I hope animal companions, pet, familiars, henchcritters, etc remain as options in the PHB, but with modifications:
- Ability to drop a familiar or animal companion ability in exchange for a different ability
- Simpler mechanics that don't require a full character sheet for the companion
- Toughening mechanics that allow the critter to survive better anfd grow with the character.
Could be as simple as: Animal companion (wolf): your companion allows you to flank a target you threaten as a free action.
For wizards, I'd like to see staff-based abilities as familiar options, to fit the iconic "wizard with staff" image. I wrote some up that I use with 3.5; I'd like to see a similar concept (not necessarily the same mechanics) make it into early 4E.
Example:
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Signature Staff
The wizard or sorcerer may choose to select a signature staff instead of a familiar. The signature staff serves as a focus for arcane magic, and enables the individual to cast certain spells for which he or she is renowned ... signature spells.
At first level, the signature staff is a masterwork quarterstaff to which the wizard is attuned (this process takes 24 hours and 100gp worth of oils, incense, and other materials for the tuning ceremony). With the staff in hand, the arcane caster casts all spells as if she possessed the Eschew Materials feat. In addition, the individual may use the staff to "lose" a prepared spell slot and spontaneously cast a "signature spell" the level of that spell slot or below. This casting uses the same action as the signature spell and draws attacks of opportunity. A specialist wizard may use a school spell slot to cast a signature spell, but that spell must be of the school in which the wizard specializes.
Signature spell: At 1st level, choose one spell the arcane caster knows. With signature staff in hand, the caster is able to spontaneously convert prepared spells of the level of the sacrificed spell slot or below into the signature spell. The character gains an additional signature spell from spells known at every level where he or she can access a new spell level (every odd level, for wizards; 4th level and every even level thereafter for sorcerers).
Example: Mialee chooses to focus on fire spells. At first level, she selects burning hands as her signature spell. At any time she has her staff in hand, she may choose to sacrifice one of her prepared first level spell slots to cast burning hands as a standard action. At 3rd level, she selects pyrotechnics as her next signature spell. She may then spontaneously convert any 2d-level prepared spell slot into pyrotechnics or burning hands, or any 1st level spell slot into burning hands.
In addition to the signature spell ability, the signature staff also increases in utility as the character increases in level:
At 5th level, and every 5 levels thereafter, it gains a +1 enhancement bonus -- it is a +1 quarterstaff at 5th level, a +2 quarterstaff at 10th level, etc. At 5th level, the character may also further enhance the staff with additional weapon enhancements, provided he ro she has the craft arms and armor feat (costs for improvement are as per the feat). At 12th level, the caster may imbue additional spell abilities into the signature staff as charges, provided he or she has the craft staff feat (this mechanic functions exactly as the craft staff feat, except that when all charges in the staff are expended, the staff returns to its role as a signature staff. It may then be further charged with different spells should the character choose by repeating the crafting process). Only levels in classes which grant the familiar special ability may be counted toward signature staff levels. Multi-classing into a second class which grants a familiar special ability does not allow the character to gain a familiar; by electing to take a signature staff, he or she has forever foregone taking a familiar.
The caster knows the direction and distance to the signature staff so long as the staff is on the same plane and within 1 mile.
If the signature staff is destroyed, the magical energies associated it detonate, causing 5 points of force damage per arcane caster level to all within 20' of the staff (to include the wielder, if the character has it in hand)(Reflex save DC10 + staff level for half damage). The wielder must make a Fortitude save (DC15) or lose 200 XP per wizard level (or half that if the saving throw is made). The character may then attune a new signature staff, but doing so requires not only the 24 hours and 100gp for the ceremony, but a gold piece and XP expenditure equivalent to crafting a magical quarterstaff of the same enhancement as the signature staff. The individual may select new signature spells for each appropriate level when crafting a new signature staff.
A signature staff wielder who does not have the signature staff in hand may not employ the Eschew Materials feat, nor spontaneously convert spell slots to signature spells. An attuned character who is without the attuned signature staff for a period of more than 24 hours becomes fatigued until the staff is recovered (this does not apply if the attuned staff has been destroyed; see below).
The wielder of a signature staff may voluntarily choose to sacrifice the staff by breaking it, but risks the damage from the arcane detonation and suffers the XP loss as per normal. The individual may then craft a new signature staff.
A signature staff is strengthened by the arcane energies which attune it to its wielder; it possesses hardness 10, and 20 hit points, or hit points equal to the wielder’s, whichever is greater.
Specialist Staff
The specialist wizard may choose to select a specialist staff instead of a familiar. The specialist staff serves as a focus for the wizard's magic, enables the wizard to enhance spell casting in the chosen specialist school, as well as allows for some additional special abilities.
All specialist staffs share some common traits.
