Sorcerer Fix - Continued from "D&D Rules" (PART 4)

[Evilhalfling]

First of all, thanks for the write up. Now on to spell quibbles

"This is … odd? It seems, when mixed with the Plant/Animal Domain access to be more of a Totem Spirit concept rather than an Ancestor Spirit concept? Why Bestow Curse? "

Yes it is better described as animal totem with ancestor spirits mixed in.
Now that I have divinations on the list to choose from I can remove some of them from the Lineage list. I think that having to spend valuble known spells fits the price of knowledge theme.

"Also, if they have sworn off the Summon Ally spells"

The player has, through poor results. but I want to use the lineage for NPC's
so I think I will leave on the summon III and move off some others. summon III is very strong and it will encourage him to try it again.

"Sprit Lineage Spell List: 0–know direction; 1st-speak with animals; 2nd-barkskin; 3rd-speak with dead; 4th-bestow curse; 5th-(See Below); 6th-geas; 7th-(See Below); 8th-stone tell; 9th–elemental swarm"

1st speak with animals
This is a much better spell and more likely to be used chr bonus times per day
that will change for all future sorc.
I may wait until he hits 5th - then change out his lineage spell, it seems a better transition - he is 2barb/3sor but if he is planning on more barbie levels then this would be too slow.
3rd - keeping summon nature III
4th - I like the flavor of curse - something any good savage-type caster should do. but do you have a counter suggestion ?
5th staying further from free divinations Tree Stride to maintain his character (not class)focus on movement.
7th - changestaff gotta love trent in a pocket -
8th Wind Walk - I have read this is an adventure breaker but it fits, so I am moving it back (no expectations of pc's reaching this)

This may weaken the class more than I wanted tree stride is espcially suspect - it isn't that great a spell
would stoneskin, divine power or righteous might be more appropriate here ?
or at 4th ? either would help return him from a high level spell caster into meele fighter. Righteous might may be too divine - changing dmg reduction to 5+/magic and calling them Ancestoral Might or Ancestoral Power would fix that.

BTW I ment Wild Empathy(ex) the ability not the skill. Forcing a sorc to spend skill points would suck. I think adding more animal encounters would fix this as well.
Comments?
Ed. fixing quote problems

 

[Evilhalfling]

Arcane Sight -
The reason I thought this weak, was because all socr. I have ever used/played with, took detect magic, so they could use it 6 times per day
so the orginal ability was equivelent to +1 0th lvl spell known
With the upgrades I like it much better.
I don't think that going from CHR mod to 3+ CHR mod would make much of a difference.
-at will- would insure that a sweep of all NPC's for magic would become as common as a paladin's detect evil sweeps. As a DM this would irritate because I would have to outfit noncom NPC's with magic

 

[Khaalis]

Yes it is better described as animal totem with ancestor spirits mixed in.
Now that I have divinations on the list to choose from I can remove some of them from the Lineage list. I think that having to spend valuble known spells fits the price of knowledge theme.

Whatever works for you! For your theme of costly knowledge – this makes sense.

The player has, through poor results. but I want to use the lineage for NPC's so I think I will leave on the summon III and move off some others. summon III is very strong and it will encourage him to try it again.
1st speak with animals
This is a much better spell and more likely to be used chr bonus times per day
that will change for all future sorc.
I may wait until he hits 5th - then change out his lineage spell, it seems a better transition - he is 2barb/3sor but if he is planning on more barbie levels then this would be too slow.
3rd - keeping summon nature III
4th - I like the flavor of curse - something any good savage-type caster should do. but do you have a counter suggestion ?
5th staying further from free divinations Tree Stride to maintain his character (not class)focus on movement.
7th - changestaff gotta love trent in a pocket -
8th Wind Walk - I have read this is an adventure breaker but it fits, so I am moving it back (no expectations of pc's reaching this)

Leaving Summon is good. I don’t mind the summon spells as they are very useful. They may not be powerful, but useful. Remember that it takes creativity sometimes such as combining NA1 with Speak with Animals to have a nice little information gatherer.

As for making the changes, if you are DM, I would simply pull the player aside and say that you need to make a few tweaks to the class. Make them now and get it over with, with an explanation of why. Better than to wait until the character is already 8th+ level.

