Advantages

Advantages provide players with a wider range of options concerning their familiars and animal companions. These work in game exactly like Feats, and may be taken at every fourth level of experience in lieu of a feat or ability score improvement. Likewise, all human characters may choose to obtain an advantage at first level instead of their normal ability score boost or feat. The only restriction on advantages is that before one can be taken, any indicated prerequisites must be met.

At the GM’s option, all players may take an advantage at first level, with humans allowed a second. This will permit all classes the option of beginning play with a familiar or animal companion. Another option is to allow characters the option to sacrifice class abilities (with the GM’s approval) to replace them with Advantages. This allows for a high degree of character customization without unduly affecting game balance.

Descriptions of Advantages

Here we present descriptions of all advantages, how they function in game from a rules standpoint, and the benefits they have as compared to normal characters without such abilities.

Please note that in this section, any advantages with an Ability Score noted indicate that in some fashion an ability check is required to make use of the advantage. Players making use of an advantage always add their Proficiency bonus to their ability check to do so.

Animal Companion (General)

You gain the ability to form loyal bonds with animals, allowing you to gain an animal companion in the same manner as a druid of the appropriate level.

Benefit(s): You may perform a ceremony to gain an animal companion that acts as your loyal friend and ally. Such an animal companion follows all the rules laid out under the Animal Friendship spell, including what special abilities it has, the bonus tricks it can learn, etc. except that the bond is permanent. The animal companion’s progression of power is governed by whatever class the master added when he gained the Animal Companion Advantage or Ability. For example, if a 2nd-level bard/4th-level fighter character used the Advantage he gained at 6th level when he added his 4th level of fighter to take the Animal Companion Advantage, then that animal companion’s power progression would always be dependent upon the character’s fighter level. This is an exception to the general rule of all classes combining to determine character level.

Normal: Druids gain animal companions via the Animal Friendship Spell.

Special: This ability may be taken multiple times. Each additional time it is taken, an additional animal companion can be taken. For example, a character who has taken this ability twice can gain up two animal companions.

Druids are considered to begin play with this ability as they possess animal friendship as a first level spell. Druids who take this ability can acquire additional animal companions in the same manner as a character who takes this ability multiple times.

Barbarian’s/Paladin’s Mount (General)

You may summon a large beast as your mount and companion.

Prerequisite(s): Barbarian or Paladin level 4th+.

Benefit(s): Upon taking this ability, you can call an unusually intelligent, strong, and loyal steed to serve as your mount and companion (see ‘Barbarian Mounts’ for details). The mount gains powers and abilities as you gain class levels in the Barbarian or Paladin class. Multiclassed Barbarian/Paladin characters may combine their class levels for purposes of determining mount abilities. Should the mount die, you must wait one year and a day before you can call for a new one.

Special: If you have more than one familiar, then you and all of your familiars may benefit from the Defense of the Familiar (if this is physically possible) as long as one of you performs the Fighting Defensively or Total Defense options, assuming all the conditions detailed above are met.

Companion Tricks (General)

You are capable of teaching your animal companions more tricks than usual.

Prerequisite(s): Animal Companion ability.

Benefit(s): Your animal companions are treated as having an Intelligence two points higher than normal for the purposes of learning tricks, allowing you to teach them up to six additional tricks. Teaching a trick takes one week, minus one day per point of Charisma bonus. Training requires a successful Wisdom (Animal Handling) check whose DC is dependent on the difficulty of the trick that the trainer seeks to teach.

Craft Nature Fetish (General)

You can create a spiritual focus for the animistic powers of your spirit guide.

Prerequisite(s): Barbarian Level 5th+

Benefit(s): You may create a nature fetish to gain the powers of your spirit guide. This fetish may be created from the flesh, bone, teeth, or feathers of whatever creature you consider your sacred beast (as chosen by the GM – see below), or it may be carved from a semi-precious stone. Creating the fetish requires the barbarian to make a successful Intelligence (appropriate artisan’s tools) check whose DC is equal to 15 plus the amount of bonus the Fetish imparts upon the character. In addition, if it is created using a gemstone, tusk, fang, claw, or hide, this item must be worth at least 500 gp.

