Freed Familiar

Magic users can be weak, or powerful. Some die young while exploring the world, others become masters of the magic. No matter how powerful are they, almost always they require the assistance of a spirit, which assumes an animal form, and is called familiar. Most familiars are replaced during their masters life, and disappear after its death. But there are a few exceptions. Some familiars are with their masters since the beginning, learning with them, growing with them. When a powerful caster dies, if his familiar was enough time with him, it has the power to choose. They can return to their spiritual forms, and seek for a new master. Or they can overcome the end of their contract, keep their physical form and continue living until their body disappear. Those who choose to stay are called Freed Familiars.

Physical Description

Freed Familiars are tiny animals who used to serve to their masters. When a freed familiar is in its true form, it is indistinguishable from a common animal. But a freed familiar knows that sometimes, its body is not convenient, and now it is on its own. To overcome this complication, it can transform itself into a humanoid, using some of powers that it recovered since the contract's end. While its humanoid form is practical and resembles a human, it is not perfect. Some of its animal quirks are present even when it tries to hide them. Some are more obvious than others, but all of them have at least one feature that reveal its true nature. Most freed familiars feel more comfortable in their true forms, and can exhibit behaviors typical of their animal form even when they are in their avatar form.

History

The Freed Familiars exist since the users of magic learned how to invoke spirits, and their reasons for staying after the death of their masters are as diverse as the amount of casters there are. Sometimes it is a promise, other times are the thirst for knowledge, or perhaps the desire of revenge.

Society

Freed Familiars rarely contact each other. Familiars have only ever known the love of their summoner. As such, interaction can sometimes be a hard thing for them. But doubly so, it is a marvelous experience and many familiars relish in the freedom to express themselves to the ones they are close with. A freed familiar can have a family with other humanoid races, but their nature makes them to not leave any trace of their heritage. The only exception to this is when two freed familiars are together, in which case they can't have children.

Racial Names

Freed Familiars rarely use their spirit names. Almost always they keep the name given by their masters. It can be impractical in some social situations, but they don't care.

Avatar: To make the contract with your previous master, you had to abandon some of your spirit powers. In exchange, you acquired knowledge and power from him. After his death, you recovered some of your old powers, gaining the ability to change your shape to resemble a human. As an action, you can polymorph your body into a human like form. This form is always the same when you use this feature. You don't change your gender when using this feature, and your body shows some animal quirks as animal ears, cat eyes, a tail, soft scales on specific areas, sharp teeth or nails, or others, depending on your true form.

However, your equipment does not change with you, and if you die, you revert to your true form.

Familiar knowledge: You have advantage on Arcana(intelligence) checks.

Maleable body: You have advantage on saving throws against effects that change your appearance or your physical form, as the Polymorph spell.

Languages: You can speak, read, and write Common and one extra language of your choice from celestial, infernal or sylvan.

Subrace: Your master choose your True form. Your subrace depends on that choice.

Bird

Your true form is a Raven, an Owl or a Hawk.

Ability Score Increase: Your Charisma score increases by 1.

True form Anatomy: As long as you are in your true form, your walking speed is 10 feet, and you have a flying speed of 50 feet.

Darkvision: You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

art by John Avon

Masters Legacy: You know the Thunderclap cantrip, and you can cast it even if you are in your True Form. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for this cantrip.

Mammal

Your true form is a Cat, a Weasel or a Rat.

Ability Score Increase: Your Dexterity score increases by 1.

True form Anatomy: As long as you are in your true form, your walking speed is 40 feet, and you have a swiming speed of 30 feet.

Keen Smell: You have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.

Masters Legacy: You know the Primal Savagery cantrip, and you can cast it even if you are in your True Form. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for this cantrip.

Reptile

Your true form is a Snake, a Gecko or a Lizard.

Ability Score Increase: Your Wisdom score increases by 1.

True form Anatomy: As long as you are in your true form, your walking speed is 30 feet, and you have a climbing speed of 30 feet.

Thermal vision: You have Blindsight 10 feet.

Masters Legacy: You know the Poison Spray cantrip, and you can cast it even if you are in your True Form. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for this cantrip.

Optional Subraces

Aquatic

Your true form is a Crab, a Salamander, or a Toad.

Ability Score Increase: Your Wisdom score increases by 1.

True form Anatomy: As long as you are in your true form, your walking speed is 20 feet, and you have a swiming speed of 40 feet.

Amphibious: You can breathe air and water.

Masters Legacy: You know the Ray of Frost cantrip, and you can cast it even if you are in your True Form. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for this cantrip

Insect

Your true form is a Spider, a Centipede or a Scarab.

Ability Score Increase: Your Constitution score increases by 1.

True form Anatomy: As long as you are in your true form, your walking speed is 30 feet, and you have a climbing speed of 40 feet.

Vibrations sensibility: You have Tremorsense 20 feet.

Masters Legacy: You know the Infestation cantrip, and you can cast it even if you are in your True Form. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for this cantrip

Unchained

Unchained Familiars are familiars whose master had a pact with a Otherworldly Patron. An unchained familiar is usually a boon given by the Patron to its servant. When this pact ends, the patron ceases empowering the familiar, making it to lose some of its powers, but letting it retain its physical form.

Your true form is a Imp, an Sprite or a Pseudodragon.

Ability Score Increase: Your Charisma score increases by 1.

True form Anatomy: As long as you are in your true form, your walking speed is 10 feet, and you have a flying speed of 20 feet.

Superior Anatomy: While you are in your true form, you can speak and use your hands or claws as normal to manipulate objects. You can use class features that improve the way you manipulate objects (such as expertise with thieve's tools). You can't make any kind of attack using this feature.

Playtest Material

All content will probably be tweaked for purposes of balance

English is not my native language, so I hope that there aren't a lot of mistakes in the text.

art by Bob Eggleton