Familiar Enhancer (Wizard Spell)

This series of related enchantments are not true spells. Instead, they are special processes developed by the wizard and keyed to a type of familiar (cat, toad, weasel, etc.). The wizard must research the process to enhance his type of familiar; each enhancement, from I to VIII, is researched as a spell of the next higher level (familiar enhancer I is researched as a 2nd-level spell, etc.) according to the DMG rules for spell research. No enhancer level can be skipped: A familiar cannot receive familiar enhancer III until it has received familiar enhancer II, and so on. Special familiars (imp, quasit, etc.) cannot be enhanced. For the purpose of the special powers, the spellcasting level of the familiar is equal to the level of its wizard.
As the enhancement of a familiar continues, the familiar should develop a personality that seems almost human, displaying specific traits, likes, dis­likes, opinions, habits, and foibles (DMG Table 70 may prove useful). Its animal qualities also develop as its personality matures. A black cat might develop discriminating and expensive tastes in food and creature comforts; a crow might become a col­lector of gaudy gemstones and jewelry; and an otter might develop a frolicsome personality combining a short attention span for serious matters with a love for playful pranks.
The familiar takes on some of the alignment view and attitudes of its wizard, though a leaning toward the neutral alignment, a holdover from its simple animal origin, will always remain. The familiar may tend to become more of an indepen­dent NPC as it is enhanced. The DM should care­fully consider if relaxing the dependency of the familiar on the wizard will improve the campaign play.
Notes: Rare. (Updated from Dragon Magazine.)
==Enhancements==
===Familiar Enhancer I===
The familiar's intellect improves, rising into the low Intelligence range (4+1d3). The famil­iar can now think in the wizard's native tongue and communicate in words and simple sentences with its wizard through their empathic link.
The familiar gains one special power from Table I. Unless otherwise noted (or obvious), familiar spell abilities affect only the familiar.
===Familiar Enhancer II===
The familiar's intellect rises into the Average Intelligence range (7+1d3). The familiar can, with patient tutoring by the wizard, learn to com­municate in other languages, up to the maximum number of languages permitted by its Intelli­gence. The acquisition of certain special powers may enable a familiar to learn languages from someone other than its wizard.
The familiar gains another special power, from either Table I or II, as determined by a dice roll. Note that stronger powers will replace weaker powers of the same general type.
1d10	Special Power
1-8 	One from Table I
9-0 	One from Table II
===Familiar Enhancer III===
The familiar's intellect improves to the Very Intelligent range (10+1d2). The familiar can now be tutored to read languages as well as com­municate with them through the empathic link with its wizard.
The familiar acquires another special power as decided by dice roll.
1d10	Special Power
1-6 	One from Table 1
7-0 	One from Table II
===Familiar Enhancer IV===
From this point forward, the intelligence of the familiar will not improve. One or more special powers are obtained with each additional enhancer, as noted.
1d10	Special Power
1-3 	One from Table I
4-8 	One from Table II
9-0 	One from Table III
===Familiar Enhancer V===
1d10	Special Power
1-2 	Two from Table I
3-4 	Two from Table II
5-8 	One from Table III
9-0 	One from Table IV
===Familiar Enhancer VI===
1d10	Special Power
1-2 	Two from Table II
3-5 	One from Table III
5-8 	One from Table IV
9-0 	One from Table V
===Familiar Enhancer VII===
1d10	Special Power
1-3 	One from Table III
4-7 	One from Table IV
8-0 	One from Table V
===Familiar Enhancer VIII===
1d10	Special Power
1-2 	Two from Table III
3-5 	One from Table IV
6-0 	One from Table V
==Tables==
 Table I
1D100	Special Power
01-05	The familiar can call into existence and control one glowing sphere of light, as described under the spell, dancing lights. This power can be used twice per day, each use having a duration of two rounds per level of the familiar's wizard.
06-20	The familiar can detect magic twice per day. While the familiar can judge the intensity of magic detected, it cannot discern the type of magic noted, as familiars are generally unschooled in the many varieties of magic.
21-25	The familiar can use feather fall twice each day.
26-30	The familiar can jump up to three times per day. Each jump has a duration of only one round.
31-40	The familiar can pass without trace once per day, with a duration of five rounds per level of the familiar's wizard.
41-60	The familiar can use protection from evil on itself if the familiar's wizard is not evil in alignment, or protection from good if its wizard is evil. This power can be used once per day with a duration of two rounds per level of the familiar's wizard.
61-75	The familiar can speak with animals (as per the priest spell) twice per day, provided that the animal spoken with is of the same general family as the familiar. A black cat could speak with any feline, an owl or hawk could speak with any bird of prey, a toad could chat with any other toad like amphibian, and so on. (I know this stretches true taxonomic classification, but let's not nit-pick.) The familiar can question and gain answers from an animal spoken with, but it cannot obtain a favor or exact some service, because this power confers no magical influence over the animal.
76-80	The familiar can spider climb once per day.
81-95	The familiar can call upon the aid of an unseen servant. An unseen servant can be summoned no more than once each day and will serve the familiar for up to three turns plus one turn per level of the familiar's wizard.