Once the nature fetish has been crafted, the barbarian may then perform a ritual that binds one aspect of the animal spirit permanently into the fetish (see ‘Nature Fetish’ for details on what aspects do). This aspect may be used by the barbarian once per day as a standard action and lasts for a number of rounds equal to the barbarian’s level. Note that if the fetish is made from a precious material, the aspect’s daily duration is extended by one extra round for every 500 gp worth of the base precious material used to construct the fetish (up to a maximum of 4 extra rounds).

When this ability is selected, the GM or Player will choose an animal to be the barbarian’s spirit guide. The barbarian may create up to three fetishes, but they may only create one fetish for each aspect. Each fetish may be used once per day.

The fetish is a personal item whose power is tied to the life force of its creator. In the hands of another, the fetish is a perfectly useless piece of ornamentation.

Craft Woodland Familiar (Familiar)

You can form a familiar out of plants and other natural substances.

Prerequisite(s): Druid level 8th+, Summon Familiar Ability or Advantage.

Defense of the Familiar (Familiar)

You and your familiar (or familiars) have trained in a unique, cooperative art of combat – allowing you both to benefit defensively from your mutual cooperation on the battlefield.

Prerequisite(s): Ability to summon a familiar (sorcerer/wizard level 1 or the Summon Familiar Ability).

Benefit(s): If you and your familiar are within 5 feet of each other during a melee combat round (and remain that way the whole round), and either of you spends your action to perform the Fighting Defensively or Total Defense options, then both of you benefit from a +2 dodge bonus to AC.

You and your familiar must remain within 5 feet of each other for the entire round. If either of you move farther than 5 feet from one another (or are forced apart), the one who is not performing the defensive maneuver no longer benefits from the dodge bonus to AC. (The character or familiar performing the defensive maneuver, however, continues to benefit normally.)

Benefit(s): When performing an assassination, you summon a bound reaper to ensure that your target is permanently killed, removing the chance of raising from the dead or reincarnation, and increasing the difficulty of resurrection of the slain target.

The ritual requires the assassin to perform an assassination of a marked target, and upon completion, capture the reaper called to collect the target’s soul within a ring of powdered silver worth 1000 gp. The assassin must then defeat the reaper in single combat within the ring. Upon success, the assassin binds the reaper to his shadow and a phylactery made from one of the assassin’s weapons, whose value is at least 2000 gp. If the assassin fails to defeat the reaper, he is of course slain, and cannot be raised or resurrected by any means.

The reaper is summoned upon a successful strike during an assassination attempt, even if the attempt fails to assassinate its target. The reaper begins to attack the target unerringly until it or the target of the assassination attempt is destroyed. If the reaper is destroyed the assassin suffers an immediate and permanent loss of 2d6 points of Constitution, though the assassin may attempt to summon another reaper at a future time, paying the extended costs associated costs of the Ensnare Reaper ability.

Dichotomous Ability (General)

You can summon familiars of multiple types from the Methetherial.

Prerequisite(s): Sorcerer, Warlock or Wizard level 1st+, ability to summon multiple familiars (via adding the appropriate Summon Familiar Ability).

Benefit(s): You can summon familiars of multiple types from the Methetherial.

Normal: Normally a character can only summon familiars of a single type from the Methetherial.

Empower Mount (General)

Your mount gains a new ability.

Prerequisite(s): Barbarian’s/Paladin’s Mount Ability or a Familiar that also serves as a mount.

Benefit(s): You may select any one mount ability for your special mount. If the mount dies or is dismissed, a new ability may be chosen when a new mount is called.

Special: This Ability may be taken multiple times. Its effects stack.

Empower Familiar (Familiar)

Your familiar gains a new ability.

Prerequisite(s): Ability to summon a familiar.

Benefit(s): You may select any one standard special ability for one of your familiars. This special ability does not need to be from the class list associated with your familiar. If the familiar dies, a new ability may be chosen for the new familiar as soon as it is gained (or immediately in the case of a character with multiple familiars).

Special: This Ability may be taken multiple times. Its effects stack.

