[top]Improved Familiar [General]

This feat allows spellcasters to acquire a new familiar from a nonstandard list, but only when they could normally acquire a new familiar.
[top]Prerequisites
Ability to acquire a new familiar, compatible alignment, sufficiently high level (see below).
[top]Benefit
When choosing a familiar, the creatures listed below are also available to the spellcaster. The spellcaster may choose a familiar with an alignment up to one step away on each of the alignment axes (lawful through chaotic, good through evil).
FamiliarAlignmentArcane Spellcaster Level
Shocker lizardNeutral5th
StirgeNeutral5th
Formian workerLawful neutral7th
ImpLawful evil7th
PseudodragonNeutral good7th
QuasitChaotic evil7th
Improved familiars otherwise use the rules for regular familiars, with two exceptions: If the creature?s type is something other than animal, its type does not change; and improved familiars do not gain the ability to speak with other creatures of their kind (although many of them already have the ability to communicate).

The list in the table above presents only a few possible improved familiars. Almost any creature of the same general size and power as those on the list makes a suitable familiar. Nor is the master?s alignment the only possible categorization. For instance, improved familiars could be assigned by the master?s creature type or subtype, as shown below.
FamiliarType/SubtypeArcane Spellcaster Level
Celestial hawk1Good3rd
Fiendish Tiny viper snake2Evil3rd
Air elemental, SmallAir5th
Earth elemental, SmallEarth5th
Fire elemental, SmallFire5th
Shocker lizardElectricity5th
Water elemental, SmallWater5th
Homunculus3Undead7th
Ice mephitCold7th

  1. Or other celestial animal from the standard familiar list.
  2. Or other fiendish animal from the standard familiar list.
  3. The master must first create the homunculus, substituting ichor or another part of the master?s body for blood if necessary.

System Reference Document -> Feats
 
This article is a D20 reference page
The System Reference Document is a comprehensive toolbox consisting of rules, races, classes, feats, skills, various systems, spells, magic items, and monsters compatible with the d20 System version of Dungeons & Dragons and various other roleplaying games from Wizards of the Coast.
 

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