Familiar

A familiar is a magical spirit in the shape of an animal (or something vaguely like an animal) which serves as a loyal minion to a witch, warlock or wizard. Originating from real-world beliefs about witches, it is a concept that has been deeply invested in many roleplaying games.

Dungeons & Dragons

In Dungeons & Dragons, the presence of a familiar as an option for wizards began in the days of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons - prior to this, in BECMI, wizards had no familiars.

In AD&D, the familiar was handled as something that a wizard could acquire by casting a 1st level spell called, simply "Find Familiar". This took either 1-24 hours in 1e or 2d12 hours in 2e, and required a D20 roll at the spell's completion; if you rolled a 16+, you failed to summon anything. Either way, once you'd cast this spell once, you couldn't cast it again for a whole year! You can only have one familiar at a time, and what familiar you got was determined by the result of your summoning roll. In 1st edition, having a familiar caused your wizard's maximum hitpoints to increase by an amount equal to the familiar's (1d3+1), but if your familiar died, you lost twice that bonus HP from your maximum hitpoints, permanently. Aside from that, unless you had a Special Familiar, you got bupkiss. In 2nd edition, having a familiar granted your wizard a +1 bonus to surprise rolls, and you could send them up to 1 mile away to do things for you through empathic communication, but they were no smarter than regular animals so they weren't really capable of much. If they died in this edition, then you had to make a system shock check; a failure caused you to die, and even on a success you still permanently lost a point of Constitution!

1st edition had "special" familiars, which only appeared in you rolled a 15 on your Find Familiar roll. 2nd edition dropped them, but certain monsters, such as dragonets, were stated as potentially answering the call of a wizard's Find Familiar spell... with absolutely no mechanics or any real guidelines on how this worked because, well, the game's basic approach was to say "fuck you"; never forget that AD&D was a mess of subsystems held together with string, bubblegum and well-wishing, no matter what the grognards say.

Because of this, most people considered familiars in AD&D to be a dismal failure; few players ever bothered to cast the spell because, well, the risk vs. reward was so blatantly unbalanced. They weren't even any real use for roleplay in AD&D, because unless you got a special familiar, well, you couldn't even really talk to them! It was so bad that Dragon Magazine articles tried to help them seem better. The first example of this was the article "That's Certainly Un-Familiar" in Dragon Magazine #181, which featured new rules where familiars could have magical abilities, and a set of new 2nd through to 8th level spells, the Familiar Enhancer spells, that could be used to beef up your little pet. Versions 1-3 steadily increase the familiar's Intelligence and give it a chance to roll on one of the five D100 tables of magical powers. Versions 4-8 just grant further rolls on the familiar power tables, with higher versions accessing higher tables; this being AD&D, you had to roll each time you cast the spell to determine which table you could roll on. These special powers varied widely, from being able to detect a specific substance to being able to polymorph into a humanoid form to being able to teleport once per week. This was followed by issue #200's "Familiar Faces", which allowed wizards of 10th level or higher the chance to summon special familiars, which here are presented as innately magical beings, which also have more powerful link benefits - and drawbacks! A mage with a special familiar casts spells as if they were 1 level higher, has a telepathic link with their familiar, and shares their familiar's magic resistance (if any)... but also loses four levels AND a point of Constitution if the familiar is slain! Worse, levels lost this way can't be healed with Restoration!

3rd edition attempted to fix familiars... but, whilst definitely a huge improvement over AD&D, 3e familiars were still often regarded as not really worth the cost. In 3e, familiars are a class-granted feature, rather than something you summon with a spell. You can choose which familiar you get, unless the DM home-rules otherwise, and it takes the form of a small animal that grants its bearer some bonus, typically a boost to saving throws or skill checks. However, if a familiar dies or is dismissed, the character needs to make a DC 15 Fortitude save, losing 200 XP per level on a failure and 100 XP per level on a success; a new familiar cannot be replaced for a year and a day, but the dead one can be resurrected without penalty.

Familiars in 3e were smarter than other animals, starting with a base Intelligence of 6 and rising to Int 15 at 20th level. They grant their master the Alertness feat and, as in AD&D 2e, have an empathic link that reaches up to 1 mile away. Spells cast by the familiar's master that target the caster also can be applied to the familiar for free. At level 3, they can deliver Touch ranged spells for their master. At level 5, they can communicate verbally with their master. At level 7, they can communicate with all creatures of their basic type - so your humble cat can communicate with lions, dire tigers, hellcats, etcetera. At level 11, they gain Spell Resistance equal to their master's level + 5. Finally, at level 13, a familiar's master could Scry on their familiar 1/day.

To reference the "Special Familiars" of AD&D, 3e brought in the feat called Improved Familiar. These were more powerful creatures that were usually stronger and tougher than the common animals that were baseline familiars; the precise list of Improved Familiars and alternative familiars grew over myriad sourcebooks, to the point that players could have beasts like hippogriffs and worgs under their command. In particular, Improved Familiars had the exact same level-based special traits as standard familiars, bar "communicate with other animals of your type", which tended to be superfluous anyway.