Empower Familiar, Greater (Familiar)

Your familiar gains a new, more powerful ability.

Prerequisite(s): Empower Familiar or Summon Greater Familiar.

Benefit(s): You may select any one improved special ability for one of your familiars. This special ability does not need to be from the class list associated with your familiar. If the familiar dies, a new ability may be chosen for the new familiar as soon as it is gained (or immediately in the case of a character with multiple familiars). This ability can be given to a standard familiar.

Special: This Ability may be taken multiple times. Its effects stack.

Benefit(s): Making a successful Dexterity (appropriate artisan’s tools) check, you can craft the form of any familiar you could normally summon, using plants or other natural substances.

The still-living plants are literally woven and worked together.

The DC for this check is 15 for a standard familiar, 20 for a greater familiar, and 25 for a supreme familiar.

The newly shaped familiar is then covered with magical herbs and oils, in which it must soak for the remainder of its creation time.

The cost to create the familiar is identical to the summoning cost of a familiar of its type (standard, greater, or supreme).

At the end of the creation process, the woodland familiar comes to life. The woodland familiar possesses the same abilities and characteristics as a normal familiar of its type, except that the woodland familiar is of the Plant type, and gains all the benefits of that type – it is immune to poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning, and polymorphing. It is not subject to critical hits or mind-influencing effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects). It also gains low-light vision.

The familiar does not require food as an animal of its type normally would, but it does require the same amount of water, and exposure to sunlight for at least 3 hours a day. If this is not available, the woodland familiar begins to deteriorate at a rate of 3 hit points per day, which can only be healed once the creature is again exposed to sunlight.

Special: This ability can be purchased more than once. Each additional time the ability is taken, the character may create an additional woodland familiar. A woodland familiar is gained in addition to any other familiars the druid could normally summon.

A druid with the Craft Woodland Familiar Ability can use similar rituals to craft woodland companions. These woodland companions act as normal animal companions for the druid, but gain the Plant type (as described above) instead of being animals. There is no cost for their creation.

Empower Familiar, Supreme (Familiar)

Your familiar gains an extremely powerful ability.

Prerequisite(s): Greater Empower Familiar or Summon Supreme Familiar.

Benefit(s): You may select any one supreme special ability for one of your familiars. This special ability does not need to be from the class list associated with your familiar. If the familiar dies, a new ability may be chosen for the new familiar as soon as it is gained (or immediately in the case of a character with multiple familiars). This ability can be given to a standard or improved familiar.

Special: This Ability may be taken multiple times. Its effects stack.

Enhance Hero’s Weapon (General)

Your hero’s weapon becomes more powerful (see hero’s weapons).

Prerequisite(s): Hero’s Weapon Ability.

Benefit(s): Your hero’s weapon gains two additional standard abilities, one additional greater ability, or one additional power (see ‘Hero’s Weapon’ for details concerning which abilities are available) above and beyond what it would ordinarily have for your character level.

Normal: A hero’s weapon is limited to the number of standard and greater abilities and powers it has by its master’s character level.

Special: This Ability can be selected as one of the fighter’s bonus class Abilities. This Ability may be taken multiple times. Its effects stack.

Enlarge Mount (General)

You are capable of calling larger and more powerful mounts.

Prerequisite(s): Paladin level 5th+ or Barbarian’s Mount Ability.

Benefit(s): You may call a special mount one size larger than the current maximum size of your special mount (a Small barbarian can choose a mount ordinarily only allowed to a Medium barbarian and a Medium barbarian can choose a mount ordinarily only allowed to a Large barbarian, etc.). If you already have a special mount, the special mount may grow in size. (Note that increasing in size affects the special mount’s HD and potentially their ability scores.)

Special: This Ability may be taken more than once. Its effects stack. The Game Master must approve any non-standard special mount selection.

Ensnare Reaper (General)

You ensnare a Reaper and bind it as an assassin’s weapon against his marks.

