Arcane tradition for familiars (under development)

[niklinna]

Edits are underlined.

I was really taken by the sentinel raven feature of Raven Queen warlock patron that appeared in Unearthed Arcana, but I found its basic features to be a bit strange (and confusingly overlapped with familiars). I also find the warlock class a frustrating mess mechanically, so I figured I would try some ideas that focus specifically on familiars for a wizard arcane tradition. With some modification, these could also be used as invocations for Chain Pact warlocks (or features granted by an otherworldly patron).

I wound up with more ideas than will fit cleanly into one arcane tradition[/u], so you'll see more than you might expect. Please let me know which are your favorite.[/u] I've got some thoughts about rolling several level 2 features together as in-game tradeoffs. I also have three different level 14 features with increasing levels of complication (and dissatisfacation). I could definitely use some ideas for the capstone feature.

Spoiler: Commentary on Sentinel Raven

Show

The sentinel raven is almost a familiar, but not quite, and it grants a lot of benefits at level 1: Darkvision to 30 feet (which most races don't need), Perception bonuses, it can't be harmed while on you, keeps watch and wakes you, etc. The Perception bonus alone is comparable to the level 1 benefit of other warlock patrons. With a familiar or a sentinel raven, you're already getting an extra Perception check, the rough equivalent of advantage. The part about the sentinel raven not requiring sleep and awakening its master, that seems like something a familiar would be able to just do, without needing to be stated; it's a spirit, spirits don't sleep, right?

The idea of gaining some passive benefit when your familiar is on your person is neat; I just think the ones they picked are a bit much, and can't think of a good, interesting general benefit that isn't already taken by another subclass. Maybe you gain your primary ability's bonus instead of Wisdom for Perception checks, but not both. In any case, I've decided to pursue other ideas in this initial writeup.

Anyhow, it just seems they could've said you get a familiar without having the expense of find familiar and been done with it. Of course, their way you can get a sentinel raven and a familiar, of course—and have to remember the slightly different rules for each.

Wizard Arcane Tradition: The Familiarist

You have forged a special bond with your familiar, which is not merely a servant and scout, but a dear friend, almost a part of you. Your familiar comes readily to you, and gains abilities beyond those of other spellcasters' familiars.

Level 2 Ideas

I have four ideas here, with some thoughts on combining the last three for in-game tradeoffs. I kinda like in-game tradeoffs so I am inclined to go that route. Let me know what you think.

Free-Range Familiar
At 2nd level, you add the find familiar spell to your spellbook if it isn't there already. Your intimacy with your helper spirit allows you to summon it easily; after you cast find familiar for the first time, your casting time for the spell is 1 action, and it does not require material components.

Spoiler: Commentary

Show

Since all of this subclass's features are directly dependent on the familiar, I figured it was unfair to have getting it back cost the time and money. The Nimble Familiar feature below is more explicitly about keeping it alive during combat, although if you really want to tie up a prepared spell and use a spell slot, you could also re-summon your familiar on the fly.

In consideration of higher-level features, I thought about saying the familiar could take an attack action—after all, what's 1 hit point of damage?—but I figured there were good reasons the designers had made this restriction. Then again, a warlock's familiars can attack. In any case, the 10th level feature here lets familiar attack or cast a cantrip on their turn.

Possible changes: If you think combat re-summoning is too cheesy, have the cast time be something like a minute (less powerful). Changing the familiar's form requires the full casting time & money (less powerful). Just have the familiar reappear after a rest, as with the sentinel raven (more/less powerful depending on circumstances).

Your range for communicating telepathically with your familiar and perceiving through its senses is a number of miles equal to your wizard level.

Spoiler: Commentary

Show

Additional range for the familiar is just a no-brainer, but to avoid stepping on Chain Pact warlocks, who get little enough love as it is, I did keep the range limited. They still have the voice thing with their invocation, though.

