Special Conversion Thread: Supernatural Familiars

[demiurge1138]

Add the parenthetical.

These natural familiars seem rather stronger than the outer planar versions to me. Body equilibrium and endure elements on the master forever? That's pretty darn sweet--although imps etc can commune once a week. Is occasional DM-determined-plot-information better, worse or equivalent to a constant tangible benefit?

 

[freyar]

I have to think that these natural ones are stronger. Body equilibrium and endure elements is pretty good. Note that the imp is supposed to be reasonably comparable to a pseudodragon or quasit, and I can't see those to be quite as good as this.

 

[Cleon]

Added to Homebrews.

For the predicting weather, how about just giving them a racial bonus on Survival checks? (A DC 15 check allows you to predict the weather up to 24 hours in advance. For every 5 points by which your Survival check result exceeds 15, you can predict the weather for one additional day in advance.)

Good idea. We could just give it the bonus on Weather-prediction checks, but they seem more like they're generally in-tune with nature.

Give 'em a racial bonus on Hide checks in aboveground natural environments?

Or maybe this?

Camouflage (Ex): A ranger of 13th level or higher can use the Hide skill in any sort of natural terrain, even if the terrain doesn’t grant cover or concealment.

I'd go for the racial bonus plus Camouflage.

I'd say that rules out Diplomacy. Appraise seems a good skill choice.

Craft (trapmaking) as well?

Body Equilibrium (Su): A haudhli can adjust its body’s equilibrium to correspond with any solid or liquid that it stands on. Thus, it can walk on water, quicksand, or even a spider’s web without sinking or breaking through (this effect does not confer any resistance to particularly sticky webs). The haudhli can move at its normal speed, but it cannot run (x4 speed) on an unfirm surface without sinking or breaking through. If a haudhli falls from any height, damage from the impact is halved.

A haudli confers this ability to its master as long as the two remain in physical contact with each other.

That all looks good to me.

I incorporated this into body equilibrium as well. Should we make the endure elements a separate ability from the rest of the SLAs to make a similar writeup, or will adding a parenthetical "also affects master if in physical contact" to the SLA line?

The originals elemental endurance reads more like a Supernatural ability to me. It's "always on" and there's no mention of it needing to regularly cast it on itself.

 

[Cleon]

Add the parenthetical.

These natural familiars seem rather stronger than the outer planar versions to me. Body equilibrium and endure elements on the master forever? That's pretty darn sweet--although imps etc can commune once a week. Is occasional DM-determined-plot-information better, worse or equivalent to a constant tangible benefit?

It does seem like quite a lot. If we decide it bothers us we can just drop one of the abilities.

 

[Shade]

Updated.

Since these guys seem more powerful, we can raise 'em to 9th-level improved familiars.

Or, if you'd prefer, we can eliminate the "transfers some of its benefits to the master" bits, since most improved familiars grant their masters no additional benefits.

 

[GrayLinnorm]

Constant may be a bit much, maybe once a day each for a temporary period?

 

[Cleon]

Constant may be a bit much, maybe once a day each for a temporary period?

Sounds good to me, and I'd rather keep them 7th level familiars.

Something like:

Share Qualities: Once a day, a haudli that is in service as a familiar can share its body equilibrium and endure elements special qualities with its master for a duration of up to 1 minute. The haudli must touch its master to use Share Qualities, the duration immediately ends if it breaks contact.

 

[demiurge1138]

I'd rather drop the shared qualities period.

 

[freyar]

I'd rather drop the shared qualities period.

Me too.

 

[Shade]

Agreed. They're good enough without 'em.

Updated.

Skills: 28 ranks
Appraise, Craft (trapmaking), no Diplomacy, what else?

Feats: Dodge (B), Weapon Finesse (B), 1 more