“Familiars” are small Animals (Size -2 or -3) that serve as loyal pets and magical companions to certain kinds of spellcasters.
Familiars are loyal to their masters but aren’t slaves. They are typical but very smart versions of their species and can occasionally be distracted by their own inherent instincts. For example, a cat might interrupt its task to chase a mouse or take a brief nap, and a hawk will almost certainly be distracted by sudden movements.
A familiar is a Wild Card with respect to Wounds and having a Wild Die with its Trait rolls. It doesn’t get Bennies, but the mage can spend his own on its behalf.
The familiar can understand its master’s speech and vice-versa (others hear only the creature’s natural sounds), though concepts are limited to what a member of its species might understand.
The familiar has 5 Power Points of its own. It cannot cast spells, but the mage can draw on them as if they were his own. They recharge separately and at the same rate as the mage’s.
The bond between the familiar and the mage makes it immune to the beast friend power.
If a familiar dies, the hero is automatically Stunned (no matter how far away he is). He can summon another after 10 days and can change the type if he chooses.
Familiars don’t Advance, but instead gain one of the advantages below for each of its master’s Ranks (including Novice) and for every fourth Advance the hero gains past Legendary.
The owner may use the familiar’s senses as if they were her own, with a maximum range of 10 miles. She is Distracted and Vulnerable while doing so.
The mage can increase one of the familiar’s Traits one die type (no more than once per Trait).
The familiar gains an Edge. It must make sense for the familiar’s species (GM’s call) and meet the Requirements as usual.
Blue-ringed octopuses are aquatic animals capable of a surprising amount of cunning. They cannot survive out of water.
Type: Neutral Animal (Octopus)
Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d6 (A), Spirit d6, Strength d4-2, Vigor d6
Skills: Athletics d8, Fighting d6, Notice d4, Stealth d8
Pace: —; Parry: 5; Toughness: 1
Edges: —
Special Abilities:
Aquatic: Pace 6.
Bite: Str+d4.
Dependency: An octopus can survive out of the water for a number of minutes equal to its Vigor. Beyond this limit, an octopus runs the risk of suffocation.
Ink Cloud: While within water, an octopus can emit a Small Blast Template sphere of ink once per minute as a free action. This ink persists for one minute.
Low Light Vision: Octopuses ignore penalties for Dim and Dark Illumination.
Poison: The creature’s bite delivers a Mild Poison.
Size -4 (Tiny): A blue-ringed octopus is 4–6 cm long.
Speed: d10 running die.
Tentacle (2): The octopus has two tentacle actions. It may lash with its tentacles for Str damage.
These flightless birds typically inhabit isolated tropical islands and coastlines that are devoid of predators and other creatures that might kill them to use as a resource. Dodos’ size and unfamiliarity with natural dangers contribute to a kind of boldness in their species—or what some would call stupidity—making them easy targets for other creatures that are on the prowl for a tasty meal.
Type: Neutral Animal (Dodo)
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4 (A), Spirit d4, Strength d4-1, Vigor d6
Skills: Athletics d6, Fighting d4, Notice d6, Stealth d4
Pace: 5; Parry: 4; Toughness: 3
Edges: —
Special Abilities:
Bite: Str.
Low Light Vision: Dodos ignore penalties for Dim and Dark Illumination.
Size -2 (Small): Dodos are small.
Donkey rats are brown or snowy white rodents the size of small dogs, with long legs and short, furry tails. These statistics can also be used for capybaras.
Type: Neutral Animal (Rat)
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4 (A), Spirit d6, Strength d4-2, Vigor d6
Skills: Athletics d6, Fighting d4, Notice d4, Stealth d8
Pace: 6; Parry: 4; Toughness: 3
Edges: —
Special Abilities:
Bite: Str.
Low Light Vision: Rats ignore penalties for Dim and Dark Illumination.
Size -2 (Small): Donkey rats are small.
Dwarf caimans are a small species of crocodilian predators that live amid the fast-running streams of tropical rainforests and swamps. These patient predators sometimes lie in awkward positions for hours before they strike their prey, their mottled scales disguising them as floating wood.
