|
This link is the FAQ in question to which you refer.
The Additional Resources has this to say on the Animal Archive:
Pathfinder Player Companion: Animal Archive
*Note: The Animal Magic Item Slots table found on the inside front cover of the book is not legal except under the following conditions. First, an animal companion, familiar, or bonded mount, may choose one slot listed under its body type when taking the Extra Item Slot feat (this feat may be taken multiple times, each time selecting a different available magic item slot based on the creature's anatomy). Second, access to specific magic item slots may be granted at a later date by another legal source.
Archetypes: all archetypes on pages 6-7 and 20-21 are legal. The Huntmaster may only have one animal companion in his hunting pack; Animals: all animal companions on pages 28-29 are legal for purchase. Animals on pages 14-15 are legal for purchase except dinosaurs and megafauna (unless already allowed in this document in Bestiary 1, Bestiary 2, Bestiary 3, or Ultimate Equipment) and dire animals. Additionally, only creatures of the animal type of size Large and smaller may be purchased. Goblin dog is restricted for purchase and only available to goblin PCs; Equipment: all equipment on pages 12-13 are legal except barding stitches, fury drops, and poison caps; Familiars: all familiars on pages 10-11 and 30-31 are legal. Approximating familiars in not legal for PFS play; Feats: all feats on pages 18-19 are legal except Familiar Spell; Magic items: all magic items on pages 26-27 are legal except circlet of speaking and familiar metamagic rod; Spells: all spells on pages 24-25 are legal; Tricks: All tricks on pages 8-9 are legal.
The bolded section talks about what can be worn where. For most animal companions and familiars, you are allowed neck slot and barding items, and have to buy additional item slots with the feat.
This thread was from Mike Brock about that FAQ post. It has several useful clarifications.
This thread is incredibly useful for all questions animal.
|
|
The familiars who can use wands with UMD are the short list of improved familiars that use the biped(hands) section:
The brownie, faerie dragon, imp, lyrakien azata, mephit, quasit, sprite familiars, granted by the Improved Familiar feat, use the Biped (hands) section of the chart.
The rules for PFS are, in fact, more restrictive than the general game. You get the neck and barding slots, if your AC can use them, and that's it, stock. Exceptions are limited. Other than that, buy more slots with the feat Extra Item Slot. This is -different- than the normal rules, and can help answer several of the questions you have.
Adding in the spells and polymorph changes you asked about, and you have areas not normally discussed. If the spells don't cover the situations you describe, usually it will be up to the table GM to cover it.
I would expect that anthropomorphic animal would allow for use of a weapon it picks up, and would also expect the animal is not proficient with it. As for wand use, no, int 3 and hands won't allow that in PFS.
|
FAQ link: http://paizo.com/pathfinderSociety/faq#v5748eaic9p51
I'm finding the FAQ concerning this very confusing. I see the wand thing has been beaten to death in another post, but how about issues such as the following?
The FAQ may seem confusing because not everything that Mike Brock has issued rulings on is contained within the FAQ. Some of it exists in threads (like this) where people asked for clarification, and he answered.
1) The majority of the text only says things about animal companions. Should we assume everything said about animal companions also applies to familiars (and other pc "sidekicks")?
No. Familiars ≠ Animal Companions. They each have their own governing rules.
2) "Animal companions of any type may not use manufactured weapons.": Does this apply to familiars too? Some familiars (for example, the sprite), come with manufactured weapons...
Only Animal Companions.
3) The spell Anthropomorphic Animal states "One pair of its limbs is able to manipulate objects and weapons as well as human hands do" and "the creature's Intelligence increases to 3, and it gains the ability to speak one language you know." What happens here? (in regards to gear use, wand use, etc)
An Animal Companion under the effects of this spell can now "manipulate objects and weapons as well as human hands do". That's it.
4) Many other polymorph spells also allow animals/familiars to assume humanoid/other forms. (for example, Alter Self in conjunction with Share Spell). What happens here?
Can you be more specific?
5) The FAQ seems to indicate that humanoid familiars can only wear barding and a neck-slot item. Barding, and not armor, on a humanoid?
Familiars that use the Biped (Hands) chart from Animal Archive have every slot available to them. Rings, Armor, Belts, whatever you want.
6) What happens if a humanoid familiar (or polymorphed) animal companion dons and wears magical armor/shield/etc in-game. Will it suddenly become insubstantial and ineffective? Does the world explode?
Familiar? Nothing. It can do this already.
Animal Companion? It still can't activate magical items, including wands. Other than that I'm not sure what you're asking.
7) What is the price of gear? For example, a tiny suit of leather armor (or barding :P) for an imp familiar.
