A familiar is supposed to be a spirit who is either disguised as or possessing something like a cat. D&D turned it into a small creature and put rules to how they work so the most novel you can get is thinking of an animal no one else has wrote down on the internet yet.
That's actually not that far fetched to the core of what a familiar actually is. An imaginary friend that isn't actually imaginary. A voice in your head that may or may not be you talking to yourself, and even if you know it's real you can never be sure if THIS conversation is real.
- character's own wife/child who gets really pissed when he calls her a familiar
- a old homeless dude who just goes with it because of the free food
- a six legged, two tailed demon cat who lost it's memories, two legs, and one tail
- a parrot, it screams very loudly
- a sentient patch of moss that communicates by telepathy with the character but no one else and is otherwise normal moss and can't move in any way
- character's girlfriend which got turned into a chicken, they still sleep together
Magically infused crystals, under the idea that a familiar has a bit of the caster's soul in it/is some kind of reflection of their soul and doesn't have to be ambulatory.
You could extend that to other items as well, maybe a deck of cards that can actually channel some of the wizard's magic to tell the future. Or at least give snarky readings when you've been a dumbass.
I was thinking more along the lines of living creatures, or at least constructs that are mobile on their own and can aid the mage in their daily tasks, though the idea of magic cards that give snarky readings is hilarious, XD.
A dog. There is no reason why wouldn't be a dog. Yet nobody picks the man's best friend.
If we go to the crave for attention familiar, I'd pick some big spider or snake.
The wizard is just an apprentice, and the familiar is another apprentice, cursed by their wizard master. Their final exam is to be able to undo the curse. The first apprentice can be cursed to, something like genderbend might work.
A never depleting fart that constantly lingers dangerously close to the exit and has a habbit of violently errupting with magically enhanced noise in the worst situations but also provides the wizard with valuable insights, is a good friend and can be used as naturally invisible scout against enemies without the sense of smell, interrogation method by mercilessly lingering from the nose to the back of a captives throat for hours or be ignited to turn into the equivalent of small fire elemental so the inconvenience of socially awkward situations, botched pickpocketing and the constant feeling of having to fart really bad at any given moment as also the sensation when it slips back in after scouting is worth it.
I have of often dreamed of a little familiar who looks just like my character, except much smaller and deformed
Who could cheer him on, with his arms moron strong and can make him look good when he stand right next to him
He'll be his role model and will dress him up to look just like my character.
I know everyone will make lots of fun but it won't matter cause hell 'e my picrel
None that I can think of. Let me elaborate: >the idea of familiars is, at least, thousands of years old; so using a familiar is already an unoriginal idea >cats are out, and so are crows and ravens and owls, as those are the most prominent animals used in familiar folklore >dogs/wolves aren't all that original either, as they've been friends with humans since the dawn of time, and tigers or birds of prey like falcons and eagles are just scaled up and different themed versions of more prominent familiar types >don't even get me started on goats >and non-animal familiars like wisps, faeries, mini dragons, imps, cherubs, etc are nowhere near original either >what does that even leave, atypical familiars like emus, horses, elephants, etc? While atypical, that certainly isn't original, as subversion and contrarianism has existed almost as long as storytelling itself, which predates the written word by a long shot >even if you do find something original to use as a familiar, you aren't going to be able to have it do cool familiar things, like telepathic communication, scrying through their eyes, delivering messages, assisting with tactics, distracting, etc, because all those things aren't original at all
So what the frick are you left with, after discarding all that unoriginality?
Have you considered an owl or a black cat?
A human for my Dragon, Opisteine Schwuchtel, the human provides me with human abilities through our mental link. I keep him safe in a big bottle.
The back half of a pantomime horse, who follows you around and makes clip-clop noises.
You claim at all times to be a centaur.
If it’s original it isn’t really familiar, is it?
A nagging thought. Once summoned it refuses to go away.
A familiar is supposed to be a spirit who is either disguised as or possessing something like a cat. D&D turned it into a small creature and put rules to how they work so the most novel you can get is thinking of an animal no one else has wrote down on the internet yet.
That's actually not that far fetched to the core of what a familiar actually is. An imaginary friend that isn't actually imaginary. A voice in your head that may or may not be you talking to yourself, and even if you know it's real you can never be sure if THIS conversation is real.
My latest wizard's familiar is just a mini homunculus of himself.
