Shifters and Familiars

[asajosh]

There are some optional familiars in Rifter 21, if you can find a copy. Most are original others are old supernatural favorites, like Worms of Taut. As always, subject to GM aproval.

[JTwig]

I know in the book it says "no supernatural" for the types of creatures that can be made into a familiar, and obviously, humanoid-level intelligence is right out, and many supernatural creatures have that, but....

Who in their right mind would get a familiar that is
1. A weak SDC squishy in a chaotic, violent MD/Magic world
&
2. Very short lived compared to the caster

...when the death of the familiar has negative effects on the mage? (loss of 10 HP permenantly plus a 50% chance of going into shock)

Now take a D-Bee shifter from a race that is MUCH longer lived than the typical Rifts human, and a campaign that pretty violent in it's own right, and well, the cool aspect of a familiar seems a pipe dream (or insanity).

Is there some way around the supernatural thing so that something like a Drakin Bird (PFR Monsters and Animals p38), or for some normal animal to be modified to be tougher _and_ long enough lived to be worth the trouble (and risk)?

I know that it says no supernatural creatures, as it does for all descriptions of familiars. Ignore it. Palladium has, in fact one of the Nightbane sourcebooks has a section on familairs from the Nightlands, and all of them are supernatural creatures (a few of them even have human intelligence).

The only rules for my games I would stick with would be the animal intelligence, and not creatures of magic (supernatural would be o.k., but magic is a whole different class of creatures).

[Library Ogre]

Completely random, zero research thought: You can bind anything as a familiar, but you have to sacrifice PPE equal to the animal's normal PPE, in addition to any other abilities you buy for it.

[drewkitty ~..~]

There are some optional familiars in Rifter 21, if you can find a copy. Most are original others are old supernatural favorites, like Worms of Taut. As always, subject to GM aproval.

The Options in R21 are an expansion to the new familiar rules found in Through the Glass Darkly. Through the Glass Darkly contain many meraversal rules concerning magic. Personally I find the TtGD rules to be better, even if they let tend to break down the more PPE the mage is willing to throw into enhancing the familiar.

[asajosh]

There are some optional familiars in Rifter 21, if you can find a copy. Most are original others are old supernatural favorites, like Worms of Taut. As always, subject to GM aproval.

The Options in R21 are an expansion to the new familiar rules found in Through the Glass Darkly. Through the Glass Darkly contain many meraversal rules concerning magic. Personally I find the TtGD rules to be better, even if they let tend to break down the more PPE the mage is willing to throw into enhancing the familiar.

TY Drew, I'll re-read my copy of TtGD when I get it back (sometimes I feel like a PB lending library )

[G]

Go buy DB7: Megaverse builder.

Skip to page 50 exotic familiars.

Enjoy.