Arcane Zoology
Our first subclass, the master of familiars! Find familiar is a recurring goldmine of material for us and other homebrewers. For our purposes, we wanted a familiar with a little more stopping power, but in our testing, it seemed less fun to force the wizard to have to choose between casting a spell and having their familiar attack, so instead, the familiar became a mobile casting platform. As the arcanozoologist grows, its familiar and other utility minion-mancy grow to match, giving the the wizard even more ways to use their already versatile spell list.
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Arcane Tradition: Arcane Zoology
While most scholars of arcane magic are primarily interested in spellcraft and spellcasting, those who study the tradition of Arcane Zoology observe the relationship between natural creatures and magical forces, as well as the many varieties of strange creatures spawned by, or changed through exposure to magic.
These mages are often more at home out in the wilds than in the dim light of a laboratory, and are known to keep the company of such like-minded folk as druids and rangers. As an arcanozoologist’s studies progress, they invariably blend their arcane and biological knowledge through spellcraft, learning to summon and communicate with beasts, and to conjure a familiar much more powerful and versatile than that of other wizards.
Arcane Zoology Features
Wizard Level Feature
2nd Soulbound Familiar, Wilderness Loremaster
6th Bestial Linguistics
10th Greater Bond
14th Nature’s Abundance
Soulbound Familiar
Starting at 2nd level, your knowledge of arcane and animal biology allows you to conjure a more powerful familiar, which acts as a conduit for some of your spellcasting. Add the find familiar spell to your spellbook if it is not there already. When you cast the spell, you can choose one of the normal forms for your familiar or one of the following special forms: blood hawk, flying snake, goat, or scorpion.
Your familiar uses your proficiency bonus rather than its own. In addition to the areas where it normally uses its proficiency bonus, your familiar also adds its proficiency bonus to its AC, and it becomes proficient with all saving throws. For each level you gain after 2nd, your familiar gains an additional hit die and increases its hit points accordingly.
Finally, when you dismiss or use the senses of your familiar, you do so as a bonus action, and when you cast a cantrip while perceiving through your familiar’s senses, your familiar can deliver the spell as if it had cast the spell. Your familiar must be within 100 feet of you, and it must use its reaction to deliver the spell when you cast it. If the spell requires an attack roll or saving throw, you use your attack modifier or save DC for the roll.
Wilderness Loremaster
At 2nd level, you are extensively read on bestial lore and physiology. Whenever you make an Intelligence (Arcana) or Intelligence (Nature) check related to magical creatures that are native to the Material Plane, you are considered proficient in that skill and add double your proficiency bonus to the check, instead of your normal proficiency bonus. In addition, you have advantage on any Intelligence (Arcana) or Intelligence (Nature) check related to a magical creature if you can see that creature.
Bestial Linguistics
At 6th level, your affinity for wild creatures enables you to commune with them, and to call on them in your time of need. Add the animal messenger, conjure animals, and speak with animals spells to your spellbook. They count as wizard spells for you.
Additionally, when you cast the conjure animals spell, for the duration you can use a bonus action to see through any one of the summoned creatures’ eyes and hear what they hear until the start of your next turn, gaining the benefits of any special senses that the creature has. During this time, you are deaf and blind with regard to your own senses.
Greater Bond
At 10th level, your familiar becomes an even more effective conduit for your magic. When you prepare spells at the end of a long rest, you may prepare two additional spells of 3rd level or lower with the help of your familiar. Whenever you cast one of these spells, your familiar can deliver the spell as if it had cast the spell. Your familiar must be within 100 feet of you, and it must use its reaction to deliver the spell when you cast it. If the spell requires an attack roll or saving throw, you use your attack modifier or save DC for the roll.
Finally, while your familiar is within 5 feet of you, you may use it as an arcane focus.
Nature's Abundance
At 14th level, your connection to your familiar grows strong enough to encompass two beings rather than only one. You can maintain two familiars at once, and both gain the benefits of your Soulbound Familiar and Greater Bond traits. When you cast the find familiar spell while you already have two familiars, you may do so without providing material components, and you can cause both familiars to adopt a new form.
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