It could lead to hilarious moment though. Imagine if you create a Simulacrum to confuse your familiar.
> My latest wizard's familiar is just a mini homunculus of himself.
Well played Anon
>My own clone! Now neither of us will be virgins!
Why does it need to be novel? Isn't something fitting the character more important?
>playing characters so unoriginal that original ideas are not the best fit for them
A sapient reminder for my character to work on his art.
A Roomba.
A child / midget clone of yourself.
- character's own wife/child who gets really pissed when he calls her a familiar
- a old homeless dude who just goes with it because of the free food
- a six legged, two tailed demon cat who lost it's memories, two legs, and one tail
- a parrot, it screams very loudly
- a sentient patch of moss that communicates by telepathy with the character but no one else and is otherwise normal moss and can't move in any way
- character's girlfriend which got turned into a chicken, they still sleep together
Besides just using lesser elementals, what are some ideas for familiars with elemental attributes?
Magically infused crystals, under the idea that a familiar has a bit of the caster's soul in it/is some kind of reflection of their soul and doesn't have to be ambulatory.
You could extend that to other items as well, maybe a deck of cards that can actually channel some of the wizard's magic to tell the future. Or at least give snarky readings when you've been a dumbass.
I was thinking more along the lines of living creatures, or at least constructs that are mobile on their own and can aid the mage in their daily tasks, though the idea of magic cards that give snarky readings is hilarious, XD.
Pokémon.
An un-familiar.
Ravens don't get used much.
Nevermore
>original
ngmi
Flying penis
Easily defeated by a single unarmed strike, I'm afraid they're a bad choice.
A dog. There is no reason why wouldn't be a dog. Yet nobody picks the man's best friend.
If we go to the crave for attention familiar, I'd pick some big spider or snake.
A fey spirit that takes the form of a monkey with the head of a parrot, the wings of a bat, and a scorpion's tail that speaks entirely in limericks
Not a dwarf or elf or gnome, but a midget.
I wanna say that in 3.5 you can use a cheetah even in low levels.
How much control do you like your casters to have over their familiars, I prefer the take where they make a mutually beneficial contract.
Sassy mage you defeated ioe time is actually just chill being a dog.
>turns out I get to bite people snd sleep all day
The wizard is just an apprentice, and the familiar is another apprentice, cursed by their wizard master. Their final exam is to be able to undo the curse. The first apprentice can be cursed to, something like genderbend might work.
A never depleting fart that constantly lingers dangerously close to the exit and has a habbit of violently errupting with magically enhanced noise in the worst situations but also provides the wizard with valuable insights, is a good friend and can be used as naturally invisible scout against enemies without the sense of smell, interrogation method by mercilessly lingering from the nose to the back of a captives throat for hours or be ignited to turn into the equivalent of small fire elemental so the inconvenience of socially awkward situations, botched pickpocketing and the constant feeling of having to fart really bad at any given moment as also the sensation when it slips back in after scouting is worth it.
Alternatively a sentient kidneystone.
I have of often dreamed of a little familiar who looks just like my character, except much smaller and deformed
Who could cheer him on, with his arms moron strong and can make him look good when he stand right next to him
He'll be his role model and will dress him up to look just like my character.
I know everyone will make lots of fun but it won't matter cause hell 'e my picrel
None that I can think of. Let me elaborate:
>the idea of familiars is, at least, thousands of years old; so using a familiar is already an unoriginal idea
>cats are out, and so are crows and ravens and owls, as those are the most prominent animals used in familiar folklore
>dogs/wolves aren't all that original either, as they've been friends with humans since the dawn of time, and tigers or birds of prey like falcons and eagles are just scaled up and different themed versions of more prominent familiar types
>don't even get me started on goats
>and non-animal familiars like wisps, faeries, mini dragons, imps, cherubs, etc are nowhere near original either
>what does that even leave, atypical familiars like emus, horses, elephants, etc? While atypical, that certainly isn't original, as subversion and contrarianism has existed almost as long as storytelling itself, which predates the written word by a long shot
>even if you do find something original to use as a familiar, you aren't going to be able to have it do cool familiar things, like telepathic communication, scrying through their eyes, delivering messages, assisting with tactics, distracting, etc, because all those things aren't original at all
So what the frick are you left with, after discarding all that unoriginality?