Noctuam [3.5 creature, positive energy,]

[qwertyu63]

{table=head] |Noctuam
Size/Type:|Tiny Magical Beast (Extraplanar, Positive)
Hit Dice:|3d8 (12 hp)
Initiative:|+3
Speed:|10 ft. (2 squares), fly 50 ft. (average)
Armor Class:|17 (+2 size, +3 Dex, +2 natural), touch 15, flat-footed 14
BAB/Grapple:|+0/-11
Attack:|Talons +5 melee (1d4-3)
Full Attack:|Talons +5 melee (1d4-3)
Space/Reach:|2½ ft./0 ft.|2½ ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks:|Spell-like abilities
Special Qualities:|Low-light vision, darkvision 60ft., double healing, vulnerability to negative energy, seek.
Saves:|Fort +3, Ref +6, Will +3
Abilities:|Str 4, Dex 17, Con 10, Int 4, Wis 14, Cha 4
Skills:|Listen +14, Move Silently +17, Spot +6*
Feats:|Alertness, Weapon Finesse (bonus)
Environment:|Any positive-dominant plane
Organization:|Solitary
Challenge Rating:|3
Alignment:|Always neutral
Advancement:|5 HD (Small)
Level Adjustment:|- (Improved Familiar)
[/table]

Noctuam are birds native to the plane of positive energy. They speak only Vitus. They are often used as messengers due to their ability to find people easily.

Skills:
Noctuam have a +8 racial bonus on Listen checks and a +14 racial bonus on Move Silently checks. *They have a +8 racial bonus on Spot checks in areas of shadowy illumination.

Spell-Like Abilities:
At will—detect magic, cure minor wounds; 3/day—plane shift (self plus 10 pounds of objects only). Caster level 6th. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Seek (Su):
Thrice per day as a standard action, a noctuam can locate a creature as per locate person spell, except that running water does not block the ability and it has no limit on range if the target is on the same plane of existence. If the target is on a different plane, the only information the noctuam gains is which plane the target resides on.

Special note:
Spellcasters with Improved Familiar can have a noctuam as their familiar. The required spellcaster level is 7th.

[inuyasha]

So a 5th level mage can have one as a familiar? With at will CLW and 3/day plane shift?? Great! And it has 3 HD? Better for even more hit points!! And their good as detectors/stalkers, and can move silently really well??

This seems like a very abusable familiar...

[Aldurin]

So a 5th level mage can have one as a familiar? With at will CLW and 3/day plane shift?? Great! And it has 3 HD? Better for even more hit points!! And their good as detectors/stalkers, and can move silently really well??

This seems like a very abusable familiar...

It's no Ghostly Visage, though I do agree. Nice fluff to it. Although really if you want cheap and easy infinite healing with little investment, this knocks it out of the park with at-will CLW outside of your action economy, even beating Tomb-Tainted Dread Necromancer.

[Debihuman]

Positive isn't generally a subtype. Advancement should be by Hit Dice. You should flesh these out a lot more. If they only speak Vitus, they're not likely to be used as messengers unless that's all anyone speaks.

Seek is lacking game mechanics. How is seek different from tracking? Why isn't this based on a locate person spell?

Seek (Su) Thrice per day as a Standard action, a noctuam can locate a creature as per locate person spell, except that running water does not block the ability and it has no limit if the target is on the same plane of existence. If the target is on a different plane, the only information the noctuam gains is which plane the target resides.

Debby

[qwertyu63]

So a 5th level mage can have one as a familiar? With at will CLW and 3/day plane shift?? Great! And it has 3 HD? Better for even more hit points!! And their good as detectors/stalkers, and can move silently really well??

This seems like a very abusable familiar...

Bumping it up to 7th level.

At will CLW could be an issue. I have been thinking of bumping it down to CMW. Still endless (which is intended), but slower... Yeah, doing that.

3/day plane shift for just the bird. You can't go along. Very useful for sending a letter or small supplies, not useful for travel.

Most of the skills/feats math is just lifted straight from the owl.

Positive isn't generally a subtype. Advancement should be by Hit Dice. You should flesh these out a lot more. If they only speak Vitus, they're not likely to be used as messengers unless that's all anyone speaks.

Positive is a subtype now. It is part of a big project I am doing. Its effect is as follows (which can be found by going through the link that is the subtype):

Positive Subtype:
A creature with the positive subtype heals twice as much when magically healed. It has vulnerability to negative energy, which means it takes half again as much (+50%) damage as normal from negative energy, regardless of whether a saving throw is allowed, or if the save is a success or failure. In addition, creatures with the positive subtype are immune to the effect of positive-dominant planes, including any hazards of the plane.

I personally would have never thought to advance them. Perhaps "5 HD (Small)"... Yeah, I'll use that.

Vitus is the dominant language of the positive energy plane in this project, so those around them do speak it.

Seek is lacking game mechanics. How is seek different from tracking? Why isn't this based on a locate person spell?

Seek (Su) Thrice per day as a Standard action, a noctuam can locate a creature as per locate person spell, except that running water does not block the ability and it has no limit if the target is on the same plane of existence. If the target is on a different plane, the only information the noctuam gains is which plane the target resides.

Debby

Because I didn't think to just remove the range limit on locate person. That is a good idea... Using it, thank you.