CR 5 Familiar [Archive] - Wizards Community

CR 5 Familiar [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Pryrates
07-26-05, 01:53 AM Im looking for a few ideas, and Im hoping you guys/gals can help me out. Im about to begin playing an epic level evil campaign. were starting at level 23 and my DM has told me that if i take the improved familiar feat i can choose anything that has a cr of 5 or lower. Ive had many familiars over the years since i play wizards mostly and weve used this rule a good deal. Ive had most of the "basic" familiars that are listed, Ive had a doppleganer once and a griffon once as well, but this time im looking for something different and useful so ive decided to post here and hope that someone on here will give me a few ideas for my next familiar. Thanks in advance guys.
Beholder Claus
07-26-05, 02:14 AM Well there's always the lvl 8 kobold adept. Works out to CR 5 due to kobolds with NPC class lvls having a CR of their lvl -3 :D

Also manticore seems fun. Or a very young red dragon. Lets see more of a random list of suggestions (all CR 5 and MM):
Troll
Wraith
Nightmare
Ocrhe Jelly (yummy lemon jell-o familar:D)
Djinni
Hydra, Six-Headed
Winter Wolf

Hope the ideas help some, if nothing else some of them gave me a good laugh just trying to picture them.
Rathje
07-26-05, 04:04 AM Personally, I'd go with the Manticore. But I do absolutely love Manticores.
TheErsatzFacsimileOfMe
07-26-05, 10:00 AM From the Monster Manual I

Large Air Elemental
A Huge animated object...o0( Huge constitutes anything within the ranges of....16-32ft and 4,000 - 32,000 pounds.....that's alot of animated object...)
Basilisk
Dire Lion
Ettin
Large Fire Elemental
Shadow Mastiff....but I think that's been said.
Weretiger or werebear

From The Monster Manual II:

Chain Golem
A lvl 2 Fighter (add on the Death Knight Template [+3] for a +5
A level 2 fighter with the "half-golem template"; personally I'd go Iron if the DM approves it.
Dire snake
Reason Stealter
Spawn Of Kyuss

If your DM will let you, I'd slap on as many templates as possible on a lvl 1 hobgoblin or bugbear. Tauric, Chimeric, Fiendish, and what not...

On the other end of the stick...can you have more than one as long as the total adds up to a CR 5? If so,....

Two large and one medium monsterous Scorpions would do nicely...
or
10 small of the same....like a herd of scorpions following you around...
or
replace scorpions with "your" favorite vermin

If you'd rather go "animal or beast"
I'd pick 20 weasels....CR = 1/4 * 20 = 5!
15 tiny vipers...or just 1 huge one :smirk: .o0(gotta love that 10ft reach....with poison to boot.)
High Octane
07-26-05, 10:20 AM a bugbear aristocrat.
DragonDeadite
07-26-05, 04:10 PM a bugbear aristocrat.

............I......uhh.....er....but.... ...neh.................................. .. I've got nothing. That's just... wrong....
Red_Ninja
07-26-05, 04:42 PM pseudo dragon (add CR's for larger size (older) or try a pseudodragon sorcerror)
-giant land crab!
-hive mind insects- your familiar could be the queen of a hive of giant wasps...

try "epic" versions of the traditional familiars...like...
Brownie cheiftain- lvl 6 tiny berserker (plus brownie poisons) or lvl 3 druid/3 barbarian
Quickling rogue
elder serpent
wizard's owl (giant owl, lvl 1 or 2 wizard- can cast spells will stomatic and materail components as verbal only without feats)
Noble Eagle (x2 hd, x2 vision, +4 to attack, +1 dmg die on successful attack, effective strength 12 for carrying away items, small creatures, bonus to AC)

try "lesser" versions of larger CR creature
teen storm giant (or smaller giant)
reborn pheonix (this raven-sized, curious flaming bird, lvl 3 sorcerror with fire magics)
young dragons
were-wolf/tiger/raven (or whatever) of matching alignment
undead, flaming skull of a dead (possibly insane) wizard, flies, AC20, 20HP, casts 2d6 spells with verbal only components, attacks: biting 1d4+fire, or breath of fire 1d10 dmg range 10feet- emits light as torch, opinionated, arrogant, etc...
-very minor Genie

try an intelligent weapon, amulet, item as a familiar...

try a "magical" version of a regular animal
-like talking griffons, horses (like the Mr. Ed or donkey in shrek 2..."she thinks I'm a steed!")
-like a giant vampire bat that can break up into a hundred little bats for 5 rounds 3/day
-like a figuerine of wonderous power (like Drizzt's panther) only pick a huge flesh eating fly! or a giant spider, or a pegasus, or whatever!
-invisible stalker?

Or an "imaginary friend" you could have you familiar be an illusion that magically came loose and acquired sentience (and its power is based on how many people believe it is real!)
or your "imaginary friend" could be an alternate personality that manifests as a familiar that you trust... "of course I have a parrot familiar! he 's right here!"
or "imaginary friend" could be the displaced spirit of an ancestor (like the japanese/ ancient roman) that watches over the PC

or try a "family guardian" which could be a spirit, oriental dragon, or other such creature...

