Familiars provide unique modifiers, minions or additional spells when you have all 12 spells from a spellbook. To activate or powerup a familiar, you need to sacrifice 20HP per cast. In Elementals Mode, the familiar is enabled on game start and powered up to level 3 in rated games, but can be set to any level in unrated games (although it can not be powered up more). The following tables outline what each familiar does when powered:
Arcane[]
The Arcane Familiar is the Unstable Portal. It was added with the patch on December 21, 2020, as a much requested change because the Book of Arcane was the only book without a familiar.
Familiar specific changes:
- Every other level (levels 1, 3 & 5) increases minion summon limit by 1 per level to a maximum of 7 slots.
- Level 1: Learn the spell Little Devil. Little Devil's cooldown is decreased by 1 for each Arcane familiar level you have.
- Level 2: Learn the spell Arcane Mist.
- Level 3: Arcane Tower starts with 50 hp.
- Level 5: Arcane Energizer is permanent (once used). Arcane Tower starts with 75 hp.
Icon | Spell | Tier | Type | HP | Number of Charges | Initial Charge Time/Recharge | Maximum Damage | Spell Description |
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Little Devil | 1 | Arcane Minion | 10 | Infinite | 7-3 | N/A | If three weren't enough, here's another one. Does not end your turn. |
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Arcane Mist | 2 | Targeted | N/A | Infinite | 0/5 | 15 Arcane per turn over 5 turns | Like Aura of Decay, only Arcane. |
Flame[]
The Flame familiar is the Harpy. Each level increases the damage of your flame spells by 10% over the base damage (up to 50% more damage). The familiar also increases the radius of your flame spells and adds more projectile to Rain of Fire, Rain of Arrows and Napalm.
Familiar specific changes:
- Level 5: Learn the spells Meteor Shower and Fire Wave.
Stone[]
The familiar for the complete Stone book is a Pet Rock. It reduces damage taken (by you and your minions), usually by 5 (at level 5) for each hit to you or your minions. This means that although a single shot spell such as Fire ball would be reduced from 50 to 45, multiple shot spells such as Thunder Shock would be reduced from 5 to 1 each, making total damage only 10. The familiar never gives immunity to damage, no matter how small. The familiar will also reduce the amount of HP you recover from Heal Sphere. In Elementals Mode, the damage reduction does not apply to towers.
Familiar specific changes
- Level 1: Learn the spell Stepping Stone.
- Level 3: Learn the spell Summon Mountain Goat.
Storm[]
The familiar for the Book of Storm is the Storm Cloud. This will hover over the user and "amplifies" the damage of Thunder Shock, which fires an extra shot per level. It also decreases the recharge time for Storm by one turn per level, and increases the amount of lightning strikes when casting Conductor Rod.
Familiar specific changes:
- Level 5: Wind Shield has a 7 turn cooldown. Gain the spells Whistling Winds and Electrostatic Charge.
Frost[]
The Frost familiar is the Frost Sprite. It increases the jumping ability of your minions, and makes the water you stand on freeze, turning your life into ice platforms in increments of 5-1 hit points depending on the level of your familiar. Also, each level of your familiar grants an additional use of ice shield and a +5 damage buff to frost arrow.
Familiar specific changes:
- Level 1: Gain the spell Frost Leap.
Underdark[]
The Underdark familiar is the Soul Jar. As with other familiars, you use it by paying 20 health points per level, which you can do up to 5 times. If you die then you will respawn at the Jar's location with 20 health points for each level of familiar.
The Soul Jar is the only familiar that doesn't follow you, instead remaining where you were when you last increased its level. The only way to move it is to use it again in a different location, as long as all 5 uses have not been used.
If the Jar falls into the water but is still floating, it will function (but you will be summoned in water and have to use your turn to teleport out). However, if the Jar is sunk it will then work as if you died while in water. (A Jar can be sunk if a player or minion gets drowned at the Jar's location).
The Soul Jar will not work if:
- the user is killed by Light damage (or the Sphere of Healing, if they were a Lich)
- the user dies while in water (the finishing blow must knock the opponent into the water), or if the Jar was sunk
Familiar specific changes:
- Level 5: Rain of Chaos is less random.
