D&D 3E/3.5 3.5 Good alternative to having a familiar.

Disaster

First Post
I am building a 1st level Tibbit Gestalt Wizard/Rogue for a friend to play in a game of mine. I got as far as the familiar ability of the wizard and stopped to think, "What kind of a house cat keeps a pet?" So I figured I'd look about for a good alternative class feature for wizards to loose their familiar.

Lo and behold I can't find one, anybody got any suggestions?

EDIT: Umm, I just found the specialist wizard stuff, but I don't want her to be a specialist, so they're probably out of the picture.
 

log in or register to remove this ad


Disaster

First Post
Wow, that's complicated. Not to mention only available after 3rd level. I've gotta say I'm not that impressed with that book overall, sorry.
 

hafrogman

Adventurer
"What kind of a house cat keeps a pet?"
Desert Hare probably has the right of it, but I can't help but imagine the endless role-playing possibilities of a cat with a mouse familiar.
Good night, Squeakers. Good work. Sleep well. I'll most likely eat you in the morning.
I think they showed up in one book or other on the list of 'familars for small wizards'.
 

Alzrius

The EN World kitten
So I figured I'd look about for a good alternative class feature for wizards to loose their familiar.

Lo and behold I can't find one, anybody got any suggestions?

Check out Dragon #357. The Arcane section of that issue's Class Acts series is titled "Transversed Arcana," and has six alternate class abilities for arcane spellcasters, each of which requires giving up a familiar:

Aligned Spellcaster - Choose a non-neutral portion of your alignment. Spells you cast have that alignment descriptor (unless they have the opposite alignment descriptor), and such spells that are targeted against creatures of the opposite alignment are at +1 caster level (+2 if it has the opposing alignment subtype).

Beleaguered Spellcaster - When you take damage equal to three times your spellcaster level from one attack (up to [1 + your spellcasting ability modifier] times per day), the next spell you cast is automatically empowered or maximized (your choice) without increasing the casting time or spell level.

Disciple of Boccob - You are treated as 1 level higher to qualify for magic item creation feats, and magic items you create are treated as being +1 caster level higher. If you destroy a permanent magic item, you lose all arcane spellcasting abilities for 1 day per caster level of the destroyed item.

Eidetic Spellcaster - You do not need a spellbook, either to prepare spells or record new ones. You gain/learn new spells normally otherwise, including paying the appropriate gold pieces (for special incenses) when acquiring new spells that aren't from gaining a level.

Impromptu Metamagic - Each day you choose a metamagic feat you have. A number of times per day equal to (5 - the spell level increase of the feat) you may spontaneously apply that feat to a spell as you cast it, with no increase in casting time or spell level. You must still have the ability to cast spells of the level the spell would have if the feat were applied to it normally.

School Mastery - Choose a school of magic (if you're a specialist, it must be your specialized school). You gain +1 caster level to spells of that school, plus a special effect based on the school (I am so not listing all of those, however).
 

moritheil

First Post
There are, as Alzrius pointed out, already a lot of existing features that allow you to swap familiars and get nifty toys.

I'm rather partial to the school mastery as it gives a slight boost without being absurd (evokers get +1 caster level on evocations and can ignore 10 points of energy resistance a few times per day, for instance.) Just be aware that the conjurer one is "rapid summoning" which could get wonky depending on your interpretation of other things.
 

Jack Simth

First Post
I am building a 1st level Tibbit Gestalt Wizard/Rogue for a friend to play in a game of mine. I got as far as the familiar ability of the wizard and stopped to think, "What kind of a house cat keeps a pet?" So I figured I'd look about for a good alternative class feature for wizards to loose their familiar.

Lo and behold I can't find one, anybody got any suggestions?

EDIT: Umm, I just found the specialist wizard stuff, but I don't want her to be a specialist, so they're probably out of the picture.
You're playing a Gestalt Wizard//Rogue. Get the familiar (preferably a cat); it has your ranks in all skills. As you've got a Wizard on one side, that'll be a LOT of skills where you've got a free +2 Aid Another bonus, or a free reroll. Use Alter Self on your familiar to turn it into a person every now and again. Keep people guessing.
 

Desert Hare

Banned
Banned
You're playing a Gestalt Wizard//Rogue. Get the familiar (preferably a cat); it has your ranks in all skills. As you've got a Wizard on one side, that'll be a LOT of skills where you've got a free +2 Aid Another bonus, or a free reroll. Use Alter Self on your familiar to turn it into a person every now and again. Keep people guessing.

Um:

SRD said:
Alter Self
Range: Personal
Target: You

I think you meant to say Polymorph.
 
Last edited:



Remove ads

AD6_gamerati_skyscraper

Remove ads

Recent & Upcoming Releases

Top