4th – Bestow Curse works. It is a very shaman oriented spell which is why I left it. I was just surprised since it didn’t really fit in with some of the other spell choices (really the only offensive spell in the original list).
The rest are also good choices. Very useful spells. Especially now that you decided to veer away from the divination spells.

This may weaken the class more than I wanted tree stride is espcially suspect - it isn't that great a spell would stoneskin, divine power or righteous might be more appropriate here ?
or at 4th ? either would help return him from a high level spell caster into meele fighter. Righteous might may be too divine - changing dmg reduction to 5+/magic and calling them Ancestoral Might or Ancestoral Power would fix that.

Tree stride matches the Travel aspect you are moving toward with the class. It is a long distance travel spell. If you want the character to gain a more offensive nature I would go for a combat spell rather than the utility spell. For which spell – I would go with Baleful Polymorph (goes with the animal totem theme) or Stone Skin (nature totem). As for Righteous Might – it could work, but I wouldn’t get into changing spells myself – that more work then necessary IMHO.

BTW I ment Wild Empathy(ex) the ability not the skill. Forcing a sorc to spend skill points would suck. I think adding more animal encounters would fix this as well.

Ah ok. Wild Empathy is ok (same thing really, just cleaned up). Not one of my more favored abilities and only really comes into play in a highly animal encounter game or with someone with more animal oriented abilities than this class now has. Personally, it’s a flavor choice. Which ability is more fitting to your vision of the class?

Hope that helps!

 

[Khaalis]

Still seeking comments on the mutable ability at second level.



Sorcerer Ability: A sorcerer is not a defined term beyond that they share manipulation of arcane magic in common. Sorcerers can develop vastly different abilities from one another, usually as a reflection of their lineage, but other times it is a reflection of the sorcerer's upbringing and environmental influence. Sorcerers can fill many roles such as hedge wizards, fortune hunters, opportunists, charlatans, alchemists, demonologists, planar travelers, street wizards, investigators, adventurers, oracles and many other concepts as influenced by their surroundings. The varied abilities required by each different specialty are a reflection of the sorcerer’s specific culture and heritage. At 2nd level the sorcerer gains one option from the list below that reflects the type of sorcerer they are developing into.

Arcane Sense (Sp): The sorcerer is so in tune with magic that they can feel magic flow through them as well as sense its presence and flow in all things around them as well. As a result of this deep attunement, at 2nd level, the sorcerer’s senses allow them to see as if using detect magic (as the spell) a number of times per day equal to their Charisma modifier. This spell-like ability is activated as a standard action that draws an attack of opportunity and requires full concentration for as many rounds as the sorcerer wishes to attain information (as the spell description). At 10th level the sorcerer's Arcane Sense spell-like ability improves from acting as a detect magic spell to acting as an arcane sight spell and at 18th level improves from acting as an arcane sightspell to acting as a greater arcane sight spell.

Item Familiar: The sorcerer may choose to imbue an item with a part of thei magical essence and eventually have it mirror their personality, thus gaining the ability to create an item familiar, using the “Item Familiar" option from the Unearthed Arcana (p.170). Note that a sorcerer cannot have both a familiar and an item familiar unless they possess the Extra Familiar feat.