Prerequisite: Rogue Level 8+ with Assassin Archetype or Rogue with Death’s Reaper Archetype of your class abilities/powers (at the GM’s discretion) can be conveyed to the familiar for the duration of the trance, with the 12-hour duration reduced by one hour per additional power conveyed. Thus, if you transfer three powers, the powers will remain effective for 9 hours. Alternatively, you can still choose to convey only a single power, which now lasts for a full 24 hours before needing to be replenished. Although this trance still requires some mental concentration, its effects are less strenuous – you are no longer considered helpless during the trance, but are instead limited to one partial action per round.

Entering the trance is still a standard action, and you still need to drop the trance (another standard action) and re-enter it if you wish to convey a different ability to your familiar.

Special: A character with multiple familiars and Improved Meditative Conveyance can convey abilities to any or all of their familiars at one time. Doing so cannot be done with the lighter trance state described above. In a lighter trance state, the character is still limited to conveying abilities to only one familiar at a time.

Improved Familiar (General)

This Ability allows you to acquire a new familiar from a nonstandard list, but only when they could normally acquire a new familiar (see the Summon Familiar Advantage).

Prerequisite(s): Ability to summon a new familiar, compatible alignment, sufficiently high level (see the individual class descriptions).

Benefit(s): When choosing a familiar, the creatures designated as “non-standard” in each individual class description, are also available to you. You may choose a familiar with an alignment up to one step away from your own on each of the alignment axes (lawful through chaotic, good through evil). For example, a chaotic good character could acquire a neutral good familiar. A lawful neutral character could acquire a neutral good familiar.

Improved familiars otherwise use the rules appropriate for the class of the master that they are associated with (see the individual class descriptions), with one exception: If the creature’s type is something other than animal or beast, its type does not change. If the creature is an animal or beast, it becomes a magical beast.

Improved Sensory Familiar (Familiar)

Your ability to process sensory information from your familiar is greatly enhanced.

Prerequisite(s): Sensory Familiar.

Benefit(s): When using your Sensory Familiar ability, you are capable of simultaneously experiencing both your own senses as well as your familiar’s senses. You do not need to enter a helpless state to experience the world through you familiar’s senses, and can take actions normally while doing so.

Special: If you have more than one familiar, you can share senses with only one familiar at a time.

Joined Turning (General)

The presence of your familiar strengthens your faith.

Prerequisite(s): Summon Familiar Ability, ability to turn undead.

Benefit(s): If your familiar or familiars are within 5 feet, you gain advantage when using your divine channeling ability to turn undead.

Meditative Conveyance (Familiar)

By entering a trance-like state, you enter a state of communion with your familiar, allowing you both to convey techniques of self-perfection.

Prerequisite(s): Ability to summon a familiar.

Benefit(s): By entering a trance-like state (in which you are considered helpless and unaware of the world around you), you are able to convey one player character ability to your familiar.

You must possess the ability in question in order to convey it to the familiar, and the final arbiter of which abilities can be conveyed is left to the discretion of the GM.

Entering a trance requires a standard action by both familiar and master. Leaving the trance requires a standard action (by both familiar and master). While in the trance, the master and familiar are both considered helpless and should be treated as restrained. Conveying the ability requires 1d10 rounds of concentration. If either suffers any damage during the trance, the trance is broken and the ability fails and cannot be attempted again before the PC engages in a long rest. Only one ability may be conveyed at a time, and this ability is selected at the time the trance is entered. Conveyed abilities last for 12 hours, after which a new trance is required to repeat the process or convey a different ability.

Special: If you have more than one familiar, you can only convey abilities to one familiar at a time.

Meditative Conveyance, Improved (Familiar)

Your communion with your familiar during a meditative conveyance is purer (see above), allowing a larger range of techniques to be shared.

Prerequisite(s): Meditative Conveyance.

Benefit(s): When using your meditative conveyance ability, you are no longer limited to conveying a single power. Any or all of your class abilities/powers (at the CK’s discretion) can be conveyed to the familiar for the duration of the trance, with the 12-hour duration reduced by one hour per additional power conveyed. Thus, if you transfer three powers, the powers will remain effective for 9 hours. Alternatively, you can still choose to convey only a single power, which now lasts for a full 24 hours before needing to be replenished. Although this trance still requires some mental concentration, its effects are less strenuous – you are no longer considered helpless during the trance, but are instead limited to one partial action per round.

