Unusual Ally [feat]

[Extra Anchovies]

Yeah, it's sorta like that.

Unusual Ally (General)
You have formed a supernatural link with a being of strange powers.
Prerequisites: Character level 5, must not have any cohorts, eidolons, animal companions, familiars, spirits, or other companions whose abilities scale with character or class level. A character who gains any of these abilities as a class feature must relinquish their ability to acquire companions to take this feat, and may do so if they are not normally allowed to do so.
Benefit: You gain a companion creature (the appearance and behavior of which is up to you) with the same statistics as an Eidolon that would be summoned by a Summoner of your character level. However, it only has a number of evolution points equal to 1 plus two-thirds your character level. You do not gain any other summoner class features. In addition, the companion creature is not vulnerable to effects that would end its summoning, cannot be unsummoned, and if it is slain it cannot be summoned again for one week. The companion creature has its own set of item slots determined as normal for a creature of its shape. When this feat is first chosen, you must choose a creature type other than Humanoid that is thematically fitting for your companion creature; the companion creature's type is Outsider (augmented [chosen type]).
Special: The eidolon granted by this feat uses the rules presented for Eidolons in the Advanced Player's Guide.

Greater Unusual Ally (General)
The link between you and your companion has grown stronger.
Prerequisites: Character level 9, Unusual Ally, must have a class feature that grants an animal companion, familiar, spirit, or other companion whose abilities scale with character level or class level.
Benefit: You may treat your companion creature as if it were your familiar, animal companion, etc, for the purposes of abilities in the "special" column of the familiar/animal companion/etc advancement table, but not for any other abilities that scale with level. For example, if an 11th-level wizard with Unusual Ally selected Greater Unusual Ally, their companion creature would gain the Alertness, Improved Evasion, Share Spells, Empathic Link, Deliver Touch Spells, Speak With Master, Speak With Animals of its Kind, and Spell Resistance familiar abilities, but would not gain the natural armor adjustment or Intelligence score that a normal familiar would have. You may treat your companion creature as if it were your familiar/animal companion/etc for the purposes of spells and effects that can normally only be used on familiars/animal companions/etc, such as the Hunter's Animal Focus class feature.

Spoiler: Now that you've read it...

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What do you think? The goal here is to provide a means of gaining a fully customizable, level-scaling companion for characters who don't want any of the other Summoner class features. The "no other companions" bit is to prevent characters who are already minionmancers from picking up another minion, while Greater Unusual Ally lets them regain some of the class features they gave up.

[Almarck]

An interesting feat that accomplishes what it says it does. I do not think there's been a feat allowing the use of an eidelion like creature, though it really isn't. It does however need an entry about rules involving type I believe. I do not think going to be an outsider creature, given the name of the feat. Maybe offer a selection of creature types and possible applicable subtypes?

I would argue though it should be named something else, so as not to confuse people into thinking it's an animal companion, though this is not. Maybe Monster Heart? But that's just me.

[Extra Anchovies]

An interesting feat that accomplishes what it says it does. I do not think there's been a feat allowing the use of an eidelion like creature, though it really isn't. It does however need an entry about rules involving type I believe. I do not think going to be an outsider creature, given the name of the feat. Maybe offer a selection of creature types and possible applicable subtypes?

I might change the type to Outsider (augmented [player's choice]). Then they can be treated as whatever type you want them to be (such as construct for a robot friend), but they still have the outsider traits. I don't want to allow blanket choice of creature type, because then you get variances in HD, BAB, saves, skills, and abilities. Not much reason to pick any type other than Dragon, with its d12 HD, full BAB, three good saves, massive pile of skill points, good senses, and limited but useful set of immunities.

I would argue though it should be named something else, so as not to confuse people into thinking it's an animal companion, though this is not. Maybe Monster Heart? But that's just me.

The name is indeed my least favorite thing about the feat. Not sure what it should be, though.

[Almarck]

So... lets say.

"This Creature's type is Outsider and possesses Augment sub-type and an additional sub-type of the player's choice from the following list: Animal, Dragon, Fey, Magical Beast, Monstrous Humanoid, Undead, or Vermin. Once this choice is made, it cannot be changed for as long as this creature remains bonded to the character."

Also, how bout calling it. "Unusual Ally?"

[Extra Anchovies]

So... lets say.

"This Creature's type is Outsider and possesses Augment sub-type and an additional sub-type of the player's choice from the following list: Animal, Dragon, Fey, Magical Beast, Monstrous Humanoid, Undead, or Vermin. Once this choice is made, it cannot be changed for as long as this creature remains bonded to the character."

Also, how bout calling it. "Unusual Ally?"

I like the suggestion for wording the type/subtype bit, but I think it might be good to allow any creature type. No reason to disallow plant-, construct-, or aberration-themed creatures. I like the name suggestion, too.

[Almarck]

Well, if you're going to be putting a feat, might as well make it sound more official, right? Granted, I didn't do it perfectly.


I was actually considering putting, Ooze and Construct as additional types to, but you know, I think that's probably pushing the limit. It might not if it's mostly cosmetic.

And well, Humanoid allies are already covered under Leadership, so no dice there.

You may need to Bold the "Greater Bond" feat though.

[Extra Anchovies]

Well, if you're going to be putting a feat, might as well make it sound more official, right? Granted, I didn't do it perfectly.


I was actually considering putting, Ooze and Construct as additional types to, but you know, I think that's probably pushing the limit. It might not if it's mostly cosmetic.

And well, Humanoid allies are already covered under Leadership, so no dice there.

You may need to Bold the "Greater Bond" feat though.

Thanks for the suggestions. I noted Humanoid as a non-allowed subtype. Thanks for pointing out the lack of bolding; it is now fixed.

[Almarck]

It's name is still Beast Bond btw.

Assuming that's not intentional.

[Extra Anchovies]

*bump*

I've updated with a Special section that notes that this feat uses the APG Eidolon rules, not the Unchained rules. I decided to stick with APG because A) the Eidolon wasn't the main problem with the summoner and B) the point of this feat is to have a fully customizable pet, so there's no reason to require that characters who take this feat also choose one of the outsider types in the Unchained Eidolon rules.

I'm also thinking about slowing down the max natural attacks scaling so it caps at five. This is one feat, so I don't want it to be too much of a boost in damage output (since damage dealt by the companion is basically damage dealt by the character). Thoughts?

[khadgar567]

*bump*

I've updated with a Special section that notes that this feat uses the APG Eidolon rules, not the Unchained rules. I decided to stick with APG because A) the Eidolon wasn't the main problem with the summoner and B) the point of this feat is to have a fully customizable pet, so there's no reason to require that characters who take this feat also choose one of the outsider types in the Unchained Eidolon rules.

I'm also thinking about slowing down the max natural attacks scaling so it caps at five. This is one feat, so I don't want it to be too much of a boost in damage output (since damage dealt by the companion is basically damage dealt by the character). Thoughts?

small question can we get Cassiopeia via this feat chain and update her with more dakka(power)?