FrivYeti/Familiar

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The Solar Familiar Charm Tree

Note: The following Charm tree was developed after some problems with familiars in a higher-level Solar game; specifically, after around a hundred experience, a familiar for a Solar starts to fall behind in usefulness compared to other backgrounds. The following Charm tree, inspired by the Sidereal familiar Charms, the listed familiars in Creatures of the Wyld, and my musings, is my attempt to fix this problem.

Sun-Blessed Companion

Cost: 5 motes, 1 willpower, 1 experience
Type: Simple
Duration: Instant
Min. Survival: 4
Min. Essence: 3
Prereqs: Spirit-Tied Pet

The character focuses an echo of her Essence into her familiar, increasing its power and skill as befits the companion of a Prince of the Earth. The familiar changes as follows:
--Its Intelligence immediately increases to 2.
--It develops Virtues; all Virtues begin at 1, and the player can assign six more dots. No Virtue may be raised above 4.
--Its Willpower increases to the sum of its two highest Virtues.
--It develops an Essence pool equal to its (Permanent Essence x6) + (Willpower) + (Sum of Virtues)
--It gains the ability to attune to artifacts as though it were a Solar Exalt, provided that it can wear/wield them.
--It heals, resists disease and poison, and ages as though it were a Solar Exalt.
The familiar is also capable of benefiting from future Charms along this Charm tree.

Body-Building Instruction

Cost: 5 motes, 1 willpower, 1-2 experience
Type: Simple
Duration: Instant
Min. Survival: 5
Min. Essence: 3
Prereqs: Sun-Blessed Companion

The character spends time with her familiar, which grows in power and skill. The familiar gains one dot in an Attribute or Ability; an Attribute requires the character to spend 2 experience, while an Ability requires only 1 experience. This Charm may be used repeatedly, but no single Attribute may be raised by more than the character’s Essence, and no Ability may be raised above the character's own rating. It takes a number of days equal to the familiar’s current Attribute or Ability rating for the change to take place; during this time, no other changes may be made (through this Charm or other Charms in this tree).

Charm-Granting Prana

Cost: 10 motes, 1 willpower, 2 experience
Type: Simple
Duration: Instant
Min. Survival: 5
Min. Essence: 3
Prereqs: Sun-Blessed Companion

Through long exposure to the character, the familiar begins to shadow its master’s powers. The familiar learns a single Charm, which it must have the prerequisites for, and which its master must know. The cost for the Charm increases by 2 motes; if the Charm provides bonus dice or successes, the cost increases by 1 mote per bonus granted (so, for example, Excellent Strike costs 2 motes per die, Golden Essence block costs 2 motes per two dice, and Ferocious Jab costs a flat 3 motes). It takes a number of days equal to the Charm’s Ability requirement for the change to take place; during this time, no other changes may be made (through this Charm or other Charms in this tree).

Essence-Blossoming Technique

Cost: 10 motes, 2 willpower, 1, 2 or 4 experience
Type: Simple
Duration: Instant
Min. Survival: 5
Min. Essence: 4
Prereqs: Body-Building Instruction, Charm-Granting Prana 

Over time, the familiar’s very soul grows in power. For 1 experience, the familiar gains 1 point of Permanent Willpower; this may not raise the familiar's Willpower above the character's, and requires a number of days equal to the familiar's Willpower score. For 2 experience, the familiar gains 1 point in a Virtue; this may not raise the familiar's Virtue above 5, and requires a number of days equal to the familiar's Virtue score. For 4 experience, the familiar gains an extra dot of Permanent Essence, which increases its Essence pool appropriately. This effect may be used a number of times equal to the Solar’s Essence halved (round down) on a given familiar. This change takes a number of weeks equal to the familiar’s current Essence rating for the change to take place. During any of these three times, no other changes may be made (through this Charm or other Charms in this tree).

Comments

I enjoy these new charms, and think they are a welcome addition for players with familiars. However, I believe that there should be another charm between Spirit-Tied Pet and Sun-Blessed Companion. Possible by spliting the effects of Sun-Blessed Companion into two charms. - Virgil

Originally, actually, Sun-Blessed Companion was divided into 'Sun-Blessed Companion' and 'Celestial Body Technique'. The second Charm granted the healing, soak and poison/disease resistance, as well as allowing the familiar to attune to all artifacts as a Solar, not just orichalcum. However, what we rapidly discovered in playtesting is that the Charm tree is an Essence sink, and it really doesn't need speedbumps to operate properly. I also condensed Attribute and Ability increasing from two Charms into one. - FrivYeti