Type: Neutral Animal (crocodile)
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4 (A), Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigor d8
Skills: Athletics d6, Fighting d4, Notice d4, Stealth d8
Pace: 2; Parry: 4; Toughness: 4
Edges: —
Special Abilities:
Aquatic: Pace 6.
Bite: Str.
Low Light Vision: Dwarf caimans ignore penalties for Dim and Dark Illumination.
Size -2 (Small): Dwarf caimans are small.
Foxes are small, doglike carnivores with narrow snouts and bushy tails.
Type: Neutral Animal (Fox)
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6 (A), Spirit d6, Strength d4, Vigor d6
Skills: Athletics d8, Fighting d4, Notice d6, Stealth d8, Survival d4
Pace: 8; Parry: 4; Toughness: 2
Edges: —
Special Abilities:
Bite: Str.
Low Light Vision: Foxes ignore penalties for Dim and Dark Illumination.
Size -3 (Very Small): A fox is the size of a typical house cat.
Speed: d10 running die.
Goats eat almost anything that can be digested, and are determined in their pursuit of tempting foodstuffs such as leather armor and rope. They can provide milk and wool.
Type: Neutral Animal (Goat)
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4 (A), Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigor d6
Skills: Athletics d6, Fighting d4, Notice d4, Stealth d4, Survival d4
Pace: 6; Parry: 4; Toughness: 3
Edges: —
Special Abilities:
Horns: Str.
Low Light Vision: Goats ignore penalties for Dim and Dark Illumination.
Size -2: Goats are the size of some small dogs.
Greensting scorpions normally live in forests, but can be found almost anywhere. Their pincers are too small to be dangerous to anything but other insects, but they have a poisonous sting that sickens even larger creatures.
Type: Neutral Vermin (Scorpion)
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4 (A), Spirit d6, Strength 1, Vigor d6
Skills: Athletics d6, Fighting d6, Notice d4, Stealth d10
Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 2 (1)
Edges: —
Special Abilities:
Armor +1: Chitinous plate.
Darkvision: Scorpions ignore penalties for Illumination up to 10” (20 yards).
Mindless: Immune to puppet, Intimidation, and Taunt.
Poison: The creature’s sting delivers a Mild Poison.
Size -4 (Tiny): Scorpions are tiny creatures.
Sting: Str+d4.
Hedgehogs are spiny, insectivorous mammals. When threatened, a hedgehog rolls up into a spiny ball as a defense mechanism.
Type: Neutral Animal (Hedgehog)
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4 (A), Spirit d6, Strength 1, Vigor d4
Skills: Athletics d6, Fighting d4, Notice d4, Stealth d10
Pace: 5; Parry: 4; Toughness: 1
Edges: —
Special Abilities:
Low Light Vision: Hedgehogs ignore penalties for Dim and Dark Illumination.
Size -4 (Tiny): Hedgehogs are tiny creatures.
Spiny Defense: As a limited free action, a hedgehog can roll itself up into a spiny ball. While rolled up, it gains +1 Armor. Any creature grappling the hedgehog takes 1d4 damage. While rolled up, a hedgehog cannot take any action other than leaving this state as a free action.
Multi-legged house centipedes can be found almost anywhere, and can have from 20 to more than 300 legs. Their bites are poisonous, and can daze the unwary.
Type: Neutral Vermin (Centipede)
Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d4 (A), Spirit d6, Strength 1, Vigor d6
Skills: Athletics d8, Fighting d6, Notice d4, Stealth d12
Pace: 8; Parry: 5; Toughness: 1
Edges: —
Special Abilities:
Bite: Str+d4.
Darkvision: House centipedes ignore penalties for Illumination up to 10” (20 yards).
Mindless: Immune to puppet, Intimidation, and Taunt.
Poison: The creature’s bite delivers a Mild Poison.
Size -4 (Tiny): Centipedes are tiny Creatures.
Wall Walker: The house centipede can cling to vertical and inverted surfaces, and move at its standard Pace.
King crabs are small crustaceans with eight legs and two pincers or claws. Aquatic scavengers, crabs can also survive on land for some time, but must return to the water or suffocate.
Type: Neutral Vermin (Crab)
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4 (A), Spirit d6, Strength d4-2, Vigor d6
Skills: Athletics d4, Fighting d4, Notice d4, Stealth d4
Pace: 2; Parry: 4; Toughness: 4 (2)
Edges: —
Special Abilities:
Aquatic: Pace 5.
