and then one more round of increased casting time.
Should either the master or the familiar be forced to stop casting a ritual, from failing a Concentration check or being grappled for example, the spell is lost.
*A metamagic ritual can be used to Empower, Enlarge, Extend, Fortify (+2 CL to bypass spell resistance per spell level increased), Heighten, Maximize, Silent, Still, or Widen a spell.
*You can only use 1 point/5 HD on any one spell.

Spell Resistance (Ex) – At tenth level a familiar gains spell resistance equal to 10+the master’s caster level.

One with Magic (Su) – At fifteenth level a familiar gains the ability to merge with the magic all around them as a move action. The familiar becomes incorporeal, and immune any magical effects allowing spell resistance for 1 round/5 Hit Die/day. It can also attempt to counter any spell or spell-like ability as if the familiar had the correct spell prepared while One with Magic.

Jack_Simth
2007-08-27, 09:50 PM
First through, a little brush up...

I find most familiar's kind of dual and don't interact very much unless they are need for a spot check or something. So I did this to try to fix it. Submitted for your comments. What do you think?

Normal familiars are linked to their mages in such a way that they are almost one being. However there is a different way of obtaining a familiar. Some mages instead of linking a normal creature to themselves, they instead cause magic to manifest as an independent creature. While not as connected to them as normal, the familiar has a deeper connection to magic and can enhance a mage's spells with that understanding.

Nice fluff.


Obtaining a familiar such as this requires 35 hours, 200gp, and the improved familiar feat. However the ritual must take place over the course of a lunar cycle. Seven hours of ritual must be preformed during the new moon, the quarter moon, the full moon, the second quarter moon and again on the new moon.

Nice fluff.


A familiar can take the appearance of any animal normally available as a familiar. It has the Hit Die, base attack bonus, base save bonus, and feats of the normal animal, but is treated as a magical beast. A familiar can change its appearance 1/week. Doing so takes one minute.

Here's where things start to need neatening up - here, you list that it has the HD, BAB, base saves, and feats of a normal animal. Below, you list a d8 hd, BAB, saves, and so on. Which is right? I'm guessing the table (as you put more effort into it).


Familiar Basics: Use the basic stats for a creature of the familiar’s current kind, but make the following changes.
Hit Die: For the purposes of effects related to the number of Hit Die use the master’s caster level.
Standard, nice enough, but....


Hit points: The familiar gains d8+Con modifier hit points per level.
Silly question: What's it's level? I'm guessing that it has a level equal to it's masters... but nowhere do you mention it.


Attack: Base attack bonus is equal to ľ the familiars hit die (as cleric).Use the familiar’s Dex or Str bonus (which ever is higher), to get the melee attack bonus with natural weapons. Damage equals that of a normal creature of the familiar’s current kind.
Eh, everything on the standard familiar list gets Weapon Finesse as a bonus feat whenever it has a better Dex than Str. Nice to codify it, but it doesn't really matter.


Saving Throws: A familiar has base saving throws based on its hit die. Its good saves are Fort and Ref, its bad saving throw is Will.
Skills: A familiar’s skills do not change with its form (though racial bonuses do). A familiar gains 2+Int mod of skill points per hit die.

Nifty, both, but again - what's the level?

Also, what's the class skills?


Feats: A familiar does not gain feats from its hit die, only those granted by its current form.

Okay. Nice enough - so the familiar isn't a feat-farm for item crafting or anything.


Familiar
{table=head]Hit Die|Base Attack<br>Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special

1st|
+0|
+2|
+2|
+0|Deflection Bonus, Int, Improved Evasion, Speak with Master, Rejuvenation

2nd|
+1|
+3|
+3|
+0|

3rd|
+2|
+3|
+3|
+1|Deliver touch spells

4th|
+3|
+4|
+4|
+1|

5th|
+3|
+4|
+4|
+1|Ritual Metamagic

6th|
+4|
+5|
+5|
+2|

7th|
+5|
+5|
+5|
+2|

8th|
+6|
+6|
+6|
+2|

9th|
+6|
+6|
+6|
+3|

10th|
+7|
+7|
+7|
+3|Spell Resistance, Metamagic Points (4)

11th|
+8|
+7|
+7|
+3|

12th|
+9|
+8|
+8|
+4|

13th|
+9|
+8|
+8|
+4|

14th|
+10|
+9|
+9|
+4|

15th|
+11|
+9|
+9|
+5| One with Magic, Metamagic Points (6)

16th|
+12|
+10|
+10|
+5|

17th|
+12|
+10|
+10|
+5|

18th|
+13|
+11|
+11|
+6|

19th|
+14|
+11|
+11|
+6|

20th|
+15|
+12|
+12|
+6|Metamagic Points (8) [/table]

Deflection Bonus (Su) – This represents the familiar’s innate ability to control magical energy around it in order to protect itself. It is equal to half its HD rounded up.

