[3.5 Class] The Familiar

[Pyromancer999]

Background- Most everyone knows someone, or knows someone who knows, who has done it: Played as a spellcaster character's familiar. And the consensus on it, according to what I heard, is that it's no fun. "Oh, hey, I'm a bird!....Who can't do jack." As such, I've decided to make a Familiar class for those people who want to play a character's familiar, but also have some of their own abilities in their own right. Just keep in mind that there are a lot of support abilities in here, as the Familiar's job is to support the caster overall. Here we go!

The Familiar

Some familiars are just ordinary animals or creatures that gain a bit of power due to their association with a wizard or sorcerer. But not you. You are a new kind of Familiar, with your own mind and abilities, supporting your bonded spellcaster with your newfound power in ways that normal familiars would only dream of. You are a Familiar(capital F, which means you're special).

Note for Race: You may choose any race with less than 1 HD if you choose to be a familiar, including LA +0 races. If choosing a race that has not been previously established as a familiar, confer with your DM for an appropriate bonus for a familiar of your race to grant.

GAME RULE INFORMATION
Familiars have the following game statistics.
Abilities: The abilities that are best for an Familiar varies.
Alignment: Any
Hit Die: d8*
Starting Gold: 1d4 x 10 gp

*When gained by the My Own Man now class feature

Class Skills
Familiars vary by race and with their wide range of backgrounds, have different skill sets. Familiars may choose any 7 skills as class skills, and also gain Concentration and Craft as class skills.

Skill Points at First Level: (2 + Int modifier) x 4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int modifier

CThe Entity

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Good Save	Bad Save	Will Save	Special
1st	+0	+2	+0	+2	Familiar Traits, Endurant, Smarter Than The Rest
2nd	+1	+3	+0	+3	Familiar Power
3rd	+2	+3	+1	+3	Familiar Power
4th	+3	+4	+1	+4	Familiar Power
5th	+3	+4	+1	+4	Familiar Power
6th	+4	+5	+2	+5	Familiar Power
7th	+5	+5	+2	+5	Familiar Power
8th	+6	+6	+2	+6	Familiar Power
9th	+6	+6	+3	+6	Familiar Power
10th	+7	+7	+3	+7	Familiar Power, My Own Man Now
11th	+8	+7	+3	+7	Familiar Power
12th	+9	+8	+4	+8	Familiar Power
13th	+9	+8	+4	+8	Familiar Power
14th	+10	+9	+4	+9	Familiar Power
15th	+11	+9	+5	+9	Familiar Power
16th	+12	+10	+5	+10	Familiar Power
17th	+12	+10	+5	+10	Familiar Power
18th	+13	+11	+6	+11	Familiar Power
19th	+14	+11	+6	+11	Familiar Power
20th	+15	+12	+6	+12	Familiar Power, Grandest Servant

Class Features

Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: Familiars are proficient with natural attacks and no armor naturally. Humanoid familiars are proficient with all simple weapons and one martial weapon of their choice, and are also proficient with leather armor.

Saves:You may choose either Fortitude or Reflex to be your Good Save, as on the table above. The other save follows the Bad save progression.

Familiar Traits: You gain all the benefits and drawbacks of being a familiar, as per the Wizard class feature.

Endurant: You're hardier than an average familiar. You gain an additional 2 hit points per level of this class. Also, you gain a Constitution bonus to your hit points at each level like a normal character.

Smarter Than The Rest: Your Intelligence is not determined as per the Wizard class feature. If your natural Intelligence would be lower than 10, it is now 10, and only progresses as per the Familiar class feature when the Intelligence score listed there would be greater than your current Intelligence score.

Familiar Power: At 2nd level, and every level after, you gain a new ability from the menu below:

Spoiler

Master's Power: Your master's power has awakened some of your own magical potential. You gain a number of spell levels equal to 2 + your Familiar class level. Upon first gaining this class feature, you gain access to two cantrips and one level 1 spell. Every two levels after, you gain another spell, which cannot be of higher level than the highest level spell a Sorcerer of 1/2 your Familiar class level can use. You may choose this ability again to gain another two spell levels. Your spells are selected from the Sorcerer/Wizard spell list, and the DCs for your spells are 10 + one mental ability score modifier(chosen when this feature is gained) + 1/2 spell level(rounded up).

Master Meld: Prerequisites: Familiar level 10. You know how to combine with your master. This acts as the Fusion power. This effect may be used for a total number of rounds per day equal to your Familiar class level. These rounds need not be spent consecutively. You may take this class feature again in order to gain two additional rounds of melding.

