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Post by The Semi-Retired Gamer on May 9, 2015 17:46:48 GMT -5
I don't own a copy of OD&D but iirc from looking at several retro/neo-clone games the rules for wizards familiars are pretty sparse. I've been tinkering with ideas on adding flavor and utility to the familiars. One idea I had was that the familiar would vary according to alignment. I like the idea of using bat, cat, and rat to symbolize each alignment because the words sound similar and the visualization is close; cat could be neutral (obviously), but I get hung up on which one should be chaos or law. It just seems that bat or rat would both be appropriate but not necessarily for law. Any ideas?
how about special abilities that would be alignment appropriate? I'm looking for loose and simple ideas instead of rules-bloat just for the sake of rules-bloat...lol. On the other hand, is this whole idea just out of place?
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Post by tetramorph on May 9, 2015 19:29:36 GMT -5
I like it. I would do:
Cat lawful Rat neutral Bat chaotic
You could put the MU and his/ her familiar in some symbiosis that allowed the MU to escape a situation in/as the familiar or the familiar to morph to human size shape in order to fulfill a simple order like searching, delivering a message, spying, etc
That would be pretty classical legendaria and pretty cool!
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Post by The Semi-Retired Gamer on May 9, 2015 20:12:46 GMT -5
I like it. I would do: Cat lawful Rat neutral Bat chaotic You could put the MU and his/ her familiar in some symbiosis that allowed the MU to escape a situation in/as the familiar or the familiar to morph to human size shape in order to fulfill a simple order like searching, delivering a message, spying, etc That would be pretty classical legendaria and pretty cool! Cool. I'm digging the suggestion on the symbiosis and it fits. I believe I vaguely recall something from old stories about the bond between a MU and their familiar including stuff like seeing through their eyes, switching places, etc. off to the drawing board...
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Post by Vile Traveller on May 9, 2015 20:36:41 GMT -5
I do have rules for familiars in BLUEHOLME™ Compleat Rules, but only for witches. They are pretty limited, i.e. they are small critters like bats, birds, toads, lizards, mice, etc. and can do only the usual thing of spying for their master. They can talk to others if they can be trained to do so, parrot-fashion, otherwise only their master can understand them. Of course, they can always do things like carry letters or write messages in the dirt.
I haven't considered the bod-exchange or shape-shifting thing as that would probably overpower witches in comparison to the other classes in my game unless I seriously revised the witch class (and I'm not doing that, I'm way too late with Compleat as it is!). Still, it's a very interesting idea if implemented carefully - you wouldn't want it to turn into a "no-death" power for magic-users, for instance.
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Post by The Semi-Retired Gamer on May 9, 2015 21:13:19 GMT -5
I do have rules for familiars in BLUEHOLME™ Compleat Rules, but only for witches. They are pretty limited, i.e. they are small critters like bats, birds, toads, lizards, mice, etc. and can do only the usual thing of spying for their master. They can talk to others if they can be trained to do so, parrot-fashion, otherwise only their master can understand them. Of course, they can always do things like carry letters or write messages in the dirt. I haven't considered the bod-exchange or shape-shifting thing as that would probably overpower witches in comparison to the other classes in my game unless I seriously revised the witch class (and I'm not doing that, I'm way too late with Compleat as it is!). Still, it's a very interesting idea if implemented carefully - you wouldn't want it to turn into a "no-death" power for magic-users, for instance. I definitely need to check out your rules for a witches familiar. i agree with your thoughts of discretion on the shape-shifting and body exchange. It would need to be implemented in a limited manner. More brainstorming...
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Post by The Semi-Retired Gamer on May 10, 2015 9:20:36 GMT -5
A few ideas from my brain-storming so far...
1. Familiars come at the cost of a bonus spell. 2. Familiars appear as a normal bat, cat, or rat but are unusually intelligent members of their species. 3. Linked with wizard and can share thoughts; eventually the wizard can see through their eyes a few times a day. 4. Familiars can verbally communicate with wizard at higher levels. 5. Familiars slowly level up - something like every 3 wizard levels - by improving their meager HP and improving communication abilities.
just putting these out there at the moment. Nothing is set in stone. Still need to work on shape-shifting and/or body exchange details. It's a start, more later...
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Post by Vile Traveller on May 10, 2015 10:46:27 GMT -5
3. Linked with wizard and can share thoughts; eventually the wizard can see through their eyes a few times a day. This is a nice ability that doesn't upset the power balance - sort of like a wizard eye, but a visible, vulnerable one, and the magic-user can't do other things (or even perceive his or her surroundings) while so engaged.
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Post by The Red Baron on May 10, 2015 10:51:00 GMT -5
Familiars come from folklore where a sorcerer would have a demon at his side, who can take many forms - sometimes an animal or a woman or an object.