Possible changes: Leave this out (less powerful). Give unlimited range, like with Voice of the Chain Master (more powerful). Measure in smaller/bigger units/multiples, for example, 100-200-300 feet, 5-10-20 miles, per caster level, or even caster level squared in some units (less/more powerful).

Nimble Familiar
Starting at 2nd level, when you cast a spell, you can exclude your familiar from its effects. When your familiar is hit by an attack or targeted by a spell, it can use its reaction to dismiss itself.

Spoiler: Commentary

Show

A little something to keep your familiar alive on the field. Note that making your familiar reappear still takes an action. Note also that your familiar can't channel a touch spell for you and use this feature in the same turn—both use its reaction—so if you do use your familiar in this way, it's vulnerable (but see the level 10 feature).

Possible changes: You use your reaction to dismiss your familiar, rather than the familiar using its reaction (less/more powerful; lets you channel a spell and save your familiar, but costs you your own reaction). Allow either familiar or you to use a reaction (more powerful). Also allow wizard to dismiss/recall with a bonus action rather than an action (more powerful; possibly open to abuse with casting spell through familiar).

Familiar's Bauble
Beginning at 2nd level, you can spend an hour enchanting a bauble for your familiar. The bauble sparkles and is clearly magical. If you enchant a new bauble, the old one loses its magic.

When you recall your familiar from its pocket dimension, you can choose to have it appear in the nearest safe space within 30 feet of the bauble instead of near you; the bauble then loses its enchantment.

After enchanting a bauble, you can't enchant a new one until you finish a short or long rest.

Spoiler: Commentary

Show

You have to get the bauble to the desired location first, of course. This could be combined with Nimble Familiar, so that while the familiar carries/wears the bauble, it has those benefits, but the bauble can be left somewhere for the recall benefit. Decisions, decisions! Would have to be explicit that if the familiar is carrying/wearing the the bauble, it goes into the pocket dimension too when the familiar is dismissed.

Possible changes: Limit range of bauble (less powerful). Require short/long rest instead of bauble losing magic (more powerful). Add more uses of bauble at higher levels (more powerful). You can have more baubles as you level up (more powerful; see commentary for Familiar's a Hoarder below).

Familiar's a Hoarder
Starting at 2nd level, your familiar gains the ability to stow and retrieve an object in its pocket dimension when dismissed and recalled. The object can be no larger than 6 inches on each side. If your familiar already has an object stashed in its pocket dimension, it can't take another there.

Spoiler: Commentary

Show

This could be combined with the bauble idea too, in that the bauble is the object that can be brought back, and it doesn't lose its enchantment, possibly as a level-up on the base feature. You could enchant a potion or wand as a bauble, for example, and leave it at your base camp. That's when having multiple baubles could be much more powerful.

Possible changes: Allow more/bigger objects at higher levels (more powerful). Disallow magic items (less powerful).

Level 6 Idea

Familiar's Form
At 6th level, you gain the ability to assume your familiar's form. As a bonus action while your familiar is on your person, your body merges with your familiar, assuming its form. Maintaining this merged form requires your concentration, as if you were concentrating on a spell. While in your familiar's form, you become the size of your familiar, you replace your speed and strength with the familiar’s, and you can't use your action to attack or cast a spell. As an action, you (and your familiar) return to normal.

When you reach 10th level, you can assume your familiar's form as a bonus action even if your familiar isn't on your person. You just assume the familiar's form rather than merging.

Spoiler: Commentary

Show

I really liked this feature of the sentinel raven, so I kept it for this subclass, with some tweaks. I added in the 10th level boost mostly because I think it would be cute to hang out with your familiar in similar form. :-)

Possible changes: Activate as a reaction when attacked (more powerful). Limit uses between rests (less powerful). Taking any damage makes you unmerge and resume your normal form (less powerful). Familiar takes damage before you, can die, at which point you resume your normal form (even less powerful). Make this not require concentration (more powerful, but in keeping with similar features). Require a rest after using (less powerful).

