GuardianLurker
Adventurer
This is up on my world building blog, too. I'd like to have some sort of elemental theme, but am drawing a blank. If you can suggest some way to work an elemental theme into this, I'd thank you. I know there's a potential problem with flying animals, but I'd like to keep the personality aspect. Any comments or suggestions are welcome; I tried to keep this fairly brainless, but you never know.
Notes: I'm using AE/Psionics blend, which is why the table goes to 25, and its Skill Application instead of Alertness. And advanced warning, I may cut and paste your comments into the blog so the evolution can be traced.
This is intended as a replacement for the normal psicrystals.
Psionic Familiars
A psionic familiar is an animal, that through a special ceremonial ritual, has been embedded with a fragment of a psionic character's personality. In some sense, the familiar and its master are one and the same being, bound by the power of the master's truename, and embodying an extension of its master's personality. That's why, for example, a psionic character can manifest a personal range power on his familiar even though he can normally only manifest such a power on himself alone.
A psionic familiar is a normal animal that gains new abilities and becomes a magical beast when bound to its master. It retains the appearance, hit die type, base attack bonus, base save bonuses, skills, and feats of the normal animal it once was, but it is treated as a magical beast with the psionic template for the purpose of any effect that depends on its type. Only a normal, unmodified, animal may become a psionic familiar.
A psionic familiar grants special abilities to its master as shown on the Familiar Ability table below. In addition, a psionic familiar has a personality (being embedded with a fragment of its master's personality), which gives it master a bonus on certain types of checks or saving throws, as shown on the Familiar Personality table below. These abilities and bonuses only apply when the psionic familiar is within one mile of its master.
Psionic familiar abilities are based on the master's levels in psionic classes. Levels from other classes do not count toward the master's level for purposes of psionic familiar abilities.
A psionic familiar can communicate in one language of its master's choice (that its master knows). A psionic familiar can understand all languages that its master knows, but it cannot communicate in them.
Psionic Familiar Basics
Use the base statistics of any tiny animal, but make the following changes:
Familiar Ability Descriptions
Psionic Familiar Special Abilities
All psionic familiars have special abilities (or impart abilities to their masters) depending on the level of the master, as shown on the table above. The abilities on the table are cumulative.
Natural Armor Adjustment (Ex) : The number noted in this column is an improvement to the familiar's existing natural armor bonus. It represents a familiar's preternatural toughness.
Int (Ex) : The familiar's Intelligence score. Psionic familiars are as smart as people, though not necessarily as smart as smart people.
Skill Application (Spot, Listen) (Ex) : The presence of a psionic familiar sharpens its master's senses. While a psionic familiar is within arm's reach (adjacent to, or in the same square as, its master) its master gains the Skill Application (Spot, Listen) feat.
Improved Evasion (Ex) : If a psionic familiar is subjected to an attack that normally allows a Reflex saving throw for half damage, it takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw, and hafl damage even if the saving throw fails.
Personality (Ex) : Every psionic familiar has a personality. See Psionic Familiar Personality, below.
Share Powers (Su) :
At the master’s option, he can have any power (but not any psi-like ability) he manifests on himself also affect his psionic familiar. The psionic familiar must be within 5 feet of him at the time of the manifestation to receive the benefit. If the power has a duration other than instantaneous, it stops affecting the psionic familiar if it moves farther than 5 feet away, and will not affect the psionic familiar again, even if it returns to its master before the duration expires.
Additionally, the master can manifest a power with a target of “You” on his psionic familiar (as a touch range power) instead of on himself. The master and psionic familiar cannot share powers if the powers normally do not affect creatures of the psionic familiar’s type.
Telepathic Link (Su) : The master has a telepathic link with his psionic familiar out to a distance of up to 1 mile. The master cannot see through the psionic familiar’s senses, but the two of them can communicate telepathically as if the psionic familiar were the target of a mindlink power manifested by the master. For instance, a psionic familiar placed in a distant room could relay the activities occurring in that room.
