**TLDR: Newish DM coming up with a Kitsune familiar for one of their players. To add a magical ability(s) or not? Also flavoring ideas?**
So I'm a newish DM currently running a the LMoP. One of my players is playing as a Tabaxi Arcane Trickster. I started them off at level 2 and as they're about to hit level 3 and get their subclass we were discussing what familiar she would choose. (Because of course she is going to choose Find Familiar). She's new to dnd so was thinking of familiars like a fairy or small dragon. I told her that unfortunately those were a little advanced for a standard familiar and usually only available to Pact of the Chain Warlocks. After some discussion she asked about a Kitsune or at least a fox. I think that's a good compromise and it really fits her character who is Japanese themed. I could use some help coming up with the stats/abilities though. I would like it's physical stats to be pretty typical, but it's mental stats be more or less close to a PC's. I would like it to clearly have an element of magic and beyond just being a fox, but not quite as powerful as Chain Pact familiars. Here's what I have so far:
Keen Smell/Hearing. The Kitsune has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell/hearing.
Shape Change: The Kitsune can, at will, change form into any of the animals normally available through the find Find Familiar spell
Actions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack:+0 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 1 slashing damage.
Mechanically I think I'm comfortable with this so far but I'm open to recommendations if you all see something problematic. I think the physical stats are simple enough. And for the mental stats I don't see there being a problem with it being essentially as smart as the PCs. I like the idea of it being able to speak out loud and intelligent enough to hold conversation. Since my world is high magic I don't see there being a problem with any of that. To reflect Kitsunes trickster-y natures I gave it expertise in Deception as well as the Shape Change ability. What I would like a recommendation for is one (maybe two?) special abilities to give it.
My first thought was flight since the player would really like that. And there is thematic precedent for that apparently. But I feel like giving that might be too much. Thoughts?
My other though was to add to the deceptive nature of Kitsune. Being able to cast Invisibility in itself would be cool though I think it would have to be reigned in some. Like limiting it to 1-3 times per day, and/or making it only last 1-10 minutes. Do y'all agree?
What about Disguise Self? Kitsune are known for being able to appear in human forms (either literally or through illusion). Is that OP? What if it were available when the player were at a higher level?
Finally Kitsune were known to have a little power over lightening/fire. What if it were able to use Prestidigitation, specifically it's ability "to ignite or snuff out a small flame or campfire"?
So what are y'alls thoughts? As cool as I think these ideas are, I really don't want the familiar to be overpowered. Should I leave the stats as they are with just the edited Shape Change ability? Or would you say I'm safe to add one of the additional abilities?
Finally a quick question re flavor/personality. I was recently inspired by the fox familiar in Worlds Beyond Number. I feel like Brian NAILED the personality. I don't want to do a 1 for 1 copy, but I love parts of it. His mischievous nature of course, but also his lack of understanding of how society works. I'm imagining the player summoning the familiar for the first time and the Kitsune just appearing, sniffing around a while until the PC starts to wonder if it can talk or not. Then it just looks to the PC and is like:
"What's this?"
"... What's what?"
*looks around* "all this... A minute ago I was nothing. Now I'm something. And I'm in a place. So what's this?"
"Oh... You mean... What's life?"
"Yeah. And what's you? And what's me? And what are words? And why do I know what words are?"
"Oh... um..."
The player is really excited to have a familiar and while I feel like an intro like that would really catch her off guard, I think she would love it. Do you guys have any ideas for other personality traits for it? Sorry for such a long post. Thank you in advanced! All constructive ideas and criticism are completely welcome!
I don't think any of the spells you mentioned are game breaking, but invisibility is a 2nd level spell, so maybe you could give it at a higher level. Or, you could do an interesting roleplaying thing where the familiar can be taught a certain number of simple spells. Maybe it works a bit like wizard, where the familiar "learns" a spell through roleplay or an event, but then the player has decide if they want the familiar to prepare it, with there being a limited number of spells it can prepare every day. Also, if you want to focus on the flame part, look at the control flames cantrip! I can see the full prestidigitation also being fine, because foxes are meant to be tricksters a lot of the time. Really, you should just have fun with it. :)
Mt 2cp worth....If there is no-one playing a warlock in your game then give the arcane tirckster a Pixie or Pseudodragon familiar, you won't be stepping on anyones toes by doing it and it might just save you a headache. You could also look into giving them a Tressym familiar, they are winged cats but flavour it as a fox and that could work or use the Imp familiar then change its type from fiend to fey, change its appearnace to fox and then switch the animal forms it can shapechange into to something thematically interesting.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
* Need a character idea? Search for "Rob76's Unused" in the Story and Lore section.
Why not a normal familiar (fey)that is a fox. Not on the original PHB list but not out of balance. That way your not making anything new up and accidentally handing the player a touch more ability and power than they should have.
Normal familiars do not have a shape change ability and the only spells they can cast are those touch spells that are cast through them by their master.
