This is PFS Specific, but it could be a decent guideline for a home game.
Can my animal companion or familiar wear or use magic items?
The intent is that animal companions or familiars can not activate magic items that require activation. Something like an amulet of natural armor does not require activation; it's always on (unless it's in an antimagic field or someone dispels it or whatever).
That said, a creature is limited by its anatomy. Something without shoulders can't wear a cloak, and something without fingers can't wear a ring. For the sake of PFS, animal companions can wear barding and neck-slot items. All other slots aren't really appropriate for animals (or even magical beasts). The only exception to this would be an brownie, imp, lyrakien azata, or quasit familiar gained with the Improved Familiar feat. One could reasonably face either of these wielding a wand or wearing a circlet of persuasion in combat, and after investing a feat to gain their service, they are not limited by the same restrictions as normal bonded creatures like animals (whether treated like animals or magical beasts and regardless of Int scores).
Please note that is for PFS -- not normal play.
It's going to be very hard for anyone at Paizo to actually argue that familiars can't activate magical items when they have them do so all the time in their own books.
It's going to be very hard for anyone at Paizo to actually argue that familiars can't activate magical items when they have them do so all the time in their own books.
Normal animal familiars? Or improved familiars that have hands and can speak and stuff?
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It's going to be very hard for anyone at Paizo to actually argue that familiars can't activate magical items when they have them do so all the time in their own books.Normal animal familiars? Or improved familiars that have hands and can speak and stuff?
There is nothing in the "Amulet of Mighty Fists" that states that it requires activation.
In fact, the wording for that amulet is very similar to the wording in the amulet of natural armor.
Amulet of Mighty Fists (minus the second paragraph about adding aditional effects):
This amulet grants an enhancement bonus of +1 to +5 on attack and damage rolls with unarmed attacks and natural weapons.
Amulet of Natural Armor:
This amulet, usually crafted from bone or beast scales, toughens the wearer's body and flesh, giving him an enhancement bonus to his natural armor from +1 to +5, depending on the kind of amulet.
And per the rules:
Many use-activated items are objects that a character wears. Continually functioning items are practically always items that one wears. A few must simply be in the character's possession (meaning on his person). However, some items made for wearing must still be activated. Although this activation sometimes requires a command word (see above), usually it means mentally willing the activation to happen. The description of an item states whether a command word is needed in such a case.
Neither amulet states that a command word is needed, or that any activation is needed at all. Per RAW, you would be safe to assume that both amulets are activated by simply wearing them.
Also, I believe that part of the higher price for the amulet of natural weapons was due to animal companion use (or things with more then 2 natural attacks).
It's going to be very hard for anyone at Paizo to actually argue that familiars can't activate magical items when they have them do so all the time in their own books.Normal animal familiars? Or improved familiars that have hands and can speak and stuff?
Improved familiars I know for a fact, but I wouldn't be surprised if someone flipped through all the adventures and APs and found a few 'normal' familiars doing stuff like that too.
I know it's part of the reason monkeys and ravens are so popular.
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There seems to be some confusion in this thread.
The PFS FAQ says normally animal companions and familiars can't activate magic items. It goes on to give an example of a magical item that doesn't require activation, the amulet of mighty fists. This means animals and familiars can wear an amulet of mighty fists, both by RAW and in PFS.
The PFS FAQ goes on to say that some improved familiars (the ones that can speak and have thumbs and stuff) can also use items and wands.
There's been unsubstantiated claims that paizo allows familiars to activate magic items "all the time in their own books" though it's not clear if these are improved familiars who can speak or normal animals like monkeys and ravens.
In a home game, if you want to let a hawk wear boots of speed and play a harp of charming, ask the DM.
TL;DR: Yes, and it is awesome to have a lion with flaming fangs and claws.
Realize Carn that isn't a "Paizo Official" answer -- that's a PFS official answer.
PFS is different from "Paizo Official".
Dragons have all the slots that a human have. Allways have since 1ed d&d, 2nd, 3rd, 3.5, BECME.
I do not see why satyr do not have the same.