Level 10 Idea

Master's Little Helper
At 10th level, you teach your familiar a bit of your magical skill. It learns two of your wizard cantrips and can cast them on its own as if it were a 1st-level wizard, using form-appropriate equivalents for verbal and somatic spell components. Your familiar can now use its action to attack or cast a spell on its turn.

If your familiar is within 100 feet of you, it uses your spell save DC and attack modifier, and can use any required material spell components you have on your person. Otherwise its spell save DC is 10 and its spell attack modifier is +2, regardless of the Intelligence for the form it's currently taking, and it must carry any required material spell components.

Spoiler: Commentary

Show

I wanted the familiar to be able to do some magic on its own, but keeping such an ability on par with other arcane traditions' level 10 feature was a challenge. I think I've found the right balance of flavor, fun, and power. This lets you get extra damage on par with School of Evocation's extra damage at level 10 (your Intelligence modifier), assuming the familiar's attack hits.

Possible changes: Maybe this is a level 6 feature rather than level 10 (more powerful). Familiar knows all your cantrips (more powerful). Don't allow damaging cantrips at all (less powerful). Limit range, uses, and/or require a rest (less powerful). Don't limit to wizard cantrips (more powerful for multiclassers).

Level 14 Ideas

I got one okay idea here that might be a bit underpowered/boring. The other two ideas are cool, but mechanically problematic.

Bodyguard
Beginning at 14th level, While your familiar is within 100 feet of you, you gain the protection of the death ward spell. If that spell is triggered, your familiar dies in your stead, and you can't regain your death ward until you finish a short or long rest.

Spoiler: Commentary

Show

This is the simplest of the level 14 feature options. Might be kinda boring for a capstone feature, especially compared to other arcane traditions, and considering by this level you have contingency. Then again, it's a spell that wizards don't get, a spell slot or two that you or a friend didn't have to use, and you don't have to remember to apply it.

Shared Minds
A similar idea might be to grant advantage on certain kinds of saving throws, for both wizard and familiar, when the two are in telepathic communication range.


Dire Familiar
Removed on recommendation.

Spoiler

Show

An alternative for wizards who want to mix it up in melee, albeit by proxy.

Starting at 14th level, as an action, you can transform your familiar into a fearsome beast. It can attack on its turn, and gains these statistics and abilities while transformed:

Size: Medium
Speed: +10 feet (if it has a fly speed: +10 feet)
Strength: 14 (+2)
Constitution: 14 (+2)
Hit Points: ??
Attack: +?? to hit, ??d?? +?? damage.

The transformation lasts for 1 minute, or until your escort familiar dies or is dismissed.

You can't use this feature again until you finish a short or long rest.

Spoiler: Commentary

Show

I have no idea what the hit points and attack should be. Everything's tweakable of course. Whether or not this requires concentration would be a big factor in stats. Beastmaster rangers might be a put out by this.

I have not made the transformation end when you merge with your familiar (what's wrong with flying around as a giant owl, after all?), but that's a possibility. If it doesn't end, I'd have to be explicit about whether you can use your transformed escort familiar's melee attack while merged (I think it's fine). You obviously shouldn't be allowed to cast spells while merged.

Master's Form
An attempt at flipping Familiar's Form around that just isn't coming together....

Beginning at 14th level, while your familiar is within 100 feet of you, and not merged using Familiar's Form, you can use a bonus action to turn your familiar into a physical duplicate of yourself for up to 1 minute. Maintaining this form requires your concentration. Your familiar doesn't act on its own turn while so transformed; you use your move or action to have your familiar/duplicate move or act. The duplicate form has your size, Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution, and nonmagical copies of all your equipment (which disappear if removed from your familiar).

When you activate this feature, and as a bonus action on each of your turns while your familiar is in your form, you can switch from using your own senses to your familiar's, or vice versa. While you use your familiar's senses, you are blind, deaf, etc. to your own body's senses as usual. However, while you are using your own senses, your familiar still has its own and can communicate with you if it is within range to do so. When you are using your familiar/duplicate's senses, any spells cast on your familiar that have mental effects, including psychic damage, affect you rather than your familiar.