Entering the trance is still a standard action, and you still need to drop the trance (another standard action) and re-enter it if you wish to convey a different ability to your familiar.

Special: A character with multiple familiars and Improved Meditative Conveyance can convey abilities to any or all of their familiars at one time. Doing so cannot be done with the lighter trance state described above. In a lighter trance state, the character is still limited to conveying abilities to only one familiar at a time.

Sensory Familiar (Familiar)

You can see through your familiar’s eyes, hear through its ears, and experience all of its sensory input.

Prerequisite(s): Ability to summon a familiar.

Benefit(s): You can, at will, by stopping to concentrate (during which time no other actions are possible save defense), see, feel, touch, taste, and otherwise experience the world through the senses of your familiar. You are not in control of the familiar’s actions and cannot communicate with it in any way beyond what you could ordinarily do. If the familiar is on another plane, this ability does not function.

While you are experiencing the world through your familiar’s senses, your physical body is immobile and helpless. You are unaware of anything which happens either in close proximity, or directly to, your body. This ability lasts as long as you maintain concentration; if you take damage or any action other defense, the link is broken.

You may, however, choose to terminate the connection at will simply by taking any action other than concentration.

Special Mount, Greater (General)

Your mount’s connection to the spiritual world is strengthened, granting it more powerful magical abilities.

Prerequisite(s): Barbarian, Paladin level 8th+, Barbarian’s/Paladin’s Mount Ability.

Benefit(s): Your mount gains abilities according to Table 2-15: Greater Barbarian Special Mount (see ”Barbarian Mounts” for details) or Table 8-9: Greater Paladin Special Mount (see the ”Paladin Special Mounts” for details), depending upon your class (either barbarian or paladin). In addition, if your mount has been slain or you choose to release your previous special mount from service, you can choose to summon a new special mount from the Greater Mounts.

Special Mount, Supreme (General)

Your mount’s connection to the spiritual world is strengthened, granting it more powerful magical abilities.

Prerequisite(s): Barbarian or Paladin level 12th+, Greater Special Mount Ability.

Benefit(s): Your mount gains abilities according to Table 2-16: Supreme Barbarian Special Mount (see the ”Barbarian Mounts” for details) or Table 8-10: Supreme Paladin Special Mount (see the ”Paladin Special Mounts” for details), depending upon your class (either barbarian or paladin). In addition, if your mount has been slain, or you choose to release your previous special mount from service, you can choose to summon a new special mount from Supreme Mounts.

Spur Mount (General)

You can spur your mount to incredible speeds.

Prerequisite(s): Mounted Combat Ability

Benefit(s): When riding a running mount, you can get the mount to move five times its normal speed (instead of the normal four times). If a mount you are riding makes a running jump, increase the distance or height the mount clears by one-fourth, but not past the maximum.

Strike of the Familiar (Familiar)

You and your familiar (or familiars) have trained in a unique, cooperative art of combat, allowing you all to benefit offensively from your mutual cooperation on the battlefield.

Prerequisite(s): Ability to summon a familiar.

Benefit(s): If you and your familiar are within 5 feet of each other during a melee combat round (and remain that way the whole round), you have neither moved nor taken a bonus action, and you both attack the same opponent(s), then you both may use a bonus action to make an additional attack, albeit at disadvantage.

Special: If you perform a Whirlwind Attack (as per the Ability) while within 5 feet of your familiar, then the familiar may also perform a Whirlwind Attack at the same time (assuming the familiar has at least a 5 foot reach, and has not already performed the ability).

If you have more than one familiar, then you and all of your familiars may benefit from the Strike of the Familiar (if this is physically possible), assuming all the conditions detailed above are met. (You still may use only one bonus action, not a bonus action for each familiar.)

Summon Diabolical Familiar (General)

You can summon a demonic or devilish entity to serve you as a familiar.

Prerequisite(s): Summon Familiar, Any neutral or evil alignment, arcane spellcaster.