Familiars could even be creatures like Ravens or Monkeys who could speak and/or use tools. Combined with the ability to use their master's skills such as Use Magic Device, this allowed for the use of Familiars as an "extra action" of sorts, activating important consumables like Necklace of Fireballs, Wands or Healing potions. Familiars could also use all the gear that seemed designed as Druid-specific and that allowed people in animal forms to use human abilities like speech, magic equipment like cloaks, and get bonuses to their natural attacks. Therefore a properly designed Familiar could (with money) become a loyal cohort. Skill Monkeys like Rogues could spend a Feat to gain a familiar with opposable thumbs (like a lemur) which could use their many skills (Open Lock, Listen...) extremely well and often had huge racial bonuses to things like Hide or Move Silently. These familiars were a hefty investment, but could make the huge penalties for familiar death worth the risk.

For those who thought that familiars were more trouble than they were worth, most familiar-granting classes had options to replace your Familiar with some other ability. Wizards had some especially fantastic ones: for example conjurer wizards got an immediate action "teleport out of melee when attacked" ability, or the feat Rapid Spell applied for free to all their Summon Monster spells. Unearthed Arcana introduced the concept of Item Familiars, which are enchanted, sapient magical items that take a familiar's place. Dragon Magazine #338 would also build on this idea with the idea of creating Imbued Staffs, a more specific but potent version.

4th edition, as always, changed things up enormously. They started by completely removing the familiar at first, pointing out how familiars had traditionally not been very well regarded; they were mostly ignored by players and considered more of a detriment than an advantage, since they were so frail and inflicted so much damage on the player if they died. Familiars didn't resurface until the Arcane Power sourcebook, where taking a familiar became a Feat available to any Arcane class. Now, your familiar can switch between a passive move, in which they are sharing the player's space and immune to attack, or an active mode, in which they can move independently and use a special power depending on the familiar. For example, spiders can be used to haul small objects to different places with their webbing, whilst ravens can become living videophones for you. Plus, if your familiar gets killed, it automatically comes back to life good as new the next time you complete a rest. Those who were willing to give 4e a chance generally approved of the way familiars were handled in this edition, as they finally shook off the "more detriment than value" stigma they'd picked up way back in AD&D.

5th edition goes for a strange blending of 2e and 4e approaches to familiars. Once again, the familiar is hidden behind the 1st level spell "Find Familiar". However, as in 4e, familiars are considered to be magical spirits (thus they have to take the Celestial, Fey or Fiend creature type) manifesting in the form of an animal chosen by you. Once again, certain monsters in the Monster Manual or other bestiary sources are called out as valid options for your Find Familiar spell. However, as in 4th edition, there are no drawbacks to having a familiar; if one dies, it has no effect on you, and it will return with a simple recasting of Find Familiar. When you don't need your familiar, you can dismiss it, causing it to vanish to some other plane until you need it again, whereupon it teleports back to you; summoning or dismissing a familiar just takes an action. Familiars can take all sorts of actions, but they can't fight (which is kind of baffling, given some of the creatures you can make a familiar) - they do, however, possess a 100ft telepathic link with you, and they can act as a conduit for your Touch range spells when within that same distance. Whilst your familiar is within telepathic link range, as an action, you can "borrow" its senses, leaving you blind and deaf in regards to your own body, but letting you perceive everything that your pet perceives.

Lists of Familiars

A lot of different creatures have taken the Familiar role over the years, and because 1d4chan is your one-stop info hub, we're crazy enough to tell you all about them.

AD&D 1st EDITION

1st edition was, well, not very expansive with familiars in the Player's Handbook, although it did do its successor better by incorporating magical "special" familiars in its ranks. It was Dragon Magazine that would attempt to flesh things out; "A Cast of Strange Familiars" in issue #84 would add new "common" familiars to the list, and two issues later "Familiars With A Special Use" would attempt to expand upon the possibilities for special familiars by creating new creatures that exist to be familiars to characters with specific alignments. Issue #146 would discuss dragon familiars, whilst issue #147 would feature the article "Getting Familiar", which examines the typical behavior traits of the common familiars in a futile effort to add to the roleplaying characteristics of having a familiar.

Player's Handbook

• Black Cat
• Crow
• Hawk
• Screech Owl
• Toad
• Weasel
• Quasit
• Pseudodragon
• Brownie
• Imp

A Cast of Strange Familiars

• Bat (Large and Small)
• Cat (Domestic and Wild)
• Civet
• Coati
• Cockrel
• Crow
• Dog
• Fisher (the larger members of the mustelid family; marten, mongoose, etc)
• Fox
• Gull
• Hare
• Hawk (Small, Medium or Large)
• Kinkajou
• Lizard (Small or Large)
• Monkey (Small or Large)
• Otter
• Owl (Small, Medium or Large)
• Parrot
• Raccoon
• Rat
• Rave
• Skunk
• Snake
• Squirrel
• Toad

Familiars With a Special Use

• Telperan
• Glissan
• Baltir
• Tabur
• Orrek
• Quark
• Nalg
• Durocib
• Haudhla
• Veeru

