Hmm, on one hand I don't want to ever lead scratch into danger. On the other, making him a ranger companion (ideally Tasha's Ranger Beast companion variant so he gets elemental) where he overrides your normal companion could be very very cool and would give him a sort of longevity. I kinda want something similar with Shovel, where a wizard or warlock can make him a familiar loosely following the irregular familiar rules from (I forget which book). And now instead of summoning the normal familiars, you have to bring him out. There is a cost to doing this but now a Wizard can have a cute little murderous foul mouthed demon as their familiar, with all the benefits he would provide (and drawbacks).
