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Enhanced Familiars

This mod is no longer updated on Steam and is presented "as is". The version at the Nexus will be the only version managed.
Reason: The Nexus makes it easier to commicate to feedback and questions and also allows more user control of when/if mods are updated. Find it here: < http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/63212/? >

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.

When the caster summons the familiar the players level is checked and this determines what familiar is summoned. At levels 1-6 the familiar is a goat, 7-12 summons the standard wolf (with buffed stats compaired to its vanilla version). 13-18 the summon is a Sabre Cat and 19 and above the familiar takes on the form of a bear. 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).

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 (Vanilla = 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.

What's new? In version 1.5?

There have been requests about having a wolf only version and I understand, Bethesda says something like "play how you want to play.", so I've added amulets to allow you to force a specific form of any of the 8 familiars. These can be made under the JEWELRY catagory in the forge for a Conjure Familiar spell tome and a couple of animal related ingredients/loot. As you may have noticed the original had 4 familiars, so I've also added 4 more familiars; Mudcrab, Dog, Frostbite Spider and Chaurus, so when you are in the level range it randomly chooses 1 of 2 familiars, eg 1-6 summons a goat or mudcrab. The amulets cannot be normally upgraded, if you have 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.

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 maximise compatibility).

VERSION 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. – (initial release)

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.

KNOWN BUGS:

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.

Did you find any bugs or compatibility problems? Feedback and constructive criticism appreciated.

Also on Nexus: < http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/63212/? >

Thanks to Bethesda for making Skyrim and developing the Creation Kit.