AD&D 2nd EDITION

2nd edition familiars are... well, nothing to really talk about, because of how badly organized the subject was. The original list in the Player's Handbook was literally the same as in the 1st edition PHB, but lacking in special creatures. The Complete Wizard's Handbook would add an official supply of new familiars. Various monster entries would suggest that they could be taken as familiars, but no real mechanics. Dragon Magazine, again, would provide some further options; issue #200's "Familiar Faces" would provide both a much larger set of tables of potential familiars and new rules for special familiars, and issue #228's "Greater Familiars of Faerun" would provide two new variants of Find Familiar, the 3rd level Find Companion and the 6th level Find Minion, each of which summons more powerful creatures to serve you like a familiar - plus, whilst you can't cast each spell multiple times, you can still have one of each variant cast, allowing you to have a Familiar, a Companion and a Minion all at the same time!.

Player's Handbook

• Black Cat
• Crow
• Hawk
• Screech Owl
• Toad
• Weasel

Complete Wizard's Handbook

• Bat
• Cat
• Chipmunk
• Crow
• Dog
• Fox
• Gull
• Hawk
• Hare/Rabbit
• Lizard
• Monkey
• Mouse
• Otter
• Owl
• Parrot
• Raccoon
• Rat
• Rooster
• Raven
• Skunk
• Snake
• Squirrel
• Toad
• Weasel
• Wolverine

Familiar Faces

• Bullfrog
• Chameloen
• Compsognathus
• Euparkeria
• Iguana
• Garter Snake
• Toad
• Crow/Raven
• Hawk
• Falcon
• Owl
• Parrot
• Rhea
• Armadillo
• Badger
• Common Bat
• Cat (Domestic or Wild)
• Mouse Deer
• Wild Dog
• Ferret
• Fox
• Jackal
• Monkey
• Opossum
• Otter
• Rabbit
• Raccoon
• Wood Rat
• Skunk
• Squirrel

Humanoid Mages

• Vampire Bat
• Bloodhawk
• Huge Centipede
• Common or Giant Rat
• Large Spider
• Large Scorpion
• Stirge
• Vulture
• Weasel

Underdark Mages

• Common Bat
• Fire Beetle
• Burbur
• Huge Centipede
• Small Lizard
• 1HD Myconid
• Giant Rat
• Large Spider
• Stirge

Sea Mages

• Barracuda
• Weed Eel
• Small Fish
• Lobster
• Octopus
• Sea Horse
• Stingray

Special Familiars

• Faerie Dragon
• Pseudodragon
• Brownie
• 1HD Mongrelfolk
• Buckawn
• Atomie type Sprite
• Imp
• Jermlaine
• Quasit

Greater Familiars of Faerun

Find Companion Creatures

• Raccoon
• Badger
• Winged Serpent
• Rat
• Spider
• Iguana
• Talking Owl
• Falcon
• Vulture
• Bat
• Monkey
• Snake
• Stag
• Otter
• Fox
• Wolf
• Horse
• Cooshee
• Brown Bear
• Cheetah

Find Minion Creatures

• Owlbear
• Elven Cat
• Blink Dog
• Umberhulk
• Unicorn
• Pseudodragon
• Displacer Beast
• Peryton
• Pegasus
• Dragonne
• Hippogriff
• Griffon

3rd EDITION

When we said that 3rd edition's list of potential familiars was insane, we weren't kidding. This list can be broken up into Standard familiars, those that come from the Familiar class feature, and Improved Familiars, which require a feat. Complete Warrior introduced the concept of "Guardian Familiars", which are Constructs that act as familiars by being built and then combined with the purchase of the Improved Familiar feat. Dragon Magazine also added to the fun, with a motley array of new standard and improved familiars, as well as rules for Imbued Staffs (a variant familiar feature) in Issue #338 and an array of Construct Familiars, using the same mechanics as Guardian Familiars, in issue #341.

Spells and feats further add to the possibilities for customizing your familiar:

Other way to change your familiar:

Spell: Note that these are all 3.0 rules

• [Dead Familiar]: Makes your dead familiar undead.
• [Familiar]: instant duration; Turns your familiar into a tiny elemental
• [Familiar]: Turns your familiar into a Celestial/Fiendish/Axiomatic/Anarchic creature. (Weirdly its a cleric spell but it can only be cast on your own familiar, so you need to either UMD a scroll or use Limited wish.

