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So, I'm playing in a game now where I am playing a wizard 3 / cleric 3 / mystic theurge 1. I had planned on using my raven familiar from my wizard to cast touch spells from my cleric spell list (ranged cure). My DM has deemed this impossible because he says divine spells cannot be channeled through arcane methods. So, similarly, even though I am a specialist wizard in Illusion with restrictions in Enchantment and Abjuration, I, apparently, can still cast Enchantment/Abjuraction-based spells from my cleric list. Is this right?? Could any one direct me to any rules somewhere that specifically address this point? Thanks!
Well, to take your questions in reverse order here, it is correct to say that your opposition schools for wizardry have no effect on your clerical spells that you might cast. It has been suggested by WotC that one of the ways to get around the opposition schools for a wizard with items they can use is to take a level sorcerer as the opposition schools have no effect on another class.
As for the touch attacks being delivered by your familiar, here is the relevant text for the ability:
Deliver Touch Spells (Su)
If the master is 3rd level or higher, a familiar can deliver touch spells for him. If the master and the familiar are in contact at the time the master casts a touch spell, he can designate his familiar as the "toucher." The familiar can then deliver the touch spell just as the master could. As usual, if the master casts another spell before the touch is delivered, the touch spell dissipates.
Notice that there is no mention of the word arcane here. I would feel very strongly that with RAW you could indeed cast ANY touch spell from ANY class using your familiar. This cross class utility point of view would be somewhat additionally supported by the fact that classes that each have a familiar have the abilities stack rather than having two familiars. Finally, I couldn't find anything that even hinted that it wouldn't work... except Rule 0 of course.
[Edit: Perhaps I should have assumed that you are using the Pathfinder Beta rules instead of 3.5 as you posted in the Pathfinder forum. I don't know those rules well enough to comment, but if you are using 3.5, then the above stands... I will leave it as a reply just in case.]
Sean Mahoney
No, that was a fairly safe statement. Despite the may changes in Pathfinder familiar abilities were not one of them. The wording remains unchanged in the beta and I can't see why it would change in the final book.
Speaking from a rules standpoint it has long been established in 3e that unless an abilities like the familiars "Deliver Touch Spells" specifically has limitations it can be used with any of your eligible spells. For example the Warmage Edge of the Warmage class limits it to spells cast as a Warmage (even the same spell cast as a Cleric or Wizard wouldn't get the bonus).
The downside is that your putting your familiar in harms way, and as a multi-class it won't get additional abilities such as "Speak with master." It's a good thing your using a raven, otherwise you'd have a hard time getting to touch the correct person. However you still have to verbally communicate the instructions to your familiar, which a smart or perceptive enemy may overhear and be able to act on.
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Speaking from a rules standpoint it has long been established in 3e that unless an abilities like the familiars "Deliver Touch Spells" specifically has limitations it can be used with any of your eligible spells. For example the Warmage Edge of the Warmage class limits it to spells cast as a Warmage (even the same spell cast as a Cleric or Wizard wouldn't get the bonus).
Sorry, Dorje, I'm confused, are you saying you agree that a multi-class wizard / cleric *can* cast touch spells (like cure) through his familiar?
Yup, from any class they get spells in.
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By the RAW, I'd let you use your familiar to deliver cure spells, since there's no restrictions on what class the spells have to be from. As was already mentioned, there's a downside to this tactic: you're putting your familiar out into combat and harm's way, and as a multiclass caster, the bird is going to be less powerful and more vulnerable than usual.
Isn't there a metamagic feat that turns touch spells into rays for +1 level? Instead of sacrificing a feat and a spell level, you're sacrificing an entire level of a casting class. Seems comparable.
Of course, Rule 0 trumps all. I would have no problem with a DM that ruled as yours did, as it does make some sense for a wizard's familiar to deliver only wizard spells.
I suggest asking your DM if you can spend a feat to let you do this, or maybe create a specific spell that let's you do this for 1 minute/level.
Several key points about combat familiars:
Several feats help (spring attack is your friend), effects based off of HD are determined by either the creatures HD or your wizard level... Feats are based off of HD...
HP for the familiar is 1/2 your HP no matter if you have only 1 level in wizard or 15... so anything that increases your HP increases your familiars.
Don't put the familiar on the front line, unless reach becomes an issue all you have to do is touch the fighter... do it from behind away from the monster.