Familiar Weapon: Choose one weapon. You may transform into that type of weapon as a full-round action, allowing your master to wield you. When in this state, you are treated as a normal weapon of the chosen type, sized appropriately for your master, except that you deal 1 additional die of damage per three class levels, and the critical range is lowered by 1 for every 10 class levels you have. When in this state, you forfeit all of your round's actions, and instead may attack or use another familiar ability(excepting ones that would require your body to change, such as Master Meld) as a standard action. Also, when in weapon form, your master is proficient with whatever weapon you become, and also uses your Base Attack Bonus when attacking with you. Additionally, you are treated as a magic weapon in weapon form for the purpose of bypassing damage reduction. You may remain in this state indefinitely.

Different Composition: Prerequisites: Familiar Weapon. Choose one material. You may treat yourself as though you were made out of this material when in Weapon Form.

Fang And Claw: Choose one natural weapon you do not have. You gain it, with it being sized appropriately for your size.

Improved Fang and Claw: Prerequisites: 3rd level. Choose one natural weapon. It deals an additional amount of dice in damage equal to 1/3 your level. You may select this ability again in order to either increase the die size by one, add an additional die of damage, or to apply this ability's benefit to another natural weapon.

Bigger Than You Thought: Prerequisites: 4th level. You may increase your size by one. When selected, you cannot select this ability again for six levels, although you may do so afterwards to increase your size by one again.

Other Shape: Choose three creatures with HD equal to 1 less than your class level. You may transform into such a creature as a standard action, as though you had transformed into the creature as though through the alternate form ability. You may remain transformed as thus for a number of rounds per day equal to twice per level. If a shape is humanoid in form and your natural form is not, when in such a shape, you gain the benefits of a humanoid familiar with this class. You may select this ability again in order to gain another shape.

Adept Shapeshifter: Prerequisites: level 8. You may shapeshift into any shape you know that has up to 1/4 your class level in HD at-will, and may remain in such a form indefinitely.

Familiar Enhancement: You gain a +2 bonus to one ability score of your choice. If selected again, you apply this ability's bonus to another score that has not received this ability's benefit.

Master's Support: Prerequisites: Level 8, Master's Power. As an immediate action on your master's turn, whenever your master chooses to cast a spell, you may enhance it as though through any metamagic feat known to you or your master by sacrificing a number of spell levels equal to the number of levels the metamagic feat would raise the spell's level by.

Two At The Same Time: Prerequisites: 12th level, Familiar Weapon, Master Meld. You may make use of both the Familiar Weapon class feature and the Master Meld class feature at the same time.

Familiar's Protection: You may transform into a set of armor that protects your master. You become a set of armor that grants a +1 natural armor bonus to AC per two class levels.

Enhanced Weaponry and Armor: Prerequisites: 6th level, Familiar Weapon or Familiar's Protection. When in the form of a Familiar Weapon or Familiar's Protection armor, you may grant yourself one magic weapon or armor enhancement whose effective bonus is not equal to greater than 1/4 your class levels(so, at 8th level, +2 enhancement max). You may select this ability again to apply another such enhancment. A Familiar Weapon or Armor cannot have a total enhancement bonus greater than 1/2 your class level.

Something Other: It is not uncommon for Familiars to have abilities and parts from other creatures. When this ability is chosen, the Familiar gains the benefits of a monster class level of their choice, with the following restrictions:

Spoiler

-The Familiar gains no ability score boosts, nor natural armor increases of the
monster class. The only case in which a Familiar may gain an ability score boost is if, due to the restrictions of this class features or the monster level's design, it would not gain anything else from the monster class at that level.
-The Familiar gains the class feature levels as first a 1st level monster, then 2nd level and so on.
-The Familiar cannot gain class levels in a class for creatures of the Construct type, unless the Familiar is of the Construct type itself. Familiar cannot gain levels in any Undead monster with the incorporeal subtype
-The Familiar gains no weapon proficiencies, immunities, or feats, unless the feat is specifically named (for example: Improved Initiative)
-If a class grants subtypes, the Familiar may not gain any alignment subtypes that would contradict his or her alignment (For example, a Good Student can't gain the Evil subtype)
-The Familiar may only gain one of the following subtypes: Archon, Angel, Fire, Cold
-For any affects that depend on monster HD, instead use the Familiar's class level.
- The Familiar may not gain the swarm subtype, nor can he or she gain the shapechanger subtype unless he or she has the ability to change form.
-If a class grants a natural attack and the Familiar already has it, then the Familiar uses whichever version has the highest damage die.
-If a class grants a natural attack, the weapon deals damage as appropriate to the Familiar's size.
-Effective spellcasting levels are not gained, but do add one spell level and 1 spell from the class list of the spellcasting class that the monster class would grant spellcasting ability in, provided the Familiar has selected the Master's Power ability.
-If a monster class grants resistance to one or more energies, the Familiar may only gain one resistance.
-If a monster class grants spell resistance, the Familiar does not gain it.
-Lastly, if a monster class grants multiple spell-like abilities, the Familiar may select a number of these abilities equal to either his or her Constitution or Intelligence modifier, whichever is higher. The Student gains all improvement s to these abilities, but does not gain any other spell-like abilities.

