New Familiars

Pangolin



Small Animal
Hit Dice: 1d8 +3
Initiative: +2
Speed: 20 ft., 20 ft. (climb), 10 ft. (burrow)
Armor Class: 19 (+2 size, +1 dex, +6 natural)
Base Attack/Grapple: +0/-4
Attack: Claw +2 melee (1d4)
Full Attack: 2 Claw +2 melee (1d4), Slam -2 (1d2)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Qualities: Improved Low-light vision, Scent
Saves: Fort 4+, Ref +3, Will +3
Abilities: Str 10, Dex 14, Con 16, Int 2, Wis 15, Cha 5
Skills: Escape Artist +2, Hide +7, Listen +6, Spot +6
Feats: Weapon Finesse
Enviroment: Warm Forest or Swamp
Organization: Solitary, Family (2-8)
Challenge Rating: 1/2
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always Neutral
Advancement: -
Level Adjustment: -

A pangolin vaguely resembles an ant-eater, with a short body and squat legs. Its head is tiny and narrow with a long snout from which may curl a dextrous, foot-long tongue. Every inch of it is covered in wide, horny plates that overlap one another densely. Its long, flat tail is likewise covered in plates, with the serrated edges developing blunt points.


Combat:
Pangolins only fight if cornered, lashing out with their serrated tails, or slashing with their long claws. If the odds are against it it will roll into a tight ball, hoping to fend off blows.

Armored Ball (Ex):
A pangolin can roll into a tight ball when threatened, increasing its Armor Class by 4, but losing its dexterity modifier to AC and can take no action. In this state it is also immune to critical attacks.

Improved Low-Light Vision (Ex):
A pangolin is a nocturnal creature and can see three times as far as normal in dim light.


Skills:
A pangolin gains a +6 to Hide, Listen and Spot checks.


Familiar:
The owner of a pangolin familiar gains a +2 bonus to natural armor class

Lynx


Type: Small Animal

Hit Dice: 1/2 d8+1
Initiative: +5
Speed: 30 ft.
AC: 17 (+1 size, +1 natural, +5 dex)
BAB/Grapple: +0/-1
Attack: Claw +6 melee (1d6-1)
Full attack: 2 Claw +6 melee (1d3-1) and bite +1 melee (1d4-1)
Special Attacks: Improved Grab
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent, snowsure
Saves: Fort +3, Ref +7, Will +1
Abilities: Str 8, Dex 20, Con 12, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 7
Skills: Balance +8, Climb +9, Hide +16, Jump +11, Listen +4, Move Silently +4, Spot +4, Swim +4
Feats: Improved Grab, Weapon Finesse(B)
________________________
Environment: All temperate or cold land
Organization: Solitary (1), Mates (2), or Family (3-8)
CR: 1/2
Treasure: -
Advancement: -

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a lynx must hit with its claw attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can bite.

Skills: Lynxes have a +4 racial bonus on Climb, Hide, Move Silently, and Swim checks and a +6 racial bonus on Jump checks. Lynxes have a +8 racial bonus on Balance checks. They use their Dexterity modifier instead of their Strength modifier for Climb and Jump checks. *In areas of tall grass or heavy undergrowth, the Hide bonus rises to +8.

A lynx's coloration gives it an additional +4 to hide checks.

Snowsure (Ex):
A lynx has large feet for its size and gets a +6 to balance checks to keep from slipping.

---

Familiar
The owner of a lynx familiar gains a +4 bonus to balance checks to keep from slipping.

Giant Salamander



Medium Animal (Aquatic)
Hit-dice: 1d8 +4
Initiative: +4
Speed: 20 ft., Swim 40 ft.
Armor class: +14 (+1 size, +1 dex, +2 natural)
Base attack/grapple: +1/-2
Attack: -
Full attack: -
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks:
Special Qualities: Amphibious, Limited Eyesight, Low-light Vision, Natural Slime, Resistance to heat (but not fire)-cold/4, Shallow Breather, Slow Metabolism, Tremorsense 60 ft.
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +2, Will +4
Abilities: Str 8, Dex 12, Con 18, Int 1, Wis 18, Cha 4
Skills: Escape Artist +10, Hide +10, Listen +3
Feats: Endurance, Improved Initiative(B)
Enviroment: any river or land near a river.
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 1/2
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always Neutral
Advancement: -
Level Adjustment: -

-

Combat:
A giant salamander is very non-combatant creature, using its bad tasting slime to slip out of dangerous situations and disapearing into water.

Limited Eyesight (Ex):
A giant salamander has very poor vision and can only see a quarter that of a human.

Natural Slime (Ex):
A giant salamander produces a very slick slime, giving it a +10 bonus to Escape Artist checks.

Shallow Breather (Ex):
Giant salamanders breath through their skin and are immune to poisonous gasses. Likewise they can endure low levels of oxygen that would kill a human.

Slow Metabolism (Ex):
A giant salamander can live without nourishment for up to two weeks.


Skills:
A giant salamander gains a +10 racial bonus to hide checks.


Familiar:
The owner of a giant salamander familiar can hold his breath for twice the period he normally could.

I like all three, but I think the +2 natural armor bonus granted by having a pangolin familiar is over-powered. I'd suggest lowering to +1.

Demiurge out.

Could be only a choice of a familiar at slightly higher levels perhaps?

Possibly, but traditionally, improved familiars don't grant any benefits beyond themselves, as most are outsiders or magical beasts, much more dangerous in their own right than an owl or toad. Or pangolin, for that matter.

Demiurge out.

Woo! Pangolin, cool.

Would breathing though skin not make you more susceptable to poisonous gasses?

Well, considering they can pull oxygen from water to breath, their skin must be a very efficient filterer

why then are amphibians so suspectable to chemicals? Also it's one more way to absorb the toxin.

Well, direct contact with chemicals maybe, but I didn't think that gases would also do the same. Could be wrong.