With the look at the new suggested rule for familiar, it again looks like we are going to get a blase version of the rules.
If anything, the familiar rules most resembles Vaarsuvius' Ravenfrom the Order of the Stick. It's Poke-Familiar!
Two ideas from other systems for familiars might do more to shape or change the thinking on familiars.
The first idea is taken from Warhammer (Games Workshop) which created the idea of familiars having roles like Spell, Warrior, etc.
Instead of worrying on whether the familiar is a dog, cat, or bird; the focus is on what the familiar provides to the Wizard like a special magical item.
A Warrior type could be divided into the types of Shield that gets in the way of an attack and takes a hit for the wizard. An Sword type might charge things that come within a 10' or 15' range of the Wizard.
A Spell type might allow the Wizard to prepare an extra spell on each day or carry within it's 'Magical DNA' a spell that the Wizard does not know (rules to prevent killing multiple Spell Familiars to try and fill a spell book with their hides though that might be a cool spell book made from familiar hides).
A protection type might give a bonus to a particular type of saving throw or immunity to certain problems.
You might go with the Fairy Tale idea and have a familiar that grants an extra type of movement like Feather Fall, Glide, or Fly.
You might have a Memory Familiar that is like a book in the Equipment list giving a bonus to research of material (Harry Dresden) or allow skill in something the person might not otherwise know (pick pocket, Heraldry, Planar Lore).
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The Second idea is from an old game (don't even remember the name now but I know that I got it from Fantasy Flight Games over 20 years ago). The familiar is formed by taking a page out of the Wizard's spell book.
The wizard sacrifices access to the spell for having a familiar with the features of that spell. A spell of burning hands would create a familiar that has a burning touch. A spell of detect magic would have a nose that locate magic.
The second version would be harder to write into the game as it would involve more GM ruling on what happens (since there are so many possibilities). Still, it has a very colourful nature to the origin and unique qualities of the familiar. It also is a balance element as the Wizard is choosing the familiar over the spell.
If anything, the familiar rules most resembles Vaarsuvius' Ravenfrom the Order of the Stick. It's Poke-Familiar!
Two ideas from other systems for familiars might do more to shape or change the thinking on familiars.
The first idea is taken from Warhammer (Games Workshop) which created the idea of familiars having roles like Spell, Warrior, etc.
Instead of worrying on whether the familiar is a dog, cat, or bird; the focus is on what the familiar provides to the Wizard like a special magical item.
A Warrior type could be divided into the types of Shield that gets in the way of an attack and takes a hit for the wizard. An Sword type might charge things that come within a 10' or 15' range of the Wizard.
A Spell type might allow the Wizard to prepare an extra spell on each day or carry within it's 'Magical DNA' a spell that the Wizard does not know (rules to prevent killing multiple Spell Familiars to try and fill a spell book with their hides though that might be a cool spell book made from familiar hides).
A protection type might give a bonus to a particular type of saving throw or immunity to certain problems.
You might go with the Fairy Tale idea and have a familiar that grants an extra type of movement like Feather Fall, Glide, or Fly.
You might have a Memory Familiar that is like a book in the Equipment list giving a bonus to research of material (Harry Dresden) or allow skill in something the person might not otherwise know (pick pocket, Heraldry, Planar Lore).
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The Second idea is from an old game (don't even remember the name now but I know that I got it from Fantasy Flight Games over 20 years ago). The familiar is formed by taking a page out of the Wizard's spell book.
The wizard sacrifices access to the spell for having a familiar with the features of that spell. A spell of burning hands would create a familiar that has a burning touch. A spell of detect magic would have a nose that locate magic.
The second version would be harder to write into the game as it would involve more GM ruling on what happens (since there are so many possibilities). Still, it has a very colourful nature to the origin and unique qualities of the familiar. It also is a balance element as the Wizard is choosing the familiar over the spell.