Feats:

• Construct Familiar (#280 p62): Turns your familiar into a construct
• Extra Familiar (#280 p62): Lets you take a new familiar each time you take this feat.
• Undead Familiar (#280 p62): Turns your familiar into an undead.
• Token Familiar (#280 p62): Turns your familiar into a little item and back at will
• Shadowform Familiar (CoR p22): Turns your familiar incorporeal, Krinth only
• Stitched Flesh Familiar (LM p30): Turns your familiar into an undead
• Shadow Familiar (ToM p138): Grant you a familiar with the the dark template or give it to your already existing familiar, Need Shadowcaster 3rd level

Prestige Class:

• Alienist lvl 5 (CAr p21): Grants pseudonatural template to your familiar
• Bonded Summoner (MH p16): Replace familiar with an Elemental, starting at medium size and ending as an Elder Elemental.
• Fleshwarper (LoM p189): Change your familiar type to Aberration, and give him up to four ability.
• Fiend-Blooded (HH p102): Grants fiendish templates to your familiar.
• Nar Demonbinder (UE p25): Grants an Imp or a Quasit familiar as with the improved familiar feat.
• Arcane Hierophant (RoTW p108): Grant the ability of a familiar to your animal companion.
• Spell Sovereign (Dragon Magazine #357): Allows you to take a Living Spell as your familiar.

Also, the Dread Necromancer (HH p84) gain a familiar at 7th level from the following list: Imp, Quasit, Vargouille or Ghostly Visage (a Fiend Folio creature).

Standard 3e Familiars

Player's Handbook Familiars

• Bat (+3 on Listen checks)
• Cat (+3 on Move Silently Checks)
• Hawk (+3 on Spot Checks in bright light)
• Lizard (+3 on Climb Checks)
• Owl (+3 on Spot Checks in Shadow)
• Rat (+2 on Fortitude Saves)
• Raven (+3 on Appraise Checks, can speak 1 language)
• Tiny Viper Snake (+3 on Bluff Checks)
• Toad (+3 on hit points)
• Weasel (+2 on Reflex Saves)

Dungeon Master's Guide Familiars

Tiny or Smaller Masters Only

• Ferret (+2 on Reflex Saves)
• Hedgehog (+1 to Natural Armor)
• Mouse (+2 on Move Silently Checks)
• Screech Owl (+2 on Move Silently Checks)
• Thrush (Speaks 1 Language)

Huge or Bigger Masters Only

• Dire Rat (+2 on Fortitude Saves)
• Leopard (+2 on Move Silently Checks)
• Monitor Lizard (+3 on Hit Points)
• Medium Owl (+2 on Move Silently Checks)
• Wolverine (+2 on Reflex Saves)

Sandstorm Familiars

• Horned Lizard (+2 on Will Saves)

Stormwrack Familiars

• Albatross (+1 on Spot Checks)
• Eel (+3 on Escape Artist Checks)
• Fish Owl (+3 on Spot Checks in Shadow)
• Octopus (+3 on Grapple Checks)
• Parrot (+3 on Appraise Checks, can speak 1 language)
• Sea Snake (+3 on Bluff Checks)

Frostburn Familiars

• Arctic Fox (+3 on Move Silently Checks)
• Gyrfalcon (+3 on Spot checks)
• Lemming (+2 on Listen and Spot Checks)
• Snowy Owl (+3 on Move Silently Checks)
• Penguin (+2 on Fortitude Saves)
• Puffing (+3 on Survival Checks)

Dragon Magic Familiars

• Huitzil (+3 on Sleight of Hand Checks)

Serpent Kingdoms Familiars (requires Yuan-ti race)

• Dung Snake (+3 on Bluff Checks)
• Reed Snake (+3 on Bluff Checks)
• Sewerm (+3 on Bluff Checks)

Monsters of Faerun Familiars

• Hairy Spider (no bonuses)

Dragon Magazine Familiars

• Compsognathus (#318, +3 on Hide Checks)
• Ramphorhynchus (#318, +3 on Initiative Checks)
• Critic Lizard (#319, +2 on Reflex Saves)
• Floater (#319, +3 on Sense Motive checks)
• Speckled Hurrum (#319, +3 on Diplomacy Checks)
• Jankx (#319, +3 on Listen Checks)
• Kes'trekel (#319, +2 on Fortitude Saves)
• Mulworm (#319, +3 Hit Points)
• Ramphor (#319, +3 on Spot Checks)
• Z'tal (#319, +3 on Intimidate Checks)
• Turtle (#323, Optionally Abjurer Only, +1 AC when prone or behind cover)
• Hummingbird (#323, Optionally Conjurers Only, +4 on Initiative checks)
• Fly (#323, Optionally Diviners Only, +3 on Gather Information Checks)
• Mink (#323, Optionally Enchanters Only, +3 on Diplomacy Checks)
• Spider (#323, Optionally Evokers Only, +3 on Sleight of Hand Checks)
• Fox (#323, Optionally Illusionists Only, +2 on Will saves)
• Vulture (#323, Optionally Necromancers Only, +4 on Fortitude Saves vs Disease)
• Caterpillar (#323, Optionally Transmuters Only, +3 on Disguise checks, at 5th level can be changed into a Butterfly or Moth to grant +3 on Spellcraft Checks instead)
• Chameleon (#341, +3 on Disguise checks)
• Crow (#341, +2 on Fortitude saves)
• Dark Chanting Goshawk (#341, +2 on Will saves)
• Dog (#341, +3 on Sense Motives checks)
• Flying Fox (#341, +3 on Sleight of Hand Checks)
• Iguana (#341, +3 on Climb checks)
• Monkey (#341, +3 on Tumble checks)
• Night Lizard (#341, +3 on Hide checks)
• Platypus (#341, +3 on Swim checks)
• Rabbit (#341, +3 on Listen checks)
• Squirrel (#341, +3 on Jump checks)
• Vampire Bat (#341, no bonuses)
• Badger (#352, +3 on Knowledge (Arcana) checks)
• Badger (#277, 3.0 rules, +2 on Will saves)
• Chipmunk (#277, 3.0 rules, +2 on Reflex saves)
• Dog (#277, 3.0 rules, +2 on Sense Motive checks)
• Eagle (#277, 3.0 rules, no bonus)
• Groundhog (#277, 3.0 rules, +2 on Fortitude saves)
• Lizard (#277, 3.0 rules, +2 on Climb checks)
• Monkey (#277, 3.0 rules, +2 on Pic Pockets checks)
• Otter (#277, 3.0 rules, +2 on Swim checks)
• Small Constrictor Snake (#277, 3.0 rules, No Bonus)
• Bird (#280, 3.0 rules, variable bonus)
• Dog (#280, 3.0 rules, +2 on Sense Motive checks)
• Fox (#280, 3.0 rules, +2 on Reflex saves)
• Hare (#280, 3.0 rules, +2 on Listen checks)
• Lizard (#280, 3.0 rules, +2 on Climb checks)
• Mouse (#280, 3.0 rules, +2 on Hide checks)
• Otter (#280, 3.0 rules, +2 on Swim checks)
• Raccoon (#280, 3.0 rules, +2 on Pick Pockets checks)
• Skunk (#280, 3.0 rules, musk attack 1/day - master is immune)
• Squirrel (#280, 3.0 rules, +2 on reflex saves)
• Golden the Clockwork Cat (#299, 3.0 rules, as Cat but has Construct type)

