FAMILIARS
A familiar is a spirit that accompanies you as your friend and ally. It's not a real creature, and it doesn't need to eat or breathe. The most common type is a creature familiar-a spirit that takes the form of a little animal or monster.
Many consider a familiar and its master to be one and the same, and some fa miliars do act as mere extensions of their masters' wills. However, most familiars grow personalities all their own, and undertake the commands of their masters with individuality and, sometimes, attitude. All familiars have some amount of arcane knowledge.
Many consider a familiar and its master to be one and the same, and some fa miliars do act as mere extensions of their masters' wills. However, most familiars grow personalities all their own, and undertake the commands of their masters with individuality and, sometimes, attitude. All familiars have some amount of arcane knowledge.
HOW DO FAMILIARS WORK?
The Arcane Familiarfeat (see page 139) lets you choose a familiar .... You can determine how your familiar looks, and suggest to your DM what sort of personality it has.
Familiars have two modes: active and passive. Both modes give you constant benefits, but you lose them if your familiar is destroyed. You can keep your familiar in passive mode to protect it. In active mode, your familiar can scout ahead or grant you special abilities described in its statistics block. You can control a familiar when it's in active mode by using your actions, but a familiar isn't a combatant. It can't attack on its own, and it vanishes for a while when it is destroyed.
Familiars have two modes: active and passive. Both modes give you constant benefits, but you lose them if your familiar is destroyed. You can keep your familiar in passive mode to protect it. In active mode, your familiar can scout ahead or grant you special abilities described in its statistics block. You can control a familiar when it's in active mode by using your actions, but a familiar isn't a combatant. It can't attack on its own, and it vanishes for a while when it is destroyed.
GAINING A FAMILIAR
- You gain a familiar when you take the Arcane Familiar feat.
CHANGING YOUR FAMILIAR
- You gain a different familiar by retraining the Arcane Familiar feat and replacing your former companion with a different kind offamiliar.
FAMILIAR ATTRIBUTES
- Attacks: A familiar can't attack.
- Defenses: A familiar uses your defenses.
- Skills and Checks: A familiar uses your bonuses for all skill checks and ability checks.
- Hit Points: A familiar has 1 hit point, but a missed attack never damages it.
- Destruction of a Familiar: If your familiar is reduced to 0 hit points or fewer, it is destroyed. After your next short rest or extended rest, it reappears in passive mode in your space.
- Death of a Familiar: Your familiar dies when you die, and it is restored to life when you are restored to life. After you are restored to life, your familiar reappears in passive mode in your space.
- Immunity: A familiar can't be hit by its master's attacks. You, as the master, can choose to ignore this benefit.
- Senses: Some familiars have special senses, such as blindsight or low-light vision. These apply to your familiar, not you.
- Communication: You and your familiar can speak to one another in a special arcane language. Other creatures hear only gibberish from you, and grunts and squeaks from your familiar. Your familiar doesn't understand other languages, but can parrot back what it hears, allowing you to understand anything it repeats back to you in a language you know.
- Size: Tiny.
- No Flanking: A familiar can't flank.
- Objects: Unless otherwise noted, a familiar cannot pick up or manipulate objects. This does not mean it ignores solid objects. It cannot walk through walls.
FAMILIAR MODES
- Switching Modes: You can switch your familiar between passive mode and active mode by using a minor action.
- Passive: A passive familiar is on your person, perching on your shoulder or hiding in your pocket. In this mode, it shares your space.
- No Targeting: A passive familiar can't be targeted by any effect.
- No Damage: A passive familiar cannot be damaged by any effect.
- Active: In its active mode, a familiar is not on your person, and you can move it around. It takes up the space of a Tiny creature.
Movement: A familiar has a speed and movement modes. By using a move action, you can move your familiar its speed.
Range Limit: Unless otherwise noted, a familiar can't move more than 20 squares away from you. If, at the end of your turn, your familiar is more than 20 squares away, it teleports into your square and enters passive mode.
Actions: A familiar can use skills and take actions as normal, but you must use the relevant action to order it to do so. Your familiar does not have its own set of actions to use.
