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Variant Familiars?

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
mordin
Jun 14, 2005 21:02:00 I noticed that there are 4 familiar options.

First question is, are there going to be more and...

Second I can only find stats for one of the familiars can someone point out the rest?
#2
Kamelion
Jun 15, 2005 3:27:26 You'll find stats for the creatures (apart from the dragonfly) in Terrors of Athas. In my own games, however, I use a different list to the one appearing in the DS3 Core Rules. The following is taken from the information that I give to my players and so is not in any way official, although I have found that it works quite well (and a nod to Pennarin for persuading me that this was worth the time and effort ):

Athasian Familiars
The list of Athasian familiars given in the current version of the Core Rules poses a few problems. The list of basic familiars given in the 3.5 PHB are all animals with no unusual attacks or abilities. On the DS3e list, we have the boneclaw, dragonfly, kes’trekel and ock’n. The boneclaw is unsuitable due to its poisonous bite (but makes for a good Improved Familiar). The ock’n is so innocuous as to make a poor choice and the dragonfly (which has no stats) suffers from the same problem. The kes’trekel remains a viable choice for a familiar, however. Further to this, the benefits given are not in line with those presented in the 3.5 PHB (namely, they are not bonuses to skills, saves or hit points). Use the following amendments to the familiar entry in the current version of the DS3e Core Rules:

Familiars: Athasian wizards may choose from all familiars listed in the Player’s Handbook, with the exception of toad and weasel, as these animals do not exist on Athas. In addition, Athasian wizards may also choose from the list of familiars in Table 3-7: Athasian Familiars.

Table 3-7: Athasian Familiars
Familiar Special
Dustgull Master gains a +3 bonus on Spot Checks
Kes’trekel Master gains a +2 bonus on Reflex saves
Skyfish Master gains a +3 bonus on Swim checks
Sygra Master gains +3 hit points

Athasian Improved Familiars
Here are some suggestions for an Improved Familiar feat. This may still need a little work, so feedback on this is welcomed. It’s main divergence from the feat as presented in the DMG is the inclusion of some larger creatures, although I feel this works in the Athasian setting. It downplays the relevance of alignment and also allows for the acquisition of psionic and elemental based creatures, providing options for spellcasters who have wild talents or levels in a psionic or cleric class. There are also a number of other options (such as familiars for undead spellcasters) that are not reflected on the list below - these are just some initial suggestions.

Athasian Improved Familiar [General]
This feat allows an Athasian wizard to acquire a new familiar from a nonstandard list, but only when they could normally acquire a new familiar (see Familiars, page 52 of the Player’s Handbook). The feat presents a way to obtain familiars more in line with the power level of the master.
Prerequisite: Ability to acquire a new familiar, meet appropriate condition, sufficiently high level (see below).
Benefit: When choosing a familiar, the creatures listed below are also available to Athasian wizards, in addition to those listed in the Player’s Handbook and the DS3 Core Rules. A spellcaster may choose a familiar with an alignment up to one step away on each of the alignment axes. Due to this fact, alignment is never a consideration for Athasian familiars, because Neutral is the only alignment factor of relevance. Other possible categorizations exist, as shown in the table below, allowing for a variety of choice. This list presents only a few possible improved familiars. Almost any creature of the same general power as those on the list makes a suitable familiar.
Improved familiars otherwise use the rules on page 52 of the Player’s Handbook, with two exceptions: If the creature’s type is something other than animal, its type does not change; and improved familiars do not gain the ability to speak with other creatures of their kind.
Black/Gray Touched* (Ability to channel energy from the Black or the Gray, 3rd spellcaster level)
Boneclaw, lesser (Neutral alignment, 3rd spellcaster level)
Pterrax (Reptilian subtype or ability to manifest psionic powers, 3rd spellcaster level)
Elemental Incarnation* (Matching element** or preserver (for elements) or defiler (for paraelements), 5th spellcaster level)
Tagster (Preserver, 5th spellcaster level)
Dagorran (Neutral alignment, 5th spellcaster level)
Small elemental, (Preserver or matching element**, 5th spellcaster level)
Small paraelemental (Defiler or matching element**, 5th spellcaster level)
Boneclaw, greater (Neutral alignment or ability to manifest psionic powers, 7th spellcaster level)
Tigone (Neutral alignment or preserver, 7th spellcaster level)
Tembo (Defiler or ability to manifest psionic powers, 7th spellcaster level)
Wall Walker (Neutral alignment or defiler, 7th spellcaster level)
Psionocus*** (Ability to manifest psionic powers, 7th spellcaster level)
* Apply the appropriate template to a familiar from the standard list.
** Character must possess the appropriate elemental subtype or patron element.
*** The master must first create the psionocus.
Familiar Abilities: In addition to the special abilities presented in the Player’s Handbook, familiars are immune to the effects of defiling spellcasting when this originates from their master.
#3
mordin
Jun 16, 2005 14:19:19 The only familiar I can find in the table of contents is the boneclaw any help would be appreciated.

