I see that familiars from beastiaries 1 & 2 are allowed.....but not 3......was this an accidental oversite?? I'm looking to have a Faerie Dragon. Any creators please chime in for me.
Pathfinder Society Campaign Coordinator
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Thread necro anyone? :-)
A few from Bestiary 2 are open if you have that book (Brownie, one Azata, etc..). I'm opening up a couple of more when additional resources goes live next week, including the carbuncle and sprite. No chronicle sheet needed.
So far, the only one that is chronicle sheet only is the faerie dragon. Some have not been opened because alignment restrictions for caster to be evil, or they are being saved for the future, such as the rock one I can't remember the name off the top of my head.
But, there are currently quite a few options available and you don't need a Chronicle sheet to have access to them.
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Also, the Arbiter Inevitable is pretty fun familiar to run. It's in the Beastiary II. Although it's not listed as accessible in the PFS additional resources available from Beastiary II, the Arbiter is listed on the Improved Familiar revised chart in Beastiary III, and the creatures on that chart ARE accessible from the PFS additional resources list. It's kind of a merry-go-round way of figuring out what familiars are available - I ran into a problem with this with a DM last month.
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While we're on the subject, does anyone have a list of the familiars that can use wands that are legal in PFS?
The list on the FAQ didn't change between this one and the previous FAQ on animal companions and magic items.
The only familiars that can use wands are the five or ten improved familiars specifically listed in the FAQ.
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While we're on the subject, does anyone have a list of the familiars that can use wands that are legal in PFS?The list on the FAQ didn't change between this one and the previous FAQ on animal companions and magic items.
The only familiars that can use wands are the five or ten improved familiars specifically listed in the FAQ.
So I just checked the FAQ:
The brownie, faerie dragon, imp, lyrakien azata, quasit, sprite familiars, granted by the Improved Familiar feat, use the Biped (hands) section of the chart. The carbuncle and voidworm protean, familiars granted by the Improved Familiar feat, uses the Serpentine section of the chart. If you do not own a copy of the Animal Archive, your animal companion may only use barding and neck-slot items.
Is it just me, or does this seem to imply that the familiars who could use wands before the Animal Archive was published no longer can unless that player buys the AA?
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I was thinking of buying the book, anyway. My only character with a pet (tattooed sorcerer's familiar) is getting close to the level where improving the familiar might be an option. And I'm thinking of making a wizard who may or may not have a familiar (haven't decided yet). But that wording really surprised me.
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While we're on the subject, does anyone have a list of the familiars that can use wands that are legal in PFS?The list on the FAQ didn't change between this one and the previous FAQ on animal companions and magic items.
The only familiars that can use wands are the five or ten improved familiars specifically listed in the FAQ.
So I just checked the FAQ:
The brownie, faerie dragon, imp, lyrakien azata, quasit, sprite familiars, granted by the Improved Familiar feat, use the Biped (hands) section of the chart. The carbuncle and voidworm protean, familiars granted by the Improved Familiar feat, uses the Serpentine section of the chart. If you do not own a copy of the Animal Archive, your animal companion may only use barding and neck-slot items.Is it just me, or does this seem to imply that the familiars who could use wands before the Animal Archive was published no longer can unless that player buys the AA?
no, because previously only the 6 listed could use wands, now those are still the only ones that can use wands, because they have hands. nothing has changed in that respect, the ones who could use wands before are the ones who can use wands now.
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Yes, yes it is - going into scenarios with prior knowledge of what is on the chronicle is generally considered to be poor form (unless, of course, you GM'ed it before you played it!).
I simply wanted to let you know that there is a scenario out there that you can play in order to gain access to a faerie dragon, rather then having to hunt for a convention boon :-)
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RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32, 2010 Top 8
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Play or GM. That's why I have one boon on a character who will never use it, and one on Talyn who will clearly benefit from it. :-)
Seriously, I like the 'scenario only' bonuses like <redacted>* because it might encourage others to run the scenario.
*
I understand that only the brownie, faerie dragon, imp, lyrakien azata, quasit, sprite are allowed to use wands in Pathfinder Society Organized Play.
Does this mean that those are also the only familiars on the Ultimate Magic Improved Familiar list which can throw alchemist fire or a tanglefoot bag? Or is an for example an elemental (air or earth) or a pseudogragon - although not mentioned on the Biped (hands) chart - capable of handling and throwing such items?
I accept any decision, just want to know what the guideline states.
