Reaper Minis has a nine entry line of Familiar Packs with a pretty nice selection of small animal minis. Some of them are familiar Familiars, some of them are probably more suited to animal companions or even cohorts (there's, like, a new wyrmling dragon every three packs), but some of them are really fun, unusual small animals. Plus, I want to get the complete bang for my buck when I buy a blister of these guys.

I was hoping for some ideas from people more experienced in actually USING the Pathfinder rules about what sort of special abilities the following animals would give:

Dog
Bobcat
Badger
Giant Spider (small)
Giant Snail (small)
Rabbit
Squirrel
Armadillo
Vulture
Hedgehog
Skunk
Penguin
Fox
Turtle
Raccoon

Angler Fish
Dragonfish
Bull Shark
Moray Eel
Hatchetfish
Manta Ray
Octopus

I would guess things like Turtles and Armadillos might give bonuses to Fortitude saves, while Dogs might benefit Will saves?

I was going through the concept stage of a new character revolving around an eccentric gnome wizard absolutely obsessed with clockwork and steamcraft objects and creatures. At least in the campaign setting book it alludes to at least one point in Golarion's past that there was such technology available.

I was thinking of a clockwork owl or rat for a familiar. I haven't been able to find anything on such a thing, although I suppose Ebberon might be the closest thing with warforged creatures and such.

Just a fun concept that I could never really find sufficient rules on, :)

I was going through the concept stage of a new character revolving around an eccentric gnome wizard absolutely obsessed with clockwork and steamcraft objects and creatures. At least in the campaign setting book it alludes to at least one point in Golarion's past that there was such technology available.

I was thinking of a clockwork owl or rat for a familiar. I haven't been able to find anything on such a thing, although I suppose Ebberon might be the closest thing with warforged creatures and such.

Just a fun concept that I could never really find sufficient rules on, :)

The book Steam & Sorcery has a section on clockwork pets or something like that. You could just give the familiars the construct subtype, that should work as a clockwork familiar.

Random thoughts;

Dog - +3 to Survival checks to follow tracks
Bobcat - +3 Stealth checks
Badger - +1 morale bonus to hit and damage when at 3 or less hit points?
Giant Spider (small) - +3 to Climb checks
Giant Snail (small) - +1 natural armor
Rabbit - +3 to Acrobatics checks to determine jumping distance
Squirrel - +3 to Climb checks (and / or Acrobatics checks to maintain balance?)
Armadillo - +1 natural armor
Vulture - +3 to Survival checks to find food (as you can eat things that aren't nourishing to others) [Small goats or pigs might give the same bonus]
Hedgehog - +1 dodge bonus to Armor class when using the Fighting Defensively action or using Combat Expertise, +2 when using the Total Defense action
Skunk - +3 Fort saves vs. effects that would cause a sickened or nauseated condition
Penguin - +3 Swim checks
Fox - +3 Stealth checks
Turtle - +1 natural armor
Raccoon - +3 Sleight of Hand checks

I got nothing on the fish. +2 to grapple checks for Octopi, perhaps?

Here is my 2 copper:

Dog=+2 on saves vs. compulsion effects (Dogs are loyal)
Bobcat=+3 stealth
Badger=
Giant Spider (small)=+4 on saves vs. Poison
Giant Snail (small)=
Rabbit=+10 ft base speed
Squirrel=+3 Acrobatics
Armadillo=+1 Nat Ac
Vulture=+2 on Fort saves
Hedgehog=+1 Nat AC (This is from 3.0)
Skunk=
Penguin=+3 Swim
Fox=+2 Reflex (It's what the witch gets)
Turtle=+1 Nat AC
Raccoon=+3 Slight of hand

Angler Fish=+3 sight based and opposed perception checks in shadows or darkness
Dragonfish
Bull Shark
Moray Eel=+3 stealth
Hatchetfish
Manta Ray=+1 Nat AC
Octopus=+3 swim (It's what the witch gets)

Malagant wrote:

I was going through the concept stage of a new character revolving around an eccentric gnome wizard absolutely obsessed with clockwork and steamcraft objects and creatures. At least in the campaign setting book it alludes to at least one point in Golarion's past that there was such technology available.

I was thinking of a clockwork owl or rat for a familiar. I haven't been able to find anything on such a thing, although I suppose Ebberon might be the closest thing with warforged creatures and such.

Just a fun concept that I could never really find sufficient rules on, :)

The book Steam & Sorcery has a section on clockwork pets or something like that. You could just give the familiars the construct subtype, that should work as a clockwork familiar.

There's also a list of construct familiars in Dragon Magazine #341.

Malagant wrote:

I was going through the concept stage of a new character revolving around an eccentric gnome wizard absolutely obsessed with clockwork and steamcraft objects and creatures. At least in the campaign setting book it alludes to at least one point in Golarion's past that there was such technology available.

I was thinking of a clockwork owl or rat for a familiar. I haven't been able to find anything on such a thing, although I suppose Ebberon might be the closest thing with warforged creatures and such.

Just a fun concept that I could never really find sufficient rules on, :)

The book Steam & Sorcery has a section on clockwork pets or something like that. You could just give the familiars the construct subtype, that should work as a clockwork familiar.

I just give clockwork animals the construct subtype in my steampunk game.