Sorcerers with special powers instead of familiars?

[Trainz]

R&R2 has some great sorcerer feats that would be a great for this.

I do not own that book, neither do I plan to buy it...

However, I invite you to post a system you can come up with, based on R&R2 if you want.

 

[Nightfall]

Relics and Rituals 2 offers sorcerers the chance to tap into the bloodline. This is what as known as Scion feats. Scion Feats give sorcerers a slightly restricted list of spells based on either their titanic hertiage (such as Mormo or Mesos) or creatures, (such as dragons, giants, fey, celestials etc). This also translates into unique sorcerers that can have some features of that type. (Child of the Heavens for example, they often have silverish hair or golden eyes.) They also get a small bonus to certain things, like skill checks. But also their focused spells, they gain a +1 caster bonus when they cast spells from their Scion list. (This effect does stack with Heighten Spell or other caster level raising effects.)

 

[Chun-tzu]

Wow, I love the idea of scion feats.

If I had any power over 3.5E (and I don't), I'd give Wizards a bonus metamagic or item creation feat every 4 levels (maybe every 3 levels?), and the Improved Metamagic ability around level 17 (and NO prestige classes would get Improved Metamagic). This keeps straight Wizards very flexible, and something valuable for specialists (i.e., prestige classes) to give up. Sorcerers could get Scion bonuses every four levels, instead of bonus feats.

 

[Crothian]

The scion feats are cool, but I think it would be very hard for a Sorcer to have more then one, and I'm not sure it's allowed. I think the feats are great for defining the power of the Sorcerer. I'd recomend R&R2 to anyone interesting in these feats, as it has other great ideas in it as well.

 

[Nightfall]

Not to mention check out the Player's Guide to Wizards, Sorcerers and Bards, forthcoming in July. It has some more. As for taking more than one Scion feat, it IS possible but it's GM's perview in that respect. Basically the problem with taking more than one is you lose a good number of spell slots because you automatically MUST take that spell when you have slot open in your known spell slot. Most Scion spell lists have two or three spells of each level. So if you take two, it's quite possible you will fill up your list before you can take something you might like. (Like the ever popular fireball.)

 

[Ruvion]

Nice Avatar btw Nightfall.
Goes well with your name.

 

[Kai Lord]

Companion Spirit: The Mage has contacted and bonded with some sort of spirit, perhaps an animal spirit, or the uneasy spirit of a person that has not yet passed on. A spirit is like a minor ghost with almost no way to affect the material world. It acts much like a familiar, except that it is intangible and can see other intangible spirits.

That sounds cool, and similar to something used in one of my campaigns. I had a Druid character that my DM let me spend a feat to get a Kodama spirit companion from Princess Mononoke. Had all kinds of fun with the little guy.