In advance thank you very much for your answer
Adelain
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ohh...good question.
There are a couple of issues with this
1) Can it manipulate the object
2) Can it act Bi-pedal in order to throw the object
3) Can you get it to throw the object
These three things are probably a safe bet for the small list above. For others...YMMV. I would let you do it for any bi-pedal animal companion with hands (ex. Monkey) but would require you to push (handle animal) the companion, since there is no throw weapon trick.
I will point out that there is a new trick for animal companions/familiars. Bombard. This will let any flying familiar / animal companion drop items on an enemy. The only requirement is that the familiar must fly.
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ohh...good question.
There are a couple of issues with this
1) Can it manipulate the object
2) Can it act Bi-pedal in order to throw the object
3) Can you get it to throw the objectThese three things are probably a safe bet for the small list above. For others...YMMV. I would let you do it for any bi-pedal animal companion with hands (ex. Monkey) but would require you to push (handle animal) the companion, since there is no throw weapon trick.
I will point out that there is a new trick for animal companions/familiars. Bombard. This will let any flying familiar / animal companion drop items on an enemy. The only requirement is that the familiar must fly.
well familiars do not learn tricks, they have sentience and do not require it. you ask them to do something, they will do it to the best of their ability.
i would say it is frustrating that the list of familiars able to act like familiars does not include those familiars (even improved ones) that have basic humanoid form and people would think to be able to handle/manipulate things.
Arguably the Lyrakien azata is one of the best familiars you can get from the list even excluding PFS restrictions. I mean, even if all mephits were allowed to have the capabilities/choices of a lyrakien azata, i still think people would choose the lyrakien. I could easily be missing some way to exploit it, but honestly it looks like mephits are worse. So why can't they use wands/items?
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Question that always bugged me: In the Improved Familiar feat description, it states that you have to be within one step on the alignment table of your chosen familiar. For example, LN-> Imp, CG-> Pseudodragon. What confused me was that in the Bestiary 2 text, it said that 'A spellcaster of X alignment...' could take the familiar. So does that mean that to take B2 familiars, I HAVE to be a certain alignment? Even though Ultimate Magic compiled all of the Improved Familiars into one chart, similar to the one in the original feat?
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Question that always bugged me: In the Improved Familiar feat description, it states that you have to be within one step on the alignment table of your chosen familiar. For example, LN-> Imp, CG-> Pseudodragon. What confused me was that in the Bestiary 2 text, it said that 'A spellcaster of X alignment...' could take the familiar. So does that mean that to take B2 familiars, I HAVE to be a certain alignment? Even though Ultimate Magic compiled all of the Improved Familiars into one chart, similar to the one in the original feat?
I think this is an instance of specific rulings overriding general rules. the general rule of improved familiars is one step away on each axis. the specific is per familiar, like the lyrakien azata says you MUST be chaotic good, nothing else will do.
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Ah, ok, I get it. Looking at the entries, its different for certain creatures. The Lyrakien you HAVE to be CG to take, and the Arbiter you HAVE to be LN to get, but for ones such as the Silvanshee Agathion it only "can be taken as familiars by spellcasters utilizing the Improved Familiar feat and meeting the proper prerequisites.", presumably meaning they are like normal Improved Familiars.
Does this mean that those are also the only familiars on the Ultimate Magic Improved Familiar list which can throw alchemist fire or a tanglefoot bag? Or is an for example an elemental (air or earth) or a pseudogragon - although not mentioned on the Biped (hands) chart - capable of handling and throwing such items?
We might find an indication for an answer to this question in the creature type of the improved familiars. Someone could argue that a familiar which is able to throw ranged weapons is able to throw standard items (Alchemist fire, tanglefoot bag) as well.
Mephits or Elementals have the outsider template mentioned. Creature Type Outsider are proficient with all simple and martial weapons.
May I ask for your opinion on this?
Is there a list available of those familiars (improved) which are allowed to use normal items (alchemist fire, tanglefoot bag) during Pathfinder Society Games?
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Is there a list available of those familiars (improved) which are allowed to use normal items (alchemist fire, tanglefoot bag) during Pathfinder Society Games?
i believe that the closest thing you will find is here in the pfs faq. lists who can use what, and i'm assuming the (short list of 7) improved familiar list are the only ones who could use items.
alternatively you can choose the new animal archive feats when you get your familiar to replace those it starts with, in order to bomb people and such.