Summoned Companion (Sp): Upon reaching 2nd level, a sorcerer may choose to gain the service of an unusually intelligent, strong, and loyal extra-planar animal to accompany and serve them on their adventures. This animal is usually a heavy warhorse (for a Medium sorcerer) or warpony (for a Small sorcerer), badger, camel, dire rat, dog (or riding dog), eagle, hawk, owl, snake (Medium viper) or wolf (or any other animal of no more than 2HD).
……….Once per day, as a full-round action, a sorcerer may magically call their companion from the extra-planar realm in which it resides. The companion immediately appears adjacent to the sorcerer and remains for 2 hours per sorcerer level; it may be dismissed at any time as a free action. The companion is the same creature each time it is summoned, though the sorcerer may release a particular companion from service.
……….Each time the companion is summoned, it appears in full health, regardless of any damage it may have taken previously. The companion also appears wearing or carrying any gear it had when it was last dismissed. Summoning a companion is a conjuration (summoning) effect.
……….Should the sorcerer’s companion die, it immediately disappears, leaving behind any equipment it was carrying. The sorcerer may not summon another companion for thirty days or until they gain a sorcerer level, whichever comes first, even if the companion is somehow returned from the dead. During this thirty-day period, the sorcerer takes a –1 penalty on attack and weapon damage rolls. If a sorcerer releases their companion from service, they may gain a new one by performing a ceremony requiring 24 uninterrupted hours of meditation. This ceremony is also required to replace a companion that has perished.
……….At 2nd-level the sorcerer’s companion is completely typical for its kind except as noted below. As the sorcerer advances in level, the companion’s power increases as shown on the table. A sorcerer of 4th level or higher may select from an alternative list of companions (see below). Should they select a companion from one of these alternative lists, the creature gains abilities as if the character’s sorcerer level were lower than it actually is. Subtract the value indicated in the appropriate list header from the character’s sorcerer level and compare the result with the sorcerer level entry on the table to determine the companion’s powers. (If this adjustment would reduce the sorcerer’s effective level to 0 or lower, thet can’t have that creature as a companion.)

THE SORCERER’S SUMMONED COMPANION
The sorcerer’s companion is superior to a normal creature of its kind and has special powers, as described below. A sorcerer’s companion is treated as a magical beast for the purpose of all effects that depend on its type (though it retains HD, base attack bonus, saves, skill points, and feats by its natural type).

Sorcerer…….Bonus…..Natural…...Str/Dex………………Bonus
Level………...HD……....Armor……....ADJ…..…..INT…..Tricks……….Special
2-4……….........+0……….....+2…………......+0……….......5…….....1………......Empathic Link, Share Spell
5-7………….......+2……….....+4………….....+1……….......6………...2………......Improved Evasion
8-10………….....+4……….....+6…………......+2……..….....7…….....3………......Devotion
11-14………......+6……….....+8………….....+3……..….....8………...4………......Multiattack
15-20………......+8………....+10……….......+4……..….....9………...5………......Spell Resistance

Sorcerer’s Companion Basics: Use the base statistics for a creature of the companion’s kind, but make changes to take into account the attributes and characteristics summarized on the table and described below.
…..Bonus HD: Extra eight-sided (d8) Hit Dice, each of which gains a Constitution modifier, as normal. Extra Hit Dice improve the companion’s base attack and base save bonuses. A summoned companion’s base attack bonus is equal to that of a cleric of a level equal to the companion’s HD. A companion has good Fortitude and Reflex saves (treat it as a character whose level equals the companion’s HD). The companion gains additional skill points or feats for bonus HD as normal for advancing a monster’s Hit Dice.
…..Natural Armor Adj.: The number on the table is an improvement to the companion’s existing natural armor bonus.
…..Str/Dex Adj.: Add this figure to the companion’s Strength and Dexterity scores.
…..Int: The companion’s Intelligence score.
…..Bonus Tricks: The value given in this column is the total number of “bonus” tricks that the companion knows in addition to any that the sorcerer might choose, or be able to teach it (see the Handle Animal skill). These bonus tricks don’t require any training time or Handle Animal checks, and they don’t count against the normal limit of tricks known by the companion. The sorcerer selects these bonus tricks, and once selected, they can’t be changed.
…..Devotion (Ex): A companion gains a +4 morale bonus on Will saves against enchantment spells and effects.
…..Empathic Link (Su): The sorcerer has an empathic link with their companion out to a distance of up to 1 mile. The sorcerer cannot see through the companion’s eyes, but they can communicate empathically. Note that even intelligent companions see the world differently from humans, so misunderstandings are always possible. Because of this empathic link, the sorcerer has the same connection to an item or place that their companion does, just as with a master and familiar (see Familiars).
…..Improved Evasion (Ex): When subjected to an attack that normally allows a Reflex saving throw for half damage, a companion takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw and half damage if the saving throw fails.
…..Multiattack: A companion gains Multiattack as a bonus feat if it has three or more natural attacks and does not already have that feat. If it does not have the requisite three or more natural attacks, the companion instead gains a second attack with its primary natural weapon, albeit at a –5 penalty.
…..Share Spells: At the sorcerer’s option, they may have any spell (but not any spell-like ability) they cast on themselves also affect their companion. The companion must be within 5 feet at the time of casting to receive the benefit. If the spell or effect has a duration other than instantaneous, it stops affecting the companion if it moves farther than 5 feet away and will not affect them again even if it returns to the sorcerer before the duration expires. Additionally, the sorcerer may cast a spell with a target of “You” on their companion (as a touch range spell) instead of on themselves. A sorcerer and their companion can share spells even if the spells normally do not affect creatures of the companion’s type (magical beast).
…..Spell Resistance (Ex): A companion’s spell resistance equals its master’s sorcerer level + 5. To affect the companion with a spell, a spellcaster must get a result on a caster level check (1d20 + caster level) that equals or exceeds the companion’s spell resistance.

