Ok last run before it is added to the class description.
Sorcerer Ability: A sorcerer is not a defined term beyond the fact 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.
Animal Companion (Ex): A sorcerer may use their presence and natural charm to gain an animal companion. This is a free-willed animal and acts in all respects as a druid's animal companion (see the Druid in the Player's Handbook), but progress more slowly. Sorcerer animal companions progress using the following ANIMAL COMPANION table.
Sorcerer…….Bonus…..Natural…...Str/Dex………Bonus
Level………...HD……....Armor……....ADJ…..…..Tricks....Special
2-5……….........+0……….....+2…………......+0……….......1…….....Link, Share Spell
6-8………….......+2……….....+4………….....+1……….......2………...Evasion
9-11………….....+4……….....+6…………......+2……..….....3…….....Devotion
12-14………......+6……….....+8………….....+3……..….....4………...Multiattack
15-17………......+8………....+10……….......+4……..….....5………...-----
18-20………......+10………..+12……….......+5……..….....6………...Improved Evasion
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 3+ their Charisma modifier plus one additional use per 5 sorcerer levels. 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 [/i]arcane sight[/i] spell to acting as a greater arcane sight spell.
Item Familiar: The sorcerer may choose to imbue an item with a part of their 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…..Special
2-4……….........+0……….....+2…………......+0……….......5…….....Empathic Link, Share Spell
5-7………….......+2……….....+4………….....+1……….......6………...Improved Evasion
8-10………….....+4……….....+6…………......+2……..….....7…….....Devotion
11-14………......+6……….....+8………….....+3……..….....8………...Multiattack
15-20………......+8………....+10……….......+4……..….....9………...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.
…..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 animal or summoned 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.
I love it. I've always loved sorcerers, and have always felt (as have so many others) that they get the shortest end of the stick, followed closely by wizards.
