Two D&D questions

[Exthalion]

Okay, two questions that have occurred to me while planning for a new campaign that is starting soon.

First: Is it possible using the Improved Familiar Feat to gain a Couatl as a familiar?

Second: Is there any relatively cheap/easy way to cast sanctified/corrupt spells by overcoming the ability damage.

[EvilJoe15]

1.) What!? No.

2.) Yes. Be undead.

[hamishspence]

Nope- immunity to ability damage means spells like that don't function.

You actually have to take the ability damage. Though you can get it back via various means- the vestige Naberius, for example, in the case of CON.

[Mystic Muse]

1.) What!? No.

To clear things up, Couatls have a ton of abilities that make them unsuitable for Familiars. They're ECL 16 and CR 10. YOu have to be level 7 to get a CR 2 creature as a familiar (Lantern Archon) and 14 to get a CR 5 one (Gold dragon)

[Jorda75]

I would suggest creating a "lesser Couatls" that has a similar theme and abilities but scaled back to the level of Lantern Archon or similar.

[Snake-Aes]

I would suggest creating a "lesser Couatls" that has a similar theme and abilities but scaled back to the level of Lantern Archon or similar.

Winged worms?

[Bagelz]

first from the srd "[the table] presents only a few possible improved familiars. Almost any creature of the same general size and power as those on the list makes a suitable familiar."
So if you can have a small or tiny Couatl that has hd <= 1/2 caster and a CR <=1/4 caster level then yes.

you would need to be over level 30 to have a straight up (shrunken) Couatl as a familiar. I believe complete arcane may have additional feats related to familiars.

[hamishspence]

Complete Warrior has rules for melee-specialist familiars.

the Winter Wolf is CR5, and requires CL7 and BAB+7. So a multicless fighter/wizard could take it earlier than 14th level, and a Duskblade could take a Winter Wolf familiar as early as 7th level.

You do need to be within one step on both axes though, so a Winter Wolf (NE) could be taken by any Evil or Neutral character.

Familars probably shouldn't be too close to the caster in CR, though.

[Jorda75]

Winged worms?

I was thinking snakes but sure, winged worms would be awesome! Fly speed, walk speed and burrow speed, all at 5ft.? Wicked!

[hamishspence]

The Flying Snake (magical beast, Races of Faerun) and the Sailsnake (animal, MM IV) can both be taken as improved familiars.

[Exthalion]

Thank you for everyone's responses.

To change the question a little:

Concerning familiars. Is there some progression or rule which would at some point allow a Couatl such as epic level. I saw a post which mentioned level 30, but are there rules somewhere?

Or is there something I could take to my DM which allow the creation of a lower CR Couatl? Or stats for one somewhere?

Concerning ability damage. Besides being undead, is there something like a permanent restoration ability that heals damage. Could such an ability be added to an item perhaps, or something along those lines? I suppose I could just get an eternal wand of lessor restoration and have a divine caster use it on me whenever I used one of those spells, but that seems awfully tedious.

[EvilJoe15]

UMD is your friend, just ask Hellfire Warlocks, and Monks.

[hamishspence]

Concerning familiars. Is there some progression or rule which would at some point allow a Couatl such as epic level. I saw a post which mentioned level 30, but are there rules somewhere?

Haven't seen any. BoED suggests a Couatl is equivalent to a 16th level cohort- maybe this could be used as a ballpark figure.

One of the highest-level (relative to the CR of the caster) familiars is the Winter Wolf (Complete Warrior)- CR 5, can be taken by anyone with both Caster Level 7 and BAB +7.

If you used this as a basis- a CL 18 BAB +18 character, could take a couatl as a familiar. However, this might be a bit overgenerous. And an 18th level duskblade would automatically qualify.

[Exthalion]

Is there perhaps some way to do it without having that high a BAB?

[Mystic Muse]

Can you tell us why you want to do it in the first place?

[Boci]

You actually have to take the ability damage. Though you can get it back via various means- the vestige Naberius, for example, in the case of CON.

I'm pretty sure he takes care of ability damage of every type. Even ability drain, albeit much slower.

Edit: Dominate monster will allow you to take control of coutal for a a couple of days, but its alignment will probably give it a lot of hcances to reroll the save knowing the average adventurer. (Don't you dare take my worlds out of context on this one.)
Higher level spells, like monstrous thrall (9th level) are even better. You could get a scroll relativly cheap and with arcane mastery you are guaranteed to make the CL check to use it.

[nedz]

If you take a metaphorical view on the coatl you could have a Rainbow Servant cohort, or alternativly play a Rainbow Servant and have a familier which you RP as the master.

[Exthalion]

That is more or less what I am going for. My character views them as the most blessed and perfect of races. He is going to go for all ten levels of rainbow servant.

I was thinking of having it as a familiar so that A: it would always be there and B: so that it could constantly teach him and act as a partner, friend, teacher, and confidant.

Moreover, I am roleplaying gaining entry into the class by establishing a bond with one of the coatl. I wanted the familiar option not so I could control one, but to represent that both of us got something from the bond.

Edit: I may have found a way. There is a wizard variant in Unearthed Arcana which allows a wizard to take an animal companion instead of a familiar. There is a long list of alternate animal companions which a druid can take. The given table lists creatures of up to CR 9 at level 16. It might be possible to use this to shoehorn in a Coatl.