While your familiar is within 100 feet of you and you are using its senses, any spells you cast originate from its space, and spells with a range of Self affect the familiar, not you.

Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Spoiler: Commentary

Show

I really wanted this to be a physical transformation rather than an illusion, to distinguish it from some spells you can just get, but this is just too complicated. It's a hybrid of casting any spell from the familiar's space, and having the familiar assume your form to talk, deliver messages, etc.

Compare to mislead (a 5th-level spell) and project image (a 7th-level spell), which let an illusion of you be anywhere, at no risk to yourself, but not to interact with the environment. Casting spells from the familiar's space, using the familiar's senses, even within limited range, may be too powerful; compare to Trickery cleric domain's Invoke Duplicity, which requires you to use your own senses.

Possible changes: Change range/line of site for activation/continued use (less/more powerful). Disallow any casting from familiar (less powerful). Allow casting regardless of distance (more powerful). Disallow Nimble Familiar feature while using this one (less powerful; although technically your familiar can't use reactions while transformed anyhow, you could still exclude your familiar from effects of an AOE spell you cast). Don't require a rest (more powerful). Require a long rest (less powerful). Change duration (less/more powerful). Don't require concentration (more powerful). Don't have mental effects work on the character (less risky, less complicated). Have any spell cast on the familiar affect the caster instead/in addition (more risky, more complicated).

[Requilac]

Wow, this is actually quite the masterpiece. I have seen a decent amount of homebrew, including my own, but this is probably the best homebrew sub-class I have ever seen. Not necessarily due to concept, but due to execution. This is quite great really. I only have a couple minor complaints shown below.

I must ask though, you presented multiple possible features for each level. Does that mean a player chooses which feature they want, or have you just not decided on which one to give.

Your range for communicating telepathically with your familiar and perceiving through its senses is a number of miles equal to your wizard level.

Spoiler: Commentary

Show

Additional range for the familiar is just a no-brainer, but to avoid stepping on Chain Pact warlocks, who get little enough love as it is, I did keep the range limited. They still have the voice thing with their invocation, though.

Possible changes: Leave this out (less powerful). Give unlimited range, like with Voice of the Chain Master (more powerful). Measure in smaller/bigger units/multiples, for example, 100-200-300 feet, 5-10-20 miles, per caster level, or even caster level squared in some units (less/more powerful).

Communicating with your familiar across miles seemse a little extreme, especially considering the normal range of telepathy with a familiar is 100 ft. I would change it to "Your range for communicating telepathically with your familiar and perceiving through its senses is a number of feet equal to your wizard level times 100". This is a very minor complaint though.

Familiar's Form
At 6th level, you gain the ability to assume your familiar's form. As a bonus action while your familiar is on your person, your body merges with your familiar, assuming its form. While in your familiar's form, you become the size of your familiar, you replace your speed and strength with the familiar’s, and you can't use your action to attack or cast a spell. As an action, you (and your familiar) return to normal.

When you reach 10th level, you can assume your familiar's form as a bonus action even if your familiar isn't on your person. You just assume the familiar's form rather than merging.

Spoiler: Commentary

Show

I really liked this feature of the sentinel raven, so I kept it for this subclass, with some tweaks. I added in the 10th level boost mostly because I think it would be cute to hang out with your familiar in similar form. :-)

Possible changes: Activate as a reaction when attacked (more powerful). Limit uses between rests (less powerful). Taking any damage makes you unmerge and resume your normal form (less powerful). Familiar takes damage before you, can die, at which point you resume your normal form (even less powerful). Make this require concentration (less powerful, but in keeping with similar features). Require a rest after using (less powerful).

[/QUOTE]

I would make it require concentration. You should definitely have trouble maintaining this form if you are hit by an attack, and concentration already exists specifically for this purpose.

Dire Familiar
An alternative for wizards who want to mix it up in melee, albeit by proxy.

