I'm trying to make a fighter build where my familiar can just hang out next to me (or in my pocket) and use Extend the Bulwark every round to boost my AC.
If you are wearing medium or heavy armor and are adjacent to an ally who also has this feat, as a free action, you may give your ally a circumstance bonus to her AC equal to half the armor bonus provided by your armor. This bonus lasts for 1 round. During this round, you gain no bonus to your AC from your armor.
Now, the questions--can a tiny familiar wear +1 full plate? I thought I read somewhere that tiny-sized armor is only half the armor bonus (which I don't understand, but whatever). Does huge armor get double the bonus?
Specifically, could I get some +1 full plate for a hedgehog sitting in my pocket? I know it's a ridiculous premise, but I'm looking at RAW here.
Here's another possible hiccup:
At 2nd level, when the familiar can see and hear its master, it can use any combat feat possessed by the eldritch guardian. The familiar doesn't have to meet the feat's prerequisites, but at the GM's discretion may be precluded from using certain combat feats due to its physical form. For example, an eldritch guardian's pig familiar with access to Exotic Weapon Proficiency (spiked chain) would not gain the ability to use spiked chains, since it doesn't have any limbs capable of properly handling them.
This ability replaces the bonus feat gained at 2nd level.
I'm wondering if a GM might preclude the familiar from using it.
If I had an improved familiar (which I'm not even sure you can get with an Eldritch Guardian), something that is more "human-shaped" like an azata or something, would that make it easier to get a suit of armor?
Extend the bullwark seems to be jumping in the way of the blows? The familiar should be able to do that.
Size: Tiny or smaller, divide armor bonus by 2. Armor and shields for unusually big creatures, unusually little creatures, and nonhumanoid creatures (such as horses) have different costs and weights from those given on Table: Armor and Shields. Refer to the appropriate line on Table: Armor for Unusual Creatures and apply the multipliers to cost and weight for the armor type in question.
Its half the bonus because its too thin. It really doesn't matter if the fairy is covered in full plate, you can still just squish the fairy inside to bits right through the armor. If it was as think as human armor it would be 10 times the fairy's weight.
The familiars shape won't matter. Armor and barding are available for most creatures. (although its kind of funny that a armor for a floating head: ie, a helmet costs MORE than a full sized suit of armor but...I think you're paying for the blacksmiths therapy at that point)
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Your familiar won't get heavy armor proficiency. You gain armor proficiency as a class ability, not a feat.
Otherwise, looks like it could work.
You are skilled at wearing heavy armor.
Prerequisites: Light Armor Proficiency, Medium Armor Proficiency.
Benefit: See Armor Proficiency, Light.
Normal: See Armor Proficiency, Light.
Special: Fighters and paladins automatically have Heavy Armor Proficiency as a bonus feat. They need not select it.
They don't need to select it but it is a feat and they do have it.
Thanks for the responses!
Size: Tiny or smaller, divide armor bonus by 2. Armor and shields for unusually big creatures, unusually little creatures, and nonhumanoid creatures (such as horses) have different costs and weights from those given on Table: Armor and Shields. Refer to the appropriate line on Table: Armor for Unusual Creatures and apply the multipliers to cost and weight for the armor type in question.
Its half the bonus because its too thin. It really doesn't matter if the fairy is covered in full plate, you can still just squish the fairy inside to bits right through the armor. If it was as think as human armor it would be 10 times the fairy's weight.
Ok, so how does this work with regard to size changes? If the familiar is tiny-sized and enlarges, does the AC bonus go to the normal bonus for that armor, or is it still halved? Same question, but in reverse (shrinking from small to tiny).
Also, how do enhancement bonuses factor in to this?
So, hedgehog's full plate +2
a) 9 + 2 = 11 ac, divided by 2 (tiny-sized) equals 5 AC to the familiar. Divide that by two, he provides 2 AC bonus from the feat.
b) 9 divided by 2 (tiny-sized) equals 4, +2 enhancement = 6 AC to the familiar. Divide that by two, he provides 3 AC bonus from the feat.
Here's what I'm looking at with it:
Battle Form (Su)
At 3rd level, a mauler gains the ability to transform into a larger, more ferocious form and back at will. In battle form, the mauler's size becomes Medium and the mauler gains a +2 bonus to Strength (this stacks with the normal Strength adjustments for increasing in size).
This ability replaces deliver touch spells.
Could he medium size up, extend the bulwark, shrink back down?
Eyup. Small to tiny would halve your armor bonus, tiny to small would double it (something oft forgotten by shrinking halflings i believe)
I believe its A. Since 1) the enhancement bonus to the armor class is to the armor class i believe its add then divide 2) When facing two legitimate readings of a rule for PFS skip the argument and assume the worst one.