Armor +2: Hard shell.
Claws: Str.
Darkvision: Crabs ignore penalties for Illumination up to 10” (20 yards).
Dependency: A crab can survive out of the water for a number of minutes equal to its Vigor. Beyond this limit, a crab runs the risk of suffocation.
Mindless: Immune to puppet, Intimidation, and Taunt.
Size -3 (Very Small): Crabs are the size of house cats.
Smaller than wild boars, domestic pigs are omnivorous.
Type: Neutral Animal (Pig)
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4 (A), Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigor d8
Skills: Athletics d4, Fighting d4, Notice d6, Stealth d4
Pace: 6; Parry: 4; Toughness: 4
Edges: —
Special Abilities:
Bite: Str.
Low Light Vision: Pigs ignore penalties for Dim and Dark Illumination.
Size -2: Pigs are smaller than boars.
Scarlet spiders are small arachnids with bright-red bodies and black legs. Because they are hunting spiders, scarlet spiders don’t have a web attack.
Type: Neutral Vermin (Spider)
Attributes: Agility d12, Smarts d4 (A), Spirit d6, Strength 1, Vigor d6
Skills: Athletics d8, Fighting d6, Notice d6, Stealth d10
Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 1
Edges: —
Special Abilities:
Bite: Str+d4.
Darkvision: Scarlet spiders ignore penalties for Illumination up to 10” (20 yards).
Mindless: Immune to puppet, Intimidation, and Taunt.
Poison: The creature’s bite delivers a Mild Poison.
Size -4 (Tiny): Spiders are tiny creatures.
Wall Walker: A spider can move on vertical or inverted surfaces at its normal Pace and may run.
Thrushes are small, plump birds that eat fruit and insects. All thrushes are known for their beautiful songs, but thrush familiars are also capable of actual speech.
Type: Neutral Animal (Thrush)
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4 (A), Spirit d6, Strength 1, Vigor d4
Skills: Athletics d8, Fighting d4, Notice d6, Stealth d4
Pace: 2; Parry: 4; Toughness: 1
Edges: —
Special Abilities:
Bite: Str.
Flight: Pace 8.
Low Light Vision: Thrushes ignore penalties for Dim and Dark Illumination.
Size -4 (Tiny): A thrush is a tiny bird.
Turtles are slow-moving reptiles with hard shells that they can retreat into when threatened. Many turtles have flippers and are better suited for swimming than walking. These statistics can also be used for tortoises, which have feet instead of flippers and live in arid regions.
Type: Neutral Animal (Turtle)
Attributes: Agility d4, Smarts d4 (A), Spirit d6, Strength d4-2, Vigor d4
Skills: Athletics d4, Fighting d4, Notice d6, Stealth d4
Pace: 1; Parry: 4; Toughness: 4 (3)
Edges: —
Special Abilities:
Armor +3: Hard shell.
Bite: Str.
Low Light Vision: Turtles ignore penalties for Dim and Dark Illumination.
Semi–Aquatic: Pace 5.
Shell Retreat: A turtle can retreat within its shell as a free action, gaining a +2 bonus to its existing Armor. While in its shell, a turtle cannot take any action. The turtle can end its retreat with a free action.
Size -3 (Very Small): Turtles are the size of house cats.
Familiar archetypes alter the innate nature of a familiar, removing the 5 Power Points they generate for their master. In exchange, they gain unique abilities.
An animal exemplar is a paragon of its species, able to command the loyalty of others of its kind.
Restriction: An animal exemplar familiar cannot be a familiar chosen with the Improved Familiar Edge, a Plant, Vermin, or other non-Animal themed familiar.
Influence Animals: An animal exemplar can speak with other animals of its kind and gains Persuasion d8. Three times per day, an animal exemplar can cast puppet (using Persuasion) on animals of its own kind. The scope of what falls into this category is up to the GM, but generally should include broad categories such as cats, birds, fish, insects, etc.
The emissary is touched by the divine, serving as a font of wisdom and a moral compass for its master.
Requirement: An emissary familiar can serve only a master who worships a single deity.