Range Limit: Unless otherwise noted, a familiar can't move more than 20 squares away from you. If, at the end of your turn, your familiar is more than 20 squares away, it teleports into your square and enters passive mode.
Actions: A familiar can use skills and take actions as normal, but you must use the relevant action to order it to do so. Your familiar does not have its own set of actions to use.
PERSONALITY
Every familiar has an individual personality, despite the fact that it is a spirit and not a physical entity. A familiar tends to act in a way that reflects its master's personality. A power-hungry warlock's rat familiar might constantly seek out food to nibble on, while a secretive wizard might have a book imp that hides within the folds of his robes, its red eyes glowing from the shadows.
You might decide that your familiar's personality is simple and acquiescing, which makes it a perfectly trained servant. On the other hand, familiars that show a little initiative might also have an individualistic streak that makes them reluctant to follow all your commands, or at least reluctant to do so immediately if they believe they know better.
Although primarily a devoted servant, a familiar is an independent creature that can argue with its master, push for its own plans, and offer advice (whether or not it is needed or wanted). In the end, though, a familiar always obeys its master.
Your familiar's personality is ultimately up to you, since it is an extension of your character. Your DM might have some advice or suggestions, and he or she also has the authority to occasionally take the reins, describing what your familiar says and does when it
disagrees with you.
A classic familiar personality, especially for a creature such as a dragonling or a book imp, is a superior "I know better than you" attitude that can generate interesting, unexpected ideas when one of these incorrigible creatures devises its own plans.
You might decide that your familiar's personality is simple and acquiescing, which makes it a perfectly trained servant. On the other hand, familiars that show a little initiative might also have an individualistic streak that makes them reluctant to follow all your commands, or at least reluctant to do so immediately if they believe they know better.
Although primarily a devoted servant, a familiar is an independent creature that can argue with its master, push for its own plans, and offer advice (whether or not it is needed or wanted). In the end, though, a familiar always obeys its master.
Your familiar's personality is ultimately up to you, since it is an extension of your character. Your DM might have some advice or suggestions, and he or she also has the authority to occasionally take the reins, describing what your familiar says and does when it
disagrees with you.
A classic familiar personality, especially for a creature such as a dragonling or a book imp, is a superior "I know better than you" attitude that can generate interesting, unexpected ideas when one of these incorrigible creatures devises its own plans.
ROLEPLAYING YOUR FAMILIAR
Your DM might maintain some light touch of control over how your familiar acts, or might allow you to completely control it. However, since your familiar can communicate only with you (see "Communication," above), roleplaying your familiar's verbal skill to vex and delight others is not an option. On the other hand, having your familiar act or move in certain reactive ways gets across an idea you want the familiar to communicate just as effectively as the spoken word. However, limit the amount of time that you take up at the table during combat encounters describing the antics of your familiar. Other players might grow frustrated at the amount of time your character (and familiar) takes each time it is your turn.
CUSTOMIZING FAMILIAR APPEARANCE
Several different familiars are described in this section. Each one has a basic look, but that doesn't mean your familiar has to look like every other spellcaster's familiar, even if you choose something as common as a raven or a cat.
Within the realm of reason, you can customize your familiar to look like nearly anything, as long as the identity of the basic creature isn't lost. Your ability to customize your familiar's look and quirks is vast, but it can't change the familiar's combat ability or skill checks.
Just as you have the ability to customize how your familiar looks when it is active, you can also determine what happens when your familiar enters passive mode. It could do something more spectacular than simply climbing into a pouch.
For instance, perhaps your book imp discorporates into a puff of smoke and returns to apparent existence at the sound of its name. Your owl could become a small stone statue you carry with you, only to return to apparent flesh when you toss it to the ground. Imagine how you could impress your fellow adventurers if the tattoo on your arm suddenly unwound itself to become your serpent familiar. Or perhaps when you whistle, your falcon familiar flies down from an unseen height.
Within the realm of reason, you can customize your familiar to look like nearly anything, as long as the identity of the basic creature isn't lost. Your ability to customize your familiar's look and quirks is vast, but it can't change the familiar's combat ability or skill checks.
Just as you have the ability to customize how your familiar looks when it is active, you can also determine what happens when your familiar enters passive mode. It could do something more spectacular than simply climbing into a pouch.