This answer can be found in the Core Rulebook within the Equipment chapter. Unfortunately, due to some editing errors, weapons other than small/medium/large are not available for purchase, but tiny-sized armor is.
|
|
If you own Animal Archive you'll be able to see that "Biped (Hands)" refers to more than just being able to wear gloves. It means that your general body shape is "Bipedal", and you have "Hands", opening up all the usual body slots that characters have.
Those Familiars that possess this body shape can use wands.
|
|
I am sorry my posts did not clear anything up.
Biped (Hands) and using wands have nothing to do with each other. There is nothing in print, no FAQ, no rule (that I am aware of) linking them together. Separate them in your mind.
In PFS, the default base general rule is that Animal Companions and Familiars cannot activate magic items. This default base general rule is modified under two circumstances, which then become specific overriding general conditions:
1) Animal Companions and Familiars with an Int of 3+ may activate Ioun Stones, and 2) Familiars that are considered Biped (Hands) may activate wands.
That's it. Having 4 fingers, an opposable thumb, and a soft palm by virtue of themselves does not constitute the ability to use a wand. In PFS you need to A) be a Familiar, and B) have a body structure defined as "Biped (Hands)".
Furthermore, Familiars that are Biped (Hands) do not need the Extra Item Slot feat. They already have every item slot available to them, so the feat would be redundant.
Hopefully that helps.
|
|
Ah, I wasn't aware that an in-thread rules clarification was as official as the FAQ. Is there a list of people whose rulings/comments can be taken as official?I'm finding the FAQ concerning this very confusing. I see the wand thing has been beaten to death in another post, but how about issues such as the following?The FAQ may seem confusing because not everything that Mike Brock has issued rulings on is contained within the FAQ. Some of it exists in threads (like this) where people asked for clarification, and he answered.
Michael Brock, Mark Moreland, and John Compton are the only 3 off the top of my head right now. Anything they say should be taken as being official.
Note that this is different from what you'll find over in the Rules Forum, where casual commentary by Designers/Developers is not official, and only FAQs/Erratas are.
2) Familiars that are considered Biped (Hands) may activate wands.
I would also say in relation to this and the previous questions about alter self, that according to this post link Only these familiars are able to use wands. This is where it specifically says it, not in the faq.
So baseline, Familiars cannot activate magic items. The listed ones in that post, obtained with improved familiar can activate wands only. They cannot activate scrolls/staves or other magic items. (Although they can use ioun stones as long as they have int 3+).
Any regular or different improved familiar changed with alter self into a humanoid would still not be able to activate wands or other magic items.
This is how I read it at least.
Venture-Lieutenant, California—Los Angeles (Newhall)
|
This seems pretty straightforward to me.
Unless you have the animal book, they can wear barding(armor) and a neck slot(collar)
If you have the animal book, look at the chart indicated, and even then you can get that feat that gives you an extra slot.
Quit trying to break the game.
|
|
This seems pretty straightforward to me.
Unless you have the animal book, they can wear barding(armor) and a neck slot(collar)
If you have the animal book, look at the chart indicated, and even then you can get that feat that gives you an extra slot.
Quit trying to break the game.
*headscratch*
Or it will cost you 10 bucks to break the game?
|
|
If you change your animal companion into a humanoid, keep in mind it is still an animal. Even if you strap armor onto it, it going to try to strip it off as soon as possible. You could make an arguement that it may be OK with armor if it has proficiency. If you give it a sword, it may hang on to it, but since animal companions can't get weapon prof, they are going to revert to their nature attack routinue when combat starts. Which will probably get them killed as the now provoke and do nonlethal damage. Familiars may be another story.
Of course the alter self + shared spell idea could potentially allow you to bring your animal with you into social situations...assuming you have the right clothes and make a handle animal check...
|
If you change your animal companion into a humanoid, keep in mind it is still an animal. Even if you strap armor onto it, it going to try to strip it off as soon as possible. You could make an arguement that it may be OK with armor if it has proficiency. If you give it a sword, it may hang on to it, but since animal companions can't get weapon prof, they are going to revert to their nature attack routinue when combat starts. Which will probably get them killed as the now provoke and do nonlethal damage.
You're seriously saying that if you cast Anthropomorphic Animal on your companion it's going to actively resist trying to use the gear you give it, that the spell says it can use? And that it's going to try and punch people because it no longer has claws? And by extension it will even yell at you that it doesn't want to do what you tell it to because it's against its nature since it can now also talk?
Specific overrides general.
In general animals don't really know how to use gear. There may be specific exceptions to that. They do need to be spelled out, specifically.
For example, simply polymorphing an animal into a person won't make it able to use gear it wouldn't normally use, but Anthropomorphic Animal has specific exceptions to that general rule.
-j