Bring out your familiar rules

[dmgrafton]

Just a comment on your spell mechanics. Not significant but for me important. You list if the animal has an IQ of 8 they can speak to the Wizard. I have no problem with your guidelines except that the actual physical speaking does not seem realistic. I read an article once as to why monkeys cannot speak and it is because they biologically do not have the actual physical, biological components to effect speaking. So it seems a hawk or squirrel could not actually speak, physically. So I would not allow that in my campaigns. That being said, I DO think that they could somehow comprehensively speak sending other signals to their master (a combination of pheromones, physical gestures, vocal clicks, squeaks, yipes, etc.) , along with the talent/magic component of the character, such that the person working with them could completely understand them. So all good but for me slightly different rational.

[Shostak]

I understand the concern, but I’ve watched enough episodes of Lassie and Flipper to know that animals can effectively communicate with humans. ;-)