This is a PFS answer. It is a little silly that horses cannot wear horseshoes, but it's a rule that seems to be made for balance and not realism.
If you're in a home game, simply ask your DM what slots your animal companion has.
I wonder where the PFS ruling stands for an Ape animal companion.
I wonder where the PFS ruling stands for an Ape animal companion.
Read the PFS FAQ quoted in the 2nd post.
TL;DR: Yes, and it is awesome to have a lion with flaming fangs and claws.
Unfortunately the flaming quality has to be activated by a command. A typical animal companion can't speak a command word, so that might be a problem. I'm not sure if the master could activate the item and then put it on the companion, but I know it was a problem for my Monk/Druid since any item which needs to be activated doesn't work in wildshape.
I advise looking at the "Menacing" quality for an animal companion's amulet. The extra +2 it grants for flanking can really help a lot. If the companion has trouble getting flank you might consider having it (or the PC) take Spring Attack. Nothing says that you can't move up, attack the foe, and then move around behind him all without suffering an AoO. If another nearby foe does get an AoO at least you'll have +5 AC against it (Dodge and Mobility)
Command Word: Meow.
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TL;DR: Yes, and it is awesome to have a lion with flaming fangs and claws.Unfortunately the flaming quality has to be activated by a command. A typical animal companion can't speak a command word, so that might be a problem. I'm not sure if the master could activate the item and then put it on the companion, but I know it was a problem for my Monk/Druid since any item which needs to be activated doesn't work in wildshape.
I advise looking at the "Menacing" quality for an animal companion's amulet. The extra +2 it grants for flanking can really help a lot. If the companion has trouble getting flank you might consider having it (or the PC) take Spring Attack. Nothing says that you can't move up, attack the foe, and then move around behind him all without suffering an AoO. If another nearby foe does get an AoO at least you'll have +5 AC against it (Dodge and Mobility)
Activation: Usually a character benefits from a magic weapon in the same way a character benefits from a mundane weapon—by wielding (attacking with) it. If a weapon has a special ability that the user needs to activate, then the user usually needs to utter a command word (a standard action). A character can activate the special abilities of 50 pieces of ammunition at the same time, assuming each piece has identical abilities.
Usually needs a command word, but not required to have one. The item could be made to be always on.
Sure, if it were a custom enchantment that cost more than a +1 does. But flaming needs a command word.
Sure, if it were a custom enchantment that cost more than a +1 does. But flaming needs a command word.
But the animal doesn't have to say it. Swords and the like don't shut off when you drop them or get disarmed, so you can just say the command word yourself and put it on the critter.
I still think it's interesting that a horse animal companion in fps can't wear magical horseshoes.
But as I don't play fps, why do I care?
Yeah, BigNorseWolf, I was kind of wondering if you might be able to activate the amulet for the companion. I still think that Menacing is a much nicer enchantment for the same price.
I'm guessing that the PFS ruling was mostly just to help keep things simple and prevent debate. I agree with carn that it is often difficult to find magic items which a particular DM will allow to work for an animal companion. For some reason the idea of a class feature having its own equipment just seems to frustrate or outrage certain DMs and players (kind of like asking for somebody to heal your familiar). Amulets, possibly on dog collars, can be a little tougher to argue against though.
Yeah, BigNorseWolf, I was kind of wondering if you might be able to activate the amulet for the companion. I still think that Menacing is a much nicer enchantment for the same price.
I'm guessing that the PFS ruling was mostly just to help keep things simple and prevent debate. I agree with carn that it is often difficult to find magic items which a particular DM will allow to work for an animal companion. For some reason the idea of a class feature having its own equipment just seems to frustrate or outrage certain DMs and players (kind of like asking for somebody to heal your familiar). Amulets, possibly on dog collars, can be a little tougher to argue against though.
The problem is that, especially at lower levels, an animal companion will outshine a poorly built PC (two weapon fighters, wisdom monks, dex monks, rogues), so they're warry of making the critters better than they are.
But at higher levels anything needs gear to be relevant and not blow every single save or be unable to get through the damage reduction that every boss has.
