Start a 'trick' list for Familiars

[Matt2VK]

Has anyone written a guide to Familiars and there use of?

Been skimming a couple of threads on Familiars and there use of but have not seen a guide anywhere on Familiars and how to use them.

I know a lot of the uses of a Familiar can be subjective between what different DMs allow. So lets start a thread on what types of Familiars and what tricks the party wizard has been able to sneak past the DM.

1) The Dive Bomber - Any Flying Familiar with a semi-decent strength.
Trick: Able to drop Acid flasks, Tanglefoot bags, alchemist fire on a foe from height.

2) The Goofer - Monkey (or any creature able to dig around in packs for items).
Trick: Able to pull out needed items (Wands and potions) and hand them off to people that can use them. Can even apply the potions (Healing potions to dying party members).

So what tricks have you seen a party wizard get his Familiar to do?

[lemeres]

Well, they are intelligent creatures. Do you need tricks? Use talking as a free action to instruct it. Have I just not encountered all the evil, evil GM's I hear about repeatedly through every thread?

Although a guide to various uses of familiars is useful. Might as well go with the obvious one:
3) Wand user- improved familiar with hands, since GM's might call bull on a regular familiar
Have a good UMD yourself (since familiars get your skill rank), and try to get it so that your familiar autosucceeds. Break action economy.

Maybe a tiny stealth and sleight of hand focused familiar too? though that is a good way to lose a familiar.

[Baroh Steelcleave]

I've had a cleric stick an Arbiter (inevitable) in an adamantine carrying cage, and gave him Shield Other usage, via Imbue with Spell-like ability (or whatever that spell is named).

The cage blocks line of effect from spells, and the Arbiter comes with regeneration that's only stopped with chaotic damage. Add Shield Other for a 50% hit point boost. If you can swing the spellcasting contract through your GM, use that over imbue spell though.

[Elamdri]

A good combo is the alchemist fire + Pyrotechnics. Familiar hurls the fire, you cast the spell.

Lyrakien Azata, apart from being baller UMD users, can serve as universal translators AND make it so that the party doesn't have to sleep, because they can just remove the fatigue with their bardic performance.

[Sir Gavvin]

I have used my air elemental for loads of stuff.

1) Provide aerial scouting - With fly 100' perfect, he can scout out to a mile and still be back quickly if he senses my need through the empathic link.

2) Deliver alchemical payloads - My familiar has his own bag of alchemical goodies and is intelligent enough to make good use of them.

3) Retrieve objects on the battlefield - disarmed weapons, enemy battle standard, downed comrades, etc.

4) Dealing Damage - a small air elemental's slam attack is less than impressive. However, casting Ant Haul and True Strike on him allows him to grapple a creature and move him half movement (50' straight up). At this point the other creature can attempt to escape the grapple if it REALLY wants to.

5) Aid Another - Nothing like a helping hand in a moment of need.

6) Spell Delivery - I disrecommend using your familiar to deliver touch attacks, because they are usually pretty squishy. However, through Share Spells, they make great delivery platforms for spells like Burning Gaze, Fire Sneeze, and (one of my favorites) Call the Void.

When my wizard reaches the next level, he will be getting a faerie dragon familiar. The faerie dragon will not be able to do as many things requiring size and strength, but his invisibility and prankster nature will give me other options. Some of the things that have come to mind are:

1) Take a tiny blade and sever enemy bowstrings

2) Undo straps and buckles (armor, saddles, backpacks)of anything not closely attended.

3) Distract enemy casters

I am sure I will come up with more as time goes on.