Appropriate bonus for centipede familiar?

[Anubis the Doomseer]

I'm doing up a gothy-type Shadow Weave mage with a tiny monsterous centipede as a familiar. Anyone have any good direct or symbolic/thematic ideas for a power or bonus to be given to the mage by the familiar?

 

[jayaint]

+2 to climb checks and 1 round of Freedom of Movement per day?

 

[Sertimon]

In the FRCS ... the hairy spider for example keeps it poisonous bite. You could do something similiar with the monsterous centipede.

If I recall correctly, centipedes are quite secretive, living under rocks or in burrows. So I suggest the following for a monsterous centipede: Master gains a +3 bonus on Hide checks. It also fits the theme of a shadow mage to some degree. No other familiar in 3.5 PHB gives such a bonus so it wouldn't intrude on any of the already mention ones.

First I was thinking about giving the Master darkvision, but no familiar special in 3.5 PHB is that powerful. No special is greater than what could be gained through a feat. Otherwise I second jayaint suggestion, but the lizard familiar also gains the same bonus.

Hope that helps!

 

[Anubis the Doomseer]

In the FRCS ... the hairy spider for example keeps it poisonous bite. You could do something similiar with the monsterous centipede.

Hope that helps!

I am keeping the poison but at DC 10 I don't really think it's "bonus" worthy. I'll go with the +3 to Hide. I agree with the Darkvision thing - I wasn't thinking of something that powerful. I was just wracking my head to come up with traditional attributes of the centipede that would translate into a mechanical bonus for the wizard.

Thanks for the help.

 

[Morgenstern]

The centipede is a creature of amazing speed in some oriental myth. I'd give your character +5 ft. to movement rate as per the Dash feat in the Minis Handbook.