Good familiar substitutions and Gish advice... - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Good familiar substitutions and Gish advice...

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
igotsmeakabob
Jul 13, 2008 15:06:47 I'm playing in an Eberron game and am trying to find a good familiar substitution power. The conjuration PHB2 one was, understandably, not allowed, so I'm looking for others.
I'm still looking through the books, but there's a rather large number of them so I could use some help.
I'm not sure whether I should specialize conjuration or transmutation, and whether enchant and necro are good throw-outs.

I'll be rolling a human fighter/wizard/knight phantom/abjurant champion. 28 point stat-buy.

Thanks for any help you can provide.
#2
igotsmeakabob
Jul 15, 2008 20:39:11 Really? Noone?

I really just need a good familiar substitution recommendation for a wizard... what ones are there, besides the ones in the PHBII?
#3
hogarth
Jul 15, 2008 20:52:46
Really? Noone?

I really just need a good familiar substitution recommendation for a wizard... what ones are there, besides the ones in the PHBII?

There are a bunch in Unearthed Arcana (seen here --> http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/specialistWizardVariants.htm). The best ones are probably the Conjurer (can cast summon spells as a standard action) and the Enchanter (a slightly weaker form of the Leadership feat).

Or you could ask your DM to swap it out for a feat.
#4
igotsmeakabob
Jul 16, 2008 0:12:14 Hrm, thanks. I'll give it a try.
#5
malkavon
Jul 16, 2008 17:35:40
Or you could ask your DM to swap it out for a feat.

Considering a feat can buy you a familiar, going in the reverse seems like a reasonable solution.

You're human, so you lose out on any of the racial subs that are around. Check Complete Mage, there should be something in there for losing your familiar. I know Sorcerors get an option, but I don't recall if Wizards do.
#6
eldariel
Jul 16, 2008 20:05:10 PHBII's Transmutation-, Enchantment- and Illusion-ones are quite ok. Of course nowhere near as powerful as Conjuration (and probably not quite as strong as a Familiar), but still quite potent.

The mentioned UA variants are ok (you could also pick up an Animal Companion this way, although it'd be quite weak). Complete Mage unfortunately has none, but Dungeonscape has an interesting one; basically, you can use one slot per level as a slot of "Sun and moon"; you prepare two spells for each slot you thus designate instead of one. Whenever you're outdoors in sunlight, you can cast the Sun-spell. Whenever you're indoors or outdoors during Night, you can cast the Moon-spell. Handy for all sorts of light spells and the like, if quite weak as general utility tends to work in both.

There are a few options in Dragon Magazines, but unfortunately none that really interest a Gish, except maybe Focus Caster. Basically, you cast all your spells using a Focus. That Focus depends on the school of Magic you're going for (usually Conjuration has Quarterstaff and Polearm, Transmutation has Tools or Instrument, Abjuration has some sort of Shield or Buckler, rest aren't worth bothering with; surely you could talk your DM into different items though). It has the effect of making it cheaper for you to enchant the Focus-item and the Focus-item gains extra hardness and so on (this is all in Crystalkeep). The effect depends on the school of Magic you're using, but specifically Transmutation and Abjuration have handy effects:
-Every non-Personal buff you cast with at least one target affect one extra target; the extra target has half the Duration. So effectively, you can give any buff of the chosen school to your teammate for half the time you benefit of it yourself.
-On level 7 (it doesn't specify Wizard-levels, so you may ask if you can go with Arcane Caster-levels), the extra buff has full duration.
-On level 15, Abjuration allows you to cast Personal Abjurations as Touch-spells (combine with Reach Spell/Arcane reach for 30' Ranged Touch-attack No Save Anti-Magic Fields lodged on opponents!), and Transmutation allows you to once per day double some numeric stat boost.

Conjuration just increases stuff in duration: Level 1 = +1 Duration, Concentration-spells last 1 round after you stop Concentrating. Level 7 = +2 and 2 rounds, level 15 = +3 and 3 rounds.

That may be worth considering; if you pick Craft Magic Arms and Armor, being able to pimp out your weapon/shield (if Abjuration) 10% cheaper would be sweet.
#7
daz_vader
Jul 18, 2008 19:15:50 PHBII's transmutation variant power seems like the best one for. Sure, it forces you to specialise as a transmuter, but that's not really a problem, because transmutation by itself is a great school.

Dropping enchantment is a good way to go, since monsters and higher level NPCs usually are immune to mind-affecting effects, or have ways to make themselves if need be.