I liked the large animated object idea...

I like to keep the familiars as non-PC races and creatures... no 5th lvl fighters as familiars!
Quoriil
07-26-05, 04:51 PM half. farspawn. rust. monster.
TheErsatzFacsimileOfMe
07-26-05, 06:17 PM I liked the large animated object idea...

Thank you. *takes a bow*

Actually, it's a huge animated object...I'm still trying to figure out what covers. I might just use it myself.

But yeah, Huge Animated Object. CR 5. :smirk:
DaveReaves
07-26-05, 06:55 PM You could glue some gnomes together and call it a gnome golem familiar.

Mephits are only CR 3, but still pretty cool.

Huge shark for the underwater wiz.

Personal favorite: Spider Eater. Paralizing poison and lays eggs inside your enimies!
TheErsatzFacsimileOfMe
07-26-05, 07:33 PM I'm still a big fan of the Huge Viper. :D

but, I really like snakes.
High Octane
07-26-05, 07:50 PM ............I......uhh.....er....but.... ...neh.................................. .. I've got nothing. That's just... wrong....

This brings me so much joy.
Rathje
07-27-05, 02:51 AM Mephits are only CR 3, but still pretty cool.

Agreed.
tiercel
07-27-05, 09:42 PM teen storm giant (or smaller giant)

Yeah, this isn't a disaster waiting to happen. Seriously, you want a "teenager" (much less a giant-sized one) as a familiar?!?

It's D&D: The Sitcom!
Pryrates
07-28-05, 01:40 AM Thanks for the ideas guys, its much appreciated....a bugbear aristocrat...hmmm....
Milandros
07-28-05, 10:48 AM Nice ideas, but be careful - a CR 5 famliar in an epic level campaign has the chance to be a very, very dead familiar, very quickly. So I suggest *not* going for something with groovy combat abilities, instead go for something specialised for some non-combat activity - e.g. recon, knowledge, roleplay, whatever.
DragonDeadite
07-28-05, 10:54 AM This brings me so much joy.

I'm glad I could bring a smile to your face!!

BTW: A familiar is just ONE creature, so those people suggesting 5 or six of certain creatures, just wont work.

