D&D 5E Improved Find Familiar

[Warmaster Horus]

...

I don't understand how people think that they need a specific, detailed rule for everything in this game.

I was 12 once...

 

[Cap'n Kobold]

Since XGtE has find greater steed, then find greater familiar could work as a separate spell. I would make it a 3rd level spell so that the chainlock gets his/her gig without competition for a couple of levels. It would give the chainlock familiars that can attack, but if chainlocks take it, they can add a spined devil, meenlock, or will o' the wisp to their list.

I think that if it gave something that good, then it would not be a ritual spell: it would actually require a spell slot to cast.

Allowing it as a ritual, unless the cost of components is significant, may gate it behind hitting level 5 but doesn't actually require more effort to cast. The usual familiar isn't powerful enough to be an issue, but a more powerful familiar would be.

 

[MechaTarrasque]

I think that if it gave something that good, then it would not be a ritual spell: it would actually require a spell slot to cast.

Allowing it as a ritual, unless the cost of components is significant, may gate it behind hitting level 5 but doesn't actually require more effort to cast. The usual familiar isn't powerful enough to be an issue, but a more powerful familiar would be.

+1. That makes sense to me.

 

[Iry]

One of the big advantages of Find Familiar is that your Familiar is a shapechanging spirit that can swap between forms every hour (if you ritual cast it). That means you can change them to any of the listed forms to use whatever is most advantageous to the situation.

Pact of the Chain has the slight advantage that it's spirit can also shapechange between Imp, Pseudodragon, Quasit, or Sprite. Want invisibility? 1 hour later your spirit is an Imp! Need Heart Sight? 1 hour later your spirit is a Sprite!

Making friends with an actual Imp, Pseudodragon, Quasit, or Sprite doesn't give you that flexibility.

 

[ad_hoc]

I think it is a mistake to make it a spell and pretend like it is a regular Wizard ability.

If you're going to have other classes have it then just treat it like a powerful magic item and move on.

 

[Alexander Julian]

It's kind of the point of chainlocks to have the OP familiars. Your wizard can, however, form an agreement with any of the variant familiar creatures in exchange for it services. However it will act at the DM's whim not your own