This ability may be selected again in order to gain another monster class level.

Bonus Feat: The Familiar gains one bonus feat they qualify for.

Caster Support: You may use the Aid Another action for Caster Level Checks your master makes.

If an ability offers the chance to be taken again, you may never select it two levels in a row.

My Own Man Now: You now no longer depend upon your master to determine your hit points. Starting at 10th level, you gain your own class die and use that to determine your hit points from now on. You lose the +2 hitpoints bonus for this level and all levels higher than this one, but retain the +2 hit point bonuses gained from previous levels.

Grandest Servant: At 20th level, you become the greatest servant that your master has at his disposal, becoming something greater. You gain a +2 bonus to all ability scores, and your type changes to Outsider(Native). Additionally, you or your master may sacrifice actions to give the other on their next turn(ex. You sacrifice a move action to give your master an additional move action on your next turn).

Well, that's all for now. Please PEACH and Comment.

[NeoSeraphi]

This is an amazing idea. I would put a restriction on the Bonus Feats though...(Otherwise people will start raging that a wizard's familiar is also better than a fighter, in addition to the druid's animal companion lol) maybe that you can only get it once every two levels?

I think there's supposed to be an "HD" somewhere in Adept Shapeshifter's description, I don't know what 1/4 your class level means otherwise.

By "spell levels" in Master's Power, do you mean spell slots? Additionally, do you prepare or spontaneously cast spells from these spell slots? Is your caster level equal to your familiar level or 1/2 your familiar level?

Can you change Two at the Same Time to allow for the option to be both Familiar Weapon and Familiar Protection? Just the mental image of changing into both a greatsword and a suit of full-plate that your master wore and wielded at the same time is cool.

I think Familiar Weapon would see more use if you changed it from "You deal +1 damage per 3 levels" to "Your magical enhancement bonus to attack and damage rolls increases by +1 per 3 levels, and then after level 15, you receive an additional +1 to damage per 3 levels". If you don't apply magical enhancements, your familiar weapon can't hit incorporeals at all, and also won't enhance your master's meager BAB (Which is silly, you should be the most magical weapon of all). Also, you couldn't overcome DR/Magic, so 20th level monks would laugh at you. And when a 20th level monk laughs at me, I burst into tears and go into the fetal position for a good half an hour.

[EdroGrimshell]

You need to add more Familiar powers that let the familiar stand alone and can be used more as a bodyguard rather than a weapon or suit of armor. The monster level part helps quite a bit but it's not enough. Maybe an ability to gain the traits of another LA 0, 1HD or less humanoid or animal would work. Other than that little comment, I like it, i can imagine a Kobold familiar working as a familiar, and this would be really good for a gish style spellcaster.

I'd actually play this.

[Pyromancer999]

Originally Posted by NeoSeraphi

This is an amazing idea. I would put a restriction on the Bonus Feats though...(Otherwise people will start raging that a wizard's familiar is also better than a fighter, in addition to the druid's animal companion lol) maybe that you can only get it once every two levels?

As stated, any Familiar Power cannot be selected two levels in a row.

I think there's supposed to be an "HD" somewhere in Adept Shapeshifter's description, I don't know what 1/4 your class level means otherwise.

Noted and changed. Thanks.

By "spell levels" in Master's Power, do you mean spell slots? Additionally, do you prepare or spontaneously cast spells from these spell slots? Is your caster level equal to your familiar level or 1/2 your familiar level?

Crud. I keep on forgetting to link to this.. Basically, if you want to cast a spell, expend spell levels equal to the level of the spell, and cast it. Also, I want to say that caster level should be equal to your Familiar level, but maybe 3/4 or 1/2 would be better.

Can you change Two at the Same Time to allow for the option to be both Familiar Weapon and Familiar Protection? Just the mental image of changing into both a greatsword and a suit of full-plate that your master wore and wielded at the same time is cool.

That is cool. Now I just have to think of how to word this, to incorporate it into the mix, as I still want to keep Master Meld in there.

I think Familiar Weapon would see more use if you changed it from "You deal +1 damage per 3 levels" to "Your magical enhancement bonus to attack and damage rolls increases by +1 per 3 levels, and then after level 15, you receive an additional +1 to damage per 3 levels". If you don't apply magical enhancements, your familiar weapon can't hit incorporeals at all, and also won't enhance your master's meager BAB (Which is silly, you should be the most magical weapon of all). Also, you couldn't overcome DR/Magic, so 20th level monks would laugh at you. And when a 20th level monk laughs at me, I burst into tears and go into the fetal position for a good half an hour.

