The biggest problem I have with many of the improved familiars is that they get stupid when they become a familiar. Some of them will never quite get up to their non-familiar intelligence level. That just really bugs me even if it doesn't make too much difference in game play (though I think your faerie dragon would have to lose many of its languages).
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This only applies if it's built as a bestiary construct. If it becomes an actual familiar, familliar rules supersede that.I still prefer the Homonculus. Unlike all the other familiars out there this is the ONLY one that can actually increase it's base Hit Die and gain extra feats/skills/increase DC's and add extra powers.
That's an... interesting interpretation, wholly outside the rules but interesting.
The only thing that changes when you take a homonculus as a familiar is it's hit points change to half of what the Master has and that it uses it's masters rank in skills that are higher than it's own.
It retains the appearance, Hit Dice, base attack bonus, base save bonuses, skills, and feats of the normal animal it once was, but is now a magical beast for the purpose of effects that depend on its type.
And I see what you did there Jubrayl, I'm watching you.
Yeah I see your point about Pseudodragon, but Ratling. Now that's an awesome familiar I never see being discussed.
You must be Chaotic Evil, so few will take this.
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The biggest problem I have with many of the improved familiars is that they get stupid when they become a familiar. Some of them will never quite get up to their non-familiar intelligence level. That just really bugs me even if it doesn't make too much difference in game play (though I think your faerie dragon would have to lose many of its languages).
Hmm. I could swear it doesn't work like that, but I can't find any proof. This is worrisome. I'm pretty sure the intent was that you take Bestiary stats or what the master gives the familiar, whichever is better. Weird.
The biggest problem I have with many of the improved familiars is that they get stupid when they become a familiar. Some of them will never quite get up to their non-familiar intelligence level. That just really bugs me even if it doesn't make too much difference in game play (though I think your faerie dragon would have to lose many of its languages).Hmm. I could swear it doesn't work like that, but I can't find any proof. This is worrisome. I'm pretty sure the intent was that you take Bestiary stats or what the master gives the familiar, whichever is better. Weird.
I had always thought it was the better of the scores, but it was pointed out to me recently. The wording is pretty clear that they get the listed score. Since most of my PC's are for PFS where rules can't be adjusted, I am stuck with it.
At a home game, I think many/most GM's would let you keep the better ability score.|
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So yes
No. This question gets asked so much I had to go back and bookmark this dev response so I could just point to it.
As for a familiar's abilities, they do not increase in duration or potency, as the creature's HD do not increase. For the purposes of determining whether or how a spell effects a familiar when the familiar is targeted (like sleep, color spray, or blasphemy), it treats the caster's level or it's own HD total as its HD (whichever is higher). A familiar scales by having half the caster's hit points, and using the base saves and base attack bonus of the caster if higher than the familiar's. But a familiar is not a cohort, nor an animal companion, and thus it advances only as outlined in the Familiars section of the wizard class description on page 82 of the Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook.
Pasueodragons are awesome because they look dashing in top hats and monocles.
Edit: Only picture I could find of a be-monocled, hatted minidragon.
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This has come up numerous times in the forums. The Familiar Int table is designed with the basic animals in mind. Special Familiars retain thier Bestiary Intelligence until and unless the Familiar table gives a better number.The biggest problem I have with many of the improved familiars is that they get stupid when they become a familiar. Some of them will never quite get up to their non-familiar intelligence level. That just really bugs me even if it doesn't make too much difference in game play (though I think your faerie dragon would have to lose many of its languages).Hmm. I could swear it doesn't work like that, but I can't find any proof. This is worrisome. I'm pretty sure the intent was that you take Bestiary stats or what the master gives the familiar, whichever is better. Weird.I had always thought it was the better of the scores, but it was pointed out to me recently. The wording is pretty clear that they get the listed score. Since most of my PC's are for PFS where rules can't be adjusted, I am stuck with it.
At a home game, I think many/most GM's would let you keep the better ability score.
It's good to know the world is still sane. But is there an official source for this?
Yeah I see your point about Pseudodragon, but Ratling. Now that's an awesome familiar I never see being discussed.You must be Chaotic Evil, so few will take this.
I wonder how many Fighters would sacrifice a few babies to get Pseudo-long-distance-Pounce 3/day.
Pasueodragons are awesome because they look dashing in top hats and monocles.
Edit: Only picture I could find of a be-monocled, hatted minidragon.
Well if that's your criteria, kittehs are better familiars because 1) they look smashing in monocles and a variety of hats, and b) they also grant the mage a +3 bonus on attracting the babes.
Well if that's your criteria, kittehs are better familiars because 1) they look smashing in monocles and a variety of hats, and b) they also grant the mage a +3 bonus on attracting the babes.Pasueodragons are awesome because they look dashing in top hats and monocles.
Edit: Only picture I could find of a be-monocled, hatted minidragon.
Disagree. Lizards much more handsome.
Worth noting: telepathy is a one way communication, as far as I can tell, not a mind-meld.
It is two-way. There was a whole thread on this topic here like last year, iirc.
