alternative to Familiars? [Archive] - Wizards Community

alternative to Familiars? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Sydney Losstarot
11-16-05, 03:34 AM Does anyone recall seeing any OFFICIAL alternatives to having a familiar (IE a feat/class feature/etc that allows you to ditch the ability to have a familiar, but gain something new in return?)

Please, no arguments on how familiars are the best thing since toast. I just want an answer to the question.

Thank you.
Jabberwock761
11-16-05, 05:22 AM The "specialist wizard variants" section in Unearthed Arcana (pg.59) allows specialist wizards to trade certain abilities (familiars included) for other, more-flavorful abilities.

Hope I helped!
Sydney Losstarot
11-16-05, 06:03 AM The only thing I noticed was this:

Sorcerer
Gain: Animal companion (as druid; treat sorcerer or wizard as a druid of half his class level).
Lose: Familiar.

...so I lose my familiar, and gain another animal? :uh-huh:

I'm looking for something different...having an animal following me around doesn't really fit the archetype I have in mind. :angel:
tuberov
11-16-05, 08:03 AM Look farther in the Unearthed Arcana. I believe it's under the Specialist Wizard Variants where each specialist wizard gains a "school specific" ability for losing one of they're wizard abilities.

For example, the necromancer specialist variant lets you lose your familiar ability permenantly to have a 1 HD skeleton follow you around (gets stronger as you level). It also let's you gain undead traits (immune to critical damage, immune to poison, etc.) for giving up your ability to use metamagic feats or item creation feats (can't remember which it is). There is another ability gained for losing a wizard ability, but I can't remember and I don't have the books on hand look it up.

Hope that helps.
Sydney Losstarot
11-16-05, 09:14 AM Ah yes, thank you, not sure how I missed those...I must be sleepy. :angel:

Very cool! Yes, these will do nicely. ^^
Darth_Azalin
11-16-05, 09:28 AM actually I believe a toad for a variant battle sorceror with mind over body feat is very nice at first level...
Sarlax
11-16-05, 01:03 PM Dragon 338 (December 2005) features rules for investing power in a staff rather than in a familiar. It's good stuff.
savant_warlord13
11-16-05, 06:54 PM The only thing I noticed was this:

Sorcerer
Gain: Animal companion (as druid; treat sorcerer or wizard as a druid of half his class level).
Lose: Familiar.

...so I lose my familiar, and gain another animal? :uh-huh:

I'm looking for something different...having an animal following me around doesn't really fit the archetype I have in mind. :angel:

yeah, but it could be something cool like a giant octopus, instead of a toad
MindWandererB
11-16-05, 08:35 PM There's also the Dwarf Sorcerer substitution level, which sort of mimics having a familiar but it's a bond with the earth instead. You could easily imagine similar variants.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Sydney Losstarot 11-16-05, 03:34 AM	Does anyone recall seeing any OFFICIAL alternatives to having a familiar (IE a feat/class feature/etc that allows you to ditch the ability to have a familiar, but gain something new in return?) Please, no arguments on how familiars are the best thing since toast. I just want an answer to the question. Thank you.
Jabberwock761 11-16-05, 05:22 AM	The "specialist wizard variants" section in Unearthed Arcana (pg.59) allows specialist wizards to trade certain abilities (familiars included) for other, more-flavorful abilities. Hope I helped!
Sydney Losstarot 11-16-05, 06:03 AM	The only thing I noticed was this: Sorcerer Gain: Animal companion (as druid; treat sorcerer or wizard as a druid of half his class level). Lose: Familiar. ...so I lose my familiar, and gain another animal? :uh-huh: I'm looking for something different...having an animal following me around doesn't really fit the archetype I have in mind. :angel:
tuberov 11-16-05, 08:03 AM	Look farther in the Unearthed Arcana. I believe it's under the Specialist Wizard Variants where each specialist wizard gains a "school specific" ability for losing one of they're wizard abilities. For example, the necromancer specialist variant lets you lose your familiar ability permenantly to have a 1 HD skeleton follow you around (gets stronger as you level). It also let's you gain undead traits (immune to critical damage, immune to poison, etc.) for giving up your ability to use metamagic feats or item creation feats (can't remember which it is). There is another ability gained for losing a wizard ability, but I can't remember and I don't have the books on hand look it up. Hope that helps.
Sydney Losstarot 11-16-05, 09:14 AM	Ah yes, thank you, not sure how I missed those...I must be sleepy. :angel: Very cool! Yes, these will do nicely. ^^
Darth_Azalin 11-16-05, 09:28 AM	actually I believe a toad for a variant battle sorceror with mind over body feat is very nice at first level...
Sarlax 11-16-05, 01:03 PM	Dragon 338 (December 2005) features rules for investing power in a staff rather than in a familiar. It's good stuff.
savant_warlord13 11-16-05, 06:54 PM	The only thing I noticed was this: Sorcerer Gain: Animal companion (as druid; treat sorcerer or wizard as a druid of half his class level). Lose: Familiar. ...so I lose my familiar, and gain another animal? :uh-huh: I'm looking for something different...having an animal following me around doesn't really fit the archetype I have in mind. :angel: yeah, but it could be something cool like a giant octopus, instead of a toad
MindWandererB 11-16-05, 08:35 PM	There's also the Dwarf Sorcerer substitution level, which sort of mimics having a familiar but it's a bond with the earth instead. You could easily imagine similar variants.