Improved 3e Familiars

Dungeon Master's Guide Familiars

• Shocker Lizard (Neutral Alignment, 5th level)
• Stirge (Neutral Alignment, 5th level)
• Formian Worker (Lawful Neutral Alignment, 7th level)
• Imp (Lawful Evil Alignment, 7th level)
• Pseudodragon (Neutral Good Alignment, 7th level)
• Quasit (Chaotic Evil Alignment, 7th level)
• Celestial Template Standard Familiar (3rd level)
• Fiendish Template Standard Familiar (3rd level)
• Small Air/Earth/Fire/Water Elemental (5th level)
• Homunculus (7th level)
• Ice Mephit (7th level)

Complete Warrior Familiars

• Krenshar (Any Alignment, 3rd level)
• Worg (Any Non-Good Alignment, 3rd level)
• Blink Dog (Any Non-Chaotic AND Non-Evil Alignment, 5th level)
• Hell Hound (Any Non-Chaotic AND Non-Good Alignment, 5th level)
• Hippogriff (Any Alignment, 7th level)
• Howler (Any Non-Lawful AND Non-Good Alignment, 7th level)
• Winter Wolf (Any Non-Good Alignment, 7th level)
• Spark Guardian (7th level, Craft Construct, Spells: Lightning Bolt, Locate Creature, Minor Creation)
• Gauntlet Guardian (9th level, Craft Construct, Spells: Fabricate, Locate Creature, Stone Shape)
• Blade Guardian (11th level, Craft Construct, Spells: Fabricate, Locate Creature, Tenser's Transformation)

Complete Scoundrel Familiars

• Small Monstrous Centipede (Neutral Alignment, 2nd level)
• Badger (Neutral Alignment, 3rd level)
• Small Monstrous Scorpion (Neutral Alignment, 3rd level)
• Medium Viper (Neutral Alignment, 3rd level)
• Small Monstrous Spider (Neutral Alignment, 4th level)
• Vargouille (Neutral Evil Alignment, 6th level)
• Mephit, Any (Neutral Alignment, 7th level)

Supplementary Monster Manual Familiars

• Fire Bat (Any Alignment, 15th level, MMII)
• Clockwork Mender (Any Lawful Alignment, 5th level, MMIV)
• Sailsnake (Any Alignment, 5th level, MMIV)
• Gem Scarab (Any Alignment, 5th level, MMV)
• Tirbana Eyewing (Lawful Neutral OR Lawful Evil Alignment, 5th level, MMV)

Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting Familiars

• Eyeball Beholderkin (Any Non-Good Alignment, 5th level)
• Night Hunter Bat (Any Non-Good Alignment, 5th level)

Players Guide to Faerun Familiars

• Deathfang (Any Non-Good Alignment, 9th level)
• Flying Snake (Any Alignment, 3rd level)
• Spitting Crawler Lizard (Any Alignment, 3rd level)
• Lynx (Any Alignment, 3rd level)
• Osquip (Any Non-Good Alignment, 5th level)
• Tressym (Any Non-Evil Alignment, 5th level)

Serpent Kingdoms Familiars

• Jaculi (Any Non-Lawful AND Non-Good Alignment, 5th level)
• Mlarraun (Any Alignment, 5th level)
• Muckdweller (Any Non-Chaotic AND Non-Good Alignment, 5th level)
• Glacier Snake (Any Alignment, 3rd level)
• Tree Python (Any Alignment, 3rd level)
• Whipsnake (Any Non-Lawful AND Non-Good Alignment, 3rd level)