It can't work as described if it were only one-way.|
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Worth noting: telepathy is a one way communication, as far as I can tell, not a mind-meld.
not at all...
Telepathy (Su)
The creature can mentally communicate with any other creature within a certain range (specified in the creature’s entry, usually 100 feet) that has a language. It is possible to address multiple creatures at once telepathically, although maintaining a telepathic conversation with more than one creature at a time is just as difficult as simultaneously speaking and listening to multiple people at the same time
Format: telepathy 100 ft.; Location: Languages.
it uses the word "conversation", it is two way communication, just like talking. if the other creatures know you have telepathy and are in range, they can reach out to you and "ping" you to talk. it is very good.
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This has come up numerous times in the forums. The Familiar Int table is designed with the basic animals in mind. Special Familiars retain thier Bestiary Intelligence until and unless the Familiar table gives a better number.
Can you give me a link. Several of us spent quite a few hours searching a few weeks ago and came up with nothing except people that thought it was probably an oversight.
Back in the day, I remember when the little fake drake WAS the thing to have, while other magic-users looked on in envy.When someone grabs the Improved Familiar feat, they are looking for a particular something. Usually it's combat survivability, SLAs, special abilities, and a UMD buddy. In short, extra actions. Many familiars have several of these things, but no one has all of them, and certain choices are seen as clearly superior than the others.
Yes, but then the pseudo dragon transfered it's 50% magic immunity to it's user as long as it was contact with it's master. So after any protections and saves failed. You still had a magic damage reduction of 50% or a 50% chance to shake of the effect entirely.
And that made the pseudodragon the best familiar of all (off course the chance of getting it was minimal or DM's choice)
Your problem is the fact your bat is speaking speaking squirrel.Level 5
Bat Familiar: Squeek! *Translation-The invisible thing is over there!*
Wizard: I know.
Bat Familiar: Squeek-ker-Squeeken. *Translation-You're a bit of a tool. You know that, right?!*
*Begins cleaning glasses* Ah, yes, good sir. This is a common misconception. You see, linguistically bats and squirrels share a common root language, but they are not as related as regional dialects as they have developed along different lines for quite some time. They sound similar, but obviously not the same. *Puts glasses back on*
Well if that's your criteria, kittehs are better familiars because 1) they look smashing in monocles and a variety of hats, and b) they also grant the mage a +3 bonus on attracting the babes.
O_O
Sold!
All this Imp Familiar talk makes me wistful. Was there ever any definitive answer on whether or not non-casters could get an improved familiar via Eldritch Heritage: Arcane?
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Disagree. Lizards much more handsome.Well if that's your criteria, kittehs are better familiars because 1) they look smashing in monocles and a variety of hats, and b) they also grant the mage a +3 bonus on attracting the babes.Pasueodragons are awesome because they look dashing in top hats and monocles.
Edit: Only picture I could find of a be-monocled, hatted minidragon.
Wrong there, dumb scaly one. Toads are the best because we get thought by making our spellcaster's tougher!
Wrong there, dumb scaly one. Toads are the best because we get thought by making our spellcaster's tougher!Disagree. Lizards much more handsome.Well if that's your criteria, kittehs are better familiars because 1) they look smashing in monocles and a variety of hats, and b) they also grant the mage a +3 bonus on attracting the babes.Pasueodragons are awesome because they look dashing in top hats and monocles.
Edit: Only picture I could find of a be-monocled, hatted minidragon.
Disagree, stinky muddy one of giantous burps. Though we have all been outdone by turtles, as have own theme song involving ninjas.
Speaking of, there should be rule to let wizard turtle familiar take level in ninja.
Otherwise forced to call Golarion unrealistic.
All this Imp Familiar talk makes me wistful. Was there ever any definitive answer on whether or not non-casters could get an improved familiar via Eldritch Heritage: Arcane?
Why wouldn't they?
So yesNo. This question gets asked so much I had to go back and bookmark this dev response so I could just point to it.Linkified
As for a familiar's abilities, they do not increase in duration or potency, as the creature's HD do not increase. For the purposes of determining whether or how a spell effects a familiar when the familiar is targeted (like sleep, color spray, or blasphemy), it treats the caster's level or it's own HD total as its HD (whichever is higher). A familiar scales by having half the caster's hit points, and using the base saves and base attack bonus of the caster if higher than the familiar's. But a familiar is not a cohort, nor an animal companion, and thus it advances only as outlined in the Familiars section of the wizard class description on page 82 of the Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook.
But that's in the context of PFS, which has it's own unique rulings/variations for many things. As I mentioned, SKR himself (who is centrally involved in the Core Rule development and engaged in the official Rule FAQ) pretty much stated that HD-scaling does apply to Familiars' abilities... Following it up with what appeared a house rule that Sylvanshee Lay on Hands should scale in effect, but not usages/day... Which wouldn't make sense if abilities didn't scale at all, since the house-rule would just be blatant power-bloat then. Now I have no idea if they plan to keep SKR's ruling or what, but I would not say Mark's ruling is clearly the official one given SKR's counter post and SKR's own involvement in Core Rules.