96-00	The familiar can detect one type of metal, mineral, vegetable, or other substance, such as gold, iron, coal, diamond, catnip, wild berries, or eucalyptus (as the DM chooses). The familiar detects the substance if it is within a 30' radius of the familiar. This power can be used three times per day, with each use lasting one turn. At the DM's option, the familiar may develop an obsessive interest in the given substance. The familiar may desire to collect the substance to the exclusion of other materials or forms of wealth, and may search for the substance it covets at inopportune times.
 Table II
1D100	Special Power
01-10	The familiar can use blur on itself once per day.
11-20	The familiar can affect its appearance in a way similar to the spell change self. The familiar can change its appearance with regard to its fur, feather, or skin color, can mold body features in subtle ways, or can alter its size by up to 25%, but it must retain its own essential animal form. A black cat familiar might make itself look like a smaller Siamese cat or a larger wild cat. A screech owl might conceal its species by changing the color of its feathers or the shape of its head. A weasel might give itself snow-white fur to blend in with a winter environment or dark fur to be less conspicuous at night. This power can be used once per day.
11-25	The familiar can use comprehend languages once per day. This power does not permit the familiar to read a written message unless the familiar has at least an intelligence of 10.
26-35	The familiar can detect evil once per day.
36-45	The familiar can detect invisibility once each day.
46-50	The familiar can grease a surface once per day.
51-60	The familiar becomes endowed with a keen sense of direction, enabling it to identify true north with a 90% chance of accuracy. This power can be used any number of times. If the familiar incorrectly identifies south, east, or west as "north" (roll 1d6 to find the wrongly identified direction: 1-2 = south, 3-4 = east, 5-6 = west) on a failed 1d100 roll even once, the familiar will continue to identify the wrong direction as "north" for the rest of the day.
61-75	The familiar becomes able to blend in with its surroundings with a 90% chance of success as if the familiar were wearing a ring of chameleon power. The familiar, however, is unable to mimic the appearance of another living creature as detailed under the ring's second function. This ability can be used once per day with a duration of two rounds per level of the familiar's wizard.
76-80	The familiar can use the power of protection from cantrips on itself once per day, with a maximum duration of 24 hours.
81-85	The familiar can speak with animals of the same biological class as the familiar twice per day. A cat or weasel familiar could speak with any mammal, a toad with any amphibian, a hawk or owl with any bird, or a snake with any reptile. This power, again, confers no magical influence over the behavior of the animal spoken with.
86-00	The familiar gains the power to detect all concealed or secret doors within a 10-yard radius about the familiar for a period of one round, similar in function to the wand of secret door and trap location except that traps cannot be located. The familiar can use this power twice per day.
 Table III
1D100	Special Power
01-10	Once per-day, the familiar can change its appearance in a manner similar to the effect of the spell alter self. The familiar can assume the form of only those animals the DM permits to become familiars in the campaign. A crow familiar might choose to appear as a cat, owl, or toad, but not as a minimal, hyena, or imp if the DM forbids these creatures from becoming familiars.
11-20	The familiar can charm animals (as described under the priest spell, charm person or mammal) once per week, provided the animal to be swayed is of the same general family as the familiar. A black cat familiar could charm a fellow feline but not a canine or rodent. Up to 1HD of animals for every two levels of the familiar's wizard can be charmed, so a hawk familiar to a 10th-level wizard could affect up to 5HD of birds of prey. The charmed animals will be under the familiar's influence for one turn per level of the familiar's wizard.
21-25	Once per day, the familiar can fly by sprouting a pair of wings from its back, gaining all the flight capabilities bestowed by the spell. If the familiar could already fly, its speed is increased by half again as much; thus, MV 12 becomes MV 18, MV 18 becomes MV 27, MV 24 becomes MV 36, etc.
26-40	The familiar can either use the power of invisibility on itself (50%) or use knock (50%), once per day.
41-50	The familiar can create mirror images of itself once per day.
51-65	The familiar can speak with animals of any nonmagical species up to three times each day.
66-70	The familiar can use the power of water breathing on itself once per week.
71-80	The familiar can locate the presence of any hostile creature within a 30-yard radius, similar to the function of a wand of enemy detection. This sense can be employed once per day with a duration of one turn.
81-85	Twice per day for a duration of one round per use, the familiar can detect any traps, but not secret or concealed doors, within a 10-yard radius sphere, comparable to the second function of a wand of secret door and trap location.
86-95	The familiar's intellect is permanently raised into the highly intelligent range of intelligence of 12 + (1-2).
96-00	The familiar permanently acquires the ability to speak in a normal human voice and can converse in any language that the familiar knows.
 Table IV
1D100	Special Power
01-10	The familiar can blink once per day.
11-20	The familiar can charm animals of the same biological class as the familiar, as described under the charm power in Table III. A toad familiar to a 14th-level mage could charm up to 7HD of fellow amphibian creatures, while a weasel familiar could charm mammals. This power can be used once per week with a duration of two turns per level of the familiar's wizard.
