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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Lizard" data-source="post: 4281660" data-attributes="member: 1054">An attempt at adding familiars back to 4e.Familiars in 4eBasic design goal -- mimic, as much as possible, the 'flavor' of 3e familiars without impacting the 'action economy' of 4e.Feat: Familiar Prerequisite: Arcane power source, Cha 13+When you take this feat, you gain the constant companionship of a magical construct which resembles a small animal of some sort. You have a mental bond with this creature, and it can communicate with you, whispering in a language only you and it understand. Since the familiar is a creature formed from Arcane energy, it is of great help in pursuing magical knowledge. It grants you a +2 bonus on Arcana checks and a +2 bonus to all non-Arcana skill checks for performing rituals, if you are Trained in the appropriate skill to begin with. (This fits the traditional role of familiar as mystic advisor) (Balance note -- this is less that Skill Focus, and useful only in a narrow circumstance.)The familiar is closely bound to you. If cannot travel more than 15 feet from you or lose line of sight. If this occurs, it will dissolve into wisps of magical energy and reform at your command. As a minor action, the familiar can pick up a small objects of no more than 5 pounds in weight. As a move action, you can direct the familiar to travel within its limited range. (Balance note -- this is, by design, less effective than mage hand for the same action cost.) The familiar can drop what it is holding as a free action. The DM had the right to decide if a familiar of the type you have specified could hold/carry/move a target object, keeping in mind it is a magical construct guided by the mage's mind and not just a dumb animal.A familiar's form reflects the caster's personality and goals. Warlocks, in particular, have exotic familiars which reflect their Pact. The shape of a familiar can have only a very minor impact on its functionality. If the DM thinks a familiar of a given form is particularly suited to a task in a rare circumstance, he can grant it a +2 bonus.Once the familiar's form is chosen, it is fixed, unless the Familiar feat is retrained. This might be done for roleplaying purposes -- the formerly happy and cheerful mage who took a brightly colored parrot as a familiar may, after a tragedy, switch to a dour raven.A familiar has defenses equal to the casters, and 1 hit point. If it is killed, it can be reformed after the caster has had an extended rest. The caster suffers no direct harm from the familiar being killed, though the familiar might be a bit cranky about it for a while.Familiars have personalities, but are completely loyal to the caster and will obey all orders. They cannot be Charmed or Dominated.Heroic Tier FeatsExtended RangePrerequisite: FamiliarYour familiar can travel much further from you than before. It is now limited to your Charisma bonus*10 squares, and no longer requires line of sight. However, you do not have direct control of it at that range; you can give it orders, which it will obey to the best of its ability. These orders must be brief, no more than ten words or so. If the familiar finds it cannot obey your orders, it will seek to return to you. You can recall your familiar as a minor action; the familiar with dissolve and reappear in your square. If it was carrying objects when you do this, the familiar drops them.VisionsPrerequisite: FamiliarYou can see and hear what your familiar does. As a standard action, you may 'tune in' to what the familiar is perceiving. The familiar uses your own Perception checks to notice or hear anything out of the ordinary. This is a Daily power, similair to activating the daily power of a magic item, with the same limitations. It counts against your daily activations, and so on. It lasts five minutes or until the end of the current encounter.Paragon Tier FeatsSpell CourierPrerequisite: FamiliarYou may place a spell onto your familiar. The spell does not affect the familiar directly. Rather, the familiar can 'deliver' the spell to any point it can reach, and then discharge it. The spell has the same origin square as the familiar. This is a Daily power, similair to activating the daily power of a magic item, with the same limitations. It counts against your daily activations, and so on. Placing the spell is a minor action; releasing it is an immediate interrupt.Beast SpeechPrerequisite: FamiliarThe familiar can speak with creatures of a similair kind to itself. This is a vague category, but should be interpreted broadly. Examples of 'kinds' include birds, cats, dogs, drakes, and so on. the DM has ultimate authority on if a creature is part of a 'kind'. This does not apply to intelligent creatures, but only beasts and magical beasts. This ability can grant a +2 bonus to Streetwise checks or be useful in Skill Challenges -- for example, the familiar can ask the local wildlife if there is a river nearby, granting a bonus to Nature checks to survive in the wilderness. This is a Daily power, similair to activating the daily power of a magic item, with the same limitations. It counts against your daily activations, and so on. It lasts five minutes or until the end of the current encounter. If used in a Skill Challenge, it can be used to grant a single success or appropriate bonus.Comments/feedback welcome.</blockquote>

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