Related to the other post. From you experts out there, I'd like help selecting my familiar. I want a particular improved familiar.
The master is Neutral Neutral.
For story reasons the familiar will be good.
Familiar will have the sage archtype for it's own skill ranks since I'm getting the familiar for skills the master doesn't have.
Familiar will also have the figment archtype so getting killed ain't that big a deal.
Familiar will either be a:
Scout - Stealth and perception important (maybe disable device).
OR
Face - Diplomacy, bluff, sense motive, speaking, and languages/telepathy important.
Seems like the diplomat would be harder, but would work out even better if possible. Suggestions?
A faerie dragon is a good face (with telepathy, so languages are not a problem) and has a bunch of illusions including greater invis 3/day so stealth isn't out of the question.
I'd suggest going for face not scout, figment familiars have a limit on how far they can go from their master, so scouting is very limited.
Silvanshee ?
Good charisma, speak all languages, rather good scout (stealthy, gazeous form + good perception), some SLA to evade problems + can buff or heal you.
AVR,
Faerie Dragon won't work for his character, it requires the master to be within one step only from CG, not the standard 1 step on each axis.
I am interested in why OP has also got this post for an evil familiar as well.
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I am interested in why OP has also got this post for an evil familiar as well.
Opposing and reoccurring NPCs
Just noticed the figment archetype, that kills the concept for both good and evil.
Improved familiars do not get the speak with their own kind ability, which is a required trade-off for the figment archetype. Actually, the only Familiar Folio archetypes that will work for improved familiars are emissaries and sages.
Pity, I kind of like the concept of the internal angel or demon trying to sway the character towards Good or Evil.
Sadly, this path won't get you there.
Yeah, I remembered wrong. I was planning on figment and sage until I got the improved familiar. Then just sage after that.
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The lyrakien is probably the best both as a scout and face.
Scouting: constant detect evil, detect magic, and freedom of movement; great stealth, good Perception, Fly 80ft (perfect).
Face: Truespeech, Cha 20, good Bluff & Diplomacy. Wis 17 so could have a good Sense Motive with skill ranks from Sage.
Starlight Blast is problematic for a TN master but just don't use it too close.
Agreed, but Lyrakien requires a CG caster.
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I have to admit that I don't use the RAW familiar alignment restrictions but are you sure the reference to a Chaotic Good master in the bestiary entry is actually intended to overrule the general "one step on each axis" rule? Because the master alignment references in the bestiaries are all over the place and I'm frankly not sure anyone was paying attention.
And as a GM, do you care?
If you're following the bestiary restrictions, I think the only good familiars that will take a TN master are the caypup and pseudodragon, with the pseudodragon being superior at both scouting and face roles.
I have to admit that I don't use the RAW familiar alignment restrictions but are you sure the reference to a Chaotic Good master in the bestiary entry is actually intended to overrule the general "one step on each axis" rule?
My suspicion is that it was intentional in this case because of the Lyrakien's unusually strong CG connection. (Like the Starlight Blast ability that you mentioned.) But maybe not.
Because the master alignment references in the bestiaries are all over the place and I'm frankly not sure anyone was paying attention.
They are weird sometimes. I'll never understand why you have to be LG to have a NG Cassisian.
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Improved Familiar isn't like Cleric alignment.
Improved Familiar can go diagonal, so a true neutral caster can select every Familiar possible.
Read the wording carefully: You may choose a familiar with an alignment up to one step away on "each" alignment axis (lawful through chaotic, good through evil). Cleric says "either".
Improved Familiar isn't like Cleric alignment.
Improved Familiar can go diagonal, so a true neutral caster can select every Familiar possible.
Read the wording carefully: You may choose a familiar with an alignment up to one step away on "each" alignment axis (lawful through chaotic, good through evil). Cleric says "either".
This is true, but I believe the confusion comes from nearly every Familiar's Bestiary entry, which lists specific alignments a spellcaster must be in order to select such a familiar. For example, the Lyrakien's entry states that a spellcaster MUST be CG. These entries would appear to be the specific rule, which would overrule the general rule of the Improved Familiar feat, and yet, I can't think of any Familiars that DON'T have these more specific caveats in their entries, which basically makes the related wording in the Improved Familiar description pointless.
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For example, the Lyrakien's entry states that a spellcaster MUST be CG.
Technically, it says "a chaotic good 7th-level spellcaster can gain a lyrakien" which doesn't explicitly contradict spellcasters of other alignments getting one as per the general rule. Compare Ratling which actually does say "In order to gain a ratling familiar, the spellcaster must be chaotic evil." (Ordinarily I'd find this a pretty weak argument but given the oddities with familiar alignment restrictions in general...)
These entries would appear to be the specific rule, which would overrule the general rule of the Improved Familiar feat, and yet, I can't think of any Familiars that DON'T have these more specific caveats in their entries, which basically makes the related wording in the Improved Familiar description pointless.
There are some. Imp doesn't say anything about alignment. Pseudodragon just says it must "approve of the master's personality" which is compatible with the general rule that the master can't be more than a step away on either axis (thus nonevil in the pseudodragon's case).
They are weird sometimes. I'll never understand why you have to be LG to have a NG Cassisian.
That's probably the weirdest. Also why the skvader (TN magical beast, Int 4) cares about its master's alignment beyond the general rule, but the ceru (NG magical beast, Int 13) doesn't.
Well Imps kind've have to be with neutral. Their whole job for flavor is corruption. Also, some others are pretty intense. For example, if you aren't willing to give up your life and will for the law, arbiters reject you, because inevitables are pretty extreme. Also, while yes "can" and "must" are different, you know what they mean. Or else they wouldn't even mention it.
TL;DR- just as some people care more about alignment, so do familiars. Lawful Good Fighter vs. Paladin for example.