Does a familiar count as a member of its master's faction?

[Jokon Yew]

I've been searching the forum for about 30 minutes now and haven't found an answer for my question. Does a familiar count as a member of its master's faction? I am asking in reference to Taldor Boon on the Year of the Risen Rune bonus chronicle. As a refresher, the boon reads "Increase the bonus of any aid another action you receive from any member of the Taldor faction by 2."

As you might guess, this would make familiars (particularly with the valet archetype) quite a bit more interesting for select characters.

[Red-Assassin]

I would say no.

Cool idea though.

[Jokon Yew]

Yeah, you don't really benefit from the Able Assistant feature in PFS, but having all kinds of aid another suddenly makes it very interesting. The valet archetype is really killer here too since you can get all kinds of mobile functionality out of it.

[The Morphling]

I would say that that is up to the familiar. If the familiar desired to join the faction, why would he be denied membership?

[godsDMit]

A familiar is a class feature, not a character, so no. :/

[Majuba]

The Morphling wrote:

I would say that that is up to the familiar. If the familiar desired to join the faction, why would he be denied membership?

Sure they'll be allowed in - but they might be sent on different missions than the master! Also... who says they'll join the same faction anyhow?

[Dylos]

Majuba wrote:

The Morphling wrote:

I would say that that is up to the familiar. If the familiar desired to join the faction, why would he be denied membership?

Sure they'll be allowed in - but they might be sent on different missions than the master! Also... who says they'll join the same faction anyhow?

As long as the familiar gets it's own pool of Prestige Points to spend on wands, does it matter if it is the same faction?

[BigNorseWolf]

Storywise yes.

Mechanically no.

[Lanith]

I would say no.

Just because I get a new job with a company my personal laptop is not suddenly associated with that company. The character joins The Pathfinder Society, the familiar is just a bonus. Unless you want your familiar to be send on it's own missions, per Majuba's suggestion.

[John Compton]

As many above have voiced, your familiar, animal companion, or eidolon is not a member of your faction mechanically. That said, I'm sure there are plenty of folks out there who do and would enjoy making said creature a faction member in flavor only—perhaps by giving the eidolon a tabard with Taldor's insignia.

As for someone sticking the Additional Traits feat on a qualifying creature so as to choose a faction trait...eh...let's leave that one alone for now. Suffice it to say that your proposed use of the Season 4 Taldor faction boon is a no-go.

[nosig]

wow... I could see a Wizard with an Imp familiar, and the familiar is actually the faction member (Cheliax faction), the PC is just a Pathfinder. It would be fun RPing the Imp trying to get "the boss" to do something that the Para-Countess wants done... but the Wizard isn't aware of!

[Jokon Yew]

Thanks for the info!