21-25	The familiar can delude others regarding its alignment once per day. The new alignment assumed by the familiar can even come from a creature of animal intelligence, so the familiar could assume the neutral alignment of a common animal and conceal its status as a familiar.
26-35	Once per day, the familiar can use hold animal against creatures of the same general family as the familiar itself (as detailed under the priest spell). A cat familiar could hold a pair of lions with this power, and a snake familiar could keep immobile 1-4 boa constrictors or cobras.
36-45	The familiar can use item once per week. Only inanimate, nonliving matter can be affected with this power. The familiar cannot alter an object in the possession of another, nor can another creature carry an object that was shrunk by the familiar (the spell is dispelled if the object is touched). The sole use for this power is to enable the familiar to carry an object normally too large for the familiar's size and strength.
46-55	The familiar can use protection from normal missiles on itself once per week.
56-65	Once per week, the familiar can summon animals of the same species as the familiar, similar in effect to the spell monster summoning I. Up to one such animal for every two levels of the familiar's wizard will appear.
66-70	The familiar can use the power of tongues once per day, assuming the familiar is capable of human speech; if not, reroll this ability.
71-80	The familiar can attain wraithform once per week.
81-85	If the familiar is capable of human speech, it can use the gift of glibness as described under the potion of glibness. This power can be used once per week with a duration of one round for every level of the familiar's wizard. If the familiar is not capable of human speech, reroll this ability.
86-95	The familiar's intellect rises into the exceptionally intelligent range with an intelligence of 14 + (1-2). The familiar is also treated as if having a wisdom of 15, so the familiar receives a +1 bonus to saving throws vs. magical attacks that affect the familiar's mind.
96-00	The familiar gains the power to polymorph itself into a human or demihuman form. Only one such form can be assumed by the familiar, and the DM must decide the details of the familiar's humanlike appearance (e.g., race, sex, height, weight, hair type, eye color, apparent age, distinguishing features) when this power is bestowed. The familiar retains its current hit-point total and innate intelligence when it polymorphs, but is otherwise treated as a normal person with AC 10, a base land movement rate normal for that race, and average values in all other characteristics. After assuming the form of a person, the familiar loses all the special abilities and sensory powers of its animal form, such as the hawk's power of flight or the toad's wide-angle vision. Because its enhanced senses are lost when in the form of a person, the familiar no longer grants its wizard the +1 bonus to surprise die rolls. The familiar can change into humanlike form once per day and can maintain this form for two turns per level of the familiar's wizard.
 Table V
1D100	Special Power
01-10	The familiar can charm any normal, nonmagical animal of any biological class. Up to 1HD of animals can be charmed for every two levels of the familiar's wizard. This power can be used once per week and remains in effect for two turns per level of the familiar's wizard.
11-20	The familiar can use the power to dimension door once per week. Up to 200 lbs. of living or nonliving matter in the familiar's grip (claws, mouth, etc.) can be transported along with it.
21-35	Once per day, the familiar can use hold animal against creatures of the same biological class as the familiar (as per the priest spell, hold animal).
36-45	The familiar can attain a state of improved invisibility once per day.
46-55	The familiar can use stoneskin once per month.
56-70	Once per week, the familiar can summon animals of the same general family as the familiar, in a fashion similar to the monster summoning spells. No more than 1d6 animals will arrive to serve the familiar, and each animal can possess no more than 3HD. A black cat familiar could summon cheetahs, for example, but not tigers.
71-75	Once per day, the familiar can use a limited form of telekinesis. The familiar can move a weight of up to 25 lbs. at a rate of 10' per round for the duration of this power (as per the spell). The familiar can telekinetically manipulate an object such as a rope, lever, or key, as well. The familiar, however, can never expend all the power's energy in a single round as wizards can.
76-80	The familiar, if capable of speech, gains vocal powers similar to those conferred by the philter of persuasiveness. The familiar receives a +5 bonus to reaction rolls (assume the familiar has a charisma of 11 for such rolls). The familiar can also make one suggestion when this power is in effect. This power can be called upon once per day with a duration of one round per level of the familiar's wizard. If the familiar is not capable of speech, reroll this ability.
81-90	The familiar attains a genius-level intellect of intelligence 16 + (1-2). The familiar is also handled as if possessing a wisdom of 16, giving the familiar a +2 saving throw bonus vs. magical attacks affecting the mind.
91-00	The familiar can polymorph self into an animal of the same general family as the familiar. The familiar gains the natural Armor Class of the new form, along with the form's physical movement rate and attack routine. The size of the animal form assumed cannot exceed roughly 10 times the weight of the familiar's normal form. A 15-lb. black cat could assume the form of a 150-lb. leopard, but not that of a 600-lb. tiger. The familiar retains its own hit points, attack rolls, saving throws, and mental abilities in its new form, but cannot use any familiar special power that is not a permanent endowment usable all the time. Only the form of a natural animal can be assumed, not that of an unnatural monster. No more than one animal form can be assumed for each use of this power. This power can be employed once per week with a duration of one turn per level of the familiar's wizard.
Category:Wizard Spells
Category:Spells from Wizard's Spell Compendium
Category:Spells