Shining South Familiars

• Beguiler (Any Alignment, 7th level)
• Starsnake (Any Alignment, 12th level)

City of Splendors: Waterdeep Familiars

• Watchspider (Any Alignment, 3rd level)

Book of Exalted Deeds Familiars

• Celestial Standard Familiar (Any Good Alignment, 3rd level)
• Couere Eladrin (Chaotic Good Alignment, 7th level)
• Lantern Archon (Lawful Good Alignment, 7th level)
• Musteval Guardinal (Neutral Good Alignment, 7th level)

Planar Handbook Familiars

• Celestial Template Standard Familiar (3rd level)
• Fiendish Template Standard Familiar (3rd level)
• Anarchic Template Standard Familiar (3rd level)
• Axiomatic Template Standard Familiar (3rd level)
• Small Elemental (Any Alignment, 5thth level)
• Imp (Any Non-Chaotic AND Non-Good Alignment, 7th level)
• Lantern Archon (Any Non-Chaotic AND Non-Evil Alignment, 7th level)
• Mephit (Any Alignment, 7th level)
• Quasit (Any Non-Lawful AND Non-Good Alignment, 7th level)

Dragon Wyrmling Familiars (Draconomicon)

• White (Neutral/Chaotic Neutral/Neutral Evil Alignment, 7th level)
• Black (Neutral/Neutral Evil/Chaotic Evil Alignment, 8th level)
• Brsss (Neutral Good/Chaotic Good/Chaotic Neutral Alignment, 9th level)
• Green (Neutral/Lawful Evil/Neutral Evil Alignment, 9th level)
• Copper (Chaotic Good/Neutral/Chaotic Neutral Alignment, 10th level)
• Blue (Lawful Neutral/Lawful Evil/Neutral Evil Alignment, 10th level)
• Bronze (Lawful Good/Lawful Neutral/Neutral Alignment, 11th level)
• Red (Chaotic Neutral/Chaotic Evil/Neutral Evil Alignment, 12th level)
• Silver (Lawful Good/Lawful Neutral/Neutral Alignment, 12th level)
• Gold (Lawful Good/Neutral Good/Lawful Neutral Alignment, 14th level)

Dragon Magazine Familiars

• Spider Swarm (#329, Any Alignment, 3rd level)
• Bat Swarm (#329, Any Alignment, 5th level)
• Rat Swarm (#329, Any Alignment, 5th level)
• Locust Swarm (#329, Any Alignment, 7th level)
• Bone Rat Swarm (#329, Any Non-Good Alignment, 9th level)
• Centipede Swarm (#329, Any Alignment, 9th level)
• Corpse Rat Swarm (#329, Any Non-Good Alignment, 11th level)
• Emphemeral Swarm (#329, Any Non-Lawful AND Non-Good Alignment, 11th level)
• Swamp Strider Swarm (#329, Any Alignment, 11th level)
• Bloodmote Swarm (#329, Any Non-Good Alignment, 13th level)
• Dread Bloom Swarm (#329, Any Alignment, 13th level)
• Needletooth Swarm (#329, Any Alignment, 13th level)
• Hellwasp Swarm (#329, Any Non-Chaotic AND Non-Good Alignment, 16th level)
• Shimmerling Swarm (#329, Any Non-Lawful Alignment, 16th level)
• Brood Keeper Larva Swarm (#329, Any Alignment, 19th level)
• Choleric Imp (#338, Neutral Evil Alignment, 7th level)
• Melancholic Imp (#338, Neutral Evil Alignment, 7th level)
• Phlegmatic Imp(#338, Neutral Evil Alignment, 7th level)
• Sanguine Imp (#338, Neutral Evil Alignment, 7th level)
• Copper Asp (#341, Any Alignment, 3rd level, Craft Construct, Spells: Animate Rope, Melf's Acid Arrow)
• Razor Hawk (#341, Any Alignment, 3rd level, Craft Construct, Spells: Gust of Wind)
• Crystal Cat (#341, Any Alignment, 5th level, Craft Construct, Spells: Invisibility, Keen Edge)
• Glass Dragonfly (#341, Any Alignment, 5th level, Craft Construct, Spells: Colour Spray, Fly)
• Salvage Rat (#341, Any Alignment, 5th level, Craft Construct, Spells: Acid Splash, Shatter)
• Erudite Owl (#341, Any Alignment, 7th level, Craft Construct, Spells: Comprehend Languages, Detect Magic, Detect Poison, Fly)
• Mercurial Spider (#341, Any Alignment, 7th level, Craft Construct, Spells: Polymorph, Spider Climb)
• Great Horned Owl (#341, Any Alignment, 3rd level)
• King Cobra (#341, Any Alignment, 3rd level)
• Small Paraelemental (#347, Any Alignment, 5th level)
• Monodrone (#354, Any Lawful Alignment, 5th level)
• Shadovig (#299, Neutral Evil Alignment, 3rd level? 3.0 rules)
• Cloaker (#322, Any Non-Lawful Alignment, 14th level)
• Dark Creeper (#322, Any Non-Lawful Alignment, 10th level)
• Darkenbeast (#322, Any Non-Good Alignment, 12th level)
• Small Darkness Pseudo-Elemental (#322, Any Non-Good Alignment, 7th level)
• Night Hunter Bat (#322, Any Non-Good Alignment, 5th level)
• Sinister Bat (#322, Any Non-Chaotic Alignment, 8th level)
• Shadow (#322, Any Non-Lawful AND Non-Good Alignment, 9th level)
• Shadow Asp (#322, Any Alignment, 6th level)
• Shadow Mastiff (#322, Any Non-Good Alignment, 14th level)
• Wraith (#322, Any Non-Lawful AND Non-Good Alignment, 14th level)

