A werewolf familiar is this possible? 3.x

[DementedFellow]

Okay, I'm new to templating so I'm just really looking for someone to blow a hole in this.

Let's say for the sake of arguments and level adjustments that the PC is at level 15. I don't believe the improved familiar is necessary, but if it is this level would account for taking that feat as soon as it came available.

• Wizard or Sorcerer gains a familiar.
• The familiar is assigned the inherited template of Elder Eidolon (LoM) which changes its type to construct.
• Then the familiar gains the incarnate construct (Savage Species) template which changes its type to humanoid.
• Then the lycanthrope template is applied and now the creature type is humanoid (shapechanger)

I cannot find the incarnate construct spell in the spell compendium. So I don't know what level the caster should be.

The total LA is +2 since the lycanthropy is an affliction. I'm not sure it would even be possible and after applying all these templates, I'm pretty sure it's not going to be able to share spells like a regular familiar.

[Yora]

I don't think you can gain these templates. Creatures are created or born with them.

And even if they can gain it, the animal would no longer qualify for being a familiar. The Rules say nothing on that, but the gm may rule that it ends the effect of it being a familiar.

[DementedFellow]

I don't think you can gain these templates. Creatures are created or born with them.

And even if they can gain it, the animal would no longer qualify for being a familiar. The Rules say nothing on that, but the gm may rule that it ends the effect of it being a familiar.

Well, to be fair for a bit of a price you can create an elder eidolon yourself. If you are really picky, you could say you gained the familiar in much the same way someone with a homunculous as a familiar gained his.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Elder Eidolon is an inherited template, i.e. that particular creature always had the template, it was born/created with it and it never existed without that template. That alone disqualifies it from being available as a familiar, so it doesn't work. Furthermore, from the PHB entry on familiars:

A familiar is a normal animal that gains new powers and becomes a magical beast when summoned to service by a sorcerer or wizard. It retains the appearance, Hit Dice, base attack bonus, base save bonuses, skills, and feats of the normal animal it once was, but it is treated as a magical beast instead of an animal for the purpose of any effect that depends on its type. Only a normal, unmodified animal may become a familiar. An animal companion cannot also function as a familiar.

Even if you take Improved Familiar, it would still have to be an unmodified version of the creature in question. You cannot gain a templated familiar, and I doubt you could keep it as a familiar if a template was added later. You could instead just get Improved Familiar for an outsider and use Polymorph to change it into a powerful combatant.

[Fhaolan]

I did have a character who's familiar gained a template in game, but it was a bit of handwavium by the DM. Basically it was a raven that was killed, there was a delay where the (rather religious) wizard didn't get a chance to call for another familiar before he leveled, so he picked up Improved Familiar, or Outsider Familiar, or some kind of feat like that when he could (It was awhile ago, and I can't find the character sheet at the moment). When he called for a new familiar, the DM said that Gods sent the soul of original raven came back as a Celestial version as a reward for the character's devotion.

Mechanically, it was a low return for investment, but character-wise it was pretty cool.

[Darrin]

• Wizard or Sorcerer gains a familiar.

This is probably the weakest point. You can probably shovel in a couple metric buttloads of weird through the Improved Familiar feat, but you're still at the mercy of DM fiat. If your DM is okay with adding an Elder Eidolon as an improved familiar, hey, you're cooking with gasoline.

Mechanically, you're probably better off just taking a Cohort via Leadership. If you can bring it all in under the ECL you need and the DM says okay, then your cohort can be anything you want.

• The familiar is assigned the inherited template of Elder Eidolon (LoM) which changes its type to construct.

There are other ways to get a construct familiar. Effigy Master is probably the easiest, but Psicrystals (XPH) and Clockwork Mender (MMIV) come to mind. Also there's the Construct Familiar feat in Dragon #280.

• Then the familiar gains the incarnate construct (Savage Species) template which changes its type to humanoid.

That's a really wonky template... I seem to recall something from one of the designers about how there's a certain hierarchy of creature types, and once you go undead or construct you can't change your type. There are a few loopholes, but Incarnate Construct is one that even some of the hardcore optimizers are hesitant to use.

• Then the lycanthrope template is applied and now the creature type is humanoid (shapechanger)

I want a lycanthropic toaster now.

I cannot find the incarnate construct spell in the spell compendium. So I don't know what level the caster should be.

Look under "Awaken Construct", which appears both in SS and SC. Strangely, neither Incarnate Construct or Awaken Construct mention each other... so I think they're mechanically separate.

The total LA is +2 since the lycanthropy is an affliction. I'm not sure it would even be possible and after applying all these templates, I'm pretty sure it's not going to be able to share spells like a regular familiar.

At that point, might as well add half-golem and half-troll and turn it into an unkillable regenerating abomination.

[Zaydos]

The improved familiar feat specifically allows celestial and fiendish versions of normal familiars, although I'd say go for one of the construct familiar feats anyway. Even then incarnate construct only works on constructs with a basically humanoid shape so you'd need some type of monkey familiar. Then again it would really be up to the DM, and I've been known to allow true dragons and fey to have human familiars (Lv 1 characters only though).