thanx a humble slave of RP
#4
Kamelion
Jun 16, 2005 17:26:03
The only familiar I can find in the table of contents is the boneclaw any help would be appreciated.

thanx a humble slave of RP

Sygra - page 151 (under Animal, Domestic).
Dustgull - page 156.
Kes'trekel - page 160.
Skyfish - page 170.
Ock'n - page 186, (under Vermin Innocuous).
They're all on the table of contents .
#5
lyric
Jun 20, 2005 3:32:10 Hmm, I like the idea of an elemental familiar, imagine a tribal defuker wizard who lives in a tent among the dessert dunes with his tribe, and a gust of wind blows through the entrance to his tent, the wizard looks up, as a few dry blades of grass are blown into his tent.. he is silent.. and informs the players of danger approaching from the north.. when the pc's ask as to the source of his knowledge, he merely smiles, and says, "A little bird told me" at which point the dust devil seems to blow out of the tent the way it came..

Imagine a preserver on the outskirts of a city near the feilds, plowing away at the fields, when a small clump of earth seems to rise up a bit, almost looking like some sort of hand puppet, a cavity for a mouth, a grinding rock on rock sound issues forth, and the farming wizard looks to the southeast to see travelers approaching, the little earthen man sinks back into the ground.
#6
Kamelion
Jun 20, 2005 4:08:39 Cool - glad you like them . They have been added to the latest release of the Core Rules, too, which is kinda neat.
#7
jon_oracle_of_athas
Jun 20, 2005 7:18:11
defuker wizard who lives in a tent among the dessert dunes with his tribe