Domain Influence: The emissary gains a spark of divine power from the deity its master worships. Choose one of that deity’s Domains; the emissary knows two of the powers in that Domain and can allow its master to cast them as long as he meets the Required Rank.
Figments are born from their masters’ imaginations rather than being ordinary creatures that are awakened.
Recurring Dream: A figment only has two Wounds as a Wild Card. If it dies, it vanishes, appearing again with one Wound after its master awakens from a full night’s sleep. If a figment ever strays more than 35 yards from its master, or if a figment’s master is unconscious or asleep, the figment disappears until the next time its master "prepares spells."
Manifest Dreams: A figment is shaped by its master’s dreams. Each time the master awakens from a full night’s rest, he can apply to the figment 1 evolution point’s worth of eidolon evolutions of his Rank or lower.
Familiars can be skilled spies, and infiltrators are the very best of their kind at the subtle art of espionage.
Scry on Familiar: An infiltrator’s master can scry on his familiar for up to 10 minutes per day (this functions like minor scrying). The duration does not need to be consecutive, but it must be used in one-minute increments.
Telepathic Bond: An infiltrator has a permanent mind link with its master.
A familiar sometimes serves as the centerpiece of an adventuring party. Known as a mascot, this type of familiar eventually treats the entire party as its master.
Lucky Mascot: The mascot starts each session with a Benny that it may allow any ally to use.
Speak with Team: A mascot gains the ability to speak with all members of its team verbally as if it were speaking with its master.
While most familiars are scouts and assistants, the mauler familiar cares only for the thrill of battle. A mauler often serves a bloodthirsty or martial-minded master.
Battle Form: A mauler has the ability to transform into a larger, more ferocious form and back as a limited action three times per day. In battle form, the mauler's Size increases by 1 and its Strength and Vigor increase one die type.
Some familiars are stealthy pilferers that perform tricks of thievery or simple spy on their master’s behalf.
Improved Steal: A pilferer has Thievery d6.
Nondetection: Anyone trying to locate a pilferer with magic suffers a -2 penalty to their arcane skill roll. The familiar's master gains this bonus while in physical contact with the pilferer.
Some familiars love to perform pranks on their unsuspecting masters, as well as on those around their masters—allies and enemies alike. While good-aligned pranksters’ tricks are usually good-natured except against foes, evil pranksters play tricks that are mean-spirited or even downright cruel.
Magical Pranks: A prankster has Innate Powers: minor sound, minor light, and minor telekinesis.
Protector familiars are so devoted that they would give their lives for their masters.
Loyal Bodyguard: A protector grants its master +1 Parry while it is adjacent to him. The protector must be visible to the attacker and not Incapacitated or otherwise unable to defend its master.
Shield Master: Whenever a protector or its master suffers any number of Wounds (after Soaking), as long as the protector and its master are touching, its master can split the Wounds evenly between them.
Sages are masters of useful facts, able to recall them for their masters’ benefit, though this leads many to become haughty and proud.
Dazzling Intellect: A sage’s Smarts becomes d6.
Sage’s Knowledge: A sage stores information on every topic and is happy to lecture its master on the finer points of a subject. A sage can Support its master on any Smarts-based skill.
Soulbound familiars are born when a master uses the magical principles behind soulbound dolls to bind a soul fragment to an animal.
Soul Focus: The soul fragment bound to the familiar lives within a focus crystal surgically inserted into the animal. As long as this soul focus remains intact, it can be used to bind the soul fragment into another familiar, with the same requirements as replacing a familiar.
Once bound into the soul focus, the soul continues to learn, and so if it is later put into a new familiar body, the soul retains its personality and memories from its previous body or bodies. A soul focus has Hardness 8, though it can be attacked only when surgically removed from the familiar.
If the soul focus is destroyed, creating a new soul focus with none of the old one’s memories costs as much as replacing a familiar, in addition to the normal cost of replacing the familiar itself. A soulbound familiar has 5 skill points.
Alignment Variation: A soulbound familiar can use an Innate Power once per day depending on its alignment: Neutral: minor empathy; Evil: minor bolt; or Good: minor boost Trait.
A valet is a consummate personal servant, able to fetch, deliver, and perform for its master’s every need.
Able Assistant: A valet gets +2 to Support rolls when assisting its master.
Magical Manipulation: A valet can cast minor mage hand.