Benefit(s): You can summon an evil outsider as a servant. Doing so requires a ritual which involves the casting of a magic circle and then summoning the diabolic servant through the auspices of an appropriate summon monster spell. The ritual requires materials that cost a minimum of 1,000 gp per HD of the evil outsider, and the investment of one point of Constitution, which is permanently lost to the dark magic of the ritual and cannot be recovered by any means.

To perform the ritual, you cast the Summon Monster spell normally, and place a previously prepared soul gem or other such trap item within the magic circle.

The target creature may attempt a Wisdom save against the caster’s standard save DC. If the diabolical creature succeeds, the summoning fails and the materials involved in the ritual are wasted. If the saving throw fails, however, the target creature is drawn into the magic circle, trapped and imprisoned there. All pertinent spell resistance applies when attempting to trap the diabolical servant.

The target creature can escape from the trap with a successful Wisdom check against the spellcaster’s magic save DC, though it is at Disadvantage to do so. It can try each method once per day. If it breaks loose, it can flee or attack the spellcaster.

As long as the creature remains imprisoned, the spellcaster can attempt to compel the creature to become his servant once per day. The spellcaster makes a Charisma (Persuasion) check opposed by the creature’s Charisma save. If the creature wins the check, it refuses service. If the spellcaster wins the check, the creature is bound as a diabolic servant.

The spellcaster can improve his odds of success by offering some form of reward. The Game Master assigns a bonus to the Charisma (Persuasion) check based on the service and reward, from 0 to +5 (or may grant advantage or disadvantage as he sees fit). If the spellcaster offers up his own soul, the creature automatically accepts.

If the spellcaster rolls a 1 on the Charisma check to compel service, the diabolic creature breaks free of the binding and can escape or attack the character as it so chooses.

Actually binding the diabolic servant completes the ritual. In doing so, the spellcaster learns the true name of the demon or devil and gives them a false name.

Special: This Ability summons an evil outsider of up to Challenge 1 which will serve as a standard familiar. It can be taken up to three times. Each additional time the Ability is taken, the character may improve their diabolic servant to Greater (allowing a servant of up to max. Challenge 3) or Supreme (allowing a diabolic servant of up to max. Challenge 8) status. Regardless of the servant (regular, Greater or Supreme) it may never have a challenge rating greater than the character’s current level -3 (the exception being that levels 2-3 characters may have a diabolic servant of up to Challenge 1, while level 1 characters will have any familiar of Challenge 0 or less.).

Summon Familiar (General)

You have the ability to summon a magical familiar to serve as a companion and servant.

Benefit(s): You can call a familiar. Doing so requires a ritual which takes 24 hours and uses up magical materials that cost 100 gp (see individual class descriptions for a description of the ritual performed). A familiar is a magical beast that resembles a small animal and is unusually tough and intelligent. The creature serves as a companion and servant.

You choose the kind of familiar you get from the list of standard familiars available for their class (see individual class descriptions). If you are a multiclassed character, you may choose any of your classes as the primary class the familiar is associated with each time you summon a familiar. As you advance in level in the class associated with the familiar, the familiar also increases in power according to the appropriate Standard Familiar Special Abilities chart (see individual class descriptions). Note that levels of different classes that are already entitled to familiars (Wizards), or that are associated with a particular class due to an Ability, stack for the purposes of determining any familiar abilities that depend upon the master’s level.

Losing a summoned familiar is a traumatic event both for the physical and spiritual health of the PC; indeed, it is life-threatening, meaning most characters who have familiars will go out of their way to protect their mystical companions. If the familiar dies or you choose to dismiss it, you must attempt a Charisma Save (DC 20).

Failure means you suffer 3d6 points of damage to your Constitution score; if your Con is reduced to zero in this manner, you die. In addition, you are reduced to zero hit points and subject to Death Saves; no magic or medical healing can restore hit points until you succeed in your Death Saves. Success reduces the Constitution loss to half that amount and you are not reduced to zero hit points. A slain or dismissed familiar cannot be replaced for a year and a day.

A slain familiar can be raised from the dead just as a character can be, and it does not lose a level or a Constitution point when this happy event occurs.

Certain familiars also grant special abilities to their master.

These special abilities only apply when the master and familiar are within one mile of each other.

