The Pact of the chain allows to choose out of the ordinary Familiars, but that seem to tie into specific Patrons (Imp and Quasit for The Fiend Patron and Pseudodragon and Sprite for The Archfey).
That got me thinking: why not expand the list, and make the expanded choice tied more strictly to the Patron chosen? So these are the additional familiars I came up with, divided by respective Patron:
Monodrone / Homunculus (possibly limiting its Telepathic Bond ability to the usual Familiar limitations)
I am a bit stuck with the ones for The Celestial Patron, as there are no >1 CR creatures that would be native celestials... any suggestion is welcome :)
In general, what do you think of this idea/list?
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Born in Italy, moved a bunch, living in Spain, my heart always belonged to Roleplaying Games
I remember that, back in 2015, when the Celestial Patron was still in UA as the "Undying Light," Mike Mearls said on twitter that they'd already statted out a Lantern Archon that could suitably serve as a Chainlock familiar. I was... honestly super disappointed when Xanathar's came out and the lantern archon wasn't published right alongside the Celestial Warlock, lol.
I do hope they eventually publish more explicit options for Pact of the Chain. (As opposed to, like, "these are variant familiars implicitly intended for NPCs only" or "any spellcaster can beg their DM for a Tressym, but probably only if you're playing Storm King's Thunder.")
I remember that, back in 2015, when the Celestial Patron was still in UA as the "Undying Light," Mike Mearls said on twitter that they'd already statted out a Lantern Archon that could suitably serve as a Chainlock familiar. I was... honestly super disappointed when Xanathar's came out and the lantern archon wasn't published right alongside the Celestial Warlock, lol.
I do hope they eventually publish more explicit options for Pact of the Chain. (As opposed to, like, "these are variant familiars implicitly intended for NPCs only" or "any spellcaster can beg their DM for a Tressym, but probably only if you're playing Storm King's Thunder.")
Indeed, the lack of official further exploring the additional possibilities of the Pact of the Chain is what pushed me to think up this expanded list.
Here's to hoping WotC hears us out ;)
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Born in Italy, moved a bunch, living in Spain, my heart always belonged to Roleplaying Games
Only tangentially related but when I read the title before reading the thread it was my first thought...
I love unique Pact of the Chain familiars, I think it's one of the reasons to pick Pact of the Chain. That's why I love a certain homebrew Warlock compendium, which provides like... 15 new patrons, new invocations for each, a whole ton of spells, and a unique Pact of the Chain familiar for each patron. I'd recommend Warlock fans check it out, it's GenuineHeathen's Compendium of Forgotten Secrets!
Star Spawn Grue as a familiar would be too powerful.
Aura of Madness gives everybody within 20 feet of it except abberations DISADVANTAGE ON ALL SAVING THROWS. There's no save or anything to avoid that effect. That's absolutely broken for a caster to have as a familiar.
Counfounding Bite is also strong, if the Grue hits with an attack, the target must make a Wisdom-save or all attacks against it have advantage. That alone would already make a strong familiar in my opinion.
Another option from Mordenkainen's that I think could work: The choker. As an abberation from the underdark, it would fit for the Great Old One and the Hexblade quite well
I have a "wood elf" warlock of the chain charlatan, whose father was a high elf, and mother half nymph/aquatic elf, whose own whose mother was a daughter of Poseidon and an Arch-fey.
It was several months in the community campaign before anyone even saw his "True" form. And while all of his IDs had a familiar they were all different. his Sea-hob actually had a Quasit.. which was the fey spirit from Sir Dragonfly. summoned into a quasit form. Sir dragonfly told Oak G. Hart, that it really helped him understand the Unseelie better.
Yup his grandmother Arch-fey does wish he was a bard, (( Grandchildren ))
My undead warlock went with an undead "Vampiric" Sprite.
She has black wings, pale skin and white hair instead of gold, green and blond. She also has little fangs. Instead of a longsword attack that does 1 slashing she has a bite attack that does 1 piercing. Her bow attack (which is the only attack that really matters) is the same as the original. All her stats and abilities are the same except for the damage change to her melee attack (from slashing to piercing).
The Pact of the chain allows to choose out of the ordinary Familiars, but that seem to tie into specific Patrons (Imp and Quasit for The Fiend Patron and Pseudodragon and Sprite for The Archfey).