ALTERNATIVE COMPANION EXAMPLES
A sorcerer of sufficiently high level can select their companion from one of the following lists, applying the indicated adjustment to the sorcerer’s level (in parentheses) for purposes of determining the companion’s characteristics and special abilities. Some variations such as Celestial, Fiendish and Elementals may require certain lineages, per DM approval.
… 5th Level or Higher (Level –3): Ape (animal); Bear, black (animal); Bison (animal); Boar (animal); Cheetah (animal); Crocodile (animal)*; Dire badger; Dire bat; Dire weasel; Leopard (animal); Lizard, monitor (animal); Lizard, shocker (animal); Shark, Large* (animal); Snake, constrictor (animal); Snake, Large viper (animal); Stirge; Wolverine (animal)
Anarchic, Celestial, Feral, Fiendish, Half-Elemental, Shadow-bound, or Warbeast templated version of base list companion
… 8th Level or Higher (Level –6): Bear, brown (animal); Dire wolverine; Crocodile, giant (animal); Deinonychus (dinosaur); Dire ape; Dire boar; Dire wolf; Elasmosaurus* (dinosaur); Lion (animal); Pseudodragon (dragon); Rhinoceros (animal); Snake, Huge viper (animal); Tiger (animal)
Anarchic, Celestial, Feral, Fiendish, Half-Elemental, Shadow-bound, or Warbeast templated version of 5th Level (Level-3) list companion
… 11th Level or Higher (Level –9): Bear, polar (animal); Dire lion; Megaraptor (dinosaur); Shark, Huge* (animal); Snake, giant constrictor (animal); Whale, orca* (animal)
Anarchic, Celestial, Feral, Fiendish, Half-Elemental, Shadow-bound, or
Warbeast templated version of 8th Level (Level-6) list companion
… 14th Level or Higher (Level –12): Dire bear; Elephant (animal); Octopus, giant* (animal)
Anarchic, Celestial, Feral, Fiendish, Half-Elemental, Shadow-bound, or Warbeast templated version of 11th Level (Level-9) list companion
…17th Level or Higher (Level –15): Dire shark*; Dire tiger; Squid, giant* (animal); Triceratops (dinosaur); Tyrannosaurus (dinosaur)
Anarchic, Celestial, Feral, Fiendish, Half-Elemental, Shadow-bound, or Warbeast templated version of 14th Level (Level-12) list companion
(*) Available only in an aquatic environment.

 

[Fieari]

PLAYTEST NOTES!

I've started playing a 5th Level Magical Family Lineage Sorcerer in my most recent game, and after only one session, it's been great. I'm not certain 'm using the most up-to-date document though, since the one I'm using only specifies arcane sense at 2nd level and doesn't talk about familiars except under Magical Family, in which it's described "As a Wizard"...

Anyway, despite all that, I'm having a blast. My character concept was of a young rebellious youth... rebelling against his Lawful Evil Wizard parents, who are the madcap kind who go around digging dungeons and filling them with monsters and magical items for adventurers to get slaughtered in. As such, my character hates magic, hates magic users, and upon running away, was disgusted to learn that Wizarding has been in his family so long that it's now in his very blood. At least he's been able to focus on Abjuration... that way, he can dispel magic more than cast it.

