BogMod/FamiliarChanges
Its a simple fact that as far as backgrounds go Familiar is fairly weak. To most beginning Solars a Familiar is of 0 challange to kill in a fight. A 'dangerous' animal like a tiger is actually no real threat to any Exalt. In fact in any fight where the character could be threatened the Familiar has no hope to survive. This means to me the entire area needs an edit. So here is my try at it.
First of all the Familiars are so bonded with the character's essence they gain a form of immortality. A familiar heals one level of damage an hour regardless of source. This happens even if a familiar is killed. Familiars do not age and while they can grow hungry they will never starve or die from such normal means. To kill a Familiar permenently requires one of three ways. First of all is seperate the Familiar from the character. If you can put a mile of distance per level of Familiar between a Familiar and its master and slay the creature they will not heal and rise up. Second method is to kill the character first and then slay the beast. The third way is to use god-killing charms to finish it off. With the first two ways a Familiar can be revived by a character finding its body and letting it slowly restore to life. In fact a Solar could potentially find an old tomb or ruin, find a long forgotten set of bones and watch as an ancient ally and friend springs to life to rejoin them.
Second of all Familiars are all able to understand and communicate with a character. Weaker Familiars will think in basic animal terms but more powerful ones are easily as intelligent as your average human if not smarter. They have a short telepathic bond of about 100 yards. They can communicate by telepathy or by facial expressions, natural animal noises and postures as well that the character and character alone can understand or even speak as fluently as anyone else.
All Familiars grant an additional 5 motes of Essence that a character can draw on when in contact with the familiar.
Finally there should be a scaling effect available with charms. Just as a level 5 artifact is never going to be obsolete neither should a level 5 familiar.
• This level of familiar is something like a loyal and intelligent tiger companion.
•• Familiars of this level are either more intelligent then the norm or have some small and minor powers in the form of appropriate charms to the type of character exalt or god Charms.
••• Familiars at this level are likely full on Godblooded or minor dieties or elementals.
•••• Familiars at this level are credible threats to young Exalted who are not heavily invested in being skilled in combat. Alternatively they should provide great aid in some area outside of combat. A supernaturally wise owl who serves as a tutor in sorcery or charms as well as being able to carry a character around the world for example.
••••• This is a level of Familiar oftentimes created more then found. Always unique at this stage many were forged of the First Age Sorceries or technology of the time. These should be the perfect companion to a character granting useful powers able to be used in tandem. Familiars of this level are often times famous in their own right and those who see you with one will know you are a being of power.
