Familiars... what would you want in a supplement about them?

[jaldaen]

I'm thinking of writing up a supplement on familiars (for publication) and was wondering if:

1) Anyone would be interested?

2) What you would like to see in such a book?

Jaldaen

 

[Psychotic Dreamer]

I might be interested.

As for what I would want to see... A lot of balanced Familiars. Rules for creating different types of familiars. Maybe magic items designed to work with familiars.

 

[Leopold]

1. Rules for creating other familars from common animals. Say i want a tiger as a familar, what bonus' do i get?

2. Familars for all of the common animals (spider, bat, monkey, etc.)

3. Familars that gain levels and what do they get then?

4. Clear concise rules on using familars and how to do stats, saving throws, xp, etc..



all i can think of right now...steaks eating the blood from the brain and using it to digest big porterhouse dinner..

 

[F5]

I'd be interested, but I wouldn't want to see just a familiars book. I'd want it to include stuff on Animal Companions and the Paladin's Warhorse, and stuff like that. Both of those have been dealt with in their respective splatbooks, but could have been handled more interestingly.
I would love to see some unofficial rules on cohorts. Maybe stuff like an "Improved Leadership" feat, that would give you bard-like abilities when leading your followers. Maybe rules on advancing Animal Companions, Awakened mounts, and stuff like that, as characters with levels. And most of all, ways to use all of these types of characters/creatures in a game (a DM's primer on How to Introduce Cohorts in Interesting Ways and Not Completely Screw Up Your Game Balance).
Basically, a "Complete Sidekicks Handbook"

<<edited for stupid I-Just-Got-home-from-work spelling errors...>>

 

[Blacksad]

1) It depends on what will be in it

2)hm...

A balanced (playtest?) rule that allow player to change the +1 spellcasting level of prestiges classes into a +2/3 (or something else less than 1) spellcasting level and keep familiar (or mount) advancement?

Perhaps extending the focus of the book to include paladin mount and blackguard follower?

Rules that allow to play a pokémon-like campaign with the d20 sytem, keeping the familiar rules for a D&D flavor?

uh? what are you doing with this axe?

squirrel as familiar!

Rules that give a balanced way to have any tiny and fine creatures in the MM as a familiar (and any creartures as a follower for Blackguard, or mount for paladin?) ?

A contract with WotC that allow you to reference (not reprint) the rules and spells in T&B (and perhaps DotF for paladin/blackguard)?

 

[lambdaZUG]

a) Gobs of well-thought out familiars, both mundane and fantastic. Include utilitarian types (monkey, parrot) with cute or theme ones (songbird: +2 perform; bumblebee: +2 intimidate) and suchlike.

b) Feats that give access to dramatically improved familiars. Construct, battle-worthy, elemental, undead, inanimate (see Pet Rock thread), planar (celestial/fiendish), &c &c.

c) Spells that directly affect familiars. Spells that only affect familiars should be more powerful than "normal" spells of that level, because the master is risking a lot by utilizing the familiar instead of himself or another ally. E.g., Polymorph Familiar should be 3rd level, but perhaps last only 10 minutes/level.

d) Most importantly, a whole *bunch* of inspiration on how to use a familiar effectively. Tips, tricks, apt spell combinations, stuff like that. Something to inspire wizards with toad-in-a-bag syndrome.

e) Since there are great paralells between the two, it should also cover psi-stones.

 

[Quickbeam]

I'd love to see such a book.

If I had my say it would include:
* More detailed info on various familiar types that expands on the dozen or so pages in Spells & Spellcraft.
* Clear and reasonable rules for growth/ability advancement for non-standard familiar options.
* More details on the granted powers their masters receive for a much broader array of animals -- everything from monkeys to hedgehogs and lizards to peacocks.
* Guidelines for creating your own familiar options (like constructs, lesser elementals, etc.) and how to determine their stats and granted abilities.
* Suggestions for summoning/binding rituals.

BTW, I would also agree that such a supplement should include sections on paladin mounts and druid/ranger animal companions.

 

[jaldaen]

1. Rules for creating other familars from common animals. Say i want a tiger as a familar, what bonus' do i get?

That is definately going to be in there... I just like the whole idea of familiars with some attitude

2. Familars for all of the common animals (spider, bat, monkey, etc.)

Also pretty sure that this will be doable... only worry is how much page space will be needed ;-)

3. Familars that gain levels and what do they get then?

I'm trying to work that out now... I so want to make familiars able to gain levels or at least abilities over the course of time

4. Clear concise rules on using familars and how to do stats, saving throws, xp, etc..

I'll definately try to be concise ;-)

Jaldaen

 

[jaldaen]

As for what I would want to see... A lot of balanced Familiars. Rules for creating different types of familiars. Maybe magic items designed to work with familiars.

Balanced familiars check! Magical items check! Spells check! I know you didn't request the latter, but familiar enhancing spells should be fun as well ;-)

Jaldaen

 

[Tortoise]

I would like to see detailed discussion on ways to handle familiars in game so that they are a benefit instead of an extra headache for the DM.

Similar advice on cohorts and followers would be nice as well.