Familiars

This table originally appeared in Dragon Magazine #200, and I have used it ever since. It supercedes the results table listed in the Player's Handbood, though all other particulars of the spell remain valid.

For MU's level 10 and above, roll d100; there is a 1% chance per level that the MU will acquire a special familiar. The familar gained is based on the MU's alignment, as follows:

CG - faerie dragon
NG - pseudodragon
LG - brownie
LN - mongrelman
N - buckawn
CN - sprite
LE - imp
NE - jermlaine
CE - quasit

Otherwise, roll on the following table:

Table 1: Familiars
1d100Result (source): benefits for wizard; common traits

Amphibians and reptiles

1 Bullfrog*: wide-angle vision; aggressive, hungry, cannot tolerate extreme heat or cold, must be kept moist
2 Chameleon*: independent eye movement; slow, torpid, camouflage coloring, prehensile tail, long muscular tongue
3 Compsognathus (MC3, “Dinosaur”): acute vision; alert, active, distracted by small prey
4 Euparkeria (MC3, “Dinosaur”): acute vision; active, constantly hunting for small prey
5 Iguana*: acute sense of smell; torpid, vegetarian, cannot tolerate extreme heat or cold
6 Snake, garter*: acute sense of smell; silent, shy, hunts for small prey
7 Toad*: wide-angle vision; lazy, slow, must stay moist, cannot tolerate extreme heat or cold

Birds

8-12 Crow/Raven (MM, “Bird”): acute vision; very literal minded, can be trained to talk, distracted by shiny objects, hates owls
13-15 Hawk (MM, “Bird”): acute long-distance vision; alert, fierce, aggressive, distracted by small ground animals
16-18 Falcon (MM, “Bird”): acute long-distance vision; very alert, easily trained, swift flier, fierce in defense, distracted by small rodents and birds
19-21 Owl (MM, “Bird”): acute night vision, acute hearing; silent flier, nocturnal, wise and calm, fierce in defense
22-23 Parrot*: acute vision; intelligent, friendly, can be trained to talk, very dexterous claws, vegetarian
24-25 Rhea (MM, “Bird”): acute vision; timid, vegetarian, flightless, prefers to live in groups

Mammals

26-27 Armadillo*: acute sense of smell; insectivore, burrower, constantly searching for food, prefers to evade danger
28-30 Badger (MC2): acute vision and sense of smell; carnivorous, burrower, aggressive, quick tempered, courageous
31-33 Bat, common (MM) (brown, pipistrel, fruit, fishing): echolocation "radar" allows it to navigate in total darkness (wizard must whistle softly to do the same); social, nocturnal, insectivore, elusive
34-40 Cat, domestic (MM, "Cat, small"): acute night vision, hearing, and sense of smell; playful, silent, curious, languorous, fierce when cornered, distracted by tiny moving creatures, friendly, easily trained
41-42 Cat, wild (MM, "Cat, small") (margay, ocelot, bobcat, lynx): acute night vision, hearing, and sense of smell; as for domestic cat, but much more wary and less social
43-44 Deer, mouse*: acute hearing, vision, and sense of smell; timid, swift, shy, wary, lives in the tropics
45-50 Dog, wild (MM) (bushdog, coyote, dingo, dhole): acute hearing and sense of smell; very social, loyal, easily trained, very alert, prone to bark at danger
51-55 Ferret (MM, "Mammal, small") acute hearing and sense of smell; intensely curious, constantly moving, distracted easily, tires easily
56-58 Fox (MM, "Mammal, small") (red, gray, kit, silver, arctic): acute hearing and sense of smell; cautious, sly, silent, opportunistic
59-60 Jackal (MM, "Mammal"): acute hearing and sense of smell; cautious, timid, opportunistic, loyal, not as cowardly as is commonly thought
61-65 Monkey (MM, "Mammal, small") (capuchin, spider, rhesus, howler): acute hearing; curious, playful, greedy, prone to tantrums, intelligent, easily trained, dexterous paws, some have prehensile tails, arboreal
66-70 Opossum*: acute sense of smell, nocturnal, torpid by day, omnivorous, arboreal, hunts poisonous snakes
71-75 Otter (MM, "Mammal, small"): acute hearing and vision; very playful, social, aquatic, carnivore very easily distracted
76-80 Rabbit (MM, "Mammal, small"): acute hearing and vision; timid, swift, alert, prolific, some are social, some burrow
81-85 Raccoon (MM, "Mammal, small"): acute hearing and sense of smell adaptable, opportunistic, dexterous paws, very playful, curious, social, easy to train
86-90 Rat, wood (MM): acute hearing and sense of smell; curious, very active, collects shiny objects, nocturnal
91-95 Skunk (MM, "Mammal"): acute sense of smell; confident, calm, peaceful, plodding, clean when not spraying enemies
96-00 Squirrel (MM, "Mammal, small"): acute hearing and vision; very active, quarrelsome, noisy, arboreal, curious