Because of the telepathic link between a psionic familiar and its master, the master has the same connection to an item or place that the psionic familiar does. For instance, if his psionic familiar has seen a room, the master can teleport into that room as if he has seen it too.
Deliver Touch Pwers (Su) :
If the master is 3rd level or higher, his psionic familiar can deliver touch powers for him. If the master and psionic familiar are in contact at the time the master manifests a touch power, he can designate his psionic familiar as the “toucher.” The psionic familiar can then deliver the touch power just as the master could. As usual, if the master manifests another power before the touch is delivered, the touch power dissipates.
Telepathic Speech (Ex) : If the master is 5th level or higher, the psionic familiar can communicate telepathically with any creature that has a language and is within 30 feet of the psionic familiar, while the psionic familiar is also within 1 mile of the master.
Power Resistance (Ex) :
If the master is 11th level or higher, the psionic familiar gains power resistance equal to the master’s level + 5. To affect the psionic familiar with a power, another manifester must get a result on a manifester level check that equals or exceeds the psionic familiar’s power resistance.
Sight Link (Sp) :
If the master is 13th level or higher, the character can remote view the psionic familiar (as if manifesting the remote view power) once per day.
Channel Power (Sp) :
If the master is 15th level or higher, he can manifest powers through the psionic familiar to a distance of up to 1 mile. The psionic familiar is treated as the power’s originator, and all ranges are calculated from its location.
When channeling a power through his psionic familiar, the master manifests the power by paying its power point cost. He is still subject to attacks of opportunity and other hazards of manifesting a power, if applicable (for instance, he becomes visible when manifesting an offensive power if invisible, as does the psionic familiar).
Additional Languages (Ex) :
The familiar can communicate in a number of additional languages equal to its current Intelligence bonus. The additional languages must all be ones its master knows. If the master does not know enough languages to meet the requirements, the familiar gains the ability to communicate with animals of approximately the same kind as itself (including dire varieties). Such communication is limited by the intelligence of the conversing creatures.
Sense Link (Sp) : At will as a standard action, by concentrating, the master can share all of the senses of his psionic familiar (as if manifesting the sense link power, but with no duration limit, and experiencing all 5 senses).
Unlimited Distance (Su) : The psionic familiar no longer needs to remain within 1 mile of its master, though it must remain on the same plane.
Psionic Familiar Personality
Each psionic familiar has a distinct personality, chosen by its master at the time of its bonding from among those given on the following table. At 1st level, its master typically gets a feel for a familiar's personality only through occasional impulses, but as the master increases in level the familiar's personality becomes more pronounced. At higher levels, it is not uncommon for a psionic familiar to constantly ply its master with observations and advice, often severely slanted toward the familiar's particular worldview. The master always sees a bit of himself in his familiar, even if magnified and therefore distorted.
Psionic Familiar Personalities
Notes: I'm using AE/Psionics blend, which is why the table goes to 25, and its Skill Application instead of Alertness. And advanced warning, I may cut and paste your comments into the blog so the evolution can be traced.
This is intended as a replacement for the normal psicrystals.
Psionic Familiars
A psionic familiar is an animal, that through a special ceremonial ritual, has been embedded with a fragment of a psionic character's personality. In some sense, the familiar and its master are one and the same being, bound by the power of the master's truename, and embodying an extension of its master's personality. That's why, for example, a psionic character can manifest a personal range power on his familiar even though he can normally only manifest such a power on himself alone.
A psionic familiar is a normal animal that gains new abilities and becomes a magical beast when bound to its master. It retains the appearance, hit die type, base attack bonus, base save bonuses, skills, and feats of the normal animal it once was, but it is treated as a magical beast with the psionic template for the purpose of any effect that depends on its type. Only a normal, unmodified, animal may become a psionic familiar.
A psionic familiar grants special abilities to its master as shown on the Familiar Ability table below. In addition, a psionic familiar has a personality (being embedded with a fragment of its master's personality), which gives it master a bonus on certain types of checks or saving throws, as shown on the Familiar Personality table below. These abilities and bonuses only apply when the psionic familiar is within one mile of its master.
