Level Up (A5E) Flumphs, Faerie Dragons, and Familiars

[xiphumor]

Flumphs and Faerie Dragons both have familiar variants in the MM, but can’t actually qualify has familiars as both are too large, and because Faerie Dragons have too high of a CR. (While we’re here, I think Mephits suffer from the same problem of being prime familiar candidates while also being too large.) This got me thinking of how familiars, specifically for warlocks, could be expanded.

To me, the creature types that most work for warlocks are as follows:

1. Aberrations: Flumphs definitely need to be here, and probably an additional, not so cute option.
2. Celestials: Where’s the love for all the LG warlocks out there? Shoulder angel anyone?
3. Constructs: Under-explored possibility. The Gear Spider is great here, and we technically have the Homunculus, but it’s lackluster familiar material
4. Dragons: Pseudodragon of course, plus the Faerie Dragon if it can be modified.
5. Elementals: Mephits, as stated, but also some Baby versions of the classic four elementals.
6. Fey: Pixies and Sprites are ample coverage
7. Fiends: Imps and Quasits are sufficient to cover this for now.
8. Oozes: The oozemancer wizard can choose a gray ooze for their familiar, and simply making a tiny version would grant this possibility to warlocks.
9. Undead: the existence of the zombie and skeleton templates do a lot for this. You could maybe expand this with a ghost template.

Thoughts?

 

[VenerableBede]

I interpret the "X creature as a familiar" sidebars along these lines: if a character with find familiar (or comparable ability) befriends, tricks, coerces, or otherwise somehow finds such a creature into his service, the creature is a suitable candidate to be a familiar (otherwise following find familiar rules) until the creature perishes (since it isn't a "generic spirit creature shoved into some shape" like familiars usually are).

So there's definitely a lot of Narrator permissioning going on, and I think it's more likely to be relevant in a campaign high on story/acting rather than just focusing on combat and dungeon delving. But, well, that's how it reads to me. Familiar rules could be expanded on (perhaps that would make an interesting GPG article), but if so they would need to be carefully balanced to, if nothing else, not take away Chain Warlock's niche.

 

[xiphumor]

Oh, my thought is not so much to expand the rules for familiars as it is to expand the number of creatures that qualify. The A5e warlock rules permit any Tiny creature of CR 1/2 or less as a Pact of the Chain familiar. I just want smaller flumphs and mephits.

 

[VenerableBede]

Ah, I see what you mean.

Well, I doubt you'll get a 2000-word article out of saying "Make it an official optional rule, if you want a weird familiar and you are a warlock and the only thing holding you back is the creature's size... shrink it and leave all the other stats the same. All CR 1/2 creatures are nearly equal anyway"... But that's how I'd run it at might table.

 

[xiphumor]

Ah, I see what you mean.

Well, I doubt you'll get a 2000-word article out of saying "Make it an official optional rule, if you want a weird familiar and you are a warlock and the only thing holding you back is the creature's size... shrink it and leave all the other stats the same. All CR 1/2 creatures are nearly equal anyway"... But that's how I'd run it at might table.

Which is why the actual solution is to make a bunch of monsters over the course of several articles that qualify as familiars!

Actually, it occurs to me that two of the mechanoskulls qualify. Thanks @Mike Myler!

 

[Tessarael]

Faerie Dragon is quite suitable, but only at higher character levels IMHO. I'd suggest character level 7+, and only while the Faerie Dragon is less than 30 years old. The Pathfinder feat Improved Familiar has a pretty good guide: Improved Familiar – d20PFSRD

And Flumphs are suitable familiars.

 

[WanderingMystic]

The biggest difference between a small and a tiny creature seems to be that tiny creatures use d4 for their hit dice so you should be able to quickly change a mephit or a other small creature to a tiny one for a familiar.

 

[WanderingMystic]

Faerie Dragons should be perfectly suitable if you loos the interest spellcasting, even at age 5 the three extra cantrips avaliable to you is too powerful but everything else is perfectly fine.

 

[arms]

familiars which grow as the player grows?

 

[Tessarael]

familiars which grow as the player grows?

Yes. This is a key thing missing from 5E D&D and A5E that was there for familiars in 3E D&D. Conceptually, something like Follower or Sidekick rules could be used for an enhanced familiar. Ideally, you want them to gain in hit points (+1 HP or +2 HP per your character level, or maybe 3x your proficiency bonus) and saving throws (e.g., your proficiency bonus) to maintain survivability. Having something like this as a feat or Eldritch Invocation might be reasonable, but they'll also need to maintain utility. The Frog Fangs eldritch invocation does keep them effectively able to contribute some (albeit minor) damage while alive for Warlock.