Hell Hound improved familiar for the high epic wizard

[redking]

Lets say there is a 30th level LE wizard. Loves dogs. Got a Hell Hound improved familiar.

Price is no limit. What can the 30th level wizard give his beloved Hell Hound? +5 inherent bonus already applied to all stats.

[Jack_Simth]

Same things you would outfit a pet Monk with. Belt of Magnificence, Vest of Resistance, and so on.

[redking]

Same things you would outfit a pet Monk with. Belt of Magnificence, Vest of Resistance, and so on.

Why same as a monk? Because of body slots?

Can a Hell Hound wear a ring on the paw?

[Jack_Simth]

Why same as a monk? Because of body slots?

Can a Hell Hound wear a ring on the paw?

Basically.

Body slots unclear, ask your DM. There is some guidance, but no hard and fast rules, so it's up to interpretation on what body slots are available, and will vary from table to table.

[Biggus]

Can a Hell Hound wear a ring on the paw?

According to the Rules Compendium, yes:


Creatures that have more than two legs can treat their foremost pair of limbs as their arms, allowing them access to the arms, hands, and rings body slots, even if those limbs are used for locomotion rather than for manipulation.

[Troacctid]

MIC also has some very clear rules for magic item slots on unusual body shapes.

I recommend checking out the Familiar tag on my Useful Items spreadsheet. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1sJRCphWkrtLm8Q6iD6_YPp00MggiAT556j9231uu5Lg/edit#gid=0&fvid=1671128173

[Biggus]

MIC also has some very clear rules for magic item slots on unusual body shapes.


Just looked them up, and they provide a surprisingly definite answer:


a hell hound can wear a ring on a toe of its forelimb

They also confirm that


As a default rule, treat creatures of any shape as having all the normal body slots available

then give some exceptions, none of which apply to a hell hound. So the answer to "what can the 30th level wizard give his beloved Hell Hound?" is basically "anything he wants".

[Troacctid]

So the answer to "what can the 30th level wizard give his beloved Hell Hound?" is basically "anything he wants".
Slot-wise, yes. Activation-wise, the hell hound may have some trouble speaking command words or performing fine manipulation, unless steps are taken to accommodate it.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Use MIC p234, you can basically add certain effects to existing items of the appropriate slot for the same price as a standalone item of that stat.

A Necklace of Adaptation can have +6 Con and +6 Wis added.
A Monk's Belt can have +6 Str added.
A Shirt of Wraith Stalking can have +5 natural armor enhancement, +5 resistance to saves, and resistance 30 to as many energy types as you want.
A Hat of Anonymity can have +6 Cha and +6 Wis added (and if he makes it himself he can set the caster level to 20th (https://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/magicItemBasics.htm#casterLevel) for a DC 35 Nondetection effect).
Etc.

You may also be able to use the suggested pricing on DMG Table 7-33 p285 to make items not occupy a limited item slot by doubling their price. Apply this to something cheap and useful like a Hand of the Mage that would otherwise take a premium item slot.


Also, the Wizard should get several 6th level Pearls of Power and two standard Metamagic Rods of Extend. Every other day prepare Energy Immunity and Superior Resistance, use the rods to cast each on himself and his companion, casting Energy Immunity on each of them twice. On the days in between, prepare Energy Immunity and do the same but put that on himself three times and the hellhound twice (since it's already immune to fire). The rods make each of those last 48 hours, so that gives him and his familiar each constant immunity to all five energy types and a +6 resistance bonus to all saving throws.

He can also cast the Primal line of spells in Dragon Magic, (Rod of) Extended on himself every other day and his familiar on the days in between.

He should also cast (Extended) spells like Enhance Familiar, Imbue Familiar With Spell Ability, etc. on it often enough that they're always active.