Handy... but again, what's it's HD? As long as your familiar isn't specifically targetted, this won't matter much.


Int – The familiar’s Int score starts at 10. It increases by one at 3 HD and every other HD after that. A familiar gains skill points retroactively for increased Int bonus.

Handy - these familiars are skill farms. But um... what are their class skills?


Improved evasion (Ex) – As normal familiar ability

Speak with Master (Ex) – As normal familiar ability

Rejuvenation (Su) – A familiar that dies reforms from a mage's ambient magic on the next new moon and thus does not require a Fort save from the mage if it dies.

Ooohh.... get a new one in under a month if it dies, at no cost and no risk? I'll never have to replace it! Umm... where's it form, though?


Deliver touch spells (Su) – As normal familiar ability

Ritual Metamagic (Sp) – At 5th level a familiar can help his master perform metamagic spontaneously and without increasing spell level. In order to do this the mage must know the metamagic feat*, the familiar must be within 10 feet, and the familiar must have enough ritual metamagic points. A familiar has 2 points/5 Hit Die.
Each metamagic point counts as one increase in spell level. Thus with 2 points the ritual could be used to Empower a spell, Silent and Still a spell, or Heighten a spell by two levels*.
A ritual takes a number of casting times equal to the number of points spent plus one. For spells with casting times shorter than one round increase the casting time to one round.
*A metamagic ritual can be used to Empower, Enlarge, Extend, Fortify (+2 CL to bypass spell resistance per spell level increased), Heighten, Maximize, Silent, Still, or Widen a spell.
*You can only use 1 point/5 HD on any one spell.

Not too bad... but now I've got an unkillable familiar that'll be able to Still Spell my best spell while I'm tied up in a dungeon. This could get ugly.

Wordings a little odd, though - "takes a number of casting times equal to the number of points spent plus one" - err... translation? Trying to say that a Silent Enlarge Person would take 2 rounds (1+1*1 round)? That the casting time is multiplied by (1+normal spell level increase) if 1 round or higher, or to 1 round if under 1 round?


Spell Resistance (Ex) – At tenth level a familiar gains spell resistance equal to 10+the master’s caster level.

Oh, nifty (except when the familiar needs in-combat healing).


One with Magic (Su) – At fifteenth level a familiar gains the ability to merge with the magic all around them. The familiar becomes incorporeal, and immune any magical effects allowing spell resistance for 1 round/5 Hit Die. It can also attempt to counter any spell or spell-like ability as if the familiar had the correct spell prepared.So... at 15th level, the first spell any opposing spellcaster casts in any given round is counterspelled, so long as I'm not flat-footed? Nifty.
1) You list no limit on how often this can be done (looks like you intend "daily").
2) You don't actually attach the incorporeal state to the counterspelling; as written, a familiar that's reached 15th can just counterspell away all day while sitting corporeally on the master's shoulder.
3) You don't list the type of action to activate


This is a bit more than one should get for a feat, I think. Beats the heck out of a normal familiar, even a normal Improved Familiar.

Thistle
2007-08-27, 10:39 PM
First through, a little brush up...
Here's where things start to need neatening up - here, you list that it has the HD, BAB, base saves, and feats of a normal animal. Below, you list a d8 hd, BAB, saves, and so on. Which is right? I'm guessing the table (as you put more effort into it).
The table is correct. The familiar only gains feats.



Silly question: What's it's level? I'm guessing that it has a level equal to it's masters... but nowhere do you mention it.
Hit Die is equal to caster level. The hit die passage is the first one right under the familiar basics.



Also, what's the class skills?
Added



Ooohh.... get a new one in under a month if it dies, at no cost and no risk? I'll never have to replace it! Umm... where's it form, though?
Added a passage I forgot. It cannot be raised before the new moon.
It forms next to its master, out the magic he has.


Wordings a little odd, though - "takes a number of casting times equal to the number of points spent plus one" - err... translation? Trying to say that a Silent Enlarge Person would take 2 rounds (1+1*1 round)? That the casting time is multiplied by (1+normal spell level increase) if 1 round or higher, or to 1 round if under 1 round?
I thought it was fairly clear but.
For example: A widened Antipathy (casting time 1 hour) would take 4 hours to cast in this manner. Three rounds for the points used to widen the spell and then one more hour of standard casting time.
A widened Antimagic field (casting time 1 standard action) would take 4 rounds. Since the spell's casting time is less than one round the ritual increases its casting time to one round. So three rounds for the points used to widen the spell and then one more round of increased casting time.