Lovecraft has a lot of stories about familiars, if your looking for some literary inspiration.
Familiars are elementals/invisible stalkers/efrits that the magic user often calls upon. (used in conjuction with protection from evil circle of course, if the magic user doesn't want to be subjected to ten thousand awful fates)
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Post by The Semi-Retired Gamer on May 10, 2015 20:39:32 GMT -5
3. Linked with wizard and can share thoughts; eventually the wizard can see through their eyes a few times a day. This is a nice ability that doesn't upset the power balance - sort of like a wizard eye, but a visible, vulnerable one, and the magic-user can't do other things (or even perceive his or her surroundings) while so engaged. Cool. That's what I'm aiming for - useful but not overpowering.
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Post by The Semi-Retired Gamer on May 10, 2015 20:44:00 GMT -5
Familiars come from folklore where a sorcerer would have a demon at his side, who can take many forms - sometimes an animal or a woman or an object. Lovecraft has a lot of stories about familiars, if your looking for some literary inspiration. Familiars are elementals/invisible stalkers/efrits that the magic user often calls upon. (used in conjuction with protection from evil circle of course, if the magic user doesn't want to be subjected to ten thousand awful fates) Yes! Thanks for elaborating on familiars and shape-shifting. A familiar actually being a demon/elemental/invisible stalker/Efrit/etc. that is bound by the sorcerer is something I had forgotten. Well, that's just as good as any excuse to read some more Lovecraft...
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Post by Necromancer on May 11, 2015 4:49:18 GMT -5
I've always liked familiars. Rats, bats and cats work out just fine, since I think the animals should be quite small. For more druidic wizards I think owls, squirrels and ferrets could be suitable. Wizards living in more exotic parts of the world might have a capuchin monkey, a snake, a mongoose or a parrot. And necromancers might go for a reanimated animal skeleton... Also, it's been probably twenty years since I read it, but if I recall correctly I think the old wizard in Magician by Raymond E. Feist had a miniature dragon - now that is an impressive familiar!
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Post by hedgehobbit on May 11, 2015 13:47:43 GMT -5
I've created a bunch of different Find Familiar spells. Summoning tiny demons, animals, and even animated puppets for one particular guild. But none of my players have ever bothered to get one. Maybe I need to boost their power.
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Post by The Semi-Retired Gamer on May 11, 2015 14:42:29 GMT -5
I've always liked familiars. Rats, bats and cats work out just fine, since I think the animals should be quite small. For more druidic wizards I think owls, squirrels and ferrets could be suitable. Wizards living in more exotic parts of the world might have a capuchin monkey, a snake, a mongoose or a parrot. And necromancers might go for a reanimated animal skeleton... Also, it's been probably twenty years since I read it, but if I recall correctly I think the old wizard in Magician by Raymond E. Feist had a miniature dragon - now that is an impressive familiar! I think small animals work best also. I was thinking along the same lines with the other familiar types and other wizard types. I've actually been meaning to read some Feist so....
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Post by The Semi-Retired Gamer on May 11, 2015 14:43:34 GMT -5
I've created a bunch of different Find Familiar spells. Summoning tiny demons, animals, and even animated puppets for one particular guild. But none of my players have ever bothered to get one. Maybe I need to boost their power. That sounds fascinating to me! Would you mind sharing that info?
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Post by merctime on May 20, 2015 21:56:23 GMT -5
I've created a bunch of different Find Familiar spells. Summoning tiny demons, animals, and even animated puppets for one particular guild. But none of my players have ever bothered to get one. Maybe I need to boost their power. That sounds fascinating to me! Would you mind sharing that info? Seconded! I'd love to see this, HH!
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Post by hengest on May 3, 2016 10:47:26 GMT -5
I've created a bunch of different Find Familiar spells. Summoning tiny demons, animals, and even animated puppets for one particular guild. But none of my players have ever bothered to get one. Maybe I need to boost their power. That sounds fascinating to me! Would you mind sharing that info? I second this. Also, I suggest a Sauron-esque deal where if the familiar is smashed, the MU is incapacitated in some way for a while at least. All over the place in stories (maybe even in later games?) and would balance the spying somewhat. The MU is at risk having a "best friend" running around out there in harm's way.
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Post by Von on May 8, 2016 1:15:30 GMT -5
I associate the idea of familiars with the idea of divine/diabolic/spiritual counsel and divination - summoning a small thing to answer questions and proffer guidance. I might use a character's familiar to subtly influence the player's actions by feeding them hints, clues and factoids, and maybe allow them a question or two per diem based on Wisdom.
I am currently considering a solo campaign in which the PC will have an uninvited familiar spirit - an ever-present shrike there to lead them into peril and remind them to think on their sins. Give this a listen and you'll see what I mean:
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