4th EDITION

Familiars returned to 4th edition in the Arcane Power splatbook. This was then followed by several Dragon Magazine articles. "Get Familiar" in issue #374 introduced new familiars, the concept of "familiars by character tier", a Paragon Path called the Familiar Keeper, and new familiar-related feats. Issue #377 featured "Familiars of Eberron", which was basically an Eberron slanted take on the previous Get Familiar; new familiars, new feats, an Artificer-with-a-familiar focused Paragon Path called the Familiar Bloodsmith, and new magic items for familiars. Issue #382 featured "Familiar Power: Wizards", which featured not only more new familiars, but also wizard spells that could use familiars in combat, a ritual called Familiar Mount that turned your familiar into a ridable steed for 12 hours, feats and magic items. This was followed by "Familiar Power: Sorcerers" in #386, which was new "familiar spells" for sorcerers. The same issue also featured the Argent Falcon, a familiar unique to anyone who worships Sehanine. Finally, issue #390 featured the Fiddling Grig and Coure Attendant as part of its "Winning Races: Eladrin" article; apparently, the original version of the article also featured a Faerie Dragonling familiar as well, but it was deemed overpowered and cut from the compilation of the issue. These last two would be promoted to "officially official" when they starred alongside the selection of other familiars in "Heroes of the Feywild". Similarly, "Heroes of the Elemental Chaos" would adapt the familiar rules to allow for a new and mutually exclusive kind of mystical ally, the Elemental Companion. Despite some flavor, they're pretty much identical in terms of mechanics.

Arcane Power

• Bat
• Book Imp
• Bond Demon
• Cat
• Crafter Homunculus
• Dragonling
• Falcon
• Owl
• Rat
• Raven
• Serpent
• Spider

Heroes of the Feywild

• Bat
• Cat
• Coure Attendant
• Falcon
• Fiddling Grig
• Owl
• Rat
• Raven
• Serpent
• Spider
• Sprite

Heroes of the Elemental Chaos

• Arctine
• Automaton
• Chaos Phage
• Crysmalite
• Flame Serpent
• Hordeling
• Magmin
• Mud Wretch
• Nereid
• Pech
• Storm Talon
• Sylph

Get Familiar

Heroic Tier

• Arcane Eye
• Badger
• Canine Construct
• Disembodied Hand
• Fire Lizard
• Lightning Lizard
• Ooze
• Parrot
• Rootling
• Scout Homunculus
• Skull
• Toad
• Weasel

Paragon Tier

• Air Mephit
• Arcane Wisp
• Beholderkin
• Blackspawn Darkling
• Bluespawn Nimblespark
• Earth Mephit
• Fire Mephit
• Grayspawn Shortfang
• Greenspawn Banespike
• Ice Mephit
• Rakshasa Claw
• Redspawn Spitfire
• Stone Fowl
• Whitespawn Snowstepper

Epic Tier

• Blazing Skull
• Chaos Shard
• Gibbering Pet
• Shadow Incarnate

Familiars of Eberron

Heroic Tier

• Bantam Fastieth
• Bloodthorn Vine Barb
• Clockwork Scorpion
• Dragonmark Reflection
• Floating Weapon
• Gadfly
• Magpie
• Marmoset
• Octopus
• Saddle Squire
• Soarwood Wings
• Summoner Homunculus
• Tome Caddy
• Warforged Faceplate

Paragon Tier

• Ambush Vine Shoot
• Crawling Clot
• Dimensional Pet
• Living Infusion
• Minor Foulspawn
• Smith's Hammer
• Tinker Feyling

Epic Tier

• Lingering Nightmare
• Silver Lamp

Familiar Power

Wizard

• Specter
• Least Air Elemental
• Tiny Gelatinous Cube
• Least Earth Elemental

Winning Races

Eladrin, Beyond the Spiral Tower

• Fiddling Grig
• Coure Attendant

5th EDITION

Although it had a much larger default list than AD&D, 5e fell back into 2e's styleof having a single list in the PHB and a handful of monsters being designated as "familiar-possible with DM's permission", scattered across various sourcebooks.