Normal: Only Wizards can summon familiars as a class ability.

Special: This Ability replaces the Find Familiar spell. Familiars rules within this tome are substantially different than those in the core rules, and are not entirely compatible. If the GM wishes to keep the Find Familiar spell in play, the spirit summoned should represent a “lesser” familiar that cannot benefit from any of the advanced options found herein.

This Ability can be taken more than once. Each additional time the Ability is taken, you may summon an additional familiar. (In other words, a character who has taken the Summon Familiar Ability twice may have two familiars at once.)

For the purposes of these new rules, Wizards are granted Summon Familiar as a standard class ability at level one.

Summon Greater Familiar (General)

You are capable of summoning more powerful creatures as your familiars.

Prerequisite(s): Ability to summon a familiar, 4th level

Benefit(s): You can summon a greater familiar. Doing so requires a ritual which takes 24 hours and uses up magical materials that cost 1,000 gp (see the individual class descriptions for a description of the ritual performed). If the greater familiar would normally be an animal or beast, it is instead treated as a magical beast (otherwise its type remains unchanged). You may choose a greater familiar with an alignment up to one step away from your own on each of the alignment axes (lawful thru chaotic, good thru evil). For example, a chaotic good character could acquire a neutral good greater familiar. A lawful neutral character could acquire a neutral good greater familiar.

You choose the kind of familiar you get from the list of standard or greater familiars available for your class (see individual class descriptions), though many of the greater familiars have a minimum required master level before they can be summoned. If you are a multiclassed character, you may choose any of your classes as the primary class the greater familiar is associated with each time you summon a new greater familiar. As you advance in level in the class associated with the familiar, the familiar also increases in power according to the appropriate Greater Familiar Special Abilities chart (see individual class descriptions). Note that levels of different classes that are already entitled to familiars, or that are associated with a particular class due to an Ability, stack for the purposes of determining any familiar abilities that depend upon the master’s level. The greater familiar is gained in addition to any other familiars the character may possess. (In other words, a character who has taken Summon Familiar and Summon Greater Familiar may have two familiars at once – a standard familiar and a greater familiar.) Any standard familiars possessed by the character continue to advance as standard familiars, not as greater familiars.

If the greater familiar dies or you choose to dismiss it, you must attempt a Charisma Save (DC 25). The consequences of failure and success are identical to those with the basic Summon Familiar ability. A slain or dismissed greater familiar cannot be replaced for a year and a day. A slain greater familiar can be raised from the dead just as a character can be, and has the same effect as the spell.

In all other ways, greater familiars function as per standard familiars (see the appropriate individual class descriptions the greater familiar).

Special: This Ability can be taken more than once. Each additional time the Ability is taken, you may select an additional greater familiar.

Summon Supreme Familiar (General)

You are capable of summoning the most powerful of creatures as your familiars.

Prerequisite(s): Compatible alignment, Summon Greater Familiar, 12th level.

Benefit(s): You can summon a supreme familiar. Doing so requires a ritual which takes 24 hours and uses up magical materials that cost 5,000 gp (see the individual class descriptions for a description of the ritual performed). If the supreme familiar would normally be an animal or beast, it is instead treated as a magical beast (otherwise its type remains unchanged). You may choose a supreme familiar with an alignment up to one step away from your own on each of the alignment axes (lawful thru chaotic, good thru evil). For example, a chaotic good character could acquire a neutral good supreme familiar. A lawful neutral character could acquire a neutral good supreme familiar.

You choose the kind of familiar you get from the list of standard, greater or supreme familiars available for your class (see individual class descriptions), though many of the greater and supreme familiars have a minimum required master level before they can be summoned. If you are a multiclassed character, you may choose any of your classes as the primary class the supreme familiar is associated with each time you summon a new supreme familiar. As you advance in level in the class associated with the supreme familiar, it also increases in power according to the appropriate Supreme Familiar Special Abilities chart (see individual class descriptions). Note that levels of different classes that are already entitled to familiars, or that are associated with a particular class due to an Ability, stack for the purposes of determining any supreme familiar abilities that depend upon the master’s level.