Psionic familiar abilities are based on the master's levels in psionic classes. Levels from other classes do not count toward the master's level for purposes of psionic familiar abilities.
A psionic familiar can communicate in one language of its master's choice (that its master knows). A psionic familiar can understand all languages that its master knows, but it cannot communicate in them.
Psionic Familiar Basics
Use the base statistics of any tiny animal, but make the following changes:
- Hit Dice : For the purposes of effects related to the number of Hit Dice, use the master's total levels in psionic classes, or the familiar's normal hit dice, whichever is higher.
- Hit Points : The familiar has one-half its master's hit points (not including temporary hit points), rounded down, regardless of the familiar's actual hit dice.
- Attacks : Use the master's base attack bonus from all his classes. Use the familiar's Dexterity or Strength modifier, whichever is greater to determine the familiar's attack bonus with its natual weapons. Damage equals that of a normal creature of the familiar's kind.
- Saving Throws : For each saving throw, a psionic familiar uses its master's base saving throw bonus, or its own, whichever is better. The familiar uses its own ability modifiers on saves, and it doesn't share any of the other bonuses its master might have on saves (from magic items or feats, for example). The familiar's base saving throws increase with its hit dice.
- Skills : For each skill in which the master or the familiar has ranks, use either the normal skill ranks for an animal of that kind, or its master's skill ranks, whichever are better. In either case, the familiar uses its own ability modifiers, and does not benefit from any additional modifiers its master may (from magic items or feats, for example). The familiar does not gain additional skill ranks as its master's level increases. Regardless of the familiar's total skill modifiers, some skills may remain beyond a familiar's ability to use.
- Size : A familiar is always a tiny animal.
- Feats : A familiar does not gain any additional feats as its masters level increases.
- Ability Scores: : Aside from Intelligence, a familiar's ability scores do not increase as its master's level increases.
Familiar Ability Descriptions
Psionic Familiar Special Abilities
Code:
Master Natural
Level Armor Int Special
1-2 +0 6 Skill Application (Spot, Listen),
Improved Evasion,
Share Powers,
Personality,
Telepathic Link
3-4 +1 7 Deliver Touch Powers
5-6 +2 8 Telepathic Speech
7-8 +3 9
9-10 +4 10
11-12 +5 11 Power Resistance
13-14 +6 12 Sight Link
15-16 +7 13 Channel Power
17-18 +8 14
19-20 +9 15
21-22 +10 16 Additional Languages
23-24 +11 17 Sense Link
25 +12 18 Unlimited DistanceAll psionic familiars have special abilities (or impart abilities to their masters) depending on the level of the master, as shown on the table above. The abilities on the table are cumulative.
Natural Armor Adjustment (Ex) : The number noted in this column is an improvement to the familiar's existing natural armor bonus. It represents a familiar's preternatural toughness.
Int (Ex) : The familiar's Intelligence score. Psionic familiars are as smart as people, though not necessarily as smart as smart people.
Skill Application (Spot, Listen) (Ex) : The presence of a psionic familiar sharpens its master's senses. While a psionic familiar is within arm's reach (adjacent to, or in the same square as, its master) its master gains the Skill Application (Spot, Listen) feat.
Improved Evasion (Ex) : If a psionic familiar is subjected to an attack that normally allows a Reflex saving throw for half damage, it takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw, and hafl damage even if the saving throw fails.
Personality (Ex) : Every psionic familiar has a personality. See Psionic Familiar Personality, below.
Share Powers (Su) :
At the master’s option, he can have any power (but not any psi-like ability) he manifests on himself also affect his psionic familiar. The psionic familiar must be within 5 feet of him at the time of the manifestation to receive the benefit. If the power has a duration other than instantaneous, it stops affecting the psionic familiar if it moves farther than 5 feet away, and will not affect the psionic familiar again, even if it returns to its master before the duration expires.
Additionally, the master can manifest a power with a target of “You” on his psionic familiar (as a touch range power) instead of on himself. The master and psionic familiar cannot share powers if the powers normally do not affect creatures of the psionic familiar’s type.