For instance, perhaps your book imp discorporates into a puff of smoke and returns to apparent existence at the sound of its name. Your owl could become a small stone statue you carry with you, only to return to apparent flesh when you toss it to the ground. Imagine how you could impress your fellow adventurers if the tattoo on your arm suddenly unwound itself to become your serpent familiar. Or perhaps when you whistle, your falcon familiar flies down from an unseen height.
FAMILIAR DESCRIPTIONS
Each familiar description includes the benefits a familiar provides.
Constant Benefits: A familiar provides you with these benefits as long it has at least 1 hit point, regardless of its current state.
Active Benefits: When your familiar is in active mode, in addition to being able to take the actions available to it in that mode (see "Familiar Modes," above), it provides its active benefits.
Constant Benefits: A familiar provides you with these benefits as long it has at least 1 hit point, regardless of its current state.
Active Benefits: When your familiar is in active mode, in addition to being able to take the actions available to it in that mode (see "Familiar Modes," above), it provides its active benefits.
- Bat
Bats are common familiars for warlocks and those who prefer subtle magic and stealth.
Senses blindsight 5
Speed 2, fly 6 (hover)
Constant Benefits
You gain a +2 bonus to Perception checks and Stealth checks.
Active Benefits
See the Unseen: As a minor action, you cause enemies adjacent to your bat familiar to lose the benefits of concealment (but not total concealment) against you until the end of your current turn.
Senses blindsight 5
Speed 2, fly 6 (hover)
Constant Benefits
You gain a +2 bonus to Perception checks and Stealth checks.
Active Benefits
See the Unseen: As a minor action, you cause enemies adjacent to your bat familiar to lose the benefits of concealment (but not total concealment) against you until the end of your current turn.
- Book Imp
Book imps are masters of knowledge, dispatched by the powers of Hell to offer advice to and tempt mortal spellcasters.
Speed 5, fly 6 (hover)
Constant Benefits
You gain a +2 bonus to Arcana checks and History checks.
You can read and speak Infernal.
You gain resist fire 5. If you already have resist fire, increase your resistance by 2.
Active Benefits
Deceptive Move: As a minor action, you cause your book imp to become invisible until the end of your next turn.
Speed 5, fly 6 (hover)
Constant Benefits
You gain a +2 bonus to Arcana checks and History checks.
You can read and speak Infernal.
You gain resist fire 5. If you already have resist fire, increase your resistance by 2.
Active Benefits
Deceptive Move: As a minor action, you cause your book imp to become invisible until the end of your next turn.
- Bound Demon
This ugly blob of .flesh is a creature bound to your service, but it would prefer to be back in the Abyss.
Speed 5, fly 3 (hover)
Constant Benefits
You gain a +2 bonus to Intimidate checks.
You can read and speak Abyssal.
Active Benefits
Alchemical Synergy: Once per encounter, when you hit a bloodied creature adjacent to your bound demon, you gain 1d8 temporary hit points.
Level 11: 2d8 temporary hit points.
Level 21: 3d8 temporary hit points.
Speed 5, fly 3 (hover)
Constant Benefits
You gain a +2 bonus to Intimidate checks.
You can read and speak Abyssal.
Active Benefits
Alchemical Synergy: Once per encounter, when you hit a bloodied creature adjacent to your bound demon, you gain 1d8 temporary hit points.
Level 11: 2d8 temporary hit points.
Level 21: 3d8 temporary hit points.
- Cat
Cats are willful, independent familiars, and their willingness to act alone makes them excellent spies.
Senses low-light vision
Speed 6
Constant Benefits
You gain a +2 bonus to Acrobatics checks, and you can make an Acrobatics check to reduce the damage you take from falling even if you are not trained in that skill.
Active Benefits
Independent Spirit: A cat familiar has no range limit on the distance it can exist away from you.
Silent Predator: A cat familiar gains a +5 bonus to its Stealth
checks.
Senses low-light vision
Speed 6
Constant Benefits
You gain a +2 bonus to Acrobatics checks, and you can make an Acrobatics check to reduce the damage you take from falling even if you are not trained in that skill.