Hmm...well, it's actually +1 die per 3 levels(ex. Familiar 3 with Familiar Weapon(Longsword) would deal 2d8 damage). Still, maybe a clause that lets the master substitute your BAB for his/hers when making an attack with you in Familiar Weapon form? And yeah, attacks should count as magic weapons, I suppose.

Originally Posted by EdroGrimshell

You need to add more Familiar powers that let the familiar stand alone and can be used more as a bodyguard rather than a weapon or suit of armor. The monster level part helps quite a bit but it's not enough. Maybe an ability to gain the traits of another LA 0, 1HD or less humanoid or animal would work. Other than that little comment, I like it, i can imagine a Kobold familiar working as a familiar, and this would be really good for a gish style spellcaster.

Well, from my point of view, gaining the traits of another LA+0 or +1 race or a monster with 1 HD less would probably qualify as a monster level equivalent, but perhaps that's not obvious enough and needs it's own ability. Also, in terms of improved Familiar Power selection, I'm thinking of allowing enhancements to natural weapons and/or size, in addition to giving a +1 template as a Familiar Power.

Thoughts on this?

I'd actually play this.

Thanks.

[NeoSeraphi]

Originally Posted by Pyromancer999

As stated, any Familiar Power cannot be selected two levels in a row.

Ah, right. Forgot about that.

Noted and changed. Thanks.

You're welcome

Crud. I keep on forgetting to link to this.. Basically, if you want to cast a spell, expend spell levels equal to the level of the spell, and cast it. Also, I want to say that caster level should be equal to your Familiar level, but maybe 3/4 or 1/2 would be better.

But...the Spellweaver doesn't gain a familiar....So if you were using this casting system...familiars wouldn't exist...

That is cool. Now I just have to think of how to word this, to incorporate it into the mix, as I still want to keep Master Meld in there.

Why not make it an option? Two At the Same Time, Weapon, Armor, and Fusion, and when you take it, you choose two of the three to have active at once?

Hmm...well, it's actually +1 die per 3 levels(ex. Familiar 3 with Familiar Weapon(Longsword) would deal 2d8 damage). Still, maybe a clause that lets the master substitute your BAB for his/hers when making an attack with you in Familiar Weapon form? And yeah, attacks should count as magic weapons, I suppose.

Oh...that makes more sense. Yes, substituting BAB would give your master essentially a +1 bonus to attack rolls per 5 levels, and also give him a third attack, which would be even better than a +5 weapon...but what about weapon enhancement abilities? You know, like flaming or shocking? If I'm going to turn into a greataxe, I want to be the most bad ass greataxe in existence! (Also, you should probably note that whatever weapon you turn into, your master has automatic proficiency with you)

[EdroGrimshell]

Originally Posted by Pyromancer999

Well, from my point of view, gaining the traits of another LA+0 or +1 race or a monster with 1 HD less would probably qualify as a monster level equivalent, but perhaps that's not obvious enough and needs it's own ability. Also, in terms of improved Familiar Power selection, I'm thinking of allowing enhancements to natural weapons and/or size, in addition to giving a +1 template as a Familiar Power.

Thoughts on this?

Yea, it should be stated as a separate entry for the extra race things.

Allowing enhancements to natural attacks is useful and would help to define a combat theme, but also some common abilities that would aid for combat and utility abilities like movement modes, improving them, perception based abilities, skill bonuses, and stuff like that. Maybe some passive benefits or auras to help themselves and their masters.

Some abilities to augment the weapon/armor the familiar can become as well, like treating it as different materials or even multiple materials at once or an ability to allow it to change it's special properties once per day, maybe even an ability that essentially turns the familiar into a symbiont.

Lastly, here's a significant question, what if the familiar is without a master? What happens if the master dies? Does the familiar go on as normal, do they lose their class features until the bond to a new master, or do they keep what they had but can't gain further levels as a familiar until they gain a new master and just have to take levels in a class other than familiar?

I hope those are useful and can be used to improve on this already good class.

[Pyromancer999]

Originally Posted by NeoSeraphi

But...the Spellweaver doesn't gain a familiar....So if you were using this casting system...familiars wouldn't exist...

What I was getting at was that Master's Power and the Spellweaver both use the spell-level casting system.

Why not make it an option? Two At the Same Time, Weapon, Armor, and Fusion, and when you take it, you choose two of the three to have active at once?

Well, yeah, it can obviously be made an option, but how does that affect the prereqs for the ability?

Oh...that makes more sense. Yes, substituting BAB would give your master essentially a +1 bonus to attack rolls per 5 levels, and also give him a third attack, which would be even better than a +5 weapon...but what about weapon enhancement abilities? You know, like flaming or shocking? If I'm going to turn into a greataxe, I want to be the most bad ass greataxe in existence! (Also, you should probably note that whatever weapon you turn into, your master has automatic proficiency with you)

Enhanced Weaponry and Armor enhances you. Provided it's taken to max potential, at 20th level, you can get a +10 equivalence in power-ups. You can be flaming AND shocking. See the actual thing for more detail.