Notes: Arcane Sense has been wonderful. My character is paranoid that "Dad" has sent his familiar after him, so he's been taking pains to cover his tracks, and look around for anyone using magic that might be looking for him. In the adventure so far, it's more or less felt like I get unlimited uses, as even detecting my beer every time I drink hasn't drained all my uses (only 17 CHA, so 3/day, but still enough so far). If we actually go dungeon crawling, I might need more, but I glanced at the thread and it seems you've modified things so you get more arcane senses per day as you level up? I'll need to check that out, sounds good to me.

Since I'm starting at 5th level, I've recieved a spell-like ability from my Abjuration spell list... and I chose "Protection from Alignment"... which is working out pretty well. I can play up the paranoid runnaway pretty well, casting it serripticiously whenever I suspect something might be remiss, and not worry about losing my other spells... like Magic Missile, which was useful when we ran into some assassins. And when the NPC we encounntered was wearing a cursed mind control ring and my spell-like ability was the only thing (short of cutting off a finger, which another NPC had done voluntarily to excape the ring) that could get it off his finger, that felt great.

I'm REALLY looking forwards to getting my Lineage Gift... although I'm somewhat dissapointed I can only choose Power Spell at 8th level, and not any of the others. I really want Mastery of Counterspelling, esspecially as it fits so well with my character's theme: an anti-magic sorcerer. (I debated between the "Unknown Anti-magic" lineage and the "Magical Family Disjunction" lineage a bit, then decided that the ability to get Mastery of Counterspelling fit that niche so much better than the unknown lineage could possibly) I'm considering asking my DM to allow me to just pick any given lineage gift from that list at 8th and 12th, not just at 12th.

All in all, it feels much more balanced and much more INTERESTING than the old Sorcerer. I've always been a sorcerer fan, mostly by the flavor text, and at low levels I used to run out of spells really quickly... and now I don't. As long as I don't push myself, and only inform the DM of my character's stats not the other players, I give off the feeling that I have unlimited magical potential at my fingertips. I never have to let them see my limits, which does wonders for roleplaying a reputation!

I'm quite happy with what I've used so far, and I've only played the guy for ONE DAY. Woohoo!

 

[Evilhalfling]

Lineage for monster sorcerers – specifically Kaorti – (Fiend Folio)

Kaorti are a group of sorcerers and wizards who stepped through the dream realm and ended up in the far realm – They were absorbed by a nameless entity and transformed into terrible natives. They are neutral evil, and cannot survive exposure to this world without protective armor.
Spell like abilities: disguise self (at will); color spray, ray of enfeeblement, reduce, spider climb, feather fall 1/day
They tend to take the alienist PrC as quickly as possible.

So I am okay with some of the sorcerers loosing their lineage benefits from becoming Kaorti – but some lineages should be compatible. Conjurer lineage would fit well with alienists, and Illusion lineage fits with the dream aspects. The Kaorti have mostly alteration powers, the alienists have conjuration and dreamers illusion – erm help?
The Far Realm is beyond alignment so those don’t work well. I see the dream realm as closely tied to both the far realm and the ethereal plane (they are co-mingled in my cosmology) And while the kaorti actually traveled to the far realm, there are humans who could follow that path. They are called the Dreamers.

Dreamer: 0-ghost sound; 1st-true strike; 2nd-Blur; 3rd-major image; 4th-phantasmal killer; 5th-Dream; 6th-mislead; 7th-Plane Shift ; 8th-Etherealness; 9th-Foresight

Benefits – control over sleep, dreamers receive the benefits of 8 hours of sleep in 4, much like an elf. Recovering spells still takes 8 hours. Dreamers can also use the skill lucid dreaming at caster level + Wis Mod. Dreamers can sleep under difficult conditions, such as when wearing armor without penalties. sorcerers with the dreamer lineage are immune to sleep spells. When a dreamer uses summoning spells he taps into the place where nightmares dwell. All summoned creatures gain the psudonatural template. This replaces the fiendish or celestial template otherwise applied.

Hindrances: Dreamers must be open to other worlds at all times, they loose the ability to learn or cast and abjuration spells that affect divinations or planer travelers – while retaining the abjurations that deal only with physical or elemental protection. The sorcerer cannot use spell completion or spell trigger items that activate banned spells, as they just do not work for the sorcerer.