If you want something really cool, check out Sandstorm. There's a couple nasty mephits in there as well as some pretty nasty dogs... I think they're called Sand Hunters, CR 3??? but if you get a couple more as just pets, then you basicaly have control of the entire pack because of a pack mind they have.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Pryrates 07-26-05, 01:53 AM	Im looking for a few ideas, and Im hoping you guys/gals can help me out. Im about to begin playing an epic level evil campaign. were starting at level 23 and my DM has told me that if i take the improved familiar feat i can choose anything that has a cr of 5 or lower. Ive had many familiars over the years since i play wizards mostly and weve used this rule a good deal. Ive had most of the "basic" familiars that are listed, Ive had a doppleganer once and a griffon once as well, but this time im looking for something different and useful so ive decided to post here and hope that someone on here will give me a few ideas for my next familiar. Thanks in advance guys.
Beholder Claus 07-26-05, 02:14 AM	Well there's always the lvl 8 kobold adept. Works out to CR 5 due to kobolds with NPC class lvls having a CR of their lvl -3 :D Also manticore seems fun. Or a very young red dragon. Lets see more of a random list of suggestions (all CR 5 and MM): Troll Wraith Nightmare Ocrhe Jelly (yummy lemon jell-o familar:D) Djinni Hydra, Six-Headed Winter Wolf Hope the ideas help some, if nothing else some of them gave me a good laugh just trying to picture them.
Rathje 07-26-05, 04:04 AM	Personally, I'd go with the Manticore. But I do absolutely love Manticores.
TheErsatzFacsimileOfMe 07-26-05, 10:00 AM	From the Monster Manual I Large Air Elemental A Huge animated object...o0( Huge constitutes anything within the ranges of....16-32ft and 4,000 - 32,000 pounds.....that's alot of animated object...) Basilisk Dire Lion Ettin Large Fire Elemental Shadow Mastiff....but I think that's been said. Weretiger or werebear From The Monster Manual II: Chain Golem A lvl 2 Fighter (add on the Death Knight Template [+3] for a +5 A level 2 fighter with the "half-golem template"; personally I'd go Iron if the DM approves it. Dire snake Reason Stealter Spawn Of Kyuss If your DM will let you, I'd slap on as many templates as possible on a lvl 1 hobgoblin or bugbear. Tauric, Chimeric, Fiendish, and what not... On the other end of the stick...can you have more than one as long as the total adds up to a CR 5? If so,.... Two large and one medium monsterous Scorpions would do nicely... or 10 small of the same....like a herd of scorpions following you around... or replace scorpions with "your" favorite vermin If you'd rather go "animal or beast" I'd pick 20 weasels....CR = 1/4 * 20 = 5! 15 tiny vipers...or just 1 huge one :smirk: .o0(gotta love that 10ft reach....with poison to boot.)
High Octane 07-26-05, 10:20 AM	a bugbear aristocrat.
DragonDeadite 07-26-05, 04:10 PM	a bugbear aristocrat. ............I......uhh.....er....but.... ...neh.................................. .. I've got nothing. That's just... wrong....
Red_Ninja 07-26-05, 04:42 PM	pseudo dragon (add CR's for larger size (older) or try a pseudodragon sorcerror) -giant land crab! -hive mind insects- your familiar could be the queen of a hive of giant wasps... try "epic" versions of the traditional familiars...like... Brownie cheiftain- lvl 6 tiny berserker (plus brownie poisons) or lvl 3 druid/3 barbarian Quickling rogue elder serpent wizard's owl (giant owl, lvl 1 or 2 wizard- can cast spells will stomatic and materail components as verbal only without feats) Noble Eagle (x2 hd, x2 vision, +4 to attack, +1 dmg die on successful attack, effective strength 12 for carrying away items, small creatures, bonus to AC) try "lesser" versions of larger CR creature teen storm giant (or smaller giant) reborn pheonix (this raven-sized, curious flaming bird, lvl 3 sorcerror with fire magics) young dragons were-wolf/tiger/raven (or whatever) of matching alignment undead, flaming skull of a dead (possibly insane) wizard, flies, AC20, 20HP, casts 2d6 spells with verbal only components, attacks: biting 1d4+fire, or breath of fire 1d10 dmg range 10feet- emits light as torch, opinionated, arrogant, etc... -very minor Genie try an intelligent weapon, amulet, item as a familiar... try a "magical" version of a regular animal -like talking griffons, horses (like the Mr. Ed or donkey in shrek 2..."she thinks I'm a steed!") -like a giant vampire bat that can break up into a hundred little bats for 5 rounds 3/day -like a figuerine of wonderous power (like Drizzt's panther) only pick a huge flesh eating fly! or a giant spider, or a pegasus, or whatever! -invisible stalker? Or an "imaginary friend" you could have you familiar be an illusion that magically came loose and acquired sentience (and its power is based on how many people believe it is real!) or your "imaginary friend" could be an alternate personality that manifests as a familiar that you trust... "of course I have a parrot familiar! he 's right here!" or "imaginary friend" could be the displaced spirit of an ancestor (like the japanese/ ancient roman) that watches over the PC or try a "family guardian" which could be a spirit, oriental dragon, or other such creature... I liked the large animated object idea... I like to keep the familiars as non-PC races and creatures... no 5th lvl fighters as familiars!
Quoriil 07-26-05, 04:51 PM	half. farspawn. rust. monster.
TheErsatzFacsimileOfMe 07-26-05, 06:17 PM	I liked the large animated object idea... Thank you. takes a bow Actually, it's a huge animated object...I'm still trying to figure out what covers. I might just use it myself. But yeah, Huge Animated Object. CR 5. :smirk:
DaveReaves 07-26-05, 06:55 PM	You could glue some gnomes together and call it a gnome golem familiar. Mephits are only CR 3, but still pretty cool. Huge shark for the underwater wiz. Personal favorite: Spider Eater. Paralizing poison and lays eggs inside your enimies!
TheErsatzFacsimileOfMe 07-26-05, 07:33 PM	I'm still a big fan of the Huge Viper. :D but, I really like snakes.
High Octane 07-26-05, 07:50 PM	............I......uhh.....er....but.... ...neh.................................. .. I've got nothing. That's just... wrong.... This brings me so much joy.
Rathje 07-27-05, 02:51 AM	Mephits are only CR 3, but still pretty cool. Agreed.
tiercel 07-27-05, 09:42 PM	teen storm giant (or smaller giant) Yeah, this isn't a disaster waiting to happen. Seriously, you want a "teenager" (much less a giant-sized one) as a familiar?!? It's D&D: The Sitcom!
Pryrates 07-28-05, 01:40 AM	Thanks for the ideas guys, its much appreciated....a bugbear aristocrat...hmmm....
Milandros 07-28-05, 10:48 AM	Nice ideas, but be careful - a CR 5 famliar in an epic level campaign has the chance to be a very, very dead familiar, very quickly. So I suggest not going for something with groovy combat abilities, instead go for something specialised for some non-combat activity - e.g. recon, knowledge, roleplay, whatever.
DragonDeadite 07-28-05, 10:54 AM	This brings me so much joy. I'm glad I could bring a smile to your face!! BTW: A familiar is just ONE creature, so those people suggesting 5 or six of certain creatures, just wont work. If you want something really cool, check out Sandstorm. There's a couple nasty mephits in there as well as some pretty nasty dogs... I think they're called Sand Hunters, CR 3??? but if you get a couple more as just pets, then you basicaly have control of the entire pack because of a pack mind they have.