Familiars can use their master's skill ranks (add in the familiar's attibute bonus and feats, not the master's) for all skills that make sense to the GM (which is most skills to me).
I can see a raven familiar not being able to use the disable device skill to pick a lock, but could see the monkey familiar being able to do so.
Use Magic Device is where a bit of controversy may exist. If the familiar can't speak the language, can they use the wand of xxx? Personally, I allow them to do so.
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The familiar is going to have human-like intelligence, use its or the masters skill ranks *whichever is higher*, but use its own ability modifier.
From pg 83:
"Regardless of a familiar's total skill modifiers, some skills may remain beyond the familiar's ability to use."
I'd say the real issue with the familiar making knowledge checks is in how to communicate the answer. Until the masters level is 5th, the raven has no way to communicate beyond general emotions.
I'd say the only skills a familiar couldn't use would be those skills it doesn't have the physical capability to perform.
It's one of the benefits a character gets for having a class feature that can be killed, and costs money and time to replace.
Contributor, RPG Superstar 2010 Top 8
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The familiar is going to have human-like intelligence, use its or the masters skill ranks *whichever is higher*, but use its own ability modifier.
From pg 83:
"Regardless of a familiar's total skill modifiers, some skills may remain beyond the familiar's ability to use."
I'd say the real issue with the familiar making knowledge checks is in how to communicate the answer. Until the masters level is 5th, the raven has no way to communicate beyond general emotions.
I'd say the only skills a familiar couldn't use would be those skills it doesn't have the physical capability to perform.
It's one of the benefits a character gets for having a class feature that can be killed, and costs money and time to replace.
I think you may be forgetting:
"*A raven familiar can speak one language of its master's choice as a supernatural ability"
Hi all. I just had a quick question. I'm DMing a game and have a player who's about to obtain a familiar. He's hoping to get a raven so as to have a backup source for his Knowledge and Spellcraft checks.
The Pathfinder rulebook doesn't specify which skills are allowed, saying only "Regardless of a familiar’s total skill modifiers,
some skills may remain beyond the familiar’s ability to
use." I searched the rules forums but didn't find a good answer.So, is there an official stance on which skills are and are not allowed? Can his raven someday remember explicit details about various Knowledge topics that he can't even remember?
Thanks for the help!
We're not talking about an animal here. We're talking about a mystical connection to the supernatural. He'll read up on stuff. Even if not, he'll remember stuff he was never told.
It's magic.
Please don't say that in front of my thief.
I can see a raven familiar not being able to use the disable device skill to pick a lock, but could see the monkey familiar being able to do so.
That's what I did with my arcane trickster. The monkey also handed me scrolls and the like out of my bag during combat too. Kept my actions free, and occasionally he would use something for me too.
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That's what I did with my arcane trickster. The monkey also handed me scrolls and the like out of my bag during combat too. Kept my actions free, and occasionally he would use something for me too.Please don't say that in front of my thief.
I can see a raven familiar not being able to use the disable device skill to pick a lock, but could see the monkey familiar being able to do so.
That's awesome, and totally will be the next character I run. Bubbles the monkey, gogogo!
Please don't say that in front of my thief.
I can see a raven familiar not being able to use the disable device skill to pick a lock, but could see the monkey familiar being able to do so.
OK, we will wait for them to leave the room or simply not include them in the telepathic bond. :)
Also:
Familiars are great for using alchemical items, or taking items to other team members (like the rube of a fighter that forgot to get a potion of cure moderate wounds even though you have no healers), retrieving items, and activating things while you handle other problems (like resetting portcullis and the like).