Active Benefits
Independent Spirit: A cat familiar has no range limit on the distance it can exist away from you.
Silent Predator: A cat familiar gains a +5 bonus to its Stealth
checks.
- Crafter Homunculus
This humanoid figure has indistinct features and looks like it's made of clay. Arcane crafters use homunculi as skilled assistants.
Speed 5
Constant Benefits
You gain a +2 bonus to Arcana checks.
You gain a +2 bonus to skill checks related to rituals of the creation category.
Active Benefits
Blood Feast: An enemy adjacent to your crafter homunculus takes a -1 penalty to all defenses against alchemical items. Your crafter homunculus is immune to your alchemical items.
Speed 5
Constant Benefits
You gain a +2 bonus to Arcana checks.
You gain a +2 bonus to skill checks related to rituals of the creation category.
Active Benefits
Blood Feast: An enemy adjacent to your crafter homunculus takes a -1 penalty to all defenses against alchemical items. Your crafter homunculus is immune to your alchemical items.
- Dragonling
Sorcerers who follow the draconic tradition, along with other spellcasters who rely on endurance and physical might, manifest dragonling familiars.
Speed 5, fly 6 (hover)
Constant Benefits
You can read and speak Draconic.
When you spend a healing surge, you regain 2 additional hit points.
Level 11: 3 additional hit points.
Level 21: 4 additional hit points.
Active Benefits
Dragon's Breath: Once per encounter, you can use your dragonling's space as the origin square for a close blast arcane attack power.
Speed 5, fly 6 (hover)
Constant Benefits
You can read and speak Draconic.
When you spend a healing surge, you regain 2 additional hit points.
Level 11: 3 additional hit points.
Level 21: 4 additional hit points.
Active Benefits
Dragon's Breath: Once per encounter, you can use your dragonling's space as the origin square for a close blast arcane attack power.
- Falcon
Warrior spellcasters, those that love to wade into the fray, see the fightingfalcon as the idealfamiliar.
Speed 2, fly 6 (hover)
Constant Benefits
You gain a +2 bonus to Perception checks.
You gain a +2 bonus to all defenses against opportunity attacks_
Active Benefits
Hunting Falcon: Once per encounter, you can determine range for your ranged arcane attacks from your falcon until the end of your current turn.
Soaring Spirit: A falcon familiar has a range limit of 40 squares from you.
Speed 2, fly 6 (hover)
Constant Benefits
You gain a +2 bonus to Perception checks.
You gain a +2 bonus to all defenses against opportunity attacks_
Active Benefits
Hunting Falcon: Once per encounter, you can determine range for your ranged arcane attacks from your falcon until the end of your current turn.
Soaring Spirit: A falcon familiar has a range limit of 40 squares from you.
- Owl
A common symbol of wisdom and knowledge, owl familiars are known for their good counsel and insight.
Senses low-light vision
Speed 2, fly 6 (hover)
Constant Benefits
Owl's Counsel: Whenever you make an Insight check or Perception check, add 1d4 to the result.
Active Benefits
Owl's Eyes: As a standard action, you can see through your familiar's eyes until the end of your next turn. You do not gain the ability to cast spells or attack through the familiar, and you determine if a target has cover and concealment from you as normal, but you might spot an enemy coming around a corner or notice a foe hiding behind a wall.
Senses low-light vision
Speed 2, fly 6 (hover)
Constant Benefits
Owl's Counsel: Whenever you make an Insight check or Perception check, add 1d4 to the result.
Active Benefits
Owl's Eyes: As a standard action, you can see through your familiar's eyes until the end of your next turn. You do not gain the ability to cast spells or attack through the familiar, and you determine if a target has cover and concealment from you as normal, but you might spot an enemy coming around a corner or notice a foe hiding behind a wall.
- Rat
The rat is a scavenger capable of infiltrating even the most tightly guarded places.
Speed 6
Constant Benefits
You gain a +2 bonus to Stealth checks.
Active Benefits
Rat's Cunning: A rat familiar can carry an object that weighs 2 pounds, and it can manipulate objects to make Thievery checks. It gains a +2 bonus to such checks. A rat gains a +5 bonus to its Stealth checks.
