quote from design and development article
Stephen: Familiar design is almost limitless and will continue to expand as the D&D universe does. Arcane Power gives you the usual suspect. "Get Familiar" shows you some more directions you could go, including some tier-dependant familiars. Many are corner cases, or just darn strange, but they all have a home in someone's imagination.
Logan: Here are some familiars that we considered but that didn't make the cut. You'll also notice that they use the names of actual monsters. We later decided not to do that, to avoid confusion.
Darkmantle
Fire bat
Fox
Iron cobra
Kruthik
Pixie
Primordial Toad
Stirge
Umbral blot
Vargouille (proving that just because we have a mini doesn't mean we should do the familiar)
Vestige relic
Zairtail
- Arcane Eye
- Badger
- Canine Construct
- Disembodied Hand
- Fire Lizard
- Lightning Lizard
- Ooze
- Parrot
- Rootling
- Scout Homunculus
- Skull
- Toad
- Weasel
- Air Mephit
- Beholderkin
- Blackspawn Darkling
- Bluespawn Nimblespark
- Earth Mephit
- Fire Mephit
- Grayspawn Shortfang
- Greenspawn Banespike
- Ice Mephit
- during combat
- Rakshasa Claw
- Redspawn Spitfire
- Stone Fowl
- Blazing Skull
- Chaos Shard
- Gibbering Pet
- Shadow Incarnate
Yes, we do. Don't you want to have more? The list of "what was left out" was really enticing. Granted, you can reskin an existing familiar, but additional expansions with new mechanics would be really great.
In some ways I feel we might have two many familiars.
One of the nicer parts about the beast companion feature for rangers was that only a few basic animal shapes are distinguished. This allows the companion to take on a wide variety of narrative descriptions from mundane too exotic too fantastical. Familiars conversely include many more and specific varieties, which in some ways can make one feel more constrained to the default flavor.
All that said, given the approach WotC chose, I will be most interested in future additions to the list of familiars, but feel what we have now is good enough for the time being. Anything more than one Dragon article per year would likely seem like too much to me.
But on the upside, you win best thread title ever.
Seriously, adding something substantial to a thread rather than a lone snarky comment means you avoid looking like a thread crapper.
To the other respondents, I guess I'm different then. I think a Dragon article in about six months would be nice. By then people would have had a chance to look over and use what has been already presented, and new options would not be overwhelming.
Come to think of it, some kind of divine minion would be kind of cool to. Rangers have beast companions, arcane character familiars, Divine minions could include otherworldly mounts, like the Paladin's warhorse, the 3.x Blackguard's flunkies, or a more active and persistent companion spirit.
Anyone have any suggestions for non-arcane 'familiars' I'd be interested in hearing about them. Maybe the developers might look, too.
-E
I think that they'll probably bring back Paladin Mounts in Divine Power, if the other Power books are any indication. Druids may even get a companion in Primal power, just for the legacy factor (although maybe they will give it to wardens or something instead).
My personal solution (for druids, wardens, and other primal characters) would be to just make a new base ranger multiclass feat that has as its benefit the Beast Companion class feature. Unlike most multiclass feats it probably wouldn't need any limitations either, as a beast companion can't do very much without additional ranger powers, which will cost more feats.
The way I see it there's no sense creating multiple beast companion variants when we already have a functional one. Though I do agree in wanting to see companion mount rules return, hopefully as something available to more than just paladins.
Judging by the title used by the original poster, the only familiar they should have access to is the 'spelling bee'.
What would such a familiar do?
I'm imagining:
Spelling Bee
This small flying insect holds an annoyingly vast amount of knowledge.
Speed fly 6 (hover)
Constant Benefits: +2 Ritual skill checks
Active Benefit: Distracting Presence: The spelling bee may enter another creature's square. So long as the spelling bee is within an enemy's square, that enemy takes a -2 penalty to all attacks and skill checks
I think that they'll probably bring back Paladin Mounts in Divine Power, if the other Power books are any indication. Druids may even get a companion in Primal power, just for the legacy factor (although maybe they will give it to wardens or something instead).
@_@
Daddy misses his celestial charger.
What would such a familiar do?
I'm imagining:
Spelling Bee
This small flying insect holds an annoyingly vast amount of knowledge.
Speed fly 6 (hover)
Constant Benefits: +2 Ritual skill checks
Active Benefit: Distracting Presence: The spelling bee may enter another creature's square. So long as the spelling bee is within an enemy's square, that enemy takes a -2 penalty to all attacks and skill checks
Mind if I steal that? And use it?
Edit: I apologize for the double post.
I'm going to have an annoying evil 'absent minded professor' NPC, and I think this will add to the humor greatly.
Also on the need-to-have wagon are staff familiars.
At first I thought you were saying "we need to have wagon familiars." Fortunately, I realized on a re-read that you weren't crazy.
Anyway, it's always possible we might do more familiars. It's always possible it's already scheduled for Insider. Who can say?
Meh. That was probably more of a ritual. Guess I'm stuck with this smart alecky owl.
I want a broom familiar to fetch water for me. Certainly that couldn't be overpowered!
Ooh, can we also get magic hats as a new kind of wizard implement?
New?! Presto has been using his hat as an implement in official D&D products since the 1980's!
Yes, I know that (I loved that show when I was a kid). That's just one more reason I would like to see hat implements. When I said "new" I was speaking specifically in the context of 4th edition.