Starting at 14th level, as an action, you can transform your familiar into a fearsome beast. It can attack on its turn, and gains these statistics and abilities while transformed:

Size: Medium
Speed: +10 feet (if it has a fly speed: +10 feet)
Strength: 14 (+2)
Constitution: 14 (+2)
Hit Points: ??
Attack: +?? to hit, ??d?? +?? damage.

The transformation lasts for 1 minute, or until your escort familiar dies or is dismissed.

You can't use this feature again until you finish a short or long rest.

Spoiler: Commentary

Show

I have no idea what the hit points and attack should be. Everything's tweakable of course. Whether or not this requires concentration would be a big factor in stats. Beastmaster rangers might be a put out by this.

I have not made the transformation end when you merge with your familiar (what's wrong with flying around as a giant owl, after all?), but that's a possibility. If it doesn't end, I'd have to be explicit about whether you can use your transformed escort familiar's melee attack while merged (I think it's fine). You obviously shouldn't be allowed to cast spells while merged.

I would dump this feature really. I have no idea how you could possibly find a way to determine the attacks and hit points. You could perhaps come up with some sort of complex mathematical process, but I would advise against it. This is cool in concept, but its mechanical execution would be awful.

[niklinna]

Wow, this is actually quite the masterpiece. I have seen a decent amount of homebrew, including my own, but this is probably the best homebrew sub-class I have ever seen. Not necessarily due to concept, but due to execution. This is quite great really. I only have a couple minor complaints shown below.

Wow, thank you! I'm so happy you like it.

I must ask though, you presented multiple possible features for each level. Does that mean a player chooses which feature they want, or have you just not decided on which one to give.

I think I alluded to that in an earlier draft, but I can't find that paragraph now! Whoops. I haven't seen any subclasses that offer choices of features, but I'd be totally cool with doing that. I like having choices. However, if I can come up with something really tight, that'd be better. The level 2 features, in particular, have enough overlap that they could be rolled together in an interesting way.

Communicating with your familiar across miles seemse a little extreme, especially considering the normal range of telepathy with a familiar is 100 ft. I would change it to "Your range for communicating telepathically with your familiar and perceiving through its senses is a number of feet equal to your wizard level times 100". This is a very minor complaint though.

Yeah, in the spoilers I mull over all sorts of balance considerations and this was one. Chain pact warlocks can take an invocation right away that gives them infiinite range, so miles scaling with level didn't seem so crazy to me, but I was concerned that I was stepping on their toes.

Familiar's Form
At 6th level, you gain the ability to assume your familiar's form. ...

(Spoiler) CommentaryI really liked this feature of the sentinel raven, so I kept it for this subclass, with some tweaks. I added in the 10th level boost mostly because I think it would be cute to hang out with your familiar in similar form. :-)

Possible changes: Activate as a reaction when attacked (more powerful). Limit uses between rests (less powerful). Taking any damage makes you unmerge and resume your normal form (less powerful). Familiar takes damage before you, can die, at which point you resume your normal form (even less powerful). Make this require concentration (less powerful, but in keeping with similar features). Require a rest after using (less powerful).
[/spoiler]

I would make it require concentration. You should definitely have trouble maintaining this form if you are hit by an attack, and concentration already exists specifically for this purpose.

Good by me.

Dire Familiar...

I would dump this feature really. I have no idea how you could possibly find a way to determine the attacks and hit points. You could perhaps come up with some sort of complex mathematical process, but I would advise against it. This is cool in concept, but its mechanical execution would be awful.

That's what I figured. I had a friend saying it would be so cool so I kept it in the initial draft, but it's too complicated, steps on the ranger's toes, and just isn't cool enough. As much as the Bodyguard feature is passive and "uninteresting" on paper, so many other arcane traditions have passive features, and when it does trigger, I'm confident any wizard will be glad indeed to have that life insurance.

Thank you so much for your feedback. I really appreciate it.