So... at 15th level, the first spell any opposing spellcaster casts in any given round is counterspelled, so long as I'm not flat-footed? Nifty.
1) You list no limit on how often this can be done (looks like you intend "daily").
2) You don't actually attach the incorporeal state to the counterspelling; as written, a familiar that's reached 15th can just counterspell away all day while sitting corporeally on the master's shoulder.
3) You don't list the type of action to activate
You don't counter the spell. The familiar does.
1)Clarified
2)Fixed
3)Done



This is a bit more than one should get for a feat, I think. Beats the heck out of a normal familiar, even a normal Improved Familiar.
Any suggestions? And as a note, more than one feat is required. You must have any metamagic feat that you plan to use in a ritual.

Proven_Paradox
2007-08-28, 02:14 AM
This is an interesting idea, but it's a major power-up to casters that gain familiars, and I'm pretty sure that most people will agree that they really, really don't need any power-boosts at the moment.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't see where the caster loses anything by taking this kind of familiar. In exchange they get a skill-point farm, free metamagics (yes, it's a full-round action now, but I can deal with that), and a sorcerer no longer has to deal with losing XP when their familiar dies.

Perhaps make it so that the caster who takes this loses some spell-slots. It would make sense for the fluff, too, I think; the familiar is formed out of the master's magic, so to maintain the familiar, they have to keep feeding it from their own stores of arcane power. Maybe make this slot-loss higher while it's regenerating.

Jack_Simth
2007-08-28, 06:26 AM
The table is correct. The familiar only gains feats.

Err... I thought you said the familiar didn't gain feats, save those from the animal it's mimicking?


Hit Die is equal to caster level. The hit die passage is the first one right under the familiar basics.

Well, the Hit Die passage is basically a copy of the one in the PHB - and it's just effects relating to HD - so, for example, when someone casts Color Spray at 5th level Wizard and familiar, the is treated as having 5 HD, rather than the 1 of a normal rat. The standard familiar uses the animal's saves (and even specifies what the base saves are in the text - they're static, 1 HD saves) or the Master's, whichever is better. Also, it's based on the Master's HD, not caster level - so the Wizard-3/fighter-1 (going into Eldritch Knight) has 4 HD for his familiar.

Basically, you need to specify that it has that many hit dice in truth.



Added

That's a good list of class skills - makes the magical familiar really good at gathering information for the master (especially with the size bonuses to Hide, and the low-profile of something that looks like an animal anyway). Probably too good.



Added a passage I forgot. It cannot be raised before the new moon.

But as (IRL, anyway) the New Moon happens about every 28 days, it's never going to be gone more than a month.

It forms next to its master, out the magic he has.

Usually the most convenient place for it to form, even.



I thought it was fairly clear but.
For example: A widened Antipathy (casting time 1 hour) would take 4 hours to cast in this manner. Three rounds for the points used to widen the spell and then one more hour of standard casting time.
A widened Antimagic field (casting time 1 standard action) would take 4 rounds. Since the spell's casting time is less than one round the ritual increases its casting time to one round. So three rounds for the points used to widen the spell and then one more round of increased casting time.

Well, I could just be suffering from language drift, but your choice of wording took me a while to sort out.



You don't counter the spell. The familiar does.
1)Clarified
2)Fixed
3)Done

The fact that it's the Familiar's action is what makes it so strong; my familiar sits on my shoulder (well, sits at the level of my shoulder, technically, as incorporeal critters don't fall) keeping you from casting your best spells, while I'm free to zap away. Sure, he can't do it until after my turn (move action to "power up", standard action to ready a counterspell) but as the familiar gets his own set of actions, this doesn't cost me anything but the feat.



Any suggestions? And as a note, more than one feat is required. You must have any metamagic feat that you plan to use in a ritual.Yeah. And now a 5th level Wizard can have an Extended Nondetection; while wandering around Invisible, he can get off a Silent Stinking Cloud. Both in the same day, at a total cost of three feats. At 10th, he can double-heighten a Symbol of Sleep to make it harder to resist. Basically, for any non-combat spell, it's a metamagic effect without the recourse cost. At 10th, if I've got both Still and Silent spell already, I as a Wizard can cast my best spell while bound and gagged, twice per day, without preparing it in metamagic form in advance - the equivalent of four Sudden Metamagic feats, at a cost of three feats, and little extra time, with the bonus of a critter that can potentially beat up the party rogue.

Proven_Paradox: I like your suggestion about costing spell slots - how does one per spell level sound?

Thistle
2007-08-28, 10:12 PM
I added some text about the personality of magical familiars, making them very independent and with a mind of their own.
These types of familiars are highly independent and tend to have opinions of their own. Should a conversation be going on they will want to be included. They know their value to their masters and will refuse assistance if they feel they are being ignored or used purely for their abilities. If a familiar suggests a spell be cast during a battle and its comment is ignored, it may choose to not help preform a ritual or end a ritual early causing the spell to be lost. They tend to be slightly reckless given their rejuvination ablility. Most are not content to sit quietly on their masters shoulder.