Speed 6
Constant Benefits
You gain a +2 bonus to Stealth checks.
Active Benefits
Rat's Cunning: A rat familiar can carry an object that weighs 2 pounds, and it can manipulate objects to make Thievery checks. It gains a +2 bonus to such checks. A rat gains a +5 bonus to its Stealth checks.
- Raven
Ravens are known for their keen senses and skill in uncovering hidden knowledge.
Senses low-light vision
Speed 2, fly 6 (hover)
Constant Benefits
You gain a +4 bonus to Perception checks made to find hidden objects.
Active Benefits
Raven's Speech: A raven can speak any language you know, and it can converse with other creatures. When it speaks, you hear everything it says and hear everything spoken to it. You can dictate its answers if you so choose.
Senses low-light vision
Speed 2, fly 6 (hover)
Constant Benefits
You gain a +4 bonus to Perception checks made to find hidden objects.
Active Benefits
Raven's Speech: A raven can speak any language you know, and it can converse with other creatures. When it speaks, you hear everything it says and hear everything spoken to it. You can dictate its answers if you so choose.
- Serpent
The serpent is a deceptive creature, and it offers its master the same mastery of guile and cunning.
Speed 6
Constant Benefits
You gain a +2 bonus to Bluff checks. When you shift, you can ignore 1 square of difficult terrain during that movement.
Active Benefits
Serpent's Startle: Once per encounter as a minor action, all creatures adjacent to your serpent familiar can't make opportunity attacks until the end of your next turn.
Speed 6
Constant Benefits
You gain a +2 bonus to Bluff checks. When you shift, you can ignore 1 square of difficult terrain during that movement.
Active Benefits
Serpent's Startle: Once per encounter as a minor action, all creatures adjacent to your serpent familiar can't make opportunity attacks until the end of your next turn.
- Spider
Spiders are guardians of hidden knowledge that weave webs capable of wabbing and moving small objects.
Speed 4, climb 4
Constant Benefits
You gain a +2 bonus to Climb checks. Enemies take a -1 penalty to saving throws against your arcane powers that immobilize or slow them.
Active Benefits
Spider's Web: As a minor action, a spider can slide an object within 5 squares of it 2 squares. The object must be unattended, and it can weigh no more than 5 pounds.
Speed 4, climb 4
Constant Benefits
You gain a +2 bonus to Climb checks. Enemies take a -1 penalty to saving throws against your arcane powers that immobilize or slow them.
Active Benefits
Spider's Web: As a minor action, a spider can slide an object within 5 squares of it 2 squares. The object must be unattended, and it can weigh no more than 5 pounds.
FAMILIAR QUIRKS
Familiars are known for their exotic appearance and eccentric behavior. Come up with a few visual and personality quirks for your familiar, using these examples for inspiration.
Bat
- Has miniature metal spikes for fur
- Flies at people's faces to greet them
Book Imp
- Is translucent, except for glowing eyes
- Quotes ancient texts, usually to undercut your ideas
Bound Demon
- looks like a miniature version of a proper demon
- Is too lazy to walk or to fly, and rolls wherever it goes
Cat
- Appears to be made of shadow
- Has vestigial bat wings
- licks the blood from its fur after battle
Crafter Homunculus
- Is made of clay, but has clockwork joints
- Makes a tiny statue of every monster you defeat
Dragonling
- Is colored like a type of chromatic or metallic dragon
- Trails tendrils of smoke from its nostrils
- Tiny flames burst from its mouth when it hiccups, which is frequently
- Has a squeaky, high-pitched roar
Falcon
- Glows with golden light in bright sunshine
- leaves small rodent corpses in your sleeping bag
Owl
- Can move eyes and beak to different parts of its head
- Hoots when it thinks it's found a mate for its master
Rat
- leaves a cloud of black ash and trail of soot as it moves
- Chews on your spell book (or other arcane implement) and magic items
Raven
- Has a streak of silver feathers
- Raps its beak on objects when it is being ignored
- Croaks a catchphrase at opportune times
Serpent
- looks like rippling mercury when it moves
- Hisses at anyone who touches you (its master)
Spider
- Glows a poisonous green
- Constructs complex webs to mark where it has been
