Improved Familiar in Organized Play - Question regarding skills

[Chevalier83]

Hi all,

my Magus will get an improved familiar after the next scenario. I just noticed that the familiar in question is a real skillmonkey and is better than my character in practically every skill. To name a few:

All knowledges aside from planes
Bluff, Diplomacy
Perception, Sense Motive
Spellcraft
Linguistic
Appraise

The thing I wonder about is the following: How are skill checks determined when my familiar is present? Do I get to roll twice (once for familiar, once for my character)? Do I get to roll the higher value or do I get to roll just for my character rendering skills on my familiar useless?

Please also note, that my familiar has telepathy and could thus potentially communicate with me without "talking".

[Avianfoo]

Very much dependant on the situation, but mostly yes, you can roll twice.

Or you can have your character aid the familiars check (roll against DC 10 to give your familiar +2 to its check)

A good rule of thumb is to treat your familiar as another party member. Can your party member roll a separate roll or aid you in the given check? Then the familiar can too.