Vile Familiar

Small Outsider (Chaotic, Demon, Extraplanar, Evil)

Hit Dice: 1d8 (4 hp)

Initiative: +1

Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)

Armor Class: 13 (+1 size, +1 Agy, +1 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 12

Base Attack/Grapple: +1/–4

Attack: Claw +1 melee (1d3-1) or by weapon

Full Attack: 2 claws +1 melee (1d3-1) or by weapon

Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.

Special Attacks: —

Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., light sensitivity, resistance to fire 5, demon traits

Saves: Fort +2, Ref +3, Will +1

Abilities: Str 9, Agy 13, Sta 10, Int 10, Spt 9, Cha 8

Skills: Climb +5, Craft (trapmaking) +6, Listen +5, Jump +3, Profession (miner) +6, Search +6, Spot +5, Stealth +5 (+9 hiding)

Feats: Alertness

Environment: Any underground

Area: Durotar, Twisting Nether

Organization: Gang (4–9), pack (10-20), or swarm (20-200 plus 1-4 felhounds)

Challenge Rating: 1/4

Treasure: Standard

Alignment: Always chaotic evil

Advancement: 2-3 (Small); or by character class

Level Adjustment: —

The creature resembles a demonic greenish purple goblin gone wrong. Two beady eyes stare maliciously behind a long, pointed nose and between equally long, floppy ears. Its disproportionately long arms flop about as the demon skips, one oversized, clawed hand gripping a rotting club.

The least of demons, vile familiars are small, cowardly creatures that infest the caverns of the Twisting Nether. Resembling corrupted sprites and grell, vile familiars cannot abide bright light, and mostly remain in their tunnels, hiding from greater demons who would regard them as pets or, worse, tasty snacks. Despite their weak bodies and willpower, vile familiars are deceptively cunning, and are fond of cruel and horrible traps. Small pockets released unto Azeroth often come into conflict with kobolds and troggs, vying for control over their subterranean homes. The largest swarms of vile familiars often have a pet felhound or two as well, stolen from a pit lord’s breeding lairs.

Occasionally a weak warlock will summon a vile familiar or two into the world, and rarer, take one as a companion; the creatures are easier to subvert than other demons, and require only the most rudimentary mana expenditure to bind. Warlocks often discard these pitiful companions when demons that are more powerful become available. The creatures are incredibly dangerous underground and in swarms, however; in fact, Durotar’s Burning Blade cultists are notorious for summoning entire infestations of vile familiars to harass the Horde.

Vile familiars speak Eredar. Very few also speak Common or Orcish, depending on where and how long they have been on Azeroth.

Combat

Alone, a vile familiar is a weak and pitiful creature, prone to begging for its life or simply fleeing. In numbers, vile familiars are deadly and fearless, especially when the odds are overwhelming. While most familiars fight with their claws, the creatures are not above using weapons if given chance and supply. The creatures are also cunning masters of ambushes, traps, and other forms of chicanery. If either trickery or numbers fail, vile familiars never hesitate to flee or make deals to save their own hides, even offering up their allies as fodder to get away.

Occasionally, a vile familiar will take up a class, usually as a soldier or rogue. Even less often, a vile familiar will learn to control its demonic energies and take up an arcanist class. These vile familiars often take roles as leaders or advisers, and their peers hold them in high esteem.

Light Sensitivity (Ex): Vile familiars are dazzled in bright sunlight or within the radius of a daylight spell.

Skills: Vile familiars have a +2 racial bonus on Climb, Craft (trapmaking), Profession (miner), and Search checks.

Summoning and Binding a Vile Familiar

A warlock may summon a vile familiar with the spell summon monster I as a chaotic evil spell. A warlock may summon an elite vile familiar (a familiar with the elite template) with the spell summon monster II.

A 1st-level warlock may take a vile familiar as a fel companion; this requires sacrificing only a 0-level cantrip slot. The ritual to binding a vile familiar costs 100 gold pieces, and most vile familiars are subservient enough that only a little force is required to master the demon. The vile familiar still counts towards the maximum number of companions a warlock may have at any time, however.

Errata

Remove Imp from the 3rd level summon monster spell. Imps may be summoned with summon monster II.