Summon monstrous familiar

[Nadyawin]

Hello gamers!

since I am no native english speaker and since we are using the book:
DweomerCraft: Familiars
http://www.enworld.org/shop/index.php?do=product&productid=135&source=Product Review

I need you to enlighten me on Chapter 10

Can it be that this chapter is a little mixed up with humanoid & monstrous familiar, wich seem to be 2 different "chapters"?

All I need to know is, if I just need the spell "Summon monstrous familiar"+prereqs to summon me e.g. a Pseudodragon and gain the benefit "see invisibility".

and on the other hand I need a willing humanoid, like an elf. halfling, human, gnome and the feat "Bind seneschal" to "bind a humanoid" as a kinda familiar, but gaining NO benefit. On the other hand it has the possibility to cast spells (when he has the int), gain classes (like rogue, warrior etc) and using specials like "Spell conduit".

Did I understand it right? Hopefully yes, so we can continue with a good feeling in our campaign

Greets and thanks alot for your patience and answer in forward!

I will quote you from the book I purchased and hope you can help me. Thanks for your patience in forward! I want to post it in the layout its in the book, wich I find a little confusing:

Begins with Benefit table

Table 11-1: Monstrous Familiars (see Monster Manual)
Familiar Benefit
Blink Dog Blink – 2/day
Darkmantle Darkness – 2/day
Gabberflap Detect magic – at will
Goblin Darkvision 60 ft /+4 to Move Silently skill checks
Kobold Darkvision 60 ft /Gains Alertness
Mangonnel Blindsight
Pseudodragon See invisibility
Rust Monster Gains Alertness /+4 to Listen skill checks
Satyr Gains Dodge and Mobility
Shocker Lizard Electricity Resistance 15
Stirge +5 to Hide skill checks
Sprite (Grig) Invisibility (self only) and Ventriloquism – 3/day
Sprite (Pixie) Invisibility (at will)

Confusion part 1:
Followed up by the reason wich doesnt has anything to do with monstrous familiars

Reasons To Choose A Humanoid Familiar
Humanoid familiars can be the most comfortable familiars Sellcasters can have in the sense that they are people. A humanoid familiar is a person and should be one of the best, if not the best, friend and companion a Sellcaster could want. Gone are the barriers of understanding that can hamper the master of an animal familiar. A humanoid tends to think and act with intelligence, not by instinct. Furthermore, a humanoid familiar can do all the things a normal person can and can do them among people. A tiger cannot go shopping easily, nor can it open a scroll, but a humanoid can do all those things plus the windows too.Because they begin with a higher intelligence than animal familiars, humanoid familiars are able to reason and work things out for themselves. At best this means that such a familiar can provide crucial advice to his or her master and even at worst the familiar is able to carry out complex instructions; try to get that from a skeleton. This higher intelligence also makes the humanoid familiars a more pleasant companion. They usually share a language with the master and can relate on a level that only people can; even the smartest owl familiar will have a difficult time telling a joke to lighten the mood in a difficult situation.Most humanoid familiars fit in anywhere, subject to racial prejudices of course. In addition, having such a familiar may gain the master the ability to more easily enter and function within the peculiar society of the familiar’s origin. This is especially handy in relatively closed societies such as the dwarven clanholds where one cannot gain entrance without being vouched for by a member of the community. In addition, familiars can instruct their masters on the proper forms of etiquette and behavior in their societies.In addition, humanoid familiars may advance within their chosen profession or even learn a new one from their master making them that much more versatile than a non-humanoid. Should this profession be a combat-related profession then so much the better, although a learned alchemist is a boon for most Spellcasters as well.

Confusing Part2: Followed up by reason not to choose, wich still has nothing to do with monstrous familiars, but telling something about NO BENEFITS like other familiars, but in the contense its in the same chapter you can easily get wrong to think that monstrous familiars dont give you any benefits either, wich would make the table 11/1 completly obsolete

Reasons Not To Choose A Humanoid Familiar
The chief reason not to have a humanoid familiar is the fact that it is a humanoid; it is a person with his or her own goals, desires, opinions, emotions, etc. While all familiars have a personality, the personalities of beasts, monsters...

this is the only part where "monsters" seem to be treated like other familiars and their benefits for their master!!!

...., and even the undead such as they are, tend to be rather simple; keep them clean and fed and they will usually be happy. But humanoids have higher needs and wants with no guarantee that these will coincide with their masters’. This creates a much bigger problem for conflict than with other familiars; it is one thing to have a willful cat as a familiar, it is quite another to have a person with diametrically opposing opinions and possibly goals rummaging around while you are sleeping.
Humanoid familiars also fail to bring any special benefits to their master. There are no improved senses, no quickening of the reflexes, and no seeing in the dark. ...

again, this part seem to show that monstrous and humanoid familiars arent the same, however in the benefit table there are goblins and kobolds described wich are humanoids. BUT it seem to be more and more clearly that humanoids are "normal" races, playerraces like gnome, halfling, elf, human even halforc(?)

