Hey, everyone!
I don’t know if this has been done, but I got some inspiration and realized that something seemed missing from Wizards… animal familiars!
So, I wrote up a draft. It may need some work.
In particular, I’m interested in new familiar types as well as possible advanced moves to add.
Thanks!
– Alex
Hey, great idea!
I like the concept and draft, but something rubs me wrong about stealing ranger moves for some reason.
Also, +2 on death rolls is pretty hoss. A bit too hoss, maybe, especially if it stacks with bonds.
Thanks!
Regarding “stealing ranger moves”, gaining a single move from another class is essentially a limited form of multiclassing. While wizards can’t normally multiclass, it seemed reasonable to me that in this very specific instance they could gain the move.
Similarly, I need to re-word the raven ability, but the intent that is you aid them, and, instead of the +1 they’d normally take, they take +2. This doesn’t stack with bonds (although you do use your bonds to roll to aid).
I’ve edited the raven to hopefully be more clear. 🙂
I like the idea of a wizard having a familiar but I always thought familiars helped wizards cast their spells in some way (although, maybe that’s just me). Also, it might fit DW’s free-form nature better if the player gets to choose a bonus from a list and then describes what type of animal form their familiar takes.
Actually, if a player wanted, I would probably just attribute one of the wizard’s regular advanced moves (gained when leveling up) to the fiction of gaining a familiar. Although, your compendium class method would obviously work better if a player wanted to make their familiar into the focus of their character’s ability advancement.
Like the idea too. I miss the homonculus 🙂
I just asked about this – timing is everything.
needs more psuedodragon
Suggested tweaks… make it a little like Sig Weapon – pick type, pick enhancements etc.
Conduit – a wizard can cast spells through the familiar, even if separated by distance.
Whispered Secrets – the familiar grants plus 1 when spouting lore by whispering occult secrets to its master
Soulkepper – the Wizard’s soul resides in the familiar’s body. If killed, your companions will have an easier time winning your life back, and in the meantime you can play your familiar as your temporary character if you desire.
Warding – adds 2 to attempts to Defy Danger when in direct contact with you, and you are resisting magical danger.
Elemental Alignment – adds 2 to attempts to Defy Danger related to the element it is aligned with, and adds 1d6 elemental damage to any attack spell. However, you suffer a -2 penalty to Defy Danger related to the opposed element to which your familiar is aligned.
Heartspell – your familiar can carry 1 level of spell that you prepare for it, and use the Cast a Spell move.
Big and Dangerous – your familiar is big and fierce enough to pose a physical threat to your enemies. It has an effective Strength equal to you Intelligence and Dexterity equal to your Wisdom, and can Hack and Slash, Defend you, and Defy Danger. It can inflict 1d6 damage. The risk is that any injury it suffers, you suffer.
Mount – your familiar is either large enough to ride, or can magically grow to such a size. This grants +2 load, and allows you to take +2 to Trailblaze or Scout, but you must mark double the rations while the familiar serves you this way, as the works makes the beasty hungry.
Secret Senses – you can make use of the Ranger move Hunt and Track to identify magical emanations and creatures, and pursue them.
etc.
Kevin Ecker , in many cases that is true (aiding in spellcasting), although I was weaned on 3/3.5 edition D&D where each familiar offers some particular minor (and usually thematic), so that is my biggest influence here.
An interesting experiment for a spell-assisting familiar might be to combine the hireling rules for the appropriate type; I don’t have the book handy at this second so I’m not sure, but it might be cool.
Benjamin Baugh : I really like some of your individual ideas, and I’m gonna meditate on them and maybe add some as advanced moves, but I’m not really feeling the “mix-and-match” or “pick some” idea (which Kevin also mentioned).
On the other hand, I’d love to see any variants or unique takes on the idea. This community certainly can’t have enough cool stuff!
Prior to 3e, where Familiars became a class feature, they were had with the ever-capricious Find Familiar spell. Were I writing up a version of this move more in-line with older handling of familiars, I’d have basic creature types (eleven, say), and mystical traits (eleven more, say), and quirks (another eleven). So, you an randomly roll them up with two dice, for… GOAT -> Soulkeeper -> Baleful Gaze -> Must Be Fed Blood
Jagger the Hellgoat.
When you use ritual magic to summon and bond with a familiar spirit, roll+Cha . On 2-6, you summon your familiar but have no control over the beast you conjure. On 7 – 9, you have some control and may pick rather than roll for 1 of its 4 traits. On a 10+ you summon your familiar, but have great control and may pick 3 of its 4 trails.