Perhaps make it so that the caster who takes this loses some spell-slots. It would make sense for the fluff, too, I think; the familiar is formed out of the master's magic, so to maintain the familiar, they have to keep feeding it from their own stores of arcane power. Maybe make this slot-loss higher while it's regenerating.
Good idea:smallsmile: . I've added some text to that effect at the end of the ritual, making a familiar need one spell level/hit die to survive.


Err... I thought you said the familiar didn't gain feats, save those from the animal it's mimicking?
That's how it's written.


Also, it's based on the Master's HD, not caster level - so the Wizard-3/fighter-1 (going into Eldritch Knight) has 4 HD for his familiar.
Caster level is correct. Though, I have added text so the familiar only gains HD from caster levels gained by the class granting the familiar after realizing it could gain HD from prestige classes with caster progression.:smallredface:


That's a good list of class skills - makes the magical familiar really good at gathering information for the master (especially with the size bonuses to Hide, and the low-profile of something that looks like an animal anyway). Probably too good.
The skills are in essence ones normal familiars already have. They have the skills of their master and skills from their animal form. Most of the animal skills deal with hide and jump and other such things anyway, making them good at gathering info, especially with the size bonuses to Hide, and the low-profile of something that looks like an animal anyway.


But as (IRL, anyway) the New Moon happens about every 28 days, it's never going to be gone more than a month.
Personally I think one month is quite a long time "in game" and much more resonable than a year. I've had entire campaigns that lasted less time than a year. A month makes the wizard have to wait but doesn't deny them a familiar for what could be the rest of the adventure.


Edit: If this familiar can beat up the rogue, I'd say he probably deserves it.:smallwink:

Jack_Simth
2007-08-29, 06:31 AM
I added some text about the personality of magical familiars, making them very independent and with a mind of their own.
These types of familiars are highly independent and tend to have opinions of their own. Should a conversation be going on they will want to be included. They know their value to their masters and will refuse assistance if they feel they are being ignored or used purely for their abilities. If a familiar suggests a spell be cast during a battle and its comment is ignored, it may choose to not help preform a ritual or end a ritual early causing the spell to be lost. They tend to be slightly reckless given their rejuvination ablility. Most are not content to sit quietly on their masters shoulder.
Good idea:smallsmile: . I've added some text to that effect at the end of the ritual, making a familiar need one spell level/hit die to survive.

Ah, so now we have a feat that encourages the DM to be sadistic.

"Try a Magic Missile!"
"Er... but I'm 15th level; Flesh to Stone is much more likely to..."
"Try a Magic Missile or I walk!"

Plus requires more work for the DM - he's got an extra character to play, that'll always be with the party, and per the fluff, must make it's presence known.



That's how it's written.


Caster level is correct. Though, I have added text so the familiar only gains HD from caster levels gained by the class granting the familiar after realizing it could gain HD from prestige classes with caster progression.:smallredface:

Heh, yeah.


The skills are in essence ones normal familiars already have. They have the skills of their master and skills from their animal form. Most of the animal skills deal with hide and jump and other such things anyway, making them good at gathering info, especially with the size bonuses to Hide, and the low-profile of something that looks like an animal anyway.

The Hawk Familiar's bonus to Spot, while large, is fixed. Unless the Wizard takes actual ranks in Spot, or the Wizard invests magic into the familiar to improve it (Eyes of the Eagle on the Hawk, for instance), the Hawk Familiar will never gain an improved Spot score. The Rogue will surpass the Spot score eventually.

This type of familiar not only gains ranks (at the speed of the Rogue), they don't cost the familiar anything, AND the familiar gains swappable racial bonuses. The Rogue will need magic just to keep up with the Spot score. Tack in Hide (+12 Size bonus!), Listen (racial bonus!), and Move Silently (eh,c can't win 'em all), plus nifty movement modes (fly 40 (good) on the bat, for instance) and the scout-focused rogue will be a little put-out.


Personally I think one month is quite a long time "in game" and much more resonable than a year. I've had entire campaigns that lasted less time than a year. A month makes the wizard have to wait but doesn't deny them a familiar for what could be the rest of the adventure.

Depends on the campaign. Some actually include significant amounts of down-time. Especially if Crafters are involved (1 day per 1,000 gp "base" market price; improving that Cloak of Resistance from +4 to +5 takes 9 days; improving those Bracers of Armor from +7 to +8 takes 15 days; improving that Headband of Intellect from +4 to +6 takes 20 days).



Edit: If this familiar can beat up the rogue, I'd say he probably deserves it.:smallwink:

Not really. This familiar is a magical beast with a d8 HD. Relax SR, and one quick Polymorph from the Wizard later, familiar is a tank with a good Spot score. At least with no Share Spells, the Rogue doesn't have to worry about the Wizard using Alter Self on the familiar at 3rd. But the rogue can't sneak up on him, can't beat him down, and so on.