Overlight[]
The familiar for the Book of Overlight is the Cherub. Each time it is charged, it allows the player to gain 1HP worth of shield (similar to the Protection Shield spell) per turn, up to 5HP of shield per turn when charged to Level 5, to a maximum of 50HP worth of shields by the cherub. You can still go over 50HP using the Protection Shield.
Familiar specific changes:
- Level 1: Protection shields can be infinitely stackable
- Level 5: Shining Bolt does 55 damage. Sunder can do 100 damage. Rising Star has a 5 turn cooldown.
Nature[]
The Book of Nature's familiar is the Fungus. It increases the size of Thorn and Vine Bombs and also increases the amount of arrows fired by Elves.
Familiar specific changes:
- Level 5: Learn the spell Forestation. Vine Bridge/Vine Bomb/Thorn Bomb have one extra use each.
Icon | Spell | Tier | Type | Number of Charges | Initial Charge Time/Recharge | Maximum Damage | Spell Description |
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Forestation | 5 | Targeted | 1 | 8/- | N/A | Plants a forest in a large area. |
Seas[]
The Book of Seas Familiar is the Seahorse. It allows the player and their minions to walk on water, and reduces damage taken when hit with any water spell. A player with a level 5 seahorse is completely immune to these three spells. Water Ball, Deluge, and English Summer.
Familiar specific changes:
- Level 5: Gain the ability to summon the mighty Kraken; it is weak to fire and it does not grant any health to those who use Dark Defenses or Blood Pact in conjunction with it.
Cogs[]
The Book of Cogs Familiar is the Timepiece, Alarm Clock , or Time Boost. It allows you to have extra time in every turn, granting an additional (Turn Time / 5) seconds for each level of the familiar. Additionally, each level of the familiar also grants an extra use of Time Dilation. It is commonly used in 10 second games giving the user a distinct advantage.
Familiar specific changes:
- Level 1: Gain the spell Time Dilation.
- Level 5: Cog Fall has a 3 turn recharge. Clockwork Bomb is guaranteed to explode on your next turn.
Seasons[]
The Seasons familiar is Harmony. As with other familiars, you use it by paying 20 health points per level, which you can do up to 5 times. Every time you power the familiar, you gain an additional use of Life Dew, Snowman health increases by 5, the duration of Breeze increases, the amount of Autumn Leaves that fall increases, and the Four Seasons' exclusive spell usage is extended by an additional turn.
Familiar specific changes:
- Level 5: The Four Seasons' exclusive spells no longer requires The Four Seasons to be cast again. Gain the spell Butterfly Jar.
Illusion[]
The Illusion familiar is Allusion. As with other familiars, you use it by paying 20 health points per level, which you can do up to 5 times. Every time you power the familiar, your Arcanist grows smaller in size, gives +20HP to one of the lowest minions or allies on your team, and adds a social distancing effect to whisper bomb that allows the spell to do more damage when it is thrown more distance horizontally.
Familiar specific changes:
- Level 3: Gain the spell Blink.
- Level 5: Duplicates have no expiration and spawn with 75% of the target's health. Vertex is buffed.
Blood[]
The Blood familiar is Lifeless aka the Bat. As with other familiars, you use it by paying 20 health points per level, which you can do up to 5 times. Every time you power your familiar, a stack of bleed will be applied to blood spells that are balls, bombs, and bolts (stacks do not stack with each other, but can refresh the duration of bleed). Also, the amount of health your resurrected minions start with increases. Lastly, infections through contact last a minimum of your familiar level. E.g., a familiar level of 5 cause infections through contact to last a minimum of 5 turns.
Familiar specific changes:
- Level 1: Each level of the familiar applies a stack of bleed to all blood spells (stacks do not stack with each other but can refresh the duration). Infections through contact last a minimum of your familiar level. The amount of health your resurrected minions start with increases based on the level of your blood familiar.
- Level 3: Learn the spell Blood Mist.
- Level 5: Learn the spell Blood Pact. Barrage of Bones recharges one turn faster. Infections you pass to other players on contact will last a minimum of 5 turns.
