Familiars (D&D)

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Unofficial rules compendium

Several seafarers familairs' can be found in Stormwrack; those are not used. Instead this list is used. Some of these are inspired by Stormwrack, along with other more exotic options.

Familiar	Referece	Master gains...	Notes
Crab	New	+1 natural armor	Vermin as familiars are intelligent and thus not immune to mind-affecting effects.
Monkey	MM 276	+3 Sleight of hand	The monkey has clever paws that allows the use of many skills normally not usuable by familiars.
Monstrous centipede, tiny	MM 287	+3 Hide	Vermin as familiars are intelligent and thus not immune to mind-affecting effects.
Monstrous scorpion, tiny	MM 287	+2 Fort saves vs. poison	Vermin as familiars are intelligent and thus not immune to mind-affecting effects. The monstrous scorpion familiar lacks tremorsense.
Monstrous spider, tiny, hunter	MM 287	+3 Jump	Vermin as familiars are intelligent and thus not immune to mind-affecting effects. The monstrous spider familiar lacks tremorsense.
Octoupus, tiny	New	+3 Escape artist
Otter	Sto 157	+3 Craft	This can be either a sea or freshwater otter
Parrot	MM278 (Raven)	+3 Appraise	Can speak one language as a supernatural ability.

Crab

This writeup is based on the one in Stormwrack, page 141, adjusted for tiny size.

Size/Type: 	       Tiny Vermin (Aquatic)
Hit Dice: 	       1/2d8 (3 hp)
Initiative: 	       +5
Speed: 	               20 ft. (4 squares).
Armor Class: 	       17 (+2 size, +1 Dex, +4 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 16
Base Attack/Grapple:   +0/-3
Attack: 	       Claw +3 melee (1d3-2)
Full Attack: 	       2 claws +3 melee (1d3-2)
Space/Reach: 	       2 1/2 ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks:       Constrict 2d3-2, Improved grab
Special Qualities:     Amphibious, low-light vision, scent
Saves:                 Fort +3, Ref +1, Will +0
Abilities:             Str 6, Dex 13, Con 12, Int -, Wis 11, Cha 2
Skills:                Hide +13, Spot +4
Feats:                 Weapon finesse

Crabs are voracious scavengers that will eat anything, living or dead, they come across.

Constrict (ex): A crab deals damage equal to twice its normal claw damage plus its Strength bonus on a successful grapple check.

Improved Grab (ex): To use this ability, a crab must hit with a claw attack. It can then attempt tp start a grapple as a free action without provoking attacks of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can constrict. Crabs have a +4 racial bonus and can use either Strength or Dexterity bonus on grapple tests.

Amphibious (ex): Altough crabs are aquatic, they can survive indefinitely on land.

Vermin Traits: A crab is immune to all mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects).

Skills: A crab has a +4 racial bonus on Hide and Spot checks.

Octopus, tiny

This writeup is based on the one in Monster Manual, page 276, adjusted for tiny size.

Size/Type: 	       Tiny Animal (Aquatic)
Hit Dice: 	       1d8 (4 hp)
Initiative: 	       +5
Speed: 	               20 ft. (4 squares), swim 30 ft.
Armor Class: 	       18 (+2 size, +4 Dex, +2 natural), touch 16, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple:   +0/-4
Attack: 	       Arms +6 melee (0)
Full Attack: 	       Arms +6 melee (0) and bite +1 melee (1d2-1)
Space/Reach: 	       2 1/2 ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks:       Improved grab
Special Qualities:     Ink cloud, jet, low-light vision, hold breath
Saves:                 Fort +3, Ref +6, Will +1
Abilities:             Str 8, Dex 19, Con 11, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 3
Skills:                Escape Artist +14, Hide +16, Listen +2, Spot +5, Swim +7
Feats:                 Weapon Finesse

These bottom-dwelling sea creatures are dangerous only to their prey. If disturbed, they usually try to escape.

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, an octopus must hit an opponent of any size with its arms attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and automatically deals bite damage. It can use either Strength or Dexterity for grapple tests.

Ink Cloud (Ex): An octopus can emit a cloud of jet-black ink 10 feet high by 10 feet wide by 10 feet long once per minute as a free action. The cloud provides total concealment, which the octopus normally uses to escape a losing fight. All vision within the cloud is obscured. Ink Could only works underwater.

Jet (Ex): An octopus can jet backward once per minute as a full-round action, at a speed of 200 feet. It must move in a straight line, but does not provoke attacks of opportunity while jetting. Jet only works underwater.

Hold breath (Ex): An octopus can hold its breath for a number of rounds equal to 8x its Constitution score before it risks drowning. For a typical octopus, this is 88 rounds, or just over 8 minutes.

Skills: An octopus can change colors, giving it a +4 racial bonus on Hide checks. An octopus also can squeeze and contort its body, giving it a +10 racial bonus on Escape Artist checks. An octopus has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. It can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line.