Telepathic Link (Su) : The master has a telepathic link with his psionic familiar out to a distance of up to 1 mile. The master cannot see through the psionic familiar’s senses, but the two of them can communicate telepathically as if the psionic familiar were the target of a mindlink power manifested by the master. For instance, a psionic familiar placed in a distant room could relay the activities occurring in that room.
Because of the telepathic link between a psionic familiar and its master, the master has the same connection to an item or place that the psionic familiar does. For instance, if his psionic familiar has seen a room, the master can teleport into that room as if he has seen it too.
Deliver Touch Pwers (Su) :
If the master is 3rd level or higher, his psionic familiar can deliver touch powers for him. If the master and psionic familiar are in contact at the time the master manifests a touch power, he can designate his psionic familiar as the “toucher.” The psionic familiar can then deliver the touch power just as the master could. As usual, if the master manifests another power before the touch is delivered, the touch power dissipates.
Telepathic Speech (Ex) : If the master is 5th level or higher, the psionic familiar can communicate telepathically with any creature that has a language and is within 30 feet of the psionic familiar, while the psionic familiar is also within 1 mile of the master.
Power Resistance (Ex) :
If the master is 11th level or higher, the psionic familiar gains power resistance equal to the master’s level + 5. To affect the psionic familiar with a power, another manifester must get a result on a manifester level check that equals or exceeds the psionic familiar’s power resistance.
Sight Link (Sp) :
If the master is 13th level or higher, the character can remote view the psionic familiar (as if manifesting the remote view power) once per day.
Channel Power (Sp) :
If the master is 15th level or higher, he can manifest powers through the psionic familiar to a distance of up to 1 mile. The psionic familiar is treated as the power’s originator, and all ranges are calculated from its location.
When channeling a power through his psionic familiar, the master manifests the power by paying its power point cost. He is still subject to attacks of opportunity and other hazards of manifesting a power, if applicable (for instance, he becomes visible when manifesting an offensive power if invisible, as does the psionic familiar).
Additional Languages (Ex) :
The familiar can communicate in a number of additional languages equal to its current Intelligence bonus. The additional languages must all be ones its master knows. If the master does not know enough languages to meet the requirements, the familiar gains the ability to communicate with animals of approximately the same kind as itself (including dire varieties). Such communication is limited by the intelligence of the conversing creatures.
Sense Link (Sp) : At will as a standard action, by concentrating, the master can share all of the senses of his psionic familiar (as if manifesting the sense link power, but with no duration limit, and experiencing all 5 senses).
Unlimited Distance (Su) : The psionic familiar no longer needs to remain within 1 mile of its master, though it must remain on the same plane.
Psionic Familiar Personality
Each psionic familiar has a distinct personality, chosen by its master at the time of its bonding from among those given on the following table. At 1st level, its master typically gets a feel for a familiar's personality only through occasional impulses, but as the master increases in level the familiar's personality becomes more pronounced. At higher levels, it is not uncommon for a psionic familiar to constantly ply its master with observations and advice, often severely slanted toward the familiar's particular worldview. The master always sees a bit of himself in his familiar, even if magnified and therefore distorted.
Psionic Familiar Personalities
Code:
Personality Benefit to Owner
Artiste +3 bonus on Craft checks
Bully +3 bonus on Intimidate checks
Coward +3 bonus on Hide checks
Friendly +3 bonus on Diplomacy checks
Hero +2 bonus on Fortitude saves
Liar +3 bonus on Bluff checks
Meticulous +3 bonus on Search checks
Nimble +2 bonus on Initiative checks
Observant +3 bonus on Spot checks
Poised +3 bonus on Balance checks
Resolved +2 bonus on Will saves
Sage +3 bonus on checks involving any one
Knowledge skill master already knows;
once chosen, this does not vary
Single-minded +3 bonus on Concentration checks
Sneaky +3 bonus on Move Silently checks
Sympathetic +3 bonus on Sense Motive checks
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Move along.
