Familiar Master (VSoS Campaign Specific Mashup)

Learning the find familiar spell is seen as a rite of passage among fledgling wizards, as the spell offers a useful, if limited, magical servant. However, a small subschool of wizards known as the “familiar masters” or “evolutionists” believe that within the humble spell lies manifold hidden powers. Indeed, their studies have unlocked the spell’s hidden potential: the ability to evolve a familiar and fluidly shift its form

 

Level 3: Improved Familiar

Beginning when you choose this arcane tradition at 2nd level, you always have the find familiar spell prepared, and it doesn’t count against the number of spells you prepare. Additionally, you can cast the spell as an action, without expending material components. When you choose your familiar’s creature type, you can choose Aberration, Construct, Elemental, or Undead, in addition to the normal options for the spell

Level 3: Arcane Evolution

When you start casting Find Familiar, you can modify it to summon an empowered familiar. If you do so, the spell is modified in the following ways.

Attacks. Your familiar can attack.

Duration. The spell requires Concentration and its duration becomes 10 minutes for that casting. The spell ends if the familiar disappears or is temporarily dismissed.

Evolved Familiar. Your familiar’s game statistics are replaced with the Evolved Familiar stat block, but the familiar retains its senses, traits, speeds, alignment, personality, and creature type. The familiar disappears when it drops to 0 Hit Points or when the spell ends.

Spell Slot Level. If you cast the spell using a higher level spell slot, use the spell slot’s level for the spell’s level in the stat block. Its effective spell level is 1 if you cast it without a spell slot.

Level 6: Servitor's Gift

Starting at 6th level, you can form bonds with stronger and a wider array of familiars. You can bond with a familiar whose CR does not exceed 1/4 of your Wizard level, rounded up. Also, while you have a familiar, you gain a benefit based on its current form. You continue to gain this benefit when your familiar is transformed by your Arcane Evolution feature. The below list shows benefits gained by common familiars. Discuss with your DM for other benefits if you possess a familiar not on this list.

• Bat. You can use a bonus action on your turn to gain blindsight out to a distance of 15 feet while you are not deafened.
• Cat. When you land after jumping or falling, you can use your reaction to reduce falling damage to 0.
• Crab. While you aren’t wearing armor, your AC equals 12 + your Dexterity modifier.
• Frog. Your jump distances are tripled. Hawk. You have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight.
• Lizard. You have resistance to poison damage.
• Octopus. While you are grappled, you can use a bonus action to attempt to escape. When you attempt to escape from a grapple, you gain a bonus to your Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum +1).
• Owl. You gain darkvision out to a distance of 30 feet.
• Poisonous Snake. When you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you deal an extra 1d4 poison damage.
• Quipper. You have a swim speed of 30 feet, and the length of time you can hold your breath is doubled.
• Rat. You have advantage on saving throws you make to avoid or end a disease or the poisoned condition on yourself.
• Raven. You add your proficiency bonus to death saving throws and know the spare the dying cantrip, which doesn’t count against your number of cantrips known. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for this spell.
• Sea Horse. You add your proficiency bonus to ability checks you make to control a creature as a mount, and you count as one size smaller than you are for the purposes of determining creatures you can use as a mount. 262
• Spider. You have a climb speed of 30 feet.
• Weasel. Squeezing doesn’t require extra movement for you, and you can stand up from prone by spending 5 feet of movement

Level 10: Bolster Familiar

You can take a Bonus Action to give your familiar a number of Temporary Hit Points equal to twice your Wizard level. When you do, you can also change the familiar’s creature type and the form it takes from the list provided in the Find Familiar spell.

Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a Short or Long Rest. You can also restore your use of it by expending a level 2+ spell slot (no action required).

Level 14: Planar Familiar