2nd level Aura Sight (scales by level)
8th ……….At 8th level the dreamer sorcerer gains the ability to sense, incorporeal and invisible creatures within 60’ which also reduces miss chances on incorporeal and invisible creatures by 25%., They receive a +2 save bonus vs. any spell in the illusionist school.
14th ?
20th Transformation : See Alienist or if Kaorti, the Pseudonatural template

 

[Khaalis]

PLAYTEST NOTES!

Thanks Fieari!

I'm not certain 'm using the most up-to-date document though, since the one I'm using only specifies arcane sense at 2nd level and doesn't talk about familiars except under Magical Family, in which it's described "As a Wizard"...

You have the most up-to-date version. The Proposed changes here have NOT been implemented as I never received a single comment on them, so I was unsure whether to go forward with them or not.

I am glad you are enjoying the build. Further comments as you play it would be appreciated as well.

Thanks!

EvilHalfling – I don’t own the Fiend Folio so I am not sure how much help I can be for your Lineage build. Anyone else have it and can comment?

 

[Evilhalfling]

well my totem spirit shaman player is having a ball.
he is now a 3rd/4th barb/sorc
specializing in personal buff spells.

speak w/animals, barkskin, as spell and war paint (brew potion) and blood auguary see regular use. The flavor works wonderfully and he is a nice counterpoint to the new druid/ranger and the existing straight mage even though I was worried about overlap. Between the druids animal messanger, the mage's owl familiar and the socr. speak w/animals the party spread out over two hundred miles and reassembled easily.
I gave him the choice for a 5th level lineage spell - he selected Righteous might- and is looking forward to both that and the totem ability boosts at 8th lvl.
He has came up with the concept of a totem pole abandonded in his peoples lost homeland, sold me on the idea, and convinced the party to go look for it He is also has learned the totem animals for the other players and is working on creating personalized fetishes for each one. He is so distict from a vanilla sorcerer that they might not even recognize what he is doing.

 

[Mr. Draco]

Still seeking comments on the mutable ability at second level.

Personally, I love the idea! It allows sorcerrors to truly develop in any way the player chooses, as well as providing even more variation between individual sorcerrors.

As for other comments/criticism, I can't think of any as of just yet, but I'll mull it over for a while.

 

[Khaalis]

Ok, after several requests here and via PM, I will bump this topic in search of comments on the mutable ability at second level. To anyone still on the boards familiar with this thread (as well as new people willing to check out the main class), I request thoughts and comments on the following change to the Lineage Sorcerer. Thanks!

In place of "Arcane Sense" at 2nd level, the proposal is to substitute it with the mutable "Sorcerer Ability" option (as follows).


Sorcerer Ability: A sorcerer is not a defined term beyond that they share manipulation of arcane magic in common. Sorcerers can develop vastly different abilities from one another, usually as a reflection of their lineage, but other times it is a reflection of the sorcerer's upbringing and environmental influence. Sorcerers can fill many roles such as hedge wizards, fortune hunters, opportunists, charlatans, alchemists, demonologists, planar travelers, street wizards, investigators, adventurers, oracles and many other concepts as influenced by their surroundings. The varied abilities required by each different specialty are a reflection of the sorcerer’s specific culture and heritage. At 2nd level the sorcerer gains one option from the list below that reflects the type of sorcerer they are developing into.

Arcane Sense (Sp): The sorcerer is so in tune with magic that they can feel magic flow through them as well as sense its presence and flow in all things around them as well. As a result of this deep attunement, at 2nd level, the sorcerer’s senses allow them to see as if using detect magic (as the spell) a number of times per day equal to their Charisma modifier. This spell-like ability is activated as a standard action that draws an attack of opportunity and requires full concentration for as many rounds as the sorcerer wishes to attain information (as the spell description). At 10th level the sorcerer's Arcane Sense spell-like ability improves from acting as a detect magic spell to acting as an arcane sight spell and at 18th level improves from acting as an arcane sightspell to acting as a greater arcane sight spell.

Item Familiar: The sorcerer may choose to imbue an item with a part of thei magical essence and eventually have it mirror their personality, thus gaining the ability to create an item familiar, using the “Item Familiar" option from the Unearthed Arcana (p.170). Note that a sorcerer cannot have both a familiar and an item familiar unless they possess the Extra Familiar feat.

