Changes the way Conjure Familiar is handled. The summoned familiar will now reflect the user's level; starting as a level 1 goat reaching a level 45 bear, adding a small amount of progression to the mage's power.
Requirements
This mod does not have any known dependencies other than the base game.
Only for the 'Ethereal Beasts - Enhanced Familiars SE' file.
Permissions and credits
Author's instructions
File credits
This author has not credited anyone else in this file
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Translations
No translation available on the Nexus
DESCRIPTION
I like the idea of a summonable familiars in Skyrim, but they very rapidly lose all usefulness. So this mod changes the way the "Conjure Familiar" spell is handled. The aim is to add a sense of progression to the mage's power.
When the caster summons the familiar the players level is checked and this determines what familiar is summoned, which will be randomly cast between 2 animals. At levels 1-6 the familiar is a goat/mudcrab, 7-12 summons the standard wolf (with buffed stats compaired to its vanilla version) or Dog. 13-18 the summon is a Sabre Cat/Frostbite Spider and 19 and above the familiar takes on the form of a bear/chaurus. All of these summons are leveled too, their level is the same as the players level. The bear's final level is 45, which puts it up to the Dremora Lord's level (although without the enchanted weapon and Daedric armour). If you don't like bugs I have a "No Creepy Crawlies (NCC)" version that makes sure the spider and chaurus do not randomly spawn and can only be forced as a familiar through the use of their amulets.
Amulets can be crafted at any forge using to force a particular familiar (the ingredients are relevantto each animal) to compinsate for the precious loss of an amulet slot (or you can just favourite it for hotkeys if you don't use all of those). If your character is blessed by Kyne (ie you own the "Kyne's Token" (a reward for a vanilla quest)) you can upgrade the the amulets to have an enchantment at the forge, you just need the original amulet, for the blessing to be active equip Kyne's Token.
The base cost of the spell and spell level has been changed also, Conjure Familiar is now an Adept spell with a base cost of 100 (Vanillia = 107), this was done to make it harder to make the spell ultra cheap when casting level 45 bears without needing any higher end perks.
HOW IT WORKS/WHAT IT CHANGES
The familiar is now summoned via a level list, so upon spawning the form (and stats) are determined. The only things that are changed are, the familiar staff's effect (not the staff itself), the conjure familiar scroll, the conjure familiar magic effect and NPC/player versions of the spell. The original familiar is still in the leveled list of Fellglow Keep (to maximize compatibility).
COMPATIBILITY AND KNOWN BUGS
Compatibility
+ Works with all official DLCs. - Essentially any mod that alters the magic effect to conjure the familiar, if you want to use this and a mod that does that load this after that mod. - Although if this is loaded after a gameplay overhaul mod (like Requeim, SkyRe) it should load fine, however, this may cause balancing issues though (either familiars are too weak/strong at certain points in the game.
NPCs that know the "ConjureFamiliar" spell will not normally be able to make use of the amulet, if the player has it equipped they will use that animal. This would mainly occur when using follower mods and teaching them the spell, as most NPCs use the "ConjureFamiliarRightHand" spell which doesn't apply the specific familiar effect. I know what the problem is, just don't know how to fix it.
Damage scaling of familiars can be a bit off at certain levels/familiars. As mentioned above in "what's next" I'm brain storming balancing methods, if that means rebuilding the mod for best results, so be it.
Did you find any bugs or compatibility problems? Feedback and constructive criticism appreciated.
UPDATE HISTORY & FUTURE
Versions and Update History
1.5 - current version (allows crafting of amulets that force a familiar to take on a certain form). 4 new familiars; mudcrab, dog, frostbite spider and chaurus. 1.0. – Current version (initial release).
WHAT'S NEXT?
I got an interesting request/bug report along with a review about the damage of the familiars not scaling as well as they should and I do have an idea on fixing that
Still playing classic Skyrim Classic (aka Oldrim)?