When adventuring my witch generally carries her familiar (previously a Hawk, soon to be a Pseudodragon) on her shoulder. Like most familiars, it tends to be a little forgotten until actually needed, though I am careful to remember to roll saves for area effects when necessary. However, I could be using it to much greater effect, making Perception checks in addition to my own for instance. Since Familiars share the same skill ranks as the master, it could also be making second Knowledge or Spellcraft checks even. However, I usually forget about this, probably because it's just a bit of a pain to make two sets of rolls every time the DM calls for a check.
With my impending switch to a Psuedodragon however, I realized that many more skills are going to have at least a +9 in them now, what with the expanded list of class skills. I realized that I could just save myself a lot of time and trouble by assuming that if my familiar is with me, he's doing an Aid Another on skills that he can automatically hit a DC10. This grants my Witch a +2 to her check, and saves me the trouble of rolling twice. Does this seem reasonable?
Obviously it wouldn't apply to all skills, since even though the familiar's Fly and Stealth checks are through the roof, the Aid Another doesn't really seem to apply there.
Pretty much, this is one of the main reasons to have a familiar in the first place. It's a stackable +2 to damn near every skill check, and depending on it's reach and combat skill, Aid Another for +2 to hit or AC as well.
Pretty much, this is one of the main reasons to have a familiar in the first place. It's a stackable +2 to damn near every skill check, and depending on it's reach and combat skill, Aid Another for +2 to hit or AC as well.
I had considered that, but it's actually more likely that my Witch will be doing the Aid Another to assist the familiar to hit than the other way around. :)
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When adventuring my witch generally carries her familiar (previously a Hawk, soon to be a Pseudodragon) on her shoulder. Like most familiars, it tends to be a little forgotten until actually needed, though I am careful to remember to roll saves for area effects when necessary. However, I could be using it to much greater effect, making Perception checks in addition to my own for instance. Since Familiars share the same skill ranks as the master, it could also be making second Knowledge or Spellcraft checks even. However, I usually forget about this, probably because it's just a bit of a pain to make two sets of rolls every time the DM calls for a check.
Interesting, my DM rules that if a familiar is "tucked" away on the character, it automatically succeeds in saves not directed specifically at it. If on the other hand, it is away from the character it is then fully vulnerable to peril. For him, it makes book keeping easier and makes the combat rounds move faster. Since my familiar is an imp and mostly invisible, I can more often than not have my imp scout for me without much risk of harm, and when the area spells attack me when he is perched on my shoulder, he doesn't get harmed. I do like the idea of having the familiar assist with skills when appropriate though :)
Your DM never attacks that thing on your shoulder? Especially if it's whispering in your ear about the magic being cast, or ducking in and out of combat to Aid Another.
Your DM never attacks that thing on your shoulder? Especially if it's whispering in your ear about the magic being cast, or ducking in and out of combat to Aid Another.
I usually take great care in not being in a position to be attacked in the first place. :) Like I said, if I'm caught in an area effect, I'm always sure to see if the familiar is affected.
That said, my DM does 'fess up to forgetting about my familiar until it actually does something. On the other hand, I haven't started using Aid Another yet. Thus far the only things my familiar has done is scouting from high above (appropriate for a Hawk), and deliver the occasional touch spell. In the latter case the DM absolutely took his AoO's where he could (coming very close to killing it in one instance), and I do my best to make sure it's protected ahead of time with Mage Armor and/or the Witch's Ward Hex.
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Your DM never attacks that thing on your shoulder? Especially if it's whispering in your ear about the magic being cast, or ducking in and out of combat to Aid Another.
Correct. It is not for sympathy, I assure you. It has to do with speeding up play. Besides, unless the enemy can see invisible, they will not even likely realize the imp is there to attack it.