Being a fey creature a normal familiar can change its form each time you recast the spell. Which if the AT takes the ritual caster feat they could cast it at no spell slot cost. Personally its not worth taking the spell any other way than as a ritual spell. It lasts forever or at least until the creature dies or you permanently dismiss it. Plus having the ritual caster feat lets you get all the ritual spells from the wizard list eventually. Potentially almost doubling your spell list.
If it were me I would just allow her to summon a normal familiar and let it be a fox. But if you want something a little more… then I would give them a tressym and just reskin it as a flying fox instead of a flying cat. But that’s just me.
**TLDR: Newish DM coming up with a Kitsune familiar for one of their players. To add a magical ability(s) or not? Also flavoring ideas?**
So I'm a newish DM currently running a the LMoP. One of my players is playing as a Tabaxi Arcane Trickster. I started them off at level 2 and as they're about to hit level 3 and get their subclass we were discussing what familiar she would choose. (Because of course she is going to choose Find Familiar). She's new to dnd so was thinking of familiars like a fairy or small dragon. I told her that unfortunately those were a little advanced for a standard familiar and usually only available to Pact of the Chain Warlocks. After some discussion she asked about a Kitsune or at least a fox. I think that's a good compromise and it really fits her character who is Japanese themed. I could use some help coming up with the stats/abilities though. I would like it's physical stats to be pretty typical, but it's mental stats be more or less close to a PC's. I would like it to clearly have an element of magic and beyond just being a fox, but not quite as powerful as Chain Pact familiars. Here's what I have so far:
Mechanically I think I'm comfortable with this so far but I'm open to recommendations if you all see something problematic. I think the physical stats are simple enough. And for the mental stats I don't see there being a problem with it being essentially as smart as the PCs. I like the idea of it being able to speak out loud and intelligent enough to hold conversation. Since my world is high magic I don't see there being a problem with any of that. To reflect Kitsunes trickster-y natures I gave it expertise in Deception as well as the Shape Change ability. What I would like a recommendation for is one (maybe two?) special abilities to give it.
So what are y'alls thoughts? As cool as I think these ideas are, I really don't want the familiar to be overpowered. Should I leave the stats as they are with just the edited Shape Change ability? Or would you say I'm safe to add one of the additional abilities?
Finally a quick question re flavor/personality. I was recently inspired by the fox familiar in Worlds Beyond Number. I feel like Brian NAILED the personality. I don't want to do a 1 for 1 copy, but I love parts of it. His mischievous nature of course, but also his lack of understanding of how society works. I'm imagining the player summoning the familiar for the first time and the Kitsune just appearing, sniffing around a while until the PC starts to wonder if it can talk or not. Then it just looks to the PC and is like:
"What's this?"
"... What's what?"
*looks around* "all this... A minute ago I was nothing. Now I'm something. And I'm in a place. So what's this?"
"Oh... You mean... What's life?"
"Yeah. And what's you? And what's me? And what are words? And why do I know what words are?"
"Oh... um..."
The player is really excited to have a familiar and while I feel like an intro like that would really catch her off guard, I think she would love it. Do you guys have any ideas for other personality traits for it? Sorry for such a long post. Thank you in advanced! All constructive ideas and criticism are completely welcome!
I don't think any of the spells you mentioned are game breaking, but invisibility is a 2nd level spell, so maybe you could give it at a higher level. Or, you could do an interesting roleplaying thing where the familiar can be taught a certain number of simple spells. Maybe it works a bit like wizard, where the familiar "learns" a spell through roleplay or an event, but then the player has decide if they want the familiar to prepare it, with there being a limited number of spells it can prepare every day. Also, if you want to focus on the flame part, look at the control flames cantrip! I can see the full prestidigitation also being fine, because foxes are meant to be tricksters a lot of the time. Really, you should just have fun with it. :)
Mt 2cp worth....If there is no-one playing a warlock in your game then give the arcane tirckster a Pixie or Pseudodragon familiar, you won't be stepping on anyones toes by doing it and it might just save you a headache. You could also look into giving them a Tressym familiar, they are winged cats but flavour it as a fox and that could work or use the Imp familiar then change its type from fiend to fey, change its appearnace to fox and then switch the animal forms it can shapechange into to something thematically interesting.
Why not a normal familiar (fey)that is a fox. Not on the original PHB list but not out of balance.
That way your not making anything new up and accidentally handing the player a touch more ability and power than they should have.
Normal familiars do not have a shape change ability and the only spells they can cast are those touch spells that are cast through them by their master.
Being a fey creature a normal familiar can change its form each time you recast the spell. Which if the AT takes the ritual caster feat they could cast it at no spell slot cost.
Personally its not worth taking the spell any other way than as a ritual spell. It lasts forever or at least until the creature dies or you permanently dismiss it.
Plus having the ritual caster feat lets you get all the ritual spells from the wizard list eventually. Potentially almost doubling your spell list.
If it were me I would just allow her to summon a normal familiar and let it be a fox. But if you want something a little more… then I would give them a tressym and just reskin it as a flying fox instead of a flying cat. But that’s just me.
Creating Epic Boons on DDB
DDB Buyers' Guide
Hardcovers, DDB & You
Content Troubleshooting