That got me thinking: why not expand the list, and make the expanded choice tied more strictly to the Patron chosen?
So these are the additional familiars I came up with, divided by respective Patron:
I am a bit stuck with the ones for The Celestial Patron, as there are no >1 CR creatures that would be native celestials... any suggestion is welcome :)
In general, what do you think of this idea/list?
Born in Italy, moved a bunch, living in Spain, my heart always belonged to Roleplaying Games
I remember that, back in 2015, when the Celestial Patron was still in UA as the "Undying Light," Mike Mearls said on twitter that they'd already statted out a Lantern Archon that could suitably serve as a Chainlock familiar. I was... honestly super disappointed when Xanathar's came out and the lantern archon wasn't published right alongside the Celestial Warlock, lol.
I do hope they eventually publish more explicit options for Pact of the Chain. (As opposed to, like, "these are variant familiars implicitly intended for NPCs only" or "any spellcaster can beg their DM for a Tressym, but probably only if you're playing Storm King's Thunder.")
Indeed, the lack of official further exploring the additional possibilities of the Pact of the Chain is what pushed me to think up this expanded list.
Here's to hoping WotC hears us out ;)
Born in Italy, moved a bunch, living in Spain, my heart always belonged to Roleplaying Games
You can always make your own. I reskinned an Imp to be a mini-Cthulhu for my GOO warlock. Cthulhu Spawn
Indeed that's an option. My intent was to provide a possible list of official creatures that could be used as Patron-specific familiars :)
Born in Italy, moved a bunch, living in Spain, my heart always belonged to Roleplaying Games
Only tangentially related but when I read the title before reading the thread it was my first thought...
I love unique Pact of the Chain familiars, I think it's one of the reasons to pick Pact of the Chain. That's why I love a certain homebrew Warlock compendium, which provides like... 15 new patrons, new invocations for each, a whole ton of spells, and a unique Pact of the Chain familiar for each patron. I'd recommend Warlock fans check it out, it's GenuineHeathen's Compendium of Forgotten Secrets!
I agree, I have this book in hardcover and it is super flavorful!
Star Spawn Grue as a familiar would be too powerful.
Aura of Madness gives everybody within 20 feet of it except abberations DISADVANTAGE ON ALL SAVING THROWS. There's no save or anything to avoid that effect. That's absolutely broken for a caster to have as a familiar.
Counfounding Bite is also strong, if the Grue hits with an attack, the target must make a Wisdom-save or all attacks against it have advantage. That alone would already make a strong familiar in my opinion.
Another option from Mordenkainen's that I think could work: The choker. As an abberation from the underdark, it would fit for the Great Old One and the Hexblade quite well
I have a "wood elf" warlock of the chain charlatan,
whose father was a high elf,
and mother half nymph/aquatic elf,
whose own whose mother was a daughter of Poseidon and an Arch-fey.
It was several months in the community campaign before anyone even saw his "True" form.
And while all of his IDs had a familiar they were all different.
his Sea-hob actually had a Quasit.. which was the fey spirit from Sir Dragonfly. summoned into a quasit form.
Sir dragonfly told Oak G. Hart, that it really helped him understand the Unseelie better.
Yup his grandmother Arch-fey does wish he was a bard, (( Grandchildren ))
Itinerant Deputy Shire-reave Tomas Burrfoot - world walker, Raft-captain, speaker to his dead
Toddy Shelfungus- Rider of the Order of Ill Luck, Speaker to Friends of Friends, and Horribly big nosed
Jarl Archi of Jenisis Glade Fee- Noble Knight of the Dragonborn Goldcrest Clan, Sorcerer of the Noble Investigator;y; Knightly order of the Wolfhound
*Casts resurrect dead thread*
I love the idea of Patron specific Pact of the Chain familiars. Anyone have suggestions for the rest of the Warlock Patrons?
Playtesting Fugare Draconis, an epic tale of adventure, loss, and redemption
My undead warlock went with an undead "Vampiric" Sprite.
She has black wings, pale skin and white hair instead of gold, green and blond. She also has little fangs. Instead of a longsword attack that does 1 slashing she has a bite attack that does 1 piercing. Her bow attack (which is the only attack that really matters) is the same as the original. All her stats and abilities are the same except for the damage change to her melee attack (from slashing to piercing).
Mephits might be a solid choice as well. Any element themed patron like genie or fathomless they could make sense for.