Originally Posted by EdroGrimshell

Yea, it should be stated as a separate entry for the extra race things.

Extra race things? Not entirely sure what you mean by that.

Allowing enhancements to natural attacks is useful and would help to define a combat theme, but also some common abilities that would aid for combat and utility abilities like movement modes, improving them, perception based abilities, skill bonuses, and stuff like that. Maybe some passive benefits or auras to help themselves and their masters.

They can get new movement modes and improve them with the Monster Class ability. As for skill bonuses, maybe a bonus to any skill they want equal to 1/2 class level? Also, yeah, granting aura access could help, although I'm thinking that fluff-wise, it'd only make sense for the benefits to apply to the master. Which would also allow for the bonus for the auras to be greater. Just saying.

Some abilities to augment the weapon/armor the familiar can become as well, like treating it as different materials or even multiple materials at once or an ability to allow it to change it's special properties once per day, maybe even an ability that essentially turns the familiar into a symbiont.

There can be symbiont familiars, and Enhanced Weaponry and armor already enhances the Familiar Weapon/Armor, although the different materials thing seems interesting.

Lastly, here's a significant question, what if the familiar is without a master? What happens if the master dies? Does the familiar go on as normal, do they lose their class features until the bond to a new master, or do they keep what they had but can't gain further levels as a familiar until they gain a new master and just have to take levels in a class other than familiar?

Well, The PHB says that the familiar either reverts to its previous state or dies when the master is killed. However, for this PC version, I'm tempted to say that they simply can't advance in this class until they bond to a new master. Which also makes me want to say that they have to bond to a caster within a few levels of themselves, so that it's not like,"Okay, let's get a 5th level sorcerer NPC and hope he lasts the adventure. Doesn't matter, as we just need him for the Familiar guy's abilities."

[EdroGrimshell]

Originally Posted by Pyromancer999

Extra race things? Not entirely sure what you mean by that.

The gaining traits of another LA 0 humanoid or animal with one or fewer HD i mentioned earlier. Making it a seperate ability from monster levels would definitely be in order since, technically, they have no racial levels.

Originally Posted by Pyromancer999

They can get new movement modes and improve them with the Monster Class ability. As for skill bonuses, maybe a bonus to any skill they want equal to 1/2 class level? Also, yeah, granting aura access could help, although I'm thinking that fluff-wise, it'd only make sense for the benefits to apply to the master. Which would also allow for the bonus for the auras to be greater. Just saying.

I meant separately so you could mix and match without having to take levels from a class that has them that all you want from it is the movement modes or sensory abilities. Also some abilities (like earth glide) would be easier to just take as a seperate ability over selecting the monster classes over and over again just for a specific ability.

The auras would be more like an expansion of the link if it only affected the caster and familiar, an aura would be extending the link to others as well to expand the supernatural abilities out a bit.

Originally Posted by Pyromancer999

There can be symbiont familiars, and Enhanced Weaponry and armor already enhances the Familiar Weapon/Armor, although the different materials thing seems interesting.

I meant weapon enchantments like flaming which are not covered by the ability, that ability only gives an increased enhancement bonus which reaches +5 at 20th level and cannot be traded out by RAW.

And for the familiars i meant for making something that isn't a symbiont into a symbiont with a few basic abilities.

Originally Posted by Pyromancer999

Well, The PHB says that the familiar either reverts to its previous state or dies when the master is killed. However, for this PC version, I'm tempted to say that they simply can't advance in this class until they bond to a new master. Which also makes me want to say that they have to bond to a caster within a few levels of themselves, so that it's not like,"Okay, let's get a 5th level sorcerer NPC and hope he lasts the adventure. Doesn't matter, as we just need him for the Familiar guy's abilities."

Well the familiar would only gain the abilities granted by a spellcaster equal to the spellcaster's level. Maybe have the spellcaster have to be of one level lower than the familiar or higher (any amount higher). Also, allowing for a temporary bond with any character (regardless of class and ability to gain a familiar) would be an interesting idea.

And incorporating stuff from Dweomercraft: Familiars and Book of Familiars would also be a good idea, though that'd be hard without the books if you don't want to buy them.

[Pyromancer999]

Originally Posted by EdroGrimshell

The gaining traits of another LA 0 humanoid or animal with one or fewer HD i mentioned earlier. Making it a seperate ability from monster levels would definitely be in order since, technically, they have no racial levels.

Yeah, alright. Sounds reasonable, although I should not that type doesn't change.

