Familiars Take 0.01

[Samurai]

Just wanted to add my own version of Familiars... as a new Arcane Implement:

Wizards (and Warlocks) have a 4th option as an Implement, a Familiar. While your Familiar is within 10 squares of you, it acts as a free and natural Implement, giving a +1 bonus at 3rd level, +2 at 8th, +3 at 13th, +4 at 18th, +5 at 23rd, and +6 at 28th. In addition, it understands and obeys simple commands and once per encounter, you may channel a spell through your familiar if it is within 10 squares, casting the spell as if you were standing where your familiar is. The familiar has a speed of 6 and it can’t be targeted for attack individually, same as Wands, Orbs, and Staves may no longer be sundered or disarmed. Any effect that would allow for the destruction of another arcane implement would destroy a familiar as well.

 

[Belorin]

Perhaps this could be expanded to Ranger's and Druid's animal companions and Paladin's mounts.
Just a thought.

Bel

 

[Starfox]

Again, as in the other thread - make the familiar less intrusive. More cute pet and messenger, less combat ally.

 

[Tuft]

A familiar's form reflects the caster's personality and goals. Warlocks, in particular, have exotic familiars which reflect their Pact.

I really like this; a nice flavour. The 'lock pacts are so abstract and remote anyway, that they could do with some more concrete spice closer to the character.

 

[runnerXL]

I like this version of a familier more than gaining one through a ritual. Since any character can use a ritual scroll having familiers is not limited at all if summoning one is a ritual. The flavour of this feat could imply a ritual being involved without making it open to evey class.

 

[Lizard]

I like this version of a familier more than gaining one through a ritual. Since any character can use a ritual scroll having familiers is not limited at all if summoning one is a ritual. The flavour of this feat could imply a ritual being involved without making it open to evey class.

Yes.

What "Taking the feat" entails is up the DM. The could be a ritual, but it happens "off screen".

I've gotten some good feedback on this and plan to expand it to version 0.02 soon.

 

[mattdm]

I like the Golden Compass / His Dark Materials feel of this. Might not fit everyone's idea of what a familiar should be, but then, not everything is gonna work in the game.

 

[VBMEW-01]

I really love this and plan to implement it.

One thing I will probably do is make them a bit like mounts (the shared actions approach) but beyond that I wouldn't change anything.

Great work

 

[Belorin]

Yeah, between this and the ritual famliar I like this one better. It's not as powerful as the 3.5 familiar, but it is useful enough, my version will probably at heroic tier run and hide during combat, at the upper tiers I can see using it to mark targets for AoE spells and other useful stuff.

Bel

 

[FoxWander]

I take back what I said in my earlier post. Having read (and understanding) the new version a bit better, taking a familiar is better as a feat.

Firstly, anyone can potentially cast a ritual and thus gain a familiar, and that's just wrong. Familiars belong squarely with mage-types, i.e. characters with an Arcane powers source.

Second, and more important, the familiar grants permanent, useful bonuses and abilities- and that's exactly what feats are designed for.

While the idea of a 'find familiar' ritual has lots of old-school coolness, its exactly like Lizard said, "What 'Taking the feat' entails is up the DM." If I like the idea of it being a "spell" then my feat was casting a ritual.