Sweet, sweet spellchecker. You never lye to me. :P

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 mordin Jun 14, 2005 21:02:00	I noticed that there are 4 familiar options. First question is, are there going to be more and... Second I can only find stats for one of the familiars can someone point out the rest?
#2 Kamelion Jun 15, 2005 3:27:26	You'll find stats for the creatures (apart from the dragonfly) in Terrors of Athas. In my own games, however, I use a different list to the one appearing in the DS3 Core Rules. The following is taken from the information that I give to my players and so is not in any way official, although I have found that it works quite well (and a nod to Pennarin for persuading me that this was worth the time and effort ): Athasian Familiars The list of Athasian familiars given in the current version of the Core Rules poses a few problems. The list of basic familiars given in the 3.5 PHB are all animals with no unusual attacks or abilities. On the DS3e list, we have the boneclaw, dragonfly, kes’trekel and ock’n. The boneclaw is unsuitable due to its poisonous bite (but makes for a good Improved Familiar). The ock’n is so innocuous as to make a poor choice and the dragonfly (which has no stats) suffers from the same problem. The kes’trekel remains a viable choice for a familiar, however. Further to this, the benefits given are not in line with those presented in the 3.5 PHB (namely, they are not bonuses to skills, saves or hit points). Use the following amendments to the familiar entry in the current version of the DS3e Core Rules: Familiars: Athasian wizards may choose from all familiars listed in the Player’s Handbook, with the exception of toad and weasel, as these animals do not exist on Athas. In addition, Athasian wizards may also choose from the list of familiars in Table 3-7: Athasian Familiars. Table 3-7: Athasian Familiars Familiar Special Dustgull Master gains a +3 bonus on Spot Checks Kes’trekel Master gains a +2 bonus on Reflex saves Skyfish Master gains a +3 bonus on Swim checks Sygra Master gains +3 hit points Athasian Improved Familiars Here are some suggestions for an Improved Familiar feat. This may still need a little work, so feedback on this is welcomed. It’s main divergence from the feat as presented in the DMG is the inclusion of some larger creatures, although I feel this works in the Athasian setting. It downplays the relevance of alignment and also allows for the acquisition of psionic and elemental based creatures, providing options for spellcasters who have wild talents or levels in a psionic or cleric class. There are also a number of other options (such as familiars for undead spellcasters) that are not reflected on the list below - these are just some initial suggestions. Athasian Improved Familiar [General] This feat allows an Athasian wizard to acquire a new familiar from a nonstandard list, but only when they could normally acquire a new familiar (see Familiars, page 52 of the Player’s Handbook). The feat presents a way to obtain familiars more in line with the power level of the master. Prerequisite: Ability to acquire a new familiar, meet appropriate condition, sufficiently high level (see below). Benefit: When choosing a familiar, the creatures listed below are also available to Athasian wizards, in addition to those listed in the Player’s Handbook and the DS3 Core Rules. A spellcaster may choose a familiar with an alignment up to one step away on each of the alignment axes. Due to this fact, alignment is never a consideration for Athasian familiars, because Neutral is the only alignment factor of relevance. Other possible categorizations exist, as shown in the table below, allowing for a variety of choice. This list presents only a few possible improved familiars. Almost any creature of the same general power as those on the list makes a suitable familiar. Improved familiars otherwise use the rules on page 52 of the Player’s Handbook, with two exceptions: If the creature’s type is something other than animal, its type does not change; and improved familiars do not gain the ability to speak with other creatures of their kind. Black/Gray Touched* (Ability to channel energy from the Black or the Gray, 3rd spellcaster level) Boneclaw, lesser (Neutral alignment, 3rd spellcaster level) Pterrax (Reptilian subtype or ability to manifest psionic powers, 3rd spellcaster level) Elemental Incarnation* (Matching element or preserver (for elements) or defiler (for paraelements), 5th spellcaster level) Tagster (Preserver, 5th spellcaster level) Dagorran (Neutral alignment, 5th spellcaster level) Small elemental, (Preserver or matching element, 5th spellcaster level) Small paraelemental (Defiler or matching element, 5th spellcaster level) Boneclaw, greater (Neutral alignment or ability to manifest psionic powers, 7th spellcaster level) Tigone (Neutral alignment or preserver, 7th spellcaster level) Tembo (Defiler or ability to manifest psionic powers, 7th spellcaster level) Wall Walker (Neutral alignment or defiler, 7th spellcaster level) Psionocus* (Ability to manifest psionic powers, 7th spellcaster level) * Apply the appropriate template to a familiar from the standard list. Character must possess the appropriate elemental subtype or patron element. * The master must first create the psionocus. Familiar Abilities: In addition to the special abilities presented in the Player’s Handbook, familiars are immune to the effects of defiling spellcasting when this originates from their master.
#3 mordin Jun 16, 2005 14:19:19	The only familiar I can find in the table of contents is the boneclaw any help would be appreciated. thanx a humble slave of RP
#4 Kamelion Jun 16, 2005 17:26:03	The only familiar I can find in the table of contents is the boneclaw any help would be appreciated. thanx a humble slave of RP Sygra - page 151 (under Animal, Domestic). Dustgull - page 156. Kes'trekel - page 160. Skyfish - page 170. Ock'n - page 186, (under Vermin Innocuous). They're all on the table of contents .
#5 lyric Jun 20, 2005 3:32:10	Hmm, I like the idea of an elemental familiar, imagine a tribal defuker wizard who lives in a tent among the dessert dunes with his tribe, and a gust of wind blows through the entrance to his tent, the wizard looks up, as a few dry blades of grass are blown into his tent.. he is silent.. and informs the players of danger approaching from the north.. when the pc's ask as to the source of his knowledge, he merely smiles, and says, "A little bird told me" at which point the dust devil seems to blow out of the tent the way it came.. Imagine a preserver on the outskirts of a city near the feilds, plowing away at the fields, when a small clump of earth seems to rise up a bit, almost looking like some sort of hand puppet, a cavity for a mouth, a grinding rock on rock sound issues forth, and the farming wizard looks to the southeast to see travelers approaching, the little earthen man sinks back into the ground.
#6 Kamelion Jun 20, 2005 4:08:39	Cool - glad you like them . They have been added to the latest release of the Core Rules, too, which is kinda neat.
#7 jon_oracle_of_athas Jun 20, 2005 7:18:11	defuker wizard who lives in a tent among the dessert dunes with his tribe Sweet, sweet spellchecker. You never lye to me. :P