I meant separately so you could mix and match without having to take levels from a class that has them that all you want from it is the movement modes or sensory abilities. Also some abilities (like earth glide) would be easier to just take as a seperate ability over selecting the monster classes over and over again just for a specific ability.

Like a Fly speed, burrow speed, etc. ability? Also, not sure what you mean by sensory abilities. Only thing I can think of is blindsense, blindsight, and see in darkness.

The auras would be more like an expansion of the link if it only affected the caster and familiar, an aura would be extending the link to others as well to expand the supernatural abilities out a bit.

As the familiar is aimed at supporting the caster as opposed to the party, an aura-like ability would be like this:

Greater Link: Choose one aura. You and your master gain its benefits so long as you both are within 30 ft of each other. Your effective bonus for the aura is equal to 1/2 your class level. You may choose this ability again in order to gain the benefits of another aura.

I meant weapon enchantments like flaming which are not covered by the ability, that ability only gives an increased enhancement bonus which reaches +5 at 20th level and cannot be traded out by RAW.

....Read it again. It does not give increased enhancement bonuses equalling +5 total. It's +10 total. Enhancements use their equivalent weapon bonus when being gotten. So, Flaming is equivalent to a +1 bonus, so that could be gained as soon as the ability is.

And for the familiars i meant for making something that isn't a symbiont into a symbiont with a few basic abilities.

Not quite sure how that would be done, and I don't really like how symbionts work as it is, no offense to symbiont-lovers. It'd also be awkward for humanoid familiars: "Dude! I got this ability that lets me become like a massive tumor out of you" "Yeah....that's....cool...." *runs away*

Yeah.

Well the familiar would only gain the abilities granted by a spellcaster equal to the spellcaster's level. Maybe have the spellcaster have to be of one level lower than the familiar or higher (any amount higher). Also, allowing for a temporary bond with any character (regardless of class and ability to gain a familiar) would be an interesting idea.

Sounds interesting. Although with the "other character" gaining familiar, I'm thinking of letting it be so that the master can declare a successor for the familiar's bond.

And incorporating stuff from Dweomercraft: Familiars and Book of Familiars would also be a good idea, though that'd be hard without the books if you don't want to buy them.

....Yeah, can't actually buy those right now. Don't have any way of paying for those.

[EdroGrimshell]

Originally Posted by Pyromancer999

Yeah, alright. Sounds reasonable, although I should not that type doesn't change.

Yea, I think it'd be fun to play a human that has selected both the cat and the bat

Originally Posted by Pyromancer999

Like a Fly speed, burrow speed, etc. ability? Also, not sure what you mean by sensory abilities. Only thing I can think of is blindsense, blindsight, and see in darkness.

Yea, as well as tremorsense, and any other ability that gives you ways of seeing, including magical sight that can improve over time (Detect Magic-> Arcane Sight->Greater Arcane Sight, that kind of thing)

Originally Posted by Pyromancer999

As the familiar is aimed at supporting the caster as opposed to the party, an aura-like ability would be like this:

Greater Link: Choose one aura. You and your master gain its benefits so long as you both are within 30 ft of each other. Your effective bonus for the aura is equal to 1/2 your class level. You may choose this ability again in order to gain the benefits of another aura.

Okay i see your point there. And would the aura's be those from the Marshal, Dragon Shaman, or something else?

Originally Posted by Pyromancer999

....Read it again. It does not give increased enhancement bonuses equalling +5 total. It's +10 total. Enhancements use their equivalent weapon bonus when being gotten. So, Flaming is equivalent to a +1 bonus, so that could be gained as soon as the ability is.

Huh, i guess i misread it.

Originally Posted by Pyromancer999

Not quite sure how that would be done, and I don't really like how symbionts work as it is, no offense to symbiont-lovers. It'd also be awkward for humanoid familiars: "Dude! I got this ability that lets me become like a massive tumor out of you" "Yeah....that's....cool...." *runs away*

Eh, that's not always the case. Besides it's not much different from the Master Meld feature.

Originally Posted by Pyromancer999

Sounds interesting. Although with the "other character" gaining familiar, I'm thinking of letting it be so that the master can declare a successor for the familiar's bond.

That'd work.

[Pyromancer999]

Originally Posted by EdroGrimshell

Yea, I think it'd be fun to play a human that has selected both the cat and the bat

Someone's thinking of making a catgirl.

Anyways, I'm trying to think of how to add stuff like Cat traits(just an example) to other creatures.

Yea, as well as tremorsense, and any other ability that gives you ways of seeing, including magical sight that can improve over time (Detect Magic-> Arcane Sight->Greater Arcane Sight, that kind of thing)

Well, the thing is, we don't want them to be able to get EVERYTHIIIIIING when it comes to stuff like sensory abilities. However, I can see the benefit in incorporating a few, and also the Detect Magic thing makes some sense.

