Familiars

[I'm A Banana]

It's level 3 in the playtest. I'm not a fan. I think it should be available at level 1.

I also think that, rather than having special unique little rules for spellcasters, the familiar needs to make use of a broader "useful pet" kind of concept.

Meaning, it should be something anyone can get. A cat or a raven or a monkey or a ferret or a parrot or a toad or even a horse or a serpent or even another person maybe. It should be your Disney Side-Kick Animal. Your Abu from Aladdin. What is a pirate without their parrot? What is a knight without their noble steed? Or a bond villain without their fluffy cat? Or a bard without their Number One Fan, maybe?

Everyone should have the option to gain a useful little pet that they can order around and help them out. From level 1.

Personally, I think it would make a great Theme.

You'd need to futz a bit with the current familiar mechanics. I'd do something like this:

[sblock]
Theme: Bonded Pet
You have a particularly close bond with an animal companion. You travel together, explore together, fight together, and rely on each other. You are perhaps each others' closest friend. As you gain levels, you teach your pet many tricks, and your bond grows closer.

At first level, you gain the Adventurer's Best Friend feat.
Adventurer's Best Friend: You have a close bond with a particular animal, and it follows you around and helps you out. Benefit: You can choose an animal to have as a pet. The animal is loyal to you, and obeys your commands. Due to your similarities, you gain one extra skill that both you and the animal share (your lucky cricket might give you Fiddling +3, or your noble steed might grant you Endurance +3). Your pet also does not die as long as you are alive. Your pet can be knocked out, but it automatically stabilizes and doesn't need to make death saves. Your pet has HP equal to 1/10th of your HP.
[/sblock]

That might need a bit more thought, but it's the version 0.1.

Now, what about the more...otherworldly elements of an arcane familiar? The idea of a creature from the otherworld teaching dark secrets to a student?

Two words: Warlocks, son.

Do you have Thoughts About Familiars? Post them here (if they are grandma-friendly).

 

[Boarstorm]

The immortal pet could be abused pretty heavily.

But I see why you included it -- it would suck to invest that heavily into something character-wise, and then have it die the first time it encounters ... well, anything.

That's one of the things that makes the familiar rules as they stand so nice, though -- as a spiritual construct, you don't have to worry about that sort of thing (abuse OR lost character creation options, really).

 

[Sword of Spirit]

It is a theme. It's part of the magic-user theme, which, if they are still planning on doing themes as they've said they would in the past, is available to anyone.

But I see no reason why what you're suggesting couldn't also be a theme.

 

[ppaladin123]

And since themes are simply packages of feats it is quite possible that a character could take the individual feat that grants a familiar at level 1. We'll have to see if the theme has some sort of level prerequisite attached (I hope not).

 

[I'm A Banana]

Those are both good points. I guess it just needs to be looked at to have some application for those that aren't arcane casters.

That's one of the things that makes the familiar rules as they stand so nice, though -- as a spiritual construct, you don't have to worry about that sort of thing (abuse OR lost character creation options, really).

It's not bad, but I don't think it's good for all types of pets like this, since not all types of pets like this are going to be explicitly supernatural. I figured the "it can be knocked out, but not killed" thing might've been an OK compromise, but maybe not?

Anyway, the important thing is that I can play Dr. Evil with Mr. Bigglesworth at level 1 and not have to be a sparkly mage to do it.

 

[Oni]

On reading, haven't playtested it yet, I really like the familiar in the playtest documents. I want a familiar that is a magical companion that can do magical stuff like said familiar, not just a little pet that anyone can have. The classes are meant to be different and unique why try to make them more the same?

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

I could go with Theme: Beastmaster.

Or perhaps Background: Circus Trainer.

 

[FireLance]

Or perhaps Background: Circus Trainer.

Olgar Shiverstone has a point. Since what you're proposing adds to skills and has little combat benefit, maybe it would be better off as a background (with the pet as your background feature) instead of a feat or theme.

 

[Dragoslav]

It's interesting that the familiar comes from a feat and not a class feature of the Wizard. Wouldn't this make the familiar feat a "feat tax," since what's a wizard without a familiar?

 

[FireLance]

It's interesting that the familiar comes from a feat and not a class feature of the Wizard. Wouldn't this make the familiar feat a "feat tax," since what's a wizard without a familiar?

In 1e/2e terms, a wizard (or magic-user) without a familiar is a wizard who either has not got the find familiar spell in his spell book, or who considers the monetary cost and/or the potential hassle and vulnerability in obtaining it to be not worth the benefits of getting it.

EDIT: The following is funny for a reason: