If I understand the rules correctly, as a wizard I can target my own familiar with spells that normally target myself. Does this mean I can use this in conjunction with alter self to turn my familiar into a humanoid (for a short while)?
The rules are also slightly unclear:
"Components V, S, M (a piece of the creature whose form you plan to assume)"
Does this mean that if I use, for example, a fingernail clipping from myself, I can have the familiar turn into a copy of me?
The text does not seem to contradict that:
"When you cast this spell, you can assume the form of any Small or Medium creature of the humanoid type. If the form you assume has any of the following abilities, you gain the listed ability: darkvision 60 feet, low-light vision, scent, and swim 30 feet."
Does this mean that if I use, for example, a fingernail clipping from myself, I can have the familiar turn into a copy of me?
It would let your familiar turn into a creature of the same type, but not necessarily a copy of that creature.
Polymorph spells do not allow you to copy an existing person. You could change into a member of that race and then use standard disguise techniques to improve upon it.
You may cast personal spells upon a familiar. You may also cast spells that normally cannot target the familiar's type. So yes, you can use polymorph spells on your familiar intead of yourself.
- Gauss
On another slightly related question.
The spell ant-haul increases carrying capacity by 3x.
My raven familiar has a strength of 2 and thus a light carrying capacity of 6 lbs. If I first cast anti-haul on it and then bull's strength I can get its carrying capacity to 60 lbs.
Further using alter self I can reduce my own weight to 1/8th (by shrinking from medium to small)
This should technically mean I could make my familiar fly me around, correct? Is there some technicality preventing that from working aside from the short duration of reduce person and bull's strength?
hmmm i seem to recall that a mount must be 1 size larger that the one mounting it :p
But I'm not going to ride it :O. It's going to carry me in its claws with a loop of rope or something. The intent is to transport me as cargo, not to function as a mount.
(i would essentially use it to traverse a particular area without having to land)
Though I guess this might be one of those borderline cases...