Okay i see your point there. And would the aura's be those from the Marshal, Dragon Shaman, or something else?

Any and all.

Eh, that's not always the case. Besides it's not much different from the Master Meld feature.

Still, I'd say that if you really want something to be symbiotic and it's not a symbiont, just give it the symbiotic template.

[NeoSeraphi]

One of the Familiar powers should grant the Familiar a familiar. Just saying.

[EdroGrimshell]

Originally Posted by Pyromancer999

Someone's thinking of making a catgirl.

It's actually for the skill bonuses and the ability to make a good natural thief/infiltrator with the combination, but in general yes, the character would be a catgirl, just with bat wings and slightly larger ears.

[Pyromancer999]

Originally Posted by NeoSeraphi

One of the Familiar powers should grant the Familiar a familiar. Just saying.

...Nah....

Originally Posted by EdroGrimshell

It's actually for the skill bonuses and the ability to make a good natural thief/infiltrator with the combination, but in general yes, the character would be a catgirl, just with bat wings and slightly larger ears.

....Right. That's why you make a catgirl. Or catboy.

Anyways, in the best interests of making catgirls, I'm going to have to figure out how to mesh creatures with members of this class.

[NeoSeraphi]

What? Why can't Blackwing have Mr. Scruffy as his familiar? This is discrimination against Familiars! (The capital F makes them special)

[Pyromancer999]

Originally Posted by NeoSeraphi

What? Why can't Blackwing have Mr. Scruffy as his familiar? This is discrimination against Familiars!

Eh?

(The capital F makes them special)

This is true.

[NeoSeraphi]

Originally Posted by Pyromancer999

Eh?

Sorry. Order of the Stick reference. I should stop assuming everyone in the Playground has read it.

[Owrtho]

Originally Posted by NeoSeraphi

What? Why can't Blackwing have Mr. Scruffy as his familiar? This is discrimination against Familiars! (The capital F makes them special)

I fail to see why Blackwing couldn't just take a level of a familiar granting class to do so. There's nothing preventing the Familiar from multiclassing that I can see in the rules.

Owrtho

[NeoSeraphi]

Originally Posted by Owrtho

I fail to see why Blackwing couldn't just take a level of a familiar granting class to do so. There's nothing preventing the Familiar from multiclassing that I can see in the rules.

Owrtho

Er, that's assuming that the ritual for summoning a familiar doesn't have any somatic components. (I doubt that is the case)

[Pyromancer999]

The basic reason why I'm not keen on having the Familiar have a familiar is that the Familiar, as-is, is a 20th level class bent on sort of serving as a bodyguard and aimed at being a support to whatever master it serves. So it'd be sort of weird for the support to have support.

[Prime32]

Neat idea.

On races, I'd suggest allowing Improved Familiar choices with an LA equal to half the minimum caster level, rounded down. For instance you could be an imp for +3 LA, but only if your master was lv7 and had the feat. Or rather than LA, you lose 3 familiar powers (effectively nulling 3 levels of the class without the problems inherent in LA).

Abilities like Master's Power and Bigger Than You Thought having effects based on the level you took them, will result in everyone taking them as soon as possible. Better just to say "once per 6 class levels" rather than "you must wait 6 class levels after taking this".

Master Meld should specify that you don't need to be the same type as your master, and which type you end up.

Can familiars multiclass? If not, the line "For any affects that depend on monster HD, instead use the Familiar's class level." in Something Other is unnecessary. If they can, why not just give them Monster Hybrid as a bonus feat? I'm also not sure why a Construct familiar can't take levels in Construct classes.

[Pyromancer999]

Originally Posted by Prime32

Neat idea.

Thanks.

On races, I'd suggest allowing Improved Familiar choices with an LA equal to half the minimum caster level, rounded down. For instance you could be an imp for +3 LA, but only if your master was lv7 and had the feat. Or rather than LA, you lose 3 familiar powers (effectively nulling 3 levels of the class without the problems inherent in LA).

I think there's actually an Imp monster class out there, as well as monster classes for the rest of the improved familiar choices. Still, interesting idea.

Abilities like Master's Power and Bigger Than You Thought having effects based on the level you took them, will result in everyone taking them as soon as possible. Better just to say "once per 6 class levels" rather than "you must wait 6 class levels after taking this".

Master's Power ability is the same regardless of what level it's taken, excepting the number of spells known. Also, Bigger than You, I think, is fine as-is. Otherwise, everyone's going up 4 sizes, because they can.

Master Meld should specify that you don't need to be the same type as your master, and which type you end up.

....None of the ability's effects depend on type.

Can familiars multiclass?

Hmm.....Never thought of that. I want to say no for base classes, but still allow them to enter prestige classes.

I'm also not sure why a Construct familiar can't take levels in construct classes.

