Society / Familiar / Linguistics / Monkey / Written Language


Rules Questions

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<My questions are about society play>
Let us say we are a level 1 wizard with a familiar bond and he worships Abadar. Abadar's sacred animal is a monkey. This wizard has chosen to make his bonded familiar a monkey in honor of his religion.

If the wizard/master takes linguistics as a skill and since the monkey takes on skills that the master takes ranks in, does this give the monkey the ability of linguistics? A monkey could not speak like a Raven could but what about written language? Could the monkey familiar write a scouting report for his master and company?
</My questions are about society play>


"For each skill in which either the master or the familiar has ranks, use either the normal skill ranks for an animal of that type or the master's skill ranks, whichever is better."

It's arguable, but I would say the answer to each of your questions is no. The familiar uses its master's rank, which suggests that they are not the familiar's skill ranks.

Scarab Sages

Ciaran Barnes wrote:

"For each skill in which either the master or the familiar has ranks, use either the normal skill ranks for an animal of that type or the master's skill ranks, whichever is better."

It's arguable, but I would say the answer to each of your questions is no. The familiar uses its master's rank, which suggests that they are not the familiar's skill ranks.

The familiar gains those ranks. They treat them as their own using their own ability modifiers and gain full advantage of those ranks. They are not quasi-ranks that grant some of but not all benefit of a rank... something that doesn't exist in the game. The line in familiar basics that explains it merely says you can use a familiars ranks if they are higher than the masters instead of only using the masters ranks.

It is not unusual to rule that the familiar gains the exact same languages as the master. It makes the most sense that way, after all. But there is no RAW that makes it necessary.

Either way, OP, a creature automatically gains a language slot from having 3+ INT. Also, you retroactively gain bonus languages for ever 2 intelligence over 10. Gaining your first bonus language at 13th level.

Your answer is very much yes on your familiar having a language. Though, almost all animal familiars can not talk. This becomes less important at 5th level when the master and familiar may speak to each other in a secret language.

Dark Archive

So can a monkey familiar write a scouting report at first level?

Scarab Sages

Heinrich Hearts wrote:
So can a monkey familiar write a scouting report at first level?

A first level familiar has 6 intelligence. That means it gets a language. Though it can not talk it understands the language. A familiar is a sentient creature. The only question is whether or not your GM allows it to hold a writing implement well enough to write.

Given that this will end up being in GM decision territory, I'll have to say that YMMV. But everything else checks out except the hands issue.


I'd say a monkey ought to be able to hold a pen at least well enough to write, though they may have poor handwriting.

Animals lacking opposable thumbs probably cannot write with a pen though they should be able to write short messages in the dirt with a stick.

The Exchange Owner - D20 Hobbies

Heinrich Hearts wrote:
So can a monkey familiar write a scouting report at first level?

Know how to read and write and understand spoken? Yes

Be able to physically manipulate a pen to write? No

Be able to physically vocalize words? No


James Risner wrote:
Be able to physically manipulate a pen to write? No

Why? They have the necessary hands. If the pen is too large for those hands, then you could find them a smaller pen. But hands aren't really necessary. If you'd try, I think you'd find you could hold a pen in your teeth and write with it.

For the monkey, there is also a question of sign languages, though I don't think Golarion has an official sign language.

The Exchange Owner - D20 Hobbies

Melkiador, for the same reason an animal companion ape with martial weapon Lomgsword feat can't use a long sword.


Heinrich Hearts wrote:

<My questions are about society play>

Let us say we are a level 1 wizard with a familiar bond and he worships Abadar. Abadar's sacred animal is a monkey. This wizard has chosen to make his bonded familiar a monkey in honor of his religion.

If the wizard/master takes linguistics as a skill and since the monkey takes on skills that the master takes ranks in, does this give the monkey the ability of linguistics? A monkey could not speak like a Raven could but what about written language? Could the monkey familiar write a scouting report for his master and company?
</My questions are about society play>

While a wizard's familiar gets the wizard's skills, not all of them may be usable do to limitations for form and/or intelligence. Since monkeys are not capable of processing languages, they don't get any benefit from linguistics.


James Risner wrote:
Melkiador, for the same reason an animal companion ape with martial weapon Lomgsword feat can't use a long sword.

Those are completely different things though. Combat forces the animal to go back to its instincts. Writing is normally a completely calm time where the animal can easily focus on its task.


Drahliana Moonrunner wrote:
While a wizard's familiar gets the wizard's skills, not all of them may be usable do to limitations for form and/or intelligence. Since monkeys are not capable of processing languages, they don't get any benefit from linguistics.

But familiars are magical beasts for the purposes of effects. That would include effects like being able to use the linguistics skill to write.

The Exchange Owner - D20 Hobbies

Melkiador, well I guess we are at an impass. I'd say no AC or Familiar could write (short of big letters scratched in sand). Ultimately GM call.

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