Summoned Companion (Sp): Upon reaching 2nd level, a sorcerer may choose to gain the service of an unusually intelligent, strong, and loyal extra-planar animal to accompany and serve them on their adventures. This animal is usually a heavy warhorse (for a Medium sorcerer) or warpony (for a Small sorcerer), badger, camel, dire rat, dog (or riding dog), eagle, hawk, owl, snake (Medium viper) or wolf (or any other animal of no more than 2HD).
……….Once per day, as a full-round action, a sorcerer may magically call their companion from the extra-planar realm in which it resides. The companion immediately appears adjacent to the sorcerer and remains for 2 hours per sorcerer level; it may be dismissed at any time as a free action. The companion is the same creature each time it is summoned, though the sorcerer may release a particular companion from service.
……….Each time the companion is summoned, it appears in full health, regardless of any damage it may have taken previously. The companion also appears wearing or carrying any gear it had when it was last dismissed. Summoning a companion is a conjuration (summoning) effect.
……….Should the sorcerer’s companion die, it immediately disappears, leaving behind any equipment it was carrying. The sorcerer may not summon another companion for thirty days or until they gain a sorcerer level, whichever comes first, even if the companion is somehow returned from the dead. During this thirty-day period, the sorcerer takes a –1 penalty on attack and weapon damage rolls. If a sorcerer releases their companion from service, they may gain a new one by performing a ceremony requiring 24 uninterrupted hours of meditation. This ceremony is also required to replace a companion that has perished.
……….At 2nd-level the sorcerer’s companion is completely typical for its kind except as noted below. As the sorcerer advances in level, the companion’s power increases as shown on the table. A sorcerer of 4th level or higher may select from an alternative list of companions (see below). Should they select a companion from one of these alternative lists, the creature gains abilities as if the character’s sorcerer level were lower than it actually is. Subtract the value indicated in the appropriate list header from the character’s sorcerer level and compare the result with the sorcerer level entry on the table to determine the companion’s powers. (If this adjustment would reduce the sorcerer’s effective level to 0 or lower, thet can’t have that creature as a companion.)

THE SORCERER’S SUMMONED COMPANION
The sorcerer’s companion is superior to a normal creature of its kind and has special powers, as described below. A sorcerer’s companion is treated as a magical beast for the purpose of all effects that depend on its type (though it retains HD, base attack bonus, saves, skill points, and feats by its natural type).

Sorcerer…….Bonus…..Natural…...Str/Dex………………Bonus
Level………...HD……....Armor……....ADJ…..…..INT…..Tricks……….Special
2-4……….........+0……….....+2…………......+0……….......5…….....1………......Empathic Link, Share Spell
5-7………….......+2……….....+4………….....+1……….......6………...2………......Improved Evasion
8-10………….....+4……….....+6…………......+2……..….....7…….....3………......Devotion
11-14………......+6……….....+8………….....+3……..….....8………...4………......Multiattack
15-20………......+8………....+10……….......+4……..….....9………...5………......Spell Resistance

