Can a familiar gain levels?

[Seornep]

Hi, I am a first time GM, had my first session last night, all went better than I expected. The only thing that I have doubts on is one of my PCs. He is playing with a familiar that has somehow gained a level in cleric. I have absolutely no idea how this has happened, to my knowledge familiars cannot gain levels, his familiar (a monkey) has higher base stats than the traditional monkey that the familiar monkey is derived from.

My questions are;

1) Am I right in saying familiars can't level up, and definitely can't take classes?
2) Are the Familiar's stats identical to the animal it is associated with? In this case a monkey (Str 3, Dex 15, Con 10, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 5)
3) What kind of languages can the familiar speak?

[Pupsocket]

1: Yes. Absolutely.
2: Yes, but with higher Int and Natural Armor. As a Human, he might take Eye for Talent. But that's it.
3: None by default, unless given as an ability from the familiar abilities by level table. The Familiar shares the master's skill ranks including linguistics, and it's generally understood that the master can instruct the familiar verbally. None of this lets the familiar actually speak, as it isn't physically equipped to do so.

[KuntaSS]

Can monkeys not speak despite intelligence and linguistics ranks?

[wraithstrike]

No monkeys can not speak. Linguistics can allow you to learn a language, but it does not give the ability of speech. There is no rule saying intelligence of ____ = speech.

PS: As an aside many animals are not capable of actually speaking. Some may be able to mimic a word here and there, but their biology prevents full on speech.

[Taku Ooka Nin]

Familiars cannot take class levels. That I am familiar with it is impossible for creatures gained through class features to gain class levels. Specific class features can grant access to feats, but Leadership or its lower level variants are not class features.

You can take Improve Familiar: Faerie Dragon. It is treated as a level 3 Sorcerer for spells while not actually having class levels.

If you are a Beast Bonded Witch you could get to level 10 then die and never claim a new body. The Familiar then has 10 levels in witch, but only because you share its body and can take over.

[lemeres]

1. The only legit case I know of is that the humonculous can be given more HD if you spend the time and money improving it. This case appears to be some leadership/cohort thing, which might be born from a house rule.

3. Ravens and thrushes gain the ability to speak 1 language. There is a bit of debate whether you could expand that list via you taking linguistics (hey, they can talk anyway, and they get your skill ranks). A lot of improved familiars also have languages. The default monkey? no.

[Torchlyte]

Seornep wrote:

2) Are the Familiar's stats identical to the animal it is associated with? In this case a monkey (Str 3, Dex 15, Con 10, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 5)

I recommend reading the Wizard class feature for a breakdown, the above poster's answer is not complete and it's a bit complicated.

[Petty Alchemy]

You might be able to get away with sign language on an intelligent monkey.

[LazarX]

Spellcasters and their familiars do eventually gain the ability to "speak" to each other, but not in a language or means that anyone else can understand.

[Taku Ooka Nin]

Just take a Crow if you want it to talk.
Then you can talk openly about everyone save for 1 person, and speak in your gibber jabber about them to make them feel insecure.

[Stephen Sheahan]

First off, congrats on running your first game

secondly, keep in mind a few things when running a game

it should be fun -( its a game, in your spare time.)
fun means fun for everyone, including the game runner
the rules help ensure the fun, particularly for novices.
try to say yes to client requests, or at least "yes, but.."

rule for familiars
http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/classes/wizard.html#familiars
among other references that suggest it is a bad idea it states:
Only a normal, unmodified animal may become a familiar.

if that weren't enough warning

this 5th level spell
http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/spells/awaken.html#_awaken
(one of the ways a monkey could journey to become a cleric)
specifically mentions that:
An awakened animal can't serve as an animal companion, familiar, or special mount.

Specific rules trump general rules but in this case they both state essentially the same thing - no can do

however, you might want to play a game that does allow something like this. before you just say yes think about other related rules and the power level of party.

if none of the characters are high enough level to cast the awaken spell (if there were a druid) then I'd say this is out of bounds.

on the other hand if the character takes the leadership feat, and their score is high enough
http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/feats.html#_leadership
say at least 11, you could make a special arrangement for the co-hort the feat grants to be this awakened monkey.

to balance it the (familiar /cohort) level cap should be character-6 (or maybe minus 8) and the character should have to pay to equip and pay a salary or small treasure share (out of his or her own share - not directly from the group)
and if the character treats the familiar cruelly or endangers it carelessly, the monkey should leave, taking all gear, possibly robbing the character and never come back - and if the party chases itdown, let it have some new gargantuan buddies to help defend it

there should also be more difficulty replacing it (with a regular familiar) for some time - worse than what is specified for a regular familiar - like 1000 gp /level instead of 200 gp and for maybe a month not a week

now depending on your group it might be enough to just pull out the rules and say No. or it might make it more fun if you say yes you can but I want these conditions to be met first.

have fun - hope that helps