Icon Spell Tier Type Number of Charges Initial Charge Time/Recharge Maximum Damage Spell Description Blood Craze 1 Bolt 4 0/1 50 Ignores protection shields that the target has. Blood Mist 3 Targeted Infinite -/5 10 Heals 10 per turn instead of doing damage, but will damage any undead minions. Functions as an aura, similar to Arcane Mist, and Aura of Decay. Blood Pact 5 Targeted N/A 1 5/- You and the target equalize health with each other. If this targets an ally, any damage taken hence forth is shared equally between you. Shields and towers do not count towards health calculation.
Holiday[]
The Holiday familiar is Ho! Ho! Ho! It turns the player into Santa, making them weigh more but long jump further, and be merry.
Familiar specific changes:
- Level 1: Gain 5 Charges of Gift of Giving.
- Level 1-5: Each level increases the max uses of Presents!, Santa's Magic, and Thanksgiving Dinner, and 2 additional charges of Gift of Giving.
- Level 1-5: Each level increases Snowman's base health by 5
- Level 5: Reindeers get 1 use of Santa's Magic.
Wilds[]
The familiar for the Book of The Wilds is the Raven. Each time it is charged, it provides +15% base minion summon range as well as Spirit Link/Wild Mushroom cast range, +2 health to all of your minions, and increases the maximum active rituals you can have.
Familiar specific changes:
- Level 1: Any spell you empower with Ritual will not be disabled at the start of your turn.
Cosmos[]
The Cosmos familiar is Gravitation aka the UFO. As with other familiars, you use it by paying 20 health points per level, which you can do up to 5 times. At level 1, you learn the spell: Gravity Well. At level 5, Drone gains the spell: Drone Strike. Every time you power your familiar, you weigh slightly more, making you more resistant to knockback. Additionally, the digging capabilities of Collision Course and Shooting Stars are increased, while Supernova's damage potential is also increased. Finally, the effects of the Gravity debuff are lessened when applied to the user with the Gravitation familiar.
Familiar specific changes:
- Level 1: Learn the spell Gravity Well.
- Level 5: Drone learns the spell Drone Strike.
Minions[]
The Minions familiar is a hidden familiar. Unlike other familiars, it can be obtained by having 12 or more different minion summoning spells in your book. While having 12 different minion spells in your book, it grants access to the "Summon Titan" spell, which allows you to summon a level 3 minion of your choice on the condition that you have two or more minions from the spellbook that the level 3 minion is in. This familiar is also necessary for a player to have in order to acquire the Master of Minions achievement.
Icon | Spell | Tier | Type | Number of Charges | Initial Charge Time/Recharge | Maximum Damage | Spell Description |
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File:Summon Titan.png | Summon Titan | 3 | Minion | 2 | 0/5 | N/A | Allows the player to summon a level 3 minion, on the condition that they have two or more spells from the spellbook that the level 3 minion is in. |
Bombs[]
The Bombs familiar is a hidden familiar. Unlike other familiars, it can be obtained by having 9 or more different bomb spells within your spellbook. If your spellbook fits this requirement, then your spellbook will receive access to all bomb spells in the game, as well as the Rusty Bomb spell.
Icon | Spell | Tier | Type | Number of Charges | Initial Charge Time/Recharge | Maximum Damage | Spell Description |
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Rusty Bomb | 1 | Bomb | Infinite | 0/5 | 80 | A bomb that works identically to Shock Bomb from the Book of Storm. However, its distinction is that, unlike Shock Bomb, it is available for use on the first turn. |
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Arcanists | |||||
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Main Page | Patch Notes | ||||
Spell Info | |||||
Spells | Familiars | ||||
Zombie Minions | Advanced Topics | ||||
Spell Books | |||||
Arcane | Flame | Stone | Storm | Frost | Underdark |
Overlight | Nature | Seas | Cogs | Holiday | Illusion |
Blood | Druidism | Cosmos | |||
Features | |||||
Game Modes | Rating | ||||
Prestige and Achievements | Maps | ||||
Outfits | Arcane Monster | ||||
Events | |||||
Tournaments | Special Events |