... While not technically a drawback, this is something a spellcaster should consider before choosing a humanoid familiar. In addition to not bringing any special benefits, humanoid familiars do not usually possess the physical abilities of other familiars. No flying, no small size allowing the familiar to hide, no special attacks or defenses, and it goes on. Although this is rare, the moral questions that such a relationship creates can also be a burden. In some cases this can be a question, asked by the caster or those in the larger society, of whether this is slavery or not. In most other cases it is a question of whether the humanoid familiar should be employed in the same manner as an animal familiar; there are things that we have animals do that we would not have people do. When a situation arises, such as a humanoid familiar wanting to start his or her own family, conflict can easily result.Finally, as humanoid familiars encounter the wider world it is possible that at some point they may wish to end the relationship to move on with their own life.

followed up by

Who Chooses A Humanoid Familiar?
The most obvious group of spellcasters favoring humanoid familiars are enchanters; such familiars are natural extensions of the enchanters’ talents and they can often be employed to further their master’s aims better than a non-humanoid familiar. Of course, other spellcasters are known to adopt humanoid familiars. Evil spellcasters with a certain bent enjoy tricking or forcing humanoids into service; it is proof positive of their power and will often be of benefit when dealing with members of the humanoid’s race; there is a rumor that one of the powerful orc chieftains is in actuality the familiar of a human wizard. Such relationships are almost always unequal with the familiar being nothing more than a slave.Good aligned casters have also been known to choose humanoid familiars usually as a desire to gain what they perceive to be either a more generally useful friend or someone they have an easier time relating to than an animal or monster. While this would seem to be a good idea on the surface, the nature of most wizards and sorcerers tends to be rather introverted and they actually have a tough time dealing with such a complex familiar. After all, even more so than any other type of familiar, a humanoid is a person with everything that this applies and, with the exception of enchanters, most spellcasters have a difficult time dealing with this fact. Still, when the relationship is entered upon by a mutual agreement, these can be very beneficial indeed.

coming to confusing part 3: This talking about "humanoid familiar" all way long is followed up by the Spell you need and its Prereqs to summon a Monstrous familiar:

Summon Monstrous Familiar
Conjuration (Summoning)
Level: Sor/Wiz 4
Components: V, S, F
Casting Time: 1 day + 4 hours
Range: Special
Area: 20 ft radius
Duration: Special
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No This spell summons a familiar whose type is considered to be a type of monster or member of a more unusual race. The creature’s hit die should be no greater than one half of the caster’s total chararer levels. It may be highly intelligent and possess an exceptionally strong personality. The familiar will not tolerate bad treatment and may leave the caster if it feels it is continually being abused. The alignment of the caster and the familiar should closely match although exceptions are possible. The caster must prepare by beginning the same process used to call a normal familiar. However, he must continue casting this spell for an additional four hours beyond the initial twenty-four hours. If he is successful, a portal will open within a 20 ft radius of the caster through which the familiar will pass. Familiars associated with this spell would be: Blink Dog, Darkmantle, Goblin, Kobold, Mangonnel, Pseudodragon, Rust Monster, Satyr, Shocker Lizard, Stirge, or Sprite (Grig or Pixie).Arcane Focus: A tiny candle, a drop of the caster’s blood, and piece of the desired familiar (feather, hair, tooth, claw, etc.)

confusing part 4:
after this its being talked about humanoid AND monstrous familiar again...

The possibility of having a humanoid familiar does come up again with the Summon Monstrous Familiar feat. However, there are other creatures that are not humanoid that can be selected. At this level, each creature has its own special requirements that add to the many difficulties of having a familiar.

confusing part 5: directly followed by...

Humanoid: Though quite a few varieties of humanoids are considered to be foul in personality or form by the more civilized races it is still often shocking for most to see someone take a humanoid for a familiar. Such a bonding, even if fully willed by the humanoid subject, is typically deemed as being egotistical and enslavement, and rarely deemed remotely acceptable by the majority of the good aligned wizards and sorcerers. Despite potential outcries amongst other peers of magic, however, enchanters tend to openly welcome the concept of having a completely devoted humanoid for a familiar.As the enchanter works a great deal of mind influencing and charming spells having a sentient humanoid for a bonded, devoted familiar is really no different from the normal aivities involved in the enchanter’s trade. In fact quite a few of these spell casters view the humanoid familiar as mastering a degree of the enchantment trade. It is not only the enchanter that finds the concept of a humanoid familiar appealing however. As humanoids naturally share a similar outlook on the world as the master, those who specialize in the divination spells often find a humanoid familiar to be quite useful when gathering information through mundane means. Though humanoid familiars are the most popular with diviners who live in heavily populated, urban areas it is not entirely rare to find such a pairing of familiar and master in the more remote, wilderness or rural areas.