Can't drop Abjuration for the ever important Dispel Magic, can't drop illusion or conjuration because they're quite good, and banning divination ain't legal. That leaves Necromancy as the other school to ban.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 igotsmeakabob Jul 13, 2008 15:06:47	I'm playing in an Eberron game and am trying to find a good familiar substitution power. The conjuration PHB2 one was, understandably, not allowed, so I'm looking for others. I'm still looking through the books, but there's a rather large number of them so I could use some help. I'm not sure whether I should specialize conjuration or transmutation, and whether enchant and necro are good throw-outs. I'll be rolling a human fighter/wizard/knight phantom/abjurant champion. 28 point stat-buy. Thanks for any help you can provide.
#2 igotsmeakabob Jul 15, 2008 20:39:11	Really? Noone? I really just need a good familiar substitution recommendation for a wizard... what ones are there, besides the ones in the PHBII?
#3 hogarth Jul 15, 2008 20:52:46	Really? Noone? I really just need a good familiar substitution recommendation for a wizard... what ones are there, besides the ones in the PHBII? There are a bunch in Unearthed Arcana (seen here --> http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/specialistWizardVariants.htm). The best ones are probably the Conjurer (can cast summon spells as a standard action) and the Enchanter (a slightly weaker form of the Leadership feat). Or you could ask your DM to swap it out for a feat.
#4 igotsmeakabob Jul 16, 2008 0:12:14	Hrm, thanks. I'll give it a try.
#5 malkavon Jul 16, 2008 17:35:40	Or you could ask your DM to swap it out for a feat. Considering a feat can buy you a familiar, going in the reverse seems like a reasonable solution. You're human, so you lose out on any of the racial subs that are around. Check Complete Mage, there should be something in there for losing your familiar. I know Sorcerors get an option, but I don't recall if Wizards do.
#6 eldariel Jul 16, 2008 20:05:10	PHBII's Transmutation-, Enchantment- and Illusion-ones are quite ok. Of course nowhere near as powerful as Conjuration (and probably not quite as strong as a Familiar), but still quite potent. The mentioned UA variants are ok (you could also pick up an Animal Companion this way, although it'd be quite weak). Complete Mage unfortunately has none, but Dungeonscape has an interesting one; basically, you can use one slot per level as a slot of "Sun and moon"; you prepare two spells for each slot you thus designate instead of one. Whenever you're outdoors in sunlight, you can cast the Sun-spell. Whenever you're indoors or outdoors during Night, you can cast the Moon-spell. Handy for all sorts of light spells and the like, if quite weak as general utility tends to work in both. There are a few options in Dragon Magazines, but unfortunately none that really interest a Gish, except maybe Focus Caster. Basically, you cast all your spells using a Focus. That Focus depends on the school of Magic you're going for (usually Conjuration has Quarterstaff and Polearm, Transmutation has Tools or Instrument, Abjuration has some sort of Shield or Buckler, rest aren't worth bothering with; surely you could talk your DM into different items though). It has the effect of making it cheaper for you to enchant the Focus-item and the Focus-item gains extra hardness and so on (this is all in Crystalkeep). The effect depends on the school of Magic you're using, but specifically Transmutation and Abjuration have handy effects: -Every non-Personal buff you cast with at least one target affect one extra target; the extra target has half the Duration. So effectively, you can give any buff of the chosen school to your teammate for half the time you benefit of it yourself. -On level 7 (it doesn't specify Wizard-levels, so you may ask if you can go with Arcane Caster-levels), the extra buff has full duration. -On level 15, Abjuration allows you to cast Personal Abjurations as Touch-spells (combine with Reach Spell/Arcane reach for 30' Ranged Touch-attack No Save Anti-Magic Fields lodged on opponents!), and Transmutation allows you to once per day double some numeric stat boost. Conjuration just increases stuff in duration: Level 1 = +1 Duration, Concentration-spells last 1 round after you stop Concentrating. Level 7 = +2 and 2 rounds, level 15 = +3 and 3 rounds. That may be worth considering; if you pick Craft Magic Arms and Armor, being able to pimp out your weapon/shield (if Abjuration) 10% cheaper would be sweet.
#7 daz_vader Jul 18, 2008 19:15:50	PHBII's transmutation variant power seems like the best one for. Sure, it forces you to specialise as a transmuter, but that's not really a problem, because transmutation by itself is a great school. Dropping enchantment is a good way to go, since monsters and higher level NPCs usually are immune to mind-affecting effects, or have ways to make themselves if need be. Can't drop Abjuration for the ever important Dispel Magic, can't drop illusion or conjuration because they're quite good, and banning divination ain't legal. That leaves Necromancy as the other school to ban.