Question as in title.
I want to use a voidworm familiar for my gnome illusionist, but the problem I see is that they can't seem to use wands.
The voidworm can also transform into other small animals, but I can't think of a single animal form that lets it use wands.
Parrot and Raven can speak, but can't hold wand.
Monkey can hold wand, but can't speak.
One could advocate a parrot can "wield" it. You only need to point a wand at the target and use the command word to use it, so...
Table variation probably.
Right now I can't find any form easier to accept... And I would understand a GM denying you this option. There are better impr. familiars to do that, like imps and lyrakiens.
BTW, only a familiar raven can speak, not the base animal, be careful.
Per Animal Archive the parrot and raven can indeed grasp an object. In PFS only Improved Familiars can use wands though, so this won't matter there. I think HectorVivis is correct that a creature polymoprhed into a parrot or raven can't speak. Ironically a regular familiar might function better than an improved familiar here.
That said, since there are plenty of improved familiars which can use wands it doesn't seem unreasonable to ask your DM if he'll let it slide for the voidworm. If not you could consider the Lyrakien Azata or the always popular Faerie Dragon.
There is an item called Collar of Beast-Speech. it's 3p from Alluria Publishing. It lets animals talk. If you had a monkey and this collar which costs 2000 the monkey could use a wand if it had ranks in use magic device (which I don't think it can).
Per Animal Archive the parrot and raven can indeed grasp an object. In PFS only Improved Familiars can use wands though, so this won't matter there. I think HectorVivis is correct that a creature polymoprhed into a parrot or raven can't speak. Ironically a regular familiar might function better than an improved familiar here.
That said, since there are plenty of improved familiars which can use wands it doesn't seem unreasonable to ask your DM if he'll let it slide for the voidworm. If not you could consider the Lyrakien Azata or the always popular Faerie Dragon.
I can always ask him.
Lyrakien Azata or Faerie Dragon are good ideas but I don't like the idea of the LA, and both are wrong alignment. My character is a CN wizard who dabbles in necromancy.
I don't want a humanoid familiar. The imp is out because it's TOO evil (and humanoid-ish) and the mephits are also too humanoid.
Remember you can be a step away from each component of alignment of the target familiar.
You can take the faery dragon even by being a true neutral.
IIRC, the ratling can be a good choice for you too, as if they can use scrolls, then they can use wands.
Anyway, maybe if you want a familiar that can do the same thing a humanoïd could do... Take a humanoïd! :p
Maybe he's trying to be just a little under the radar, HectorVivis. I am guessing, probably incorrectly, that he's looking for something that looks like an animal so he can have it wander around a little without people being wary/unnerved/etc.
There is an item called Collar of Beast-Speech. it's 3p from Alluria Publishing. It lets animals talk. If you had a monkey and this collar which costs 2000 the monkey could use a wand if it had ranks in use magic device (which I don't think it can).
Familiar's are treated as having your skill ranks or theirs, whichever is better. If you want a familiar to be wand slinging, you should have ranks in UMD, which the familiar then has.
Edit: Not as efficient, but you could cast anthropomorphic animal on your familiar, and for a while s/he can speak and has hands.
You have to hold a wand in a hand or what passes for a hand.
Parrots, ravens etc. haven't got hands. They have wings.
You can't use your feet to activate a wand.
|
You have to hold a wand in a hand or what passes for a hand.
Parrots, ravens etc. haven't got hands. They have wings.
You can't use your feet to activate a wand.
... To activate a wand, a character must hold it in hand (or whatever passes for a hand, for nonhumanoid creatures) and point it in the general direction of the target or area...
... (emphasis mine).
The simple solution may be to take the Evolved Familiar Feat, give your voidworm the tentacle evolution, and let it grasp wands with that.
I'd think that the limb you use to hold things "passes for a hand". I agree with ProfPotts that even a tentacle might suffice for holding things. Anyhow, the actual rules (from Animal Archive) say:
"Some creature body types are able to grasp and carry one object at a time in their paws, claws, or hands, including weapons, rods, wands, and staves, though they may not be able to use such items effectively (GM's discretion) and take penalties for nonproficiency as usual. These are indicated by "Yes" in the "Grasp/Carry" column in the table below."
There's a "Yes" in that column for the Avian, Biped(Claws/Paws), and Biped(Hands) body types. Obviously GM discretion is involved, but it seems like an easy call that a wand, which weighs under one ounce and just needs to be pointed in a general direction, is something that a familiar could use - unless the GM doesn't want it to for some reason (which is true of many things in the game). If the familiar wants to wield a flail or a vorpal sword maybe that shouldn't work out as well.
@Te'Shen - For some PCs it might make more sense to buy a headband of +2 Int with the UMD skill in it for the familiar.
@Ganryu - The Tidepool Dragon is CN and has Cha 14. The CN Zoog would be pretty bad at using wands due to 5 Charisma but might be able to try (Circlet of Persuasion can help a bit). I'll also point out that since familiars can "Speak with Master" after a certain level they arguably can speak. That might be limited to their "native" form though.
Yeah, I don't think home DMs should feel that they have to follow PFS specific rules. There are plenty of options banned in PFS which might work well in home games.