I've heard kingfishers mentioned, as well as kodragons. Any other ideas for small creatures that would make good familiars that are either unique to Krynn or fit the flavor of the setting in an exceptionally cool way?
I have three in my campaign, but they are not dragonlance specific an owl, a ferret and a skunk.
Originally posted by Kai Lord
I've heard kingfishers mentioned,
Personally, I would limit these to Solamnic Auxiliary Mages, just for flavor’s sake. Perhaps also wizards who are allied with the Knights of Solamnia.
as well as kodragons.
Save the kodragons! :D
Any other ideas for small creatures that would make good familiars that are either unique to Krynn or fit the flavor of the setting in an exceptionally cool way?
Pseudodragons are perfect, IMO. They maintain the draconic feel of the setting without being overpowered. I don’t remember, but I think you need the improved familiar feat to use them.
Also, check the Draconomicon, as I think it has rules on wyrmling dragon familiars.
Originally posted by Dragonhelm
Pseudodragons are perfect, IMO. They maintain the draconic feel of the setting without being overpowered. I don’t remember, but I think you need the improved familiar feat to use them.
Yep, Improved Familiar feat and Caster Level 7th.
Originally posted by Dragonhelm
Also, check the Draconomicon, as I think it has rules on wyrmling dragon familiars.
Ooh, good one, I have that book and remember those mentioned. I'll go back and check them out. You also just reminded me, I believe either the DLCS or AoM mention "Mosquito Dragons" that hail on either the Irda Island or Dragon Isles. Little bug sized dragons. Might be cool to have one of those. I don't suppose those little suckers were ever stat'd out. Bestiary perhaps?
I just rolled up an Irda Battle Sorcerer (from Unearthed Arcana) and am trying to decide on a really cool familiar for him to take.
The odd thing with this is, is that in Time of the Twins, Par-Salian suspects Tas-mouse of being a wizards familiar, when the familiar wouldn't have had the Speak with Master ability(which allows wizards to use spells such as Tongues and Comprehend Languages to speak with other wizards' familiars) yet.
In my campaign I removed familiar progression from the list of things a wizards does not gain at each level.
...but, to answer the thread's question, most of the improved familiars will work. An old Dragon magazine had some additional basic familiars to go with the list from the PHB.
Originally posted by Kai Lord
You also just reminded me, I believe either the DLCS or AoM mention "Mosquito Dragons" that hail on either the Irda Island or Dragon Isles. Little bug sized dragons.
Okay I just poured through both books and for the life of me couldn't find that reference to mosquito dragons. Can anyone give me a page number or did I just imagine it? Maybe I just read about them on the internet.
So you're not nuts... or if you are than so am I...
Mosquito Dragons
Mosquito dragons are less than an inch long and are oftentimes confused for mosquitos. They live solely on the Dragon Isles and come in red, silver, gold and black varieties. They possess the same breath weapons as their larger counterparts, however the damage that they can do is obviously to a much lesser extent. They travel in swarms of 20 or more and live in nests in hollow trees or cracks in the earth. Like their larger brothers, they also hoard large amounts of treasure. They are considered a 'rare breed' of dragon and are widely believed to have been created by a mage long ago, and allowed to develop and procreate.
Not sure the source. If I run across it, I'll let you know.
Originally posted by Daedavias
Am I the only one that finds the fact that wizards needing to take the WoHS prestige class is unfair in the respect of familiars? It basically cuts the familiar progression in half.
This doesn't bother me so much. In Dragonlance, very very few wizards seem to have bothered with familiars. I don't know of any of the major iconic wizard characters that have one (Antimodes' donkey doesn't count).
Cheers,
Cam
Originally posted by Cam Banks
I don't know of any of the major iconic wizard characters that have one (Antimodes' donkey doesn't count).
Cheers,
Cam
Why not? It could be his familiar. If he doesn't get increased familiar progression, maybe he's just not a high enough leveled wizard for Jenny to show signs of being a super magic donkey(she was super intelligent, though, maybe that's a hint).
What about those of sorcerers?
And do you guys feel that wizards and sorcerers in DL would have different familiars?
Originally posted by Dragonhelm
And do you guys feel that wizards and sorcerers in DL would have different familiars?
Good question. Sorcerers might have familiars more connected to natural elements; small earth and air elementals are available with the Improved Familiar feat, as are ice mephits. Shocker Lizards with their innate electricity might be a favorite among sorcerers as well.
Good question. Sorcerers might have familiars more connected to natural elements; small earth and air elementals are available with the Improved Familiar feat, as are ice mephits. Shocker Lizards with their innate electricity might be a favorite among sorcerers as well.
Funny you should mention that. Since picking up Dragon #315 (The Campaigns issue, the one with the Bozak presented as a PC race) I've been considering incorporating Gen Familiars from the Al-Qadim Campaign Setting into my Dragonlance Game. While they wouldn't be using that 'Fetch Spell' extraordinary ability, the for Gen familars (Air, Earth, Fire, and Water Gens) would seem perfect for Sorcerers on Krynn following the Electromancy, Geomancy, Pyromancy, and Hydromancy paths of magic respectively.
Really play off the elemental tendancies.
Originally posted by Cam Banks
I don't know of any of the major iconic wizard characters that have one (Antimodes' donkey doesn't count).
Cheers,
Cam
This is why I use any of the abilities from Unearthed Arcana that replace familiar progression. It adds a little bit of more power into the wizard's abilities.
Now, where would Yorkshire terriers come from...?
Originally posted by pddisc
Familiars seemed common enough in the Defenders of Magic trilogy. Zagarus was Guerrand's familiar, and was some variety of Northern Ergoth seagull.
But if I remember correctly, Guerrand was the only character in Defenders of Magic that had a familiar. The fact that Guerrand had one was suprising to most of the mages he came across when they found out about it. And Justarius suggesting that he continue to hide it, because the knowledge that Guerrand had one could be used as a weapon against him, was another clue that they probably aren't that commonplace.
I think that is probably the reason that you don't see familiars all that often on Krynn. But it's not like you NEVER see them, and there's certainly no stigma associated with having one. As such, pretty much anything that is native to Krynn would make a good familiar. I think this would probably be best answered in the Bestiary of Krynn... maybe they'll be some new critters in that that are unique.
It's not out yet, is it?Originally posted by Daedavias
Am I the only one that finds the fact that wizards needing to take the WoHS prestige class is unfair in the respect of familiars? It basically cuts the familiar progression in half.
Actually, you could just take one level of WoHS, then go back to being a straight wizard.
Nuke - the Bestiary is out. Check with your local gaming shops, or order through MargaretWeis.com!
Originally posted by Dragonhelm
Actually, you could just take one level of WoHS, then go back to being a straight wizard.
You can take the Test and then not take any levels at all in the WoHS prestige class if you like. It's not a requirement. Passing the Test, on the other hand, is.
Cheers,
Cam
Originally posted by vejono
Well when you take the prestige class you do keep leveling up in the previous class you were=magic-user
The spell progression continues, but other class benefits don't. So if you continue on with the WoHS prestige class, you would lose the bonus feats of a wizard as well as any additional benefits you would get from having a familiar.
Originally posted by vejono
Well when you take the prestige class you do keep leveling up in the previous class you were=magic-user
generally, that only applies to Spell Progression charts...