Find Familiar

Magic-user 1

Range. 1 mile per CL

Duration. Special

Area of Effect. Special

Conjuration/Summoning

Components. V, S, M

Casting Time. 1-24 hours

Saving Throw. Neg.

A familiar is of certain benefit to a magic-user, as the creature adds to the spell caster's hit points, it conveys its sensory powers to its master, and it can converse with and will serve as a guard/scout/spy as well.

However, the magic-user has no control over what sort of creature will answer the summoning, or if any at all will come, and the power of the conjuration is such that it can be attempted but once per year.

At such time as the magic-user determines to find a familiar, he or she must stoke up a brass brazier with charcoal, and when this is burning well, add 100 g.p. worth of incense, herbs (basil, savory, and catnip for sure), and fat. When these items are burning, the spell caster begins his or her incantation, and it must be continued until the familiar comes or the casting time is finished. Your referee will secretly determine all results.

The magic-user has absolutely no control over what sort of a creature appears to become his or her familiar. This will be determined on the table below:

* Subtract 1 from the die score for each 3 levels of experience of the spell caster, and if the score is 15 or less roll again using d16, and if a 16 is rolled then the result is final.

If a score of 15 is rolled, use the table below for a special familiar [based on the alignment of the spellcaster]:

Chaotic evil or [Chaotic Neutral] = quasit
Chaotic Good, Neutral, or Neutral Good = psuedo-dragon
Lawful Neutral or Lawful Good = brownie
Lawful Evil or Neutral Evil = imp

Normal familiars have 2-4 hit points and armor class of 7 (due to size, speed, etc.). Each is abnormally intelligent and totally faithful to the magic-user whose familiar it becomes. The number of the familiar's hit points is added to the hit point total of the magic-user when it is within 12" of its master, but if the familiar should ever be killed, the magic-user will permanently lose double that number of hit points.

If a special familiar is indicated, details of the powers it conveys are given in ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, MONSTER MANUAL for all except the brownie.

This creature becomes a friend and companion to the magic-user, and he or she will gain Dexterity equal to the brownie's (18) and the advantage of never being surprised, as well as +2 on all saving throws.

Note that special familiars are entitled to a saving throw versus magic when summoned by the spell, and if they succeed, they will ignore the spell, and NO familiar will be available that year to the caster.

A familiar will fight for the life of the magic-user it serves only in a life-and-death situation, and imps and quasits will be 90% likely not to do so at the risk of their own life.

If the magic-user opts to send away a familiar, he or she may never again find another until the former is killed or dies. Purposely killing or causing to be killed a familiar (or former familiar) is most likely to find great disfavor with the gods, assuming, of course, that this pertains to the magic-user and his or her associated familiar.

Note that spell duration concerns the finding of the familiar. Once it is found, the familiar will serve until killed.

To determine animal availability, see the fourth level druid spell, Animal Summoning I.

Animal Summoning I. By means of this spell, the druid calls up to eight animals of whatever sort the druid names when the summoning is made, if such type are within spell range. The druid may try three times to summon three different sorts of animals, i.e. suppose that wild dogs are first summoned to no avail, then hawks are unsuccessfully called, and finally the druid calls for wild horses which may or may not be within summoning range. Your referee will determine probabilities if the presence of a summoned animal type is not known. [...]For probable animals in the area see the foregoing commentary on Locate Animals. [...] If the druid names such an animal type, allow summoning if otherwise indicated, but limit the number appearing to 1-3.

Locate Animals. This spell is another which requires a bit of effort on the part of the DM. As it is quite unlikely that each and every species of animal in the area of the spell caster will be recorded, you will have to use the probabilities of your milieu. Obviously, there is 0% chance of locating a polar bear in the jungle, or a jungle cat in a cavern thousands of feet below ground, etc. So the locale is second after the region as to whether or not some animal will be within spell range. Then consider the terrain—mountain lions do not typically roam the prairies, for instance. Lastly, consider the frequency of the animal desired in relation to all of the above. If the animal is within the area of probability, allow a straight percentile roll for frequency:

- COMMON = 50% chance,
- UNCOMMON = 25% chance,
- RARE = 10% chance,
- VERY RARE = 5% chance.

Circumstances will always prevail, so modify as necessary to allow for the surroundings.

Polyhedron #25, Dispel Confusion, p.28: ADQ: According to page 66 of the Players Handbook, a familiar "conveys its sensory powers to its master". Does this mean that the magic-user himself is endowed with night vision, superior hearing, etc.? Or, does it mean rather that there is some kind of mental link which allows the mage to see through his familiar's eyes, hear with its ears, etc.?ADA: The magic-user does NOT see through the familiar's eyes; that telepathic effect is gained only via a homonculous. A familiar's much looser connection does give the magic-user additional powers, as given in the spell description.

Polyhedron #19; Dispel Confusion, p.31: ADQ: Do normal familiars detect as magic? Can they be Dispelled?ADA: No. Even though a spell was used to find the familiar, it is not considered magical itself. Normal familiars do not detect as magic, nor can a Detect Magic send one away.

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