Have the usual familiars available to spellcasting characters become a little, well, too familiar?

To liven things up in your campaign, we're offering three new familiar spells to finish out the year. Add them to your heroes' repertoires and watch the double-takes these faithful friends elicit! This month, the second spell of the trilogy, elemental familiar, provides a companion that's far from basic. Elemental Familiar Transmutation Level: Sor/Wiz 3 Components: V, S, M, XP Casting Time: 10 minutes Range: Touch Target: Living creature touched Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: Fortitude negates (harmless) Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless) In order to cast this spell, you must have a familiar. When you cast the spell, the target creature becomes a Tiny air, earth, fire, or water elemental, as detailed below. You choose what type of elemental the creature becomes. The creature retains its basic shape, but it is in every way an elemental, not an element creature (as described in Manual of the Planes). You lose any special ability the familiar previously granted to you (such as the +2 bonus to Move Silently checks bestowed by a cat familiar). However, you gain a replacement special ability, depending on the type of elemental your familiar becomes: Air -- Master gains a +2 bonus to Initiative checks (stacks with Improved Initiative). Earth -- Master gains +1 natural armor. Fire -- Master gains a +3 resistance bonus to saving throws against fire attacks. Water -- Master gains a +1 resistance bonus to Fortitude saving throws. Only a limited wish, miracle, or wish or similar magic can restore a transmuted familiar to its original state. Otherwise, the familiar remains an elemental forevermore. You cannot cast this spell on another character's familiar. Most creatures consider the transformation harmless and beneficial, but if the creature decides to resist, a successful Fortitude save negates the spell. Material Component: A small quantity of air, earth, fire, or water, depending on the elemental type the creature is to become. XP Cost: 500 XP.

Tiny Air Elemental Tiny Fire Elemental

Tiny Elemental (Air) Tiny Elemental (Fire) Hit Dice:

1d8 (4 hp)

1d8 (4 hp)

Initiative:

+6

+5

Speed:

Fly 100 ft. (perfect)

50 ft.

AC:

16 (+2 size, +2 Dex, +2 natural)

15 (+2 size, +1 Dex, +2 natural)

Attacks:

Slam +4 melee

Slam +3 melee

Damage:

Slam 1d3-1

Slam 1d3-1 and 1d3 fire

Face/Reach:

2 1/2 ft. by 2 1/2 ft./0 ft.

2 1/2 ft. by 2 1/2 ft./0 ft.

Special Attacks:

Whirlwind

Burn

Special Qualities:

Air mastery, elemental traits

Elemental traits, fire subtype

Saves:

Fort +0, Ref +4, Will +0

Fort +0, Ref +3, Will +0

Abilities:

Str 8, Dex 15, Con 10, Int 4, Wis 11, Cha 11

Str 8, Dex 13, Con 10, Int 4, Wis 11, Cha 11

Skills:

Hide +10, Listen +4, Spot +4

Hide, +9, Listen +4, Spot +4

Feats:

Flyby Attack, Improved Initiative, Weapon Finesse (slam)

Improved Initiative, Weapon Finesse (slam) Climate/Terrain:Any land and undergroundAny land and undergroundOrganization:SolitarySolitaryChallenge Rating: 1/21/2Treasure: NoneNoneAlignment: Usually neutralUsually neutralTiny Earth Elemental Tiny Water Elemental Tiny Elemental (Earth) Tiny Elemental (Water) Hit Dice:

1d8+1 (5 hp)

1d8+1 (5 hp)

Initiative:

+0

Speed:

20 ft.

20 ft., swim 90 ft.

AC:

16 (+2 size, 1 Dex, +5 natural)

16 (+2 size, +4 natural)

Attacks:

Slam +4 melee

Slam +3 melee

Damage:

Slam 1d3+3

Slam 1d3+1

Face/Reach:

2 1/2 ft. by 2 1/2 ft./0 ft.

2 1/2 ft. by 2 1/2 ft./0 ft.

Special Attacks:

Push

Water mastery, drench, vortex

Special Qualities:

Earth mastery, elemental traits

Elemental traits

Saves:

Fort +3, Ref 1, Will +0

Fort +3, Ref +0, Will +0

Abilities:

Str 15, Dex 8, Con 13, Int 4, Wis 11, Cha 11

Str 12, Dex 10, Con 13, Int 4, Wis 11, Cha 11

Skills:

Hide +7, Listen +4, Spot +4

Hide +8, Listen +4, Spot +4

Feats:

Power Attack

Power Attack Climate/Terrain:Any land and undergroundAny land and undergroundOrganization:SolitarySolitaryChallenge Rating: 1/21/2Treasure: NoneNoneAlignment: Usually neutralUsually neutral A Tiny air elemental is 2 feet tall and weighs 1/4 pound. A Tiny earth elemental is 2 feet tall and weighs 20 pounds. A Tiny fire elemental is 2 feet tall and weighs 1/4 pound. A Tiny water elemental is 2 feet tall and weighs 8 pounds. Elemental Traits: Immune to poison, sleep, paralysis, and stunning; not subject to critical hits or flanking; darkvision 60 ft.; cannot be raised or resurrected (though a wish or miracle spell can restore life). The special attacks of Tiny elementals conform to the information given for elementals of their subtype in the Monster Manual, except as specified. The save DC against the Tiny air elemental's whirlwind is 9, the damage is 1d3, and the whirlwind's height is 10 feet. The save DC against the Tiny fire elemental's burn is 10. The save DC against the Tiny water elemental's vortex is 11, the damage is 1d3, and the vortex's height is 10 feet.