[indent]Afterthought: Oh and while he isn't an example of a paladin and certainly never used his shield as such, seeing that picture of Eric makes me want to see magic shields that also function as holy symbols.[/indent]
Mind if I steal that? And use it?
If I didn't want people to steal it, I wouldn't have posted it on a public forum.
I'd support a once a year dump of a dozen or so more. :D
Agreed, though I might let them skip a new Dragon article in what ever year they release Arcane Power 2 (or any other sequels), provided that book contained the yearly dump instead.
At first I thought you were saying "we need to have wagon familiars." Fortunately, I realized on a re-read that you weren't crazy.
Anyway, it's always possible we might do more familiars. It's always possible it's already scheduled for Insider. Who can say?
I think its great when the writers communicate with the players, Logan!
Um.
Now a wagon familiar...transport the entire party (check)...bullrush enemies (check)...
...what, am I cR4zY?, what?
If at some point though familiars do creep up as a possibility, could you may hear a little voice that whispers "pixie, pixie, pixie"!
-E
Ooh, can we also get magic hats as a new kind of wizard implement?
The sorting hat from Harry Potter. Now THAT's a hat familiar!
It's quirk is that it is constantly judging everyone it runs into.
"Yes, yes, a predilection for mischief, a generous sense of self-preservation outweighing any general concerns for...chaotic, I suppose".
The sorting hat from Harry Potter. Now THAT's a hat familiar!
Speaking of the Harry Potter series, how about a phoenix familiar?
The sorting hat from Harry Potter. Now THAT's a hat familiar!
It's quirk is that it is constantly judging everyone it runs into.
"Yes, yes, a predilection for mischief, a generous sense of self-preservation outweighing any general concerns for...chaotic, I suppose".
Pretty sure that should be a wonderous intelligent item... (which would be awesome!! haha)
Second the Phoenix!
Pretty sure that should be a wonderous intelligent item... (which would be awesome!! haha)
Second the Phoenix!
Umm... lessee... quick and dirty phoenix....
Phoenix (epic familiar)
This bird is said to burn with a cleansing flame.
Darkvision
Speed 2, fly 8 (hover)
Constant Benefits: You gain a +2 to Arcana and Heal checks.
You gain resist 5 fire. If you already have resist fire, increase it by 2.
Active Benefits:
Phoenix's Immunity: The phoenix is immune to fire.
Fiery Rebirth: When the phoenix is killed by an attack, deal 3d6 fire damage to the attacker. At the end of your turn, the phoenix returns to life.
What do y'all think?
...oh, by the by, call the wagon familiar Herbie.
lol, on that thought though... a constant 3d6 fire damage to an enemy that just can't stop attacking my familiar sounds wicket!! haha
Yes, I know that (I loved that show when I was a kid). That's just one more reason I would like to see hat implements. When I said "new" I was speaking specifically in the context of 4th edition.
[indent]Afterthought: Oh and while he isn't an example of a paladin and certainly never used his shield as such, seeing that picture of Eric makes me want to see magic shields that also function as holy symbols.[/indent]
Heh I think Presto's hat was more of a modified 'Bag of Tricks' than a familiar.
As for the afterthought paladin's can put their holy symbol on their shields and presumably a magical holy symbol could be (or part of) a shield. I suspect Divine Power will expand on that more. Plus Eric was a Cavalier which was sort of a half-paladin just with less divine flavor (and therefor avoid too much bashing from certain groups).
Heh I think Presto's hat was more of a modified 'Bag of Tricks' than a familiar.
I said Hat Implement, not Hat Familiar. Considering that he waved his hand over his hat while "casting" and then pulled most of his "spell" out of said hat, it fits reasonably well with the concept of implement.
Umm... lessee... quick and dirty phoenix....
Phoenix (epic familiar)
This bird is said to burn with a cleansing flame.
Darkvision
Speed 2, fly 8 (hover)
Constant Benefits: You gain a +2 to Arcana and Heal checks.
You gain resist 5 fire. If you already have resist fire, increase it by 2.
Active Benefits:
Phoenix's Immunity: The phoenix is immune to fire.
Fiery Rebirth: When the phoenix is killed by an attack, deal 3d6 fire damage to the attacker. At the end of your turn, the phoenix returns to life.
What do y'all think?
I like, but I think making the Rebirth based on making a save, makes a bit more sense, thematically and with the system.
I said Hat Implement, not Hat Familiar. Considering that he waved his hand over his hat while "casting" and then pulled most of his "spell" out of said hat, it fits reasonably well with the concept of implement.
True, it could fit as an implement but then Presto didn't seem to be a wizard or really an arcane caster. I swear they were all level 1 commoners with artifacts
I like, but I think making the Rebirth based on making a save, makes a bit more sense, thematically and with the system.
That makes sense.
Also, after getting Arcane Power, the idea of familiars you have to wait 'till epic to get is suddenly less appealing. So round 2, the scaling version:
Phoenix
This bird is said to burn with a cleansing flame.
Darkvision
Speed 2, fly 6 (hover)
Constant Benefits: You gain a +2 to Arcana and Heal checks.
You gain resist 5 fire. If you already have resist fire, increase it by 2.
Active Benefits:
Phoenix's Immunity: The phoenix is immune to fire.
Fiery Rebirth: When the phoenix is killed by an attack, deal 1d6 fire damage to the attacker. At the end of your turn, make a saving throw. On a success, the phoenix returns to life.
Level 11: 2d6 damage
Level 21: 3d6 damage