Wich leads to the explaination what a Seneschal is ... a humanoid or monstrous humanoid... confusing part 6...

Seneschal
Once, long ago, an evil necromancer enslaved a young woman after whom he had lusted for many years. After killing her current husband, he comforted her and convinced her after several years of frequent visits to marry him. Afterwards, he convinced her to share not only their lives, but their souls and minds as well. She agreed and willingly bound herself to her new ‘husband’ only to read in his mind the truth of her original husband’s death. It was too late to break away after that as she found out quickly that she couldn’t fight against her new ‘master’ and the power he now held over her.It is long accepted that wizards and sorcerers have the ability to bind an animal or even a more powerful monster from another plane of existence as a servant. However, in ancient times, the masters of the arcane transformed many men and women into loyal servants. These men and women, like a normal animal familiar, were connected on an intimate spiritual level to their new masters. The powerful archmages were able to have a loyal servant, friend, and even lover in some cases by creating a Seneschal. However, after the story of the aforementioned necromancer and his slave-bride circulated among the populace, it generally became ill thought of to connect oneself to a wizard or other Spellcaster in most cases. Many religions began to Speak out against the practice openly, telling the peasant populace that to connect your soul to another man was a sentence in damnation, eternal pain, and life without the Gods. Thus, the practice became evil and the domain of the occult and the vile men and women who practice black magic. Only in close-knit families was the practice continued with willing servants whose family had served the family of the potential master for ages.The practice has almost been lost now, only practiced by a few remaining spellcasters, who guard the secret fervently to avoid it’s spread to their rivals. Now, these few empowered individuals act as spies among the populace or as loyal servants and apprentices. Usually, the select individuals (politicians, merchants, etc.) are asked to participate in the ritual to become a Seneschal and only then if they’ are willing.When a seneschal is created, they cease hiding any secrets from their master and vice versa. Often, the master chooses not to tell the servant of this particular ability for fear it will cause them to become unwilling to accept the magic or for the simple fact that they wish to delve into the secrets of the man or woman they are cementing themselves to. At first, they can read each other’s surface thoughts at all times and they become use to the disembodied voice of their master (or servant) appearing in their mind to comment on their own personal thoughts. Such a strong relationship is forged from this connection that it is not often that two people connected in such a way are ever apart for very long. Great distance causes the minds to temporarily separate, almost creating a physical craving for the mental contact with their ‘significant other’. It is because of this addiction and mental craving that betrayal on either side of the party is rare.
Creating a Seneschal
‘Seneschal’ is a template that can be added to any humanoid or monstrous humanoid with the same alignment or one step different in either direction from their future master (referred to hereafter as the “base creature”). This creature must be willing to suffer through the painful ritual, which binds their soul to the spellcaster creating it. If the creature is not willing, then the ritual fails and no connection is made. A seneschal uses all the statistics and base special abilities except what is noted below.
Hit Dice: The seneschal gains an additional hit point for every level of their master if their hit points are less than their master’s at the time the ritual of connection is completed. Unlike animal familiars who gain half their master’s hit points, a seneschal will often have their own character class levels and their own hit points and may not necessarily need this increase to insure their survival. Should the seneschal ever gain more hit points than their master through gaining levels, they still retain the extra hit points from gaining this template.
Special Attacks: In addition to whatever special attacks the base creature may have, they also gain the following from the Seneschal template.
Spell Use (Sp): A Seneschal with an intelligence of 10 or more can cast a limited amount of spells of their own. These spells draw their power from the master’s connection with magic as a whole and utilize his or her knowledge to cast them, but otherwise have no effect on the master’s spells per day. The seneschal can choose three zero level spells which they can cast once per day without any cost to their health. In addition to this, they can cast one 1st level spell by expending a point of constitution to fuel it. It is only in the rarest of occasions that a seneschal will sacrifice his or her own health to cast such paltry magic, but it is still available as an option. The fact that they cast the spells as a sorcerer the same level as their master will often tempt them to do so.
Familiar Abilities (Su): The Seneschal gains the following benefits, which are similar to what an animal familiar gains: Alertness, Share Spells, Emphatic Link, Touch, Speak with Master, and Scry. The details of these benefits are identical to the ones granted to a normal familiar and can be found on page 51 of the PHB.
Summons (Sp): The master may summon the seneschal to his or her side as a standard action once a day. This allows the master to instantly teleport their servant to their location and have them appear within 30 ft of them, ready to do their bidding.
Share Skills (Ex): Since the master and seneschal share a strong mental and spiritual connection, they can directly utilize the knowledge and skills of the other on their own. This effectively gives both the seneschal and the master a single rank in all skills the other has that they do not.Special Qualities: In addition to whatever special qualities the base creature may have, they also gain the following from the Seneschal template.
Telepathy (Su): The manifestation of two minds being merged on the mental plane is a state of continuous of telepathic contact between the master and the seneschal. Through this connection, they can speak, read surface thoughts, and if allowed, delve deeper into the mind of one another. This ability allows the seneschal and master to communicate anywhere as long as they’re within a mile of one another and are on the same plane of existence.
Spell Conduit (Su): The master may cast a single spell of 5th level or lower through their seneschal once per day at the price of overloading the spiritual connection between both of them. After this spell is cast, the connection between the seneschal and the master becomes so weak that they lose all ability to communicate. The master loses the ability to scry on their seneschal and the connection that allows them to share skills becomes temporarily inert. In addition to all of this, all familiar abilities become useless. This period of silence lasts for 24 hours, after which the connection renews itself and becomes strong again.
Loyal Servant (Ex): No sane seneschal would act directly against their master. Like a familiar, the seneschal knows that their well being depends on the health of their master. If the master is ever killed, the seneschal loses 400 XP per level they gained after taking the template. The master suffers more if their servant is ever slain by losing 400 XP for every level they have gained, regardless of when they gained the seneschal. In addition to this, the seneschal has a minor compulsion always in effect that suggests they always do what is best for their master first and themselves second. A will save, in addition to any save granted by the rival compulsion, is granted to resist the effect cast or created by an enemy for the purpose of using the seneschal as a means to harm their master. If one of the two saves is successful, then the seneschal remains unaffected by the compulsion effect. The seneschal also fails all saving throws against spells cast by their master because the master has the ability to lower their servant’s defenses. This means that the master and spell resistance checks and can dictate when and if a seneschal accepts a spell cast by them, regardless if the creature is currently willing to do so.
Saves: Same as base creature
Abilities: Str +0, Dex +0, Con +0, Int +2, Wis +0, Cha +2
Skills: A seneschal gains Knowledge (Arcana) as a class skill, regardless of their original class. They also gain one extra skill point with each new level or hit dice gained which must be placed as ranks in Knowledge (Arcana). This ability to understand magic, when otherwise they wouldn’t, is the result of the connection to a master of true magic.
Feats: Same as base creature
Climate/Terrain: Any land
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: Same as base creature +3
Alignment: Varies
Treasure: Standard
Advancement: As character class (any)
Level Adjustment: +4 (seneschal), +2 (master)


