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Atronach/Familiar Binding Guide


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The Creation and Playing of Familiars

A Guide

 

See the full lore here:

https://www.lordofthecraft.net/forums/topic/141253-playable-arcane-familiars-a-mages-construct/?page=1



 

Contents

I - What are familiars?

II - Familiar Binding & Creation

III - Playing a Familiar

IV - Red Lines

 

What are Familiars?

 

Familiars are, in the simplest description, constructs fueled by the arcane. They are conjuration elementals given permanence through Mana-gem cores and arcane plates. These arcane plates define the shape and regeneration of the Familiar, and if they are too damaged the familiar will not be able to regenerate its lost element into the correct shape.

 

In function, they are very similar to golems. They are of limited intelligence and are magically bound to follow the verbal commands of their creator. The similarities end here, however.

 

Familiars have the limited ability to manipulate their bodies in a way similar to casting magic. Rather than connecting to the void and consciously forming the element (a task far too complex for such a being), they simply project their forms in the direction of a foe.

 

After casting, their diminished mass slowly regenerates as the enchanted core summons more of the element.

 

There are five types of Familiars. These are Stone, Ice, Arcane, Water, and Fire. Each of them have their own properties.

 

~

 

Stone Familiars are the most similar to golems, being made of rock bound by arcane plates. They are the most solid, and best at manipulating physical objects. They are, however, much more limited than other types in their ability to cast, only able to launch fingers or spikes at opponents from their bodies.

 

Ice Familiars are, in use, very much like Stone. They serve the same functions and have the same abilities, though are slightly weaker. They are able to launch small spikes of ice from their bodies.

 

Arcane Familiars are a sort of ‘jack of all trades’ among familiars. While their forms are more frail than those of stone or ice, they are able to manipulate objects with the same ease as their solid counterparts while still casting with ease.

 

Water Familiars are slightly less powerful versions of fire familiars. They are able to shoot jets or orbs of water at ease towards their opponents, but lack the sturdy form of other sorts.

 

Fire Familiars are the most volatile sort. Made of flame and arcane plates, they can launch jets of flame and fireballs from their bodies. They are also the most vulnerable, though. Severe damage to their plates can lead to them exploding as the core tries to regenerate fire without boundaries.

 

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Familiar Binding and Creation

 

The creation of a Familiar requires a MAT-locked knowledge much like Golemancy. This knowledge is called Familiar Binding.

 

In addition to this, the creation of a familiar requires the combination of Conjuration, Evocation, and Transfiguration. The Evocation and Conjuration create the elemental spell, while the Transfiguration enchants it onto the core. A Transfigurationist’s entrapments of magic are perfectly viable for this. When a Familiar is created, it is initially linked to the Transfigurationist that created it.

 

As per the Familiar types, only Earth, Water, Fire, and Arcane evocations are applicable.

 

When a familiar is bound to its core, its size and shape are dictated by the Arcane Plates that are connected to the core. These plates serve to essentially tell the core the boundaries of where it should summon the element.

 

These plates do not need create an entire shell around the being, and can cover (within reason) as much or as little of it as the creator decides. A more full covering is easier to hit, but much sturdier than a less full one.

 

The size of a familiar is also important. A small familiar is possible to create, but will be much weaker than a larger one due to a smaller pool of its element to use. A larger familiar, however, puts a heavier strain on its core. The core has an effective range of roughly three and a half feet, and cannot easily summon the element past this. As a result, Familiars cannot exceed past this in any direction.

 

When a familiar is made, its player will take one of two nexus races for its.

 

Stone and Ice - Construct

 

Water, Fire, and Arcane - Necrolyte

 

Playing a Familiar

 

Playing a familiar is like playing a golem. A familiar is compelled to follow the verbal commands of its master and is incapable of disobeying. Familiars are capable of basic and can speak clearly, but without any emotion.

 

A familiar’s ‘home’ must be near a mana obelisk to retain its energy. A familiar does not need to remain exclusively near one, but it cannot linger for extended periods of time if one is not around to refuel its core.

 

The abilities of a familiar are based on the type being played. Solid familiars (Ice and Stone) have different specialties than Fluid familiars (Water and Fire). Arcane familiars have many perks of both which will be described.

 

Solid

 

Stone and Ice familiars are much better at using physical objects than fluid ones. They will often be equipped with swords or other weapons to use as their primary offense.

 

The ranged capabilities of a solid familiar are very limited, though. A familiar designed with spikes on its arm would be able to launch them (or even its fingers) like a crossbow’s bolt, but cannot spew a jet of their element like a fluid one can. These projectiles, when launched, take a long time to be regenerated by the familiar’s core.

 

In a fight, the launch of a spike should take between two and four emotes. One must be dedicated to getting the arm (or other surface) into position, another to aiming, and finally one for firing.

 

While still very important, the arcane plates of a solid familiar are not quite as large a weakness as they are in other sorts. If a plate is severely damaged, the element will begin to form unchecked at the break but will do so at a slow rate, allowing the being to continue fighting for a few moments before the growth renders them immobile.



 

Fluid

 

Fluid familiars are opposite to Solids. They are incapable of wielding weapons or tools, but their bodies are much greater in use than those of solids.

 

Fluid familiars have no melee abilities to speak of. A fluid familiar can swipe its arm at a nearby attacker, but at great risk to its own arcane plates.

 

In ranged ability, though, this short shines. Fluid familiars can project their element with ease in the forms of either a jet or an orb. The nature of their bodies allow for faster regeneration as well. The quantity they can cast before the core must replenish the element is roughly equal to a fourth-tier evoker. While this replenishment is still quicker than that of a solid, it still takes more time than most battles will allow for a nearly depleted familiar to regenerate.

 

The arcane plates of a fluid familiar are far more vulnerable than that of their solid counterparts. If a plate is severely damaged, the element will spew from the break uncontrollable, diminishing the mass of the familiar. Multiple breaks can likely lead to a familiar exploding as the core generates the element through them.

 

Arcane

 

Arcane Familiars server as a combination of both types. They are able to manipulate objects as well as a solid familiar, but can cast as well as a fluid one. Instead of a liquid expulsion, arcane familiars can launch orbs of energy or beams of it.

 

They take after the weaknesses of a fluid familiar, though. Due to the fragile nature of arcane whisps, they are only slightly more durable than water or fire familiars.

 

Red Lines

 

A Familiar’s casting is very limited, and must be an ejection from its own form. A stone familiar cannot form a rock above it, for example.

 

Only the following magicks can be used to create familiars. (Familiar Binding is required in addition)

Conjuration

Alteration (Transfiguration)

One of: Water Evo, Earth Evo, Fire Evo, Arcanism

 

Familiars have no free will.

 

Familiars cannot be larger than seven feet in diameter.

 

‘Solid’ familiars are the only type that can easily manipulate physical objects, though ‘liquid’ familiars are far superior at casting.



 

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