I suppose I could add in a clause that allows you to take Construct monster class levels if you're of the Familiar type.

[Prime32]

Originally Posted by Pyromancer999

....None of the ability's effects depend on type.

Fusion only works on creatures of the same type as you.

Also, you seem to have replied midway through my edits.

[Pyromancer999]

Originally Posted by Prime32

Fusion only works on creatures of the same type as you.

Just looked at the SRD. Nothing there says that.

Also, you seem to have replied midway through my edits.

Um, what?

[Prime32]

Originally Posted by Pyromancer999

Just looked at the SRD. Nothing there says that.

Target: You and one touched willing creature of your type and your size or smaller

There's also the size barrier.

[EdroGrimshell]

Originally Posted by SRD

Fusion
Psychometabolism
Level: Egoist 8
Display: Auditory, material, and visual
Manifesting Time: 1 round
Range: Touch
Target: You and one touched willing creature of your type and your size or smaller
Duration: 1 min./level (D)
Power Points: 15, XP

Sorry Pyro but it is there

[Dryad]

When using terminology instead of actually giving an explanation to what it does (try to avoid that, by the way) at least give us a source for the terminology and what it means in the original class.
I'm specifically targeting 'Master's Power' and 'Master Melding' here. First off, you should explain how Master's Power' actually works (like you did with the Spellweaver you linked) and instead of 'Works like the Fusion power,' you should just tell us how it works. You could have written that it 'works like the Blahuderaghtargh power, and it would have told me just about the same.

The reason I come across as so testy is that, in systematic description, this is absolutely my pet peeve, and a mistake that is made too often (though admittedly, people do as their peers do, so you're not to blame for it... You should have been taught better).

Now, all my testiness and negative feedback aside:

I LOVE your idea! This class, on the whole, is brilliant. :D
I've played a familiar before, with a Gnome Sorceror companion (basically roleplaying the familiar, and using the humanoid character as if it were the Familiar's pet), but this class actually lets you team up with another player as a kind of intimate one-in-two thingy. :)
It's not quite clear on the bonding, though.. Does this class requires a bond to an arcanist? Because it doesn't actually say so, and it doesn't quite tell us how that works.
I expect that is the case, though, but you might want to specify a bit more.

[Pyromancer999]

Fudge. Looks like it is. Well, I want to say that the resulting form has the traits of both the master's and familiar's type.

[Owrtho]

Originally Posted by Dryad

When using terminology instead of actually giving an explanation to what it does (try to avoid that, by the way) at least give us a source for the terminology and what it means in the original class.
I'm specifically targeting 'Master's Power' and 'Master Melding' here. First off, you should explain how Master's Power' actually works (like you did with the Spellweaver you linked) and instead of 'Works like the Fusion power,' you should just tell us how it works. You could have written that it 'works like the Blahuderaghtargh power, and it would have told me just about the same.

The reason I come across as so testy is that, in systematic description, this is absolutely my pet peeve, and a mistake that is made too often (though admittedly, people do as their peers do, so you're not to blame for it... You should have been taught better).

Actually at least so far as when referencing readily available material (such as the SRD), it's considered better form to simply state that it works as X already existing ability (though in such a case it generally is advised to either link to said ability or state the source). This is mainly due to the fact that it first reduces the amount of work needing to be done by the homebrewer, and second, for those who already know the ability it works like, they don't waste their time reading something they already know. Mind this doesn't apply if the ability is from an obscure source even if said source is free, unless said source is required to gain the ability to begin with (such as it be a requirement for a PRC). As an example, would you rather see an ability like:

Blank (Su): As a standard action, you fire a missile with a range of 100 ft + 10 ft per class level, and automatically hits dealing 1d4+1 force damage. Missiles are subject to spell resistance as if you had a caster level equal to your class level. You fire an additional missile for every odd level after the first to a maximum of 5 at level 9. If you shoot multiple missiles, you can have them strike a single creature or several creatures. A single missile can strike only one creature. You must designate targets before you check for spell resistance or roll damage.

or

Blank (Su): This acts as the spell magic missile. Treat your caster level as being equal to your class level.

That said, it can't be helped if you don't care for that convention. However, I find it unlikely to change any time soon.

As for the class. I'd suggest going through the familiar powers and noting which ones can be taken more than once. As it is, none of them seem to specifically say you can (though a few imply it by noting things like you can't select it again tills x levels have passed). Given how D&D works, unless something says it can be taken more than once, it can't. This means that things like the bonus feat (which would make sense to be repeatable), are one time only. Also on the Bigger Than You Thought ability you forgot part of the code to make it italic.

Owrtho

[EdroGrimshell]

Book of Familiars allows any class to obtain a familiar, even fighters. It also gives options for improving familiars by giving them extra abilities using feats.

One of the reasons i mentioned it here was because of that option.