PHB Familiars

• Bat
• Cat
• Crab
• Frog/Toad
• Hawk
• Lizard
• Octopus
• Owl
• Poisonous Snake
• Quipper
• Rat
• Raven
• Sea Horse
• Spider
• Weasel

Splatbook Familiars

• Al'miraj (Tomb of Annihilation)
• Flying Monkey (Tomb of Annihilation)
• Gazer (Volo's Guide to Monsters)
• Imp (Monster Manual)
• Pseudodragon (Monster Manual)
• Quasit (Monster Manual)
• Sprite (Monster Manual)
• Tressym (Storm King's Thunder)

Pathfinder

Pathfinder's take on familiars is essentially the same as in D&D 3rd edition, though the way classes interact with them is a bit different: Now wizards can pick between having a familiar or choosing a Bonded Item that gives them an extra spell per day. There is also no experience penalty for losing your familiar, so they definitely become less of a chore to own.

Sorcerers don't get familiars at all unless they take the Arcane bloodline, though having new bloodline class features does help salve the pain. Additionally the Witch class entirely relies upon using familiars as a kind of quasi-spellbook.

Also, thanks to the archetype system, a few other classes can pick them up, which can be great, since familiars largely suck on their own when they take their stats off of dedicated arcane casters. Having BAB scores, hit point totals and saves based off of Fighters, Paladins, Bloodragers, or other meatier classes can turn what were essentially touch-spell delivery systems and/or spies into full-fledged members of the party.

Finally, they added archetypes for familiars themselves, allowing you to make further custom adjustments to your class-companion if you need them to fill roles such as bodyguards, performers or pickpockets etc. Meaning what was essentially a forced choice in 3rd edition D&D has now become an entire avenue for class building in Pathfinder.

Warhammer

In both Warhammer Fantasy and Warhammer 40,000, familiars are a kind of lesser daemon that Chaos Sorcerers have traditionally been able to take as wargear. Daemonic familiars come in a vast array of shapes, but over time have had their roles simplify. For example, Warrior Familiars are unusually strong and aggressive for their kind, and generally provide some free attacks to their master.

In 2nd edition Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay (the one by Black Industries), familiars are discussed in "Realms of Sorcery", the sourcebook on wizard PCs. Familiars are the very first entry in chapter 7, "Magical Tools": according to this book, there are three ways to get a Familiar in the Warhammer world.

Firstly, you can craft a homunculous; a little artifical man or beast made from artificial material (or flesh & bone, if you wanna be gross) and then bring it to life with magic. This option requires Magic (3), Academic Knowledge (Magic), and Arcane Language (Magick) to have both the raw power and the learning to complete the ritual, as well as the magical affinity for Death, Fire, Light, Metal, Shadow, Chaos or Necromancy magic in order to breathe life.

Secondly, you can use magic to form a soul-bound with a living creature. This is easier than making a homunculous, as you only require Magic (2) and the Charm Animal skill, but it is restricted to those with the magical affinity for Beasts, Fire, the Heavens, Life, Light and Shadow magic, or those who possess the Witchcraft talent.

The third option is to summon and bind an imp-level Daemon - these methods are only undertaken by Chaos Sorcerers, for obvious reasons, and are detailed in the splatbook Tome of Corruption instead.

The big reason for bothering with this? Firstly, companionship; being a wizard is a lonely affair in the world of Warhammer. Secondly, every familiar has at least one of several magical bonuses:

• Aethyric Reserve allows a familiar to store a spell and then unleash it on its own.
• Link of Psyche gives master and familiar a telepathic bond - which, aside from being useful for using your familiar as a spy, also boosts both the wizard's Int and Willpower stats and the familiar's own whilst they're both conscious.
• Lucky Charm causes the familiar to generate 2 Fortune Points per day.
• Magic Focus allows the familiar to double an attribute of a spell, at the cost of making it more unpredictable.
• Magic Power means that the familiar's presence effectively raises the wizard's Magic Characteristic by 1.
• Master's Touch allows the familiar to serve as a "stand-in" for casting the wizard's spells.
• Master's Voice allows the wizard to project their voice through the familiar from afar, which means it can effectively act as not only a living telephone, but also let the wizard cast even if he's gagged.
• Voice of Reason makes the familiar into a natural magical dampener, giving its master added protection against Tzeentch's Curse.

Deadlands

In the Deadlands roleplaying game, having a Familiar is a 5-point Huckster-only Edge found in the splatbook Hucksters and Hexes. With this Edge, the huckster forms a spiritual and mental link with a single small animal - no bigger than a medium-sized dog. The familiar's presence boosts the huckster's ability to manipulate magical energy, giving them a +1 to Hexcasting rolls. However, if it's slain, that spiritual link causes a huge backlash; the Huckster must make an Incredible (11) Vigor check or be Stunned until they can pass it, and even after they shake off the stunning, they suffer a -2 modifier to all Trait and Aptitude rolls for the next 1d6 days.

Add in that it costs triple the Bounty Points and a month of study and a Fair (5) Academia: Occult roll to replace a dead familiar, you better be treating it right, partner!

See Also

• Genestealer Familiars