The supreme familiar is gained in addition to any other familiars the character may possess. (In other words, a character who has taken Summon Familiar once, Summon Greater Familiar twice, and Summon Supreme familiar once may have four familiars at one time – a standard familiar, two greater familiars, and one supreme familiar). Any standard or greater familiars possessed by the character continue to advance as standard or greater familiars (whichever they are), not as supreme familiars.

If the supreme familiar dies or you choose to dismiss it, you must attempt a Charisma save (DC 30). The result of this save carries consequences identical to those for a basic Summoned Familiar. A slain or dismissed supreme familiar cannot be replaced for a year and a day. A slain supreme familiar can be raised from the dead just as a character can be, under the same conditions, depending on which spell (Raise Dead, Resurrection or True Resurrection) is used.

In all other ways, supreme familiars function as per greater and standard familiars (see the appropriate individual class descriptions).

Special: This Ability can be taken more than once. Each additional time the Ability is taken, the character may select an additional supreme familiar.

Summon Fey Companion (General)

You form an immutable bond of friendship and companionship with a fey creature.

Prerequisite(s): Bard level 8th+.

Benefit(s): You have been gifted with the Song of the Fey. Your natural talent is captivating to the fey spirit, and you can forge a bond with a fey companion.

The Song of the Fey is a bardic song. Performing the song requires twelve hours, during which the bard must make a successful Charisma (Persuasion) check (DC 15 + the HD of the fey creature to whom you are calling).

The song requires rare materials worth 1,000 gp, and the bard’s very soul is put into the song’s performance, requiring the character to make a Wisdom (Insight) check at DC 15+ the Fey’s HD or suffer a permanent loss of 1 point of Charisma. If you fail the check, you have failed to capture the full majesty and grandeur of the song. The material costs (but not the potential Cha loss) are expended, and you must begin the Song another day in order to successfully call a fey companion (at least one week is required before the attempt may be made again).

If a fey companion dies, or if you force it to leave, the character must make a successful Wisdom save whose DC is equal to 15+ the Hit Dice of the companion. If the saving throw fails, you lose 1d6 Constitution permanently as the melancholy and sorrow of the loss strikes your soul. However, your Constitution total can never go below six as the result of a companion’s demise or dismissal. A slain or dismissed companion cannot be replaced for a year and a day. Slain companions can be raised from the dead just as characters can.

The maximum Hit Dice of a fey companion when called is shown on the table below. After being called, fey companions gain XP as cohorts and can advance in level normally.

Table 1-2: Fey Companion Strength

Performance Roll (Charisma Check)	Maximum Companion HD
7-9	1
10-12	2
13-14	3
15-18	4
19-21	5
22-24	6
25+	6+1 HD per point above 25 on the performance roll.

Bardic Performance Ability: The character’s d20 roll modified by level and unenhanced Charisma bonus. Magical boosts to Charisma do not apply when summoning a Fey Companion.

Maximum Companion HD: The maximum HD that a fey companion can possess for a character with that many ranks in the Perform skill.

Special: This Ability may be taken multiple times. Each additional time it is taken, an additional companion can be taken. In no case, however, can a bard ever have companions whose total Challenge is greater than the bard’s level, minus 2. Thus, an 8th-level bard may only have up to CR 6 in total companions.

Vermin Companions (General)

You gain the ability to win the loyalty of vermin.

Prerequisite(s): Animal Companion Ability.

Benefit(s): In addition to gaining animals as your companions, you can also gain vermin. As vermin generally have little or no Intelligence, they may only be taught the tricks Attack and Guard. They may also be taught to use webbing as an attack form on command, if that special attack is available to them. The DC to handle a vermin in any tense situation is increased by 5 due to the difficulty of conveying information to these creatures.

The following vermin creatures are available for selection: giant bee, giant fire beetle, giant worker ant, monstrous centipede, monstrous scorpion, and monstrous spider.

Special: As a variant rule, a ranger or druid character may choose to take a vermin creature as his chosen companion instead of an animal. This choice must be made at 1st level, and the character is not able to take animals as his companions unless he later takes the Animal Companion Ability.