Let me quote the rules:
From PFRPG Beta Page 50
"Hit Points: The familiar has one-half the master’s
total hit points (not including temporary hit points),
rounded down, regardless of its actual Hit Dice."
Page 388
"Constitution: Increases to your Constitution score give
you a bonus on your Fortitude saving throws. In a ddition,
multiply your total Hit Dice by this bonus and add that
amount to your current and total hit points. When the
bonus ends, remove this total from your current and total
hit points."
Page 389
"Constitution: Damage to your Constitution score causes
you to take penalties on your Fortitude saving throws. In ad-
dition, multiply your total Hit Dice by this penalty and sub-
tract that amount from your current and total hit points."
Since total hitpoints is defined as all the hitpoints you rolled using appropriate hit dice for your character plus your CON modifier x level plus any hitpoints gained for favored class, this would indicate that a familiar's own HPs are not contingent on its own CON score at all.
Furthermore, because it's tied to its master's total hitpoints, this means that if you are swarmed by a series of poisonous scorpions, and you each walk out at 6 CON damage, your familiar effectively walks out with negative hitpoints.
Assuming it, itself, isn't immune to CON damage.
Also, can anyone confirm whether or not a familiar even gets its CON bonus to hps via an official build of a wizard and his familiar? I can't find an example NPC wizard with a familiar anywhere.
Can someone help me clear this up?
Thanks
well Here is how I see it. The animal had HP, but once it becomes a familiar it is no longer and animal. It's own HP are now tied to the wizard not it's own very frail body. It is a thing of magic now.So no it does not gain it's con mod to HP the wizards bond has over ruled that
As for the 2nd. Well it gained HP based off a wizards max. It does not lose them if a wizard does as it is not the same being. It gains half of his total. Say at level one your wizard has 6 hp then your familiar gains 3hp. At level 2 you gain 4 more HP so your familiar gains 2hp for a total of 5.
It is a way to generate hp for the familiar but he does not gain extra temp hp if the wizard does nor does he lose them if the wizard does. He gains half the wizards new HP every level that is it.
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A familiar starts off with half of the Wizard's max normal hit points (rounded down) and is unaffected by changes in the Wizard's HP due to normal types of things. If an orc hits the wizard with it's falchion, the familiar isn't hurt by proxy.
Now if something does something to increase or decrease it's maximum hit points like a casting of bears endurance or some con draining effect, the familiar is likewise half-affected.
Temporary Hit Points aren't real hit points. The familiar is unaffected by any the wizard gains unless it's also affected by whatever is giving them. AKA the wizard spell shares her False Life or partakes in the Heroes' Feast with the rest of the party.
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Using an 8th level Wizard with 50 hit points as an example.
The familiar would have a base of 25 hit points.
If Bear's Endurance was cast on the familiar, it would gain +4 to its Constitution which would increase its Hit Points by 2 per Hit Dice (and Fortitude by 2, Con-based effects by 2, etc.). For the purpose of any effects related to Hit Dice, we use the Master's or the Familiar's, whichever is higher. In this case, the Master's. 2 x 8 = 16, so the Familiar would gain 16 bonus Hit Points and be at 41.
On the opposite end, instead of having Bear's Endurance cast on it, the familiar is poisoned for 4 Constitution damage. Again, we must reference the Hit Dice and use the Master's (better). It takes 2 points of damage per Hit Dice, or 16 damage. Dropping the poor familiar down to 9 hit points. It's Fortitude save and other effects drop as well, but that is not the focus here.
Note: Even if the familiar takes 8 points of Constitution damage (assuming the familiar has a normal Constitution of at least 9 or higher), the hit point loss cannot reduce it to less than 8 hp, assuming that is all that has damaged it. A hit point score cannot be reduced by Constitution damage or drain to less than 1 hit point per Hit Die. As the familiar goes off of the higher Master's Hit Dice, it is considered to have 8 Hit Dice and thus cannot go below 8 HP. This is only from Constitution damage or drain, however, and if it has received any kind of other damage then it's hit points may be less.
To sum up:
- The familiar's normal constitution modifier does not matter for calculating its hit points. It's normal total HP is half (rounded down) of the Master's normal total HP.
- Changes to the familiar's Constitution, whether positive or negative, will effect its hit points, along with other effects based on Constitution.
- A familiar uses it's own Hit Dice or it's Master's for all effects concerning Hit Dice, whichever is higher.
- A creature cannot be reduced to less than 1 hit point per Hit Die by Constitution damage or drain.
- Reducing a familiar's Constitution to 0 will still kill it.
Your God of Knowledge,
Nethys
OK so feats: Feats are based off of hit die, the familiar uses the wizard's wizard level for all purposes related to hit dice...
Does that mean the familiar gets feats at those odd wizard levels?
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OK so feats: Feats are based off of hit die, the familiar uses the wizard's wizard level for all purposes related to hit dice...
Does that mean the familiar gets feats at those odd wizard levels?
You surprise me Abe, that sounds like something I would ask.
On a side note, If you multiclass or take a PrC, your familiars HPs can soar above single class wizards and sorcerers. However, if the Prc you take doesn't increase your caster level, you won't gain any more of those nice familiar abilities.
OK so feats: Feats are based off of hit die, the familiar uses the wizard's wizard level for all purposes related to hit dice...
Does that mean the familiar gets feats at those odd wizard levels?
You surprise me Abe, that sounds like something I would ask.
On a side note, If you multiclass or take a PrC, your familiars HPs can soar above single class wizards and sorcerers. However, if the Prc you take doesn't increase your caster level, you won't gain any more of those nice familiar abilities.
::Shrug:: It's been a long time question for me. Without the feats the familiar, while offering extra actions, doesn't provide much incentive in and of itself -- the skills don't improve, the attacks don't improve, and such. AC's get it much better. With the feats (and at this point I'll point out that if it's everything the skills might improve too, as might the ability scores) I could see it being too much...
Or just right, depending on the player.
The rules lawyer in me wants to know.
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OK so feats: Feats are based off of hit die, the familiar uses the wizard's wizard level for all purposes related to hit dice...
Does that mean the familiar gets feats at those odd wizard levels?
Familiars do not gain bonus hit dice in a literal sense. "For the purpose of effects related to the number of Hit Dice, use the master's character level or the familiar's normal HD total, whichever is higher." This is relevant to effects like the Constitution damage. Gaining a feat is not an 'effect', it is something only gained when the Familiar's actual Hit Dice increase.
As an example, let us use the 8th level wizard (50 hp) with a Bat familiar. At this point, the bat has 25 hp, although it only has 1/4d8 *actual* hit dice. For the purpose of effects related to Hit Dice, it is treated as if it has 8, but only if its actual Hit Dice increase will it gain additional feats.
Your God of Knowledge,
Nethys
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::Shrug:: It's been a long time question for me. Without the feats the familiar, while offering extra actions, doesn't provide much incentive in and of itself -- the skills don't improve, the attacks don't improve, and such. AC's get it much better. With the feats (and at this point I'll point out that if it's everything the skills might improve too, as might the ability scores) I could see it being too much...Or just right, depending on the player.
The rules lawyer in me wants to know.
Do remember, the familiar does still increase in a number of these fashions. He uses his ranks or his master's skill ranks for every skill, whichever is better. He uses his master's base attack bonus. He uses his base save bonuses or his master's, whichever are better. Etc.
The familiar, in a very literal sense, is a static creature. This is true. However, due to its Master, its abilities will still increase over time. The familiar itself only increases in 'power' in terms of Natural Armor and Intelligence gain (plus the few Special abilities), but everything else is dependent on its masters progression.
Your God of Knowledge,
Nethys