At first level, the wizard's staff is a masterwork quarterstaff to which the wizard is attuned (this process takes 24 hours and 100gp worth of oils, incense, and other materials for the tuning ceremony). At 5th level, and every 5 levels thereafter, it gains a +1 enhancement bonus -- it is a +1 quarterstaff at 5th level, a +2 quarterstaff at 10th level, etc. At 5th level, the wizard may also further enhance the staff with additional weapon enhancements starting at 5th level, provided the wizard has the craft arms and armor feat (costs as per the feat). At 12th level, the wizard may imbue additional spell abilities into the signature staff as charges, provided the wizard has the craft staff feat (this mechanic functions exactly as the craft staff feat, except that when all charges in the staff are expended, the staff returns to its role as a signature staff. It may then be further charged with different spells should the wizard choose by repeating the crafting process). Only levels in classes which grant the familiar special feature may be counted toward signature staff levels. Multi-classing into a second class which grants a familiar special ability does not allow the character to gain a familiar; by electing to take a signature staff, he or she has forever foregone taking a familiar.
With the specialist staff in hand, the wizard casts all spells from the specialized school as if she possessed the Eschew Materials feat. Spells not of the specialized school require material components per the spell description.
While in possession of the specialist staff, the wizard gains the benefit of the Spell Focus feat in the school of spell in which she specializes.
The caster knows the direction and distance to the specialist staff so long as the staff is on the same plane and within 1 mile.
If the specialist staff is destroyed, the magical energies associated it detonate, causing 5 points of force damage per arcane caster level to all within 20' of the staff (to include the wielder, if the character has it in hand)(Reflex save DC10 + staff level for half damage). The wizard must make a Fortitude save (DC15) or lose 200 XP per wizard level (or half that if the saving throw is made). The wizard may then attune a new specialist staff, but doing so requires not only the 24 hours and 100gp for the ceremony, but a gold piece and XP expenditure equivalent to crafting a magical quarterstaff of the same enhancement level as the signature staff. The wizard may select new signature spells for each appropriate level when crafting a new signature staff.
A specialist staff wielder who does not have the signature staff in hand does not gain any of the benefits of the specialist staff. A wizard who is without the attuned specialist staff for a period of more than 24 hours becomes fatigued until the staff is recovered (this does not apply if the attuned staff has been destroyed; see below).
The wielder of a specialist staff may voluntarily choose to sacrifice the staff by breaking it, but risks the damage from the arcane detonation and suffers the XP loss as per normal. The wizard may then craft a new signature staff.
A signature staff is strengthened by the arcane energies which attune it to its wielder; it possesses hardness 10, and 20 hit points, or hit points equal to the wielder’s, whichever is greater.
In addition to the above benefits, the specialist staff confers additional abilities as described below.
Abjurer’s staff
1st Level: Arcane Resistance. Cast resistance at will, as per the spell.
5th Level: Arcane Shield. Cast shield 3 times per day, as per the spell.
9th Level: Recall Abjuration 1/day: The abjurer’s staff enables the wizard to recall one previously cast abjuration spell, enabling it to be cast again.
13th Level: Recall Abjuration 3/day.
17th Level: Arcane Invulnerability. Cast globe of invulnerability and spell turning each up to 3 times per day.
Note: Casting of specialist staff spells through the specialist staff does not grant knowledge of the spell to enable the wizard to prepare other castings of the spell, unless the wizard already knows the spell..
Conjurer’s staff
3rd Level: Augment Summoning. The wielder gains the benefit of the augment summoning feat while wielding the conjurer’s staff.
7th Level: Practiced Summons. The caster casts all summon monster spells as full round actions, rather than 1-round actions.
11th Level: Recall Conjuration 1/day. The conjuror’s staff enables the wizard to recall one previously cast conjuration spell, enabling it to be cast again.
15th Level: Recall Conjuration 3/day
19th Level: Hasty Summons. The caster casts all summon monster spells as standard actions, rather than full-round actions.
Evoker’s staff
1st Level. Arcane Bolt 1d6. Pick one energy type (fire, cold, electrical, acid, sonic, force). At will, as a standard action, you fire a bolt of arcane energy from your staff at a target. Make a ranged touch attack against a single target. If it hits, you deal 1d6 points of damage of the chosen type. The range of the arcane bolt is close (25’ + 5’ per level), spell resistance applies, but there is no saving throw.
5th Level. Arcane Bolt 2d6. The damage from your arcane bolt increases to 2d6 points of damage.
9th level. Arcane Bolt 3d6. The damage from your arcane bolt increases to 3d6 points of damage. You may pick a second energy type (fire, cold, electrical, acid, sonic, force); your arcane bolt may now be of either chosen energy type.
13th Level. Arcane Bolt 4d6. The damage from your arcane bolt increases to 3d6 points of damage.
15th Level. Arcane Bolt 5d6. The damage from your arcane bolt increases to 5d6 points of damage.
Necromancer’s staff
1st Level: Cast disrupt undead at will, as per the spell.
5th Level: Gain the ability to turn or rebuke undead (player choice) as a cleric of equivalent level.
9th Level: You may both turn and rebuke undead as a cleric of equivalent level.
13th Level. Undead Minions. You may cast animate dead up to 3 times/day.
etc ...[/sblock]
