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View Full Version : I choose the party fighter as my familiar (alternate classe feature) [PEACH]



Randel
2008-11-28, 03:47 PM
I got this idea while watching the anime The Familiar of Zero (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_familiar_of_zero). In it, a wizard (who's track record for casting spells has been a constant zero... trying to turn rock into brass makes it explode, casting a silence spell makes things explode... trying to cast a fireball makes a tiny explosion that doesn't hurt anyone) tries summoning her familiar to become a lifelong companion... but instead of summoning a mouse or a dragon (like some of the other wizards there) she summons a highschooler from japan. Hilarity ensues.

It turns out later that summoning him wasn't an accident and his purpose is to defend her while she casts spells, and he gets some magic boosts of his own to help him do the job.

So anyway, I thought I'd try making up an alternate class feature for wizards to trade their familiars to give a boost to the party fighter (or another non-spellcaster).


Its undoubtedly grossly overpowered as it is, any ideas on cleaning it up?



Guardian Familiar - wizard/sorcerer alternate class feature

Instead of summoning a familiar, you designate a close friend or partner to share your powers and protect you as you cast spells.

Desingating a guardian requires a ritual that lats an hour and uses up 100 gp worth of materials. The guardian must be a non-spellcaster and willing for the ritual to work. Once the ritual is completed, the guardian receives the arcane mark of their master on some part of their body, usually on the back of the right hand. If the mark is removed physically (such as by having that hand cut off) then the mark reappears in another spot.

A master may only have one guardian at a time and a guardian may not have more than one master. The master may later choose another guardian by performing the ceremony upon another in which case the previous guardian loses their mark and all other powers from their guardianship.

If a guardians master dies, the guardian retains their guardian powers for one day per level of their master, after which their mark fades and vanishes.

Master Level|Ability
1st-2nd|Empathic Link
3rd-4th|Greater Magic Weapon
5th-6th|Master Immunity
7th-8th|Healing Link
9th-10th|Deliver Touch Spells
11th-12th|Spell Storage
13th-14th|Scry on Guardian
15th-16th|
17th-18th|
19th-20th|


Empathic Link - As long as the master and her guardian are within one mile of eachother, they may both sense the general direction and distance to the other. Through the link, each can tell the general emotions and condition of the other, primarily if the other is asleep, agitated, or injured. They also receive a +2 bonus to Sense Motive checks against their partner, mainly to tell if the other is lying, worried, or under some enchantment. If one of the two dies, the empathic link remains for 24 hours in which case the other may sense the general direction of the others body. If the other had their soul captured in some way then the link points to both the location of the body (for 24 hours) and to the captured soul (for as long as the soul is captured and the guardains powers are active).

Greater Magic Weapon - The guardian receives Greater Magic Weapon as a spell-like ability usable three times per day.

Master Immunity - When casting spells, a master may choose to alter the spell in such a way that her guardian is unaffected it. Such as leaving a hole in a fireballs area of effect just big enough for her guardian to remain in.

Healing Link - If a guardian falls below 0 hp but not below -10, a master may expend a 1st level spell or higher to stabilize her guardian through their empathic link. Doing this requires a standard action and has a range of one mile.

Deliver Touch spells - Using their empathic link, a master may use a full-round action to send a touch spell with a casting time of a full-round action or less through their link to her guardian. The guardian may then use the touch spell within the next two following rounds. The spell uses the masters caster level and stats for its effect. The master deals with all components and focuses for the spell.

Spell Storage - A master may 'cast' a spell of any level she can cast and then give that spell to her guardian to cast at a later time. This does not make the guardian a spell caster for purposes of qualifying for prestige classes or the like. This process requires at least one minute to perform (or longer if the spell has a casting time of more than one minute). A guardian may only have one spell stored in this manner at a time and does not need to worry about verbal or somatic components when casting it. When casting it, the guardian may choose to leave themself out of the effect much in the way that the Master Immunity feature works. The master may also shield herself from the spells effects in a similar manner.

Scry on Guardian - Once per day, a master may scry upon her guardian.

golentan
2008-11-28, 03:53 PM
Have you seen the Noble Wild? It has the Greater Familiar base class, which allows PC's to A) be useful, and B) serve as familiar to other PCs. It's not a pure fighter, but a couple level dip can give much the same benefits that you're granting. It might be worth looking over.