followed up by

New Feat
Bind Seneschal
You have unlocked the secrets of creating a Seneschal. The ritual uncovered by this secret allows you to bind a humanoid or monstrous humanoid creature to you as a servant and familiar.
Prerequisites: Spellcasting Level 9+, Int 15+, Summon Familiar class feature
Benefit: You gain a humanoid or monstrous humanoid familiar if they are willing to be bound to you. You must convince the creature or person that binding themselves to you is a beneficial arrangement. Any creature to be transformed into a seneschal must have the same alignment as you or only deviate from your alignment by one interval in any direction (Example: a LE master could have a NE drow seneschal). You cannot have a normal familiar at the same time you create a seneschal as the connection between you and the seneschal uses the same spiritual connection between a familiar and its master. Also, the creature or character must be at least three levels or three hit dice lower than your current level at the time of use or the ritual will not take hold. After the arcane rite ends, it grants the creature or character affected the seneschal template and forever binds you and the seneschal together as partners.
Normal: Without this feat, an arcane spellcaster would be forced to use a normal animal as a familiar.
Special: This feat overlaps with the Summon Familiar class feature. A master with a seneschal cannot have a normal animal familiar bound by the Summon Familiar class feature.

if you have read until here. You read entire chapter 10. Imho the layout is really confsuing. Breaking it down to the essetials:

1. With the spell summon monstrous familiar, you gain a familiar out of Monster Manuel and master get the benefit as described in table 11/1

2. with the feat, bind Seneschal, you can bind a humanoid to your will and have him as familiar, giving you no benefits but you can use specials as described in "Creating a seneschal"

Is it correct? Did I missunderstood something after all confusion?

Thanks again for your patience and I hope to find some answers here!

Greets,

Franc