Spellbook familiars (final draft - scroll to end)

[Quickleaf]

Has anyone created an option for spellbooks functioning as familiars? Instead of his familiar (or staff familiar if using variant rules), a wizard could choose to have a spellbook familiar -- we'll call it a True Grimoire to distinguish it.
What sort of powers would such a book be able to gain? I'd like to make a power-list-now-choose with more powerful options becoming available as a wizard levels.

Here are some power ideas I've been brainstorming...
*Contains stolen knowledge from mentor (i.e. a spell of a level higher than wizard can cast...wizard may attempt to cast this spell, but risks fatigue or attracting mentor's ire)
*Booby-trapped
*Magically hold more spells than size would allow
*Has secret contents even owner is unaware of
*"Eating" scrolls or even other spellbooks!
*Disguise itself as a common book in a library
*Teleport via libraries (if the library is owned by enemy of wizard or is unfamiliar, a check is required...maybe some portion of the spellbook -- a spell or two -- could infiltrate the enemy wizard's library...of course it's up to the captured PCs to talk the guards into daring to bring the spell to them...heheh)
*Allow the wizard to gain 3 or 4 spells per level instead of 2
*Be attuned to a specialist's school of magic, enhancing all spells from that school as if +1 caster level
*Improved effects with costly writing instruments appropriate to spell being scribed (i.e. medusa/basilisk blood for a flesh to stone spell might cast at +1 caster level)

 

[Kyramus]

It's a great idea.

I haven't done so, but if I were to do so. I would probably keep the stats of the familiar and apply it to the book then allow the book to shape change into 1 particular animal (see phb list.)

1) no alertness to spell caster, since the book familiar is not a real animal, it can just shape change into one.
2) eating scrolls will be equivalent of scribing said scroll into the book.
3) the heavier the animal, the more spells it can contain (think poundage = pages)
4) Eating a spell book might not be possible, but eating selected pages might be. see 3
5) booby trap? why, it already is a living creature. it can attack back. HOWEVER, maybe allow the book familiar to cast spells on it's own based on caster level /2 and uses the int score of the book familiar. remember the familiar does increases int as the spell caster goes higher in level.
6) I wouldn't agree to the teleport via library. It has it's own mobility as a book/animal.
7) Improved book familiar feat/s. I'd say 4 improved book familiar feats.
Mental Clarity Assistant (any knowledge skill rolled gets a +3 bonus.) Concentration Assistant (when in combat, concentration roll gets a +3 bonus), Mnemonic remembrance (allows 2 spells of 3rd or lower to be remembered per day), Soul Receptacle (allows the book familiar to store the spell caster's soul when he dies, ie phylactery effect)
8) Another thing you could possible think of is a personality in the book familiar, kinda like a psion's psicrystal.

 

[Quickleaf]

clarification

Actually, I hadn't intended it to be a living creature or be able to assume an animal form at all, though the idea is interesting. I was thinking more of a mystical book.

Your soul receptacle idea is really cool, thanks! And, the psion crystal thing I hadn't even thought of as I hadn't yet decided if the book was intelligent or only semi-intelligent, but I think it really fits.

Keep it coming!

 

[Kyramus]

oh. ummm just a book.

1) shape change to another book form. ie spell book, to fake geneaology book, fake romance novel, etc.
2) allow it to have emphatic/telepathic connection with the boss man. later mabe aloow it to have speech.
3) levitate at will/tenser's floating disc effect or telekinesis book only to stay within 5 ft of caster.
4) I doubt the caster would ever do this, but if he was mad enough he might throw the book at someone. Have the book return to the caster as the returning ability of weapons.
5) If the Caster ignores or doesn't appreciate the book, the book denies the caster access to its pages.

Can't think of anything else at the moment. hehe

 

[Quickleaf]

update

See below

 

[The Shaman]

I like this concept very much.

 

[Angel Tarragon]

Having received The Complete Book of Eldritch Might (and loving it), this is the one part of the book that jumped out at me the most - Intelligent Items. Using that ifo combined with the Item Familiar feat from Unearthed Arcana is going to make my homebrew a hell of a lot more interesting.

 

[Quickleaf]

See below

 

[jerichothebard]

• Secret Page at will
• Automatically contains the following spells: Read Magic, Mending, Comp. Languages, Erase, Phantom Trap, Explosive Runes, Sepia Snake Sigil, Secret Page, Fire Trap, Mnemonic Enhancer available as the wizards gets to appropriate level.

 

[Evilhalfling]

It makes a lot of sense to just use the framework for Item Familiars - (UA)
storing skills, xp and spells in the book instead of character.
Then instead of getting magical powers (10th) it gets book powers, as you have detailed, or a selection of the more powerful ones.