And since he can shrink at will, you could buy the barding for uber-hedgehog when he was small-sized. Then there wouldn't be disputing the full AC bonus in small form.
This is a fun thought exercise, lol. Ok, now I need to think about action economy. Is it a standard action to both grow and shrink? You might need an unseen servant or something to sweep him back into your pocket. Or just keep it invisible...
If thats the case the fighter could just take the feat.
Or have the familiar use the armor anyway. Proficiency isn't required to wear the armor, just to avoid penalties to skill checks and attack rolls that the familiar probably won't be making.
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Just as a word of caution, since the Familiar loses the bonus to AC itself, once the BBEGs see this tactic in practice there's a good chance their next target won't be the Familiar's master.
"huh, why did the familiar open the pathfinder catalog and circle the belt of mighty constitution in red marker..."
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Your familiar won't get heavy armor proficiency. You gain armor proficiency as a class ability, not a feat.
Otherwise, looks like it could work.
You are skilled at wearing heavy armor.
Prerequisites: Light Armor Proficiency, Medium Armor Proficiency.
Benefit: See Armor Proficiency, Light.
Normal: See Armor Proficiency, Light.
Special: Fighters and paladins automatically have Heavy Armor Proficiency as a bonus feat. They need not select it.
They don't need to select it but it is a feat and they do have it.
Actually, this has been clarified as a negative. Your class weapon and armor proficiency are not technically feats. Thus, they can not be shared that way.
Now, if you actually do gain the feat that can be shared. Such as if you are a half-elf and you pick up Ancestral Arms, those are feats and are shared.
I do not have the actual post, unfortunately. But, there is a FAQ that states the same thing here.
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Just as a word of caution, since the Familiar loses the bonus to AC itself, once the BBEGs see this tactic in practice there's a good chance their next target won't be the Familiar's master."huh, why did the familiar open the pathfinder catalog and circle the belt of mighty constitution in red marker..."
A: Mauler familiar with the mauler familiar HP feat with a Eldritch Guardian master does give a lot of HP, for a familiar.
Eldritch Guardian with 0 con mod at 10Fighter = 64 : familar = 32.
But, with the mauler feat the familiar
Fighter = 64 : Familiar = 52.
Add toughness...
Fighter = 74 : Familiar = 57
With +3 con bonus
Fighter = 104 : Familiar = 72
And finally, FCB to HP
Fighter = 114 : Familiar = 77
So, a EG with +3 con mod and the toughness feat, the mauler feat and adding FCB to HP gives his familiar HP greater than a fighter without a con bonus.
B: Mighty constitution belt does not help a familiar, as their health equals half of the master's health. But, it does help if the master wears it or if the master gets toughness or uses the FCB for HP.
C: Without armor, the familiar will still have respectable AC even while medium size due to natural armor and will have improved evasion.
Just as a word of caution, since the Familiar loses the bonus to AC itself, once the BBEGs see this tactic in practice there's a good chance their next target won't be the Familiar's master.
Yep, that's why I want to think of a way to get the familiar to just sit in the fighter's backpack. I wanted to get these other questions sorted out first
Hmm, maybe I could UMD Mage Armor on the familiar so he can keep some defenses.
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Just as a word of caution, since the Familiar loses the bonus to AC itself, once the BBEGs see this tactic in practice there's a good chance their next target won't be the Familiar's master.Yep, that's why I want to think of a way to get the familiar to just sit in the fighter's backpack. I wanted to get these other questions sorted out first
You could also go with a Protector familiar, which gets bodyguard, combat reflexes and can aid other to your AC even if it can't reach your opponent.
Not to mention, eventually, gives a constant shield other so long as you are touching.So, essentially, you will have 1.5 times your HP and +2 to your ac. Unless you find a combat feat that increases the aid other action.
This comes at the price of healing spells not being able to heal you as efficiently, but channeled healing healing for twice the HP.
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And since he can shrink at will, you could buy the barding for uber-hedgehog when he was small-sized. Then there wouldn't be disputing the full AC bonus in small form.
This is a fun thought exercise, lol. Ok, now I need to think about action economy. Is it a standard action to both grow and shrink? You might need an unseen servant or something to sweep him back into your pocket. Or just keep it invisible...
Correct, since the mauler resizing is supposed to be a polymorph effect the armor will resize with them. So, always buy the smaller(read: cheaper) armor for a mauler.
Hmm, maybe I could UMD Mage Armor on the familiar so he can keep some defenses.
A very common tactic for monks, druids, and owners of pet snakes is to buy a wand of mage armor and a few potions of mage armor. Usually someone in the party can cast it for you, and if they can't, use the potions.
The problem with keeping the familiar safe isn't doing that: you get a familiar satchel and they're pretty much good to go. The problem is that extend the bulkwark isn't flavored as some mystic effect and you'll run into table variation that probably leans towards the criter needing to physically get in the way (which it can't do from inside your backpack) If it was casting a spell on you, sure, you could cut a hole in the backpack , have the familiar inside poking you., but thats not how i get an impression of the feat working.