Sorcerer’s Companion Basics: Use the base statistics for a creature of the companion’s kind, but make changes to take into account the attributes and characteristics summarized on the table and described below.
…..Bonus HD: Extra eight-sided (d8) Hit Dice, each of which gains a Constitution modifier, as normal. Extra Hit Dice improve the companion’s base attack and base save bonuses. A summoned companion’s base attack bonus is equal to that of a cleric of a level equal to the companion’s HD. A companion has good Fortitude and Reflex saves (treat it as a character whose level equals the companion’s HD). The companion gains additional skill points or feats for bonus HD as normal for advancing a monster’s Hit Dice.
…..Natural Armor Adj.: The number on the table is an improvement to the companion’s existing natural armor bonus.
…..Str/Dex Adj.: Add this figure to the companion’s Strength and Dexterity scores.
…..Int: The companion’s Intelligence score.
…..Bonus Tricks: The value given in this column is the total number of “bonus” tricks that the companion knows in addition to any that the sorcerer might choose, or be able to teach it (see the Handle Animal skill). These bonus tricks don’t require any training time or Handle Animal checks, and they don’t count against the normal limit of tricks known by the companion. The sorcerer selects these bonus tricks, and once selected, they can’t be changed.
…..Devotion (Ex): A companion gains a +4 morale bonus on Will saves against enchantment spells and effects.
…..Empathic Link (Su): The sorcerer has an empathic link with their companion out to a distance of up to 1 mile. The sorcerer cannot see through the companion’s eyes, but they can communicate empathically. Note that even intelligent companions see the world differently from humans, so misunderstandings are always possible. Because of this empathic link, the sorcerer has the same connection to an item or place that their companion does, just as with a master and familiar (see Familiars).
…..Improved Evasion (Ex): When subjected to an attack that normally allows a Reflex saving throw for half damage, a companion takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw and half damage if the saving throw fails.
…..Multiattack: A companion gains Multiattack as a bonus feat if it has three or more natural attacks and does not already have that feat. If it does not have the requisite three or more natural attacks, the companion instead gains a second attack with its primary natural weapon, albeit at a –5 penalty.
…..Share Spells: At the sorcerer’s option, they may have any spell (but not any spell-like ability) they cast on themselves also affect their companion. The companion must be within 5 feet at the time of casting to receive the benefit. If the spell or effect has a duration other than instantaneous, it stops affecting the companion if it moves farther than 5 feet away and will not affect them again even if it returns to the sorcerer before the duration expires. Additionally, the sorcerer may cast a spell with a target of “You” on their companion (as a touch range spell) instead of on themselves. A sorcerer and their companion can share spells even if the spells normally do not affect creatures of the companion’s type (magical beast).
…..Spell Resistance (Ex): A companion’s spell resistance equals its master’s sorcerer level + 5. To affect the companion with a spell, a spellcaster must get a result on a caster level check (1d20 + caster level) that equals or exceeds the companion’s spell resistance.

ALTERNATIVE COMPANION EXAMPLES
A sorcerer of sufficiently high level can select their companion from one of the following lists, applying the indicated adjustment to the sorcerer’s level (in parentheses) for purposes of determining the companion’s characteristics and special abilities. Some variations such as Celestial, Fiendish and Elementals may require certain lineages, per DM approval.
… 5th Level or Higher (Level –3): Ape (animal); Bear, black (animal); Bison (animal); Boar (animal); Cheetah (animal); Crocodile (animal)*; Dire badger; Dire bat; Dire weasel; Leopard (animal); Lizard, monitor (animal); Lizard, shocker (animal); Shark, Large* (animal); Snake, constrictor (animal); Snake, Large viper (animal); Stirge; Wolverine (animal)
Anarchic, Celestial, Feral, Fiendish, Half-Elemental, Shadow-bound, or Warbeast templated version of base list companion
… 8th Level or Higher (Level –6): Bear, brown (animal); Dire wolverine; Crocodile, giant (animal); Deinonychus (dinosaur); Dire ape; Dire boar; Dire wolf; Elasmosaurus* (dinosaur); Lion (animal); Pseudodragon (dragon); Rhinoceros (animal); Snake, Huge viper (animal); Tiger (animal)
Anarchic, Celestial, Feral, Fiendish, Half-Elemental, Shadow-bound, or Warbeast templated version of 5th Level (Level-3) list companion
… 11th Level or Higher (Level –9): Bear, polar (animal); Dire lion; Megaraptor (dinosaur); Shark, Huge* (animal); Snake, giant constrictor (animal); Whale, orca* (animal)
Anarchic, Celestial, Feral, Fiendish, Half-Elemental, Shadow-bound, or
Warbeast templated version of 8th Level (Level-6) list companion
… 14th Level or Higher (Level –12): Dire bear; Elephant (animal); Octopus, giant* (animal)
Anarchic, Celestial, Feral, Fiendish, Half-Elemental, Shadow-bound, or Warbeast templated version of 11th Level (Level-9) list companion
…17th Level or Higher (Level –15): Dire shark*; Dire tiger; Squid, giant* (animal); Triceratops (dinosaur); Tyrannosaurus (dinosaur)
Anarchic, Celestial, Feral, Fiendish, Half-Elemental, Shadow-bound, or Warbeast templated version of 14th Level (Level-12) list companion
(*) Available only in an aquatic environment.