Alternative to familiars?

[Bloodstone de Troll]

Hello all,
I have been toying around with an alternative for those wishing to play a wizard but not keen on familiars. I was thinking of a mage posessing a "wizards staff", this staff would allow for the storage of spell levels similar to a rod of absorption or a spellfire wielder. The stored spell levels would only be available for spells the mage had prepared, NOT as spellfire blasts or healing. The progression of the staffs capacity would increase at a rate similar to a familiar.

Do you think that additional abilities are even necessary for such a staff? I was thinking of having a progression as follows:
Caster level Special
1-2 Absorption (as a rod of absorption or spellfire wielder), Touch
3-4 Empathic link (the caster knows where the staff is)
5-6 Sighted (staff gains vision, unimpeded by visability)
7-8 Animation(for the cost of one stored spell slot the staff can be animated for one day)(such an animated staff is considered an animated object one size smaller than the caster).
9-10
11-12 Flight (costs one slot per hour, move 30fy, average)
13-14 Awaken (staff becomes self-aware and can expend its own spell levels for animation or flight)
15-16 ---------------------
17-18 ---------------------
19-20 ---------------------

If the staff is ever damaged or destroyed, the owner suffer as if it were a familiar. A destroyed staff can be replaced in a year and a day for a cost of 100gp.

What do you all think would be an appropriate and balenced progression for the staffs spell storage? I was thinking the casters Con modifier +1 per every other level. In other words: If a level 7-8 wizard has a Con of 14 (+2 mod) his staff would allow for the absorption of 6 spell levels. What do you all think???

 

[las]

How bout this if you seen the Pyson cristal thing you can use that as a base as an alternet fimler gust with a staff that wont yell at you.

 

[ATO_DM]

I like the Idea of the Staff, but not the part about it becoming animated. I've actually toyed around with this idea myself. My idea though, was that the Staff of the Wizard somehow assisted his casting ability and eventually could operate in a way similar to the sword of the "spell sword" Prc. You know, storing spells in the Staff and casting spells through the Staff. I haven't really figured out a way to do that yet without making it too good (in my mind anyway).

 

[Cloudgatherer]

IMC, I let wizards/sorcerers ditch a familiar for a free feat (any). Many of my players just didn't use them (nor did I).

 

[Sir Brennen]

Ah! I came to House Rules to post this very topic and someone beat me to it!

Oh well. I was going to post after reading The Quintessential Wizard from Mongoose Publishing got some thoughts stirring in my head. I recommend checking it out. They have a whole section on a new type of magic item called an Arcane Nexus. A staff is one type of object that could be used for a nexus, and due to its size, can hold the most abilities. But you could have rings, cloaks, hats...whatever.

An Arcane Nexus has its own Item Creation Feat, and costs gold and XP just like any other magic item. There are a number of abilities you can give a nexus (over 25) divided into four separate categories. Most have a required caster level before you can give an ability to a nexus, so the item can grow with you as your character advances (just like a familiar.)

My thought was to give this feat for free to any character that gives up obtaining a familiar. Perhaps even giving such a character a 10-20% reduction in gold and XP needed to make such an item, plus they may begin play with their own nexus (with two minor abilities; anything else they have to pay for.) The feat would still be available for any other wizard to take, without the other benefits.

The other reason I wanted to post on Alternates to Familiars is to see if anyone else has come up anything interesting to replace the Wiz/Sor Summon Familiar ability. Just letting them choose any ol' feat instead just seems to0 generic to me.

For instance, there was another thread on here where someone was trying to make a feat that allows arcane casters to hurl raw magic around, burning off spell slots/memorized spells to fuel the bolts (sort of the arcane equivalant of clerics casting spontaneous Cure spells.) I thought this would be a cool option versus a black cat or toad sidekick.

This kinda stuff could add flavor to a game - maybe Staff crafting is a trademark of the Sidharka School of Wizardry, and summoning Familiars is only taught to mages in Wheel.

Any others?

 

[Bloodstone de Troll]

Hurmmm

Sir Brennens point concerning the spell nexus is interesting.

I would like it if a wizards staff acts as a sort of "collector" of magical energy. Not exactly like a rod of aborption, it wouldnt be useable to counter an incoming spell but perhaps it could be used to use existing spell slots to emit a "blast" of magical energy ala spellfire. Acting as the focus to "spontaneouse blast" as a cleric can heal.

Perhaps the staff could be bonded to the caster, much like a familiar, and thus have an escalating in convertable spell slot conversion as the wizard increses in level. The staffs capacity could still be dependant on the wizards Con modifier (maybe half the casters wizard level + Con mod), as the power is still being "sucked" out of him.

What say ye?

 

[Larcen]

This whole topic reminds of the Lord of the Rings movie. It looked like a large part of Gandalf and Saruman's power were tied to their staffs.

 

[Sir Brennen]

This whole topic reminds of the Lord of the Rings movie. It looked like a large part of Gandalf and Saruman's power were tied to their staffs.

One of the abilities you could give an Arcane Nexus is Light. Basically, you can have the Nexus glow as if using the Light cantrip cast on it, lasting for a full day, and can be turned off and on at will. I immediately thought of Gandalf's staff when he did this in the Mines of Moria.

The ability uses 2 slots of a Nexus, and you have to "fuel" the ability by casting a first level spell on the Nexus.

Another cool one is burning hands. Since it's cast from the staff, you can have it originate from any square you threaten!

Bloodstone, I think you might be onto something with the number of spells stored based on level and CON. Personally, I'd add in a few other abilities beside the "spell-blast" feature to make it interesting, but that's just me.

Also, I'd have the spell slots a wizard spends on his staff drain away before the end of the day, so he can't have a full complement of spells *plus* the power he's got stored in his staff. Or, in the case of a spellfire-like power, maybe he has to spend them immediately (or within 1 round/per level.)

The Mongoose Quin. Wizard Nexus is assumed to be bonded to its wielder, as well. Again, I recommend picking it up. (No, I don't work for them)

 

[ZR]

I like the idea.

I have a party that just started at level 12. Both spellcasters have familiars but have no real bond with them. I am going to have them touch something/read a book etc to be exposed to somthing in a dragon hoard they are about to get It will make the first thing they touch become their object (staff/hat/stich/rock etc.) They will then have the choice to keep the familiar or the object.