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Hmm, maybe I could UMD Mage Armor on the familiar so he can keep some defenses.A very common tactic for monks, druids, and owners of pet snakes is to buy a wand of mage armor and a few potions of mage armor. Usually someone in the party can cast it for you, and if they can't, use the potions.
The problem with keeping the familiar safe isn't doing that: you get a familiar satchel and they're pretty much good to go. The problem is that extend the bulkwark isn't flavored as some mystic effect and you'll run into table variation that probably leans towards the criter needing to physically get in the way (which it can't do from inside your backpack) If it was casting a spell on you, sure, you could cut a hole in the backpack , have the familiar inside poking you., but thats not how i get an impression of the feat working.
Wouldn't even need a hole. Touch effects being what they are. So long as it touches something(an object) worn/wielded by you, the effect goes off. Just as touch effects hitting a tower shield hit the wielder.
Edit:changed touches something touching you to touches something worn/wielded by you.
But, you're probably right about extend the bulwark. It probably would need to be in the open to provide the benefit.
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Wouldn't even need a hole. Touch effects being what they are. So long as it touches something(an object) touching you, the effect goes off. Just as touch effects hitting a tower shield hit the wielder.
That is waaaaay too gray an are to get into for pfs. In a home game you'd stil have to cover the dm's asprin and vodka bill. At what point something is you or something you're holding isn't table variation its Loki's neck on steroids.
"here, hold this 200 feet of rope.
"Why?
"I'm going to cast cure light wounds from back here.
"Why is the dm rolling up his core rulebook into the shape of a newspaper?
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Wouldn't even need a hole. Touch effects being what they are. So long as it touches something(an object) touching you, the effect goes off. Just as touch effects hitting a tower shield hit the wielder.
That is waaaaay too gray an are to get into for pfs. In a home game you'd stil have to cover the dm's asprin and vodka bill. At what point something is you or something you're holding isn't table variation its Loki's neck on steroids.
"here, hold this 200 feet of rope.
"Why?
"I'm going to cast cure light wounds from back here.
"Why is the dm rolling up his core rulebook into the shape of a newspaper?
Technically, that could work going by the explanation for how touching a tower shield gets through if you reallllly want to stretch things into ridiculousness. But, no, Especially since you don't 'wear' or 'wield' a rope like that. Reach weapons are interesting to think about, cinematically... But I think we should leave touch attacks as requiring to be made at a square a creature occupies
The example we were talking about was something inside your backpack, touching the backpack with a touch spell and hitting the one wearing the backpack. Which stretches nothing, other than the familiar being safe from AOEs and still able to provide benefit to its master.But, it could do that by being behind its master in the same square. A medium creature would provide cover to a tiny creature that is on its back.
Technically, that should work going by the explanation for how touching a tower shield gets through...
... which is why extrapolating from one thing to another is really risky in this game. It doesn't always work and for added fun, its sometimes neccesary to do. Not everyone is going to extrapolate rules the same way from a tower shield or anything else. It also goes the other way: if your backpack doesn't prevent the wizard from blasting you, then it doesn't prevent someone from firing at the familiar in your backpack (with some kind of miss chance)
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Technically, that should work going by the explanation for how touching a tower shield gets through...... which is why extrapolating from one thing to another is really risky in this game. It doesn't always work and for added fun, its sometimes neccesary to do. Not everyone is going to extrapolate rules the same way from a tower shield or anything else. It also goes the other way: if your backpack doesn't prevent the wizard from blasting you, then it doesn't prevent someone from firing at the familiar in your backpack (with some kind of miss chance)
I was very very far away from suggesting that as something someone should do. You were the one who extrapolated what I said into being able to touch through a length of rope. May well have said just touch the ground. Just as silly, and also breaks the standard of melee attacks must strike a space the target occupies. Fun to think about, not so fun at the table. Unless perhaps the touch attack did electric damage and the rope was metal. Up to the DM, but not unreasonable.
But, as for attacking the familiar in the backpack...
They would have total cover and the opportunity to stealth, but yes, anything that can get through that could potentially hit the familiar. Such as an incorporeal creature with x-ray vision and high perception.
But, they would be safe from an AOE due to total cover. Unless perhaps the backpack was set on fire or disintegrated. May have to go with the sunder standard for that one. Damage done during a sunder is only to the item.
But! The whole point is the player is the one wearing the backpack. That has metaphysical meaning in the Pathfinder universe and mechanical meaning to the rules. You can not touch attack something in someones pocket, but you can touch attack someone by touching their pocket. I'd imagine for the same reason objects worn/wielded gain the holders saves from not being unattended.