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Familiars, tricks, handle animal and PFS

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Scarab Sages

So this character here, a serpentine sorceress, is going to have a viper familar some time soon.

How does this familar learn tricks?
Do i need to teach it myself with the handle animal skill?
Or can i have someone else do that?
And also very important, how does this function in PFS?
Shadow Lodge

Familiars don't have to learn tricks, they're intelligent enough to not need them. Starting off, they're almost as smart as some Paladin's I've seen.
Pai Song wrote:
How does this familar learn tricks?

It's a familiar, it's not really an animal anymore. It has an intelligence of at least 6. It just acts as it sees fit. People generally hand wave communication and assume the familiar can understand what the master wants it to do (though it can't actually speak to the master until 5th level unless it's a raven/thrush/parrot).

Scarab Sages

So i can just ell it to attack or snatch something or whatever?
Pai Song wrote:
So i can just ell it to attack or snatch something or whatever?

Technically, your character can't tell it to do anything until 5th level, but it can decide to attempt to do whatever it is you (the player) want it to do. It has an emotional bond, so it might know your sorceress is feeling angry at that orc, or envious of the wand that guy has or whatever.

Scarab Sages

Serpentine sorcerers get speak with reptilian animals at level 3 when they get the viper familiar. The familiar is at -2 level though.

I´m thinking about taking boon companion or improved familiar as level 3 feat to have a celestial viper.
Scarab Sages

On improved familiar, can i get a faerie dragon or something if i have the appropriate level with this feat as a familiar in PFS even the serpentine sorcerer gets only a viper?

Yes you can. It goes against the flavour of the bloodline, but not against the rules.
Shadow Lodge

Well... sort of. Faerie Dragons are not available without a boon. But something like a pseudodragon would be legal to pick up with the feat.
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