The Mephit can use wands, how about the Homunculus! [with Alchemy Manual, and Voice]

[Eponine Lokrien Savet]

Only certain familiars can use wands.

The familiar has to be able to actually use the magic item to be able to use the magic item, weird, I know!

If a good argument can be made to allow, the rules can accommodate an Improved Familiar being allowed to use wands.

The Homunculus is humanoid, "This vaguely humanoid creature is about the size of a cat but looks more like a toothy, winged devil." They can likely be made even more humanoid than that because they are sculpted!

• "A homunculus's creator determines its precise features; some are more refined looking, but most creators don't bother to improve the creature's appearance beyond the minimum necessary for functioning."
  

All other humanoid familiars I am aware of can use magical devices (See first link).

Unfortunately, Homunculi are mute, which makes the use of trigger words impossible.

• "Telepathic Link (Su) A homunculus cannot speak, but the process of creating one links it telepathically with its creator. A homunculus knows what its master knows and can convey to him or her everything it sees and hears, out to a distance of 1,500 feet.

The Alchemy Manual is listed in the Additional Resources as allowing:

• Misc.: the new abilities for improved homunculi on page 14 are legal for play. The ooze crafting section on pages 22-23 is not legal for play.

Among the other improvements to a homunculus allowed is Voice:

• Voice: By adding dew of lunary and platinum to the homunculus, a crafter can grant it the ability to speak in a voice that sounds eerily like a diminutive version of its master's. Price: +500 gp.

Argument for allowing a Homunculus to use wands (so long as the player has the Alchemy Manual, and spends the additional 500 gold for voice):

A homunculus has an Int Score of 10. It is smart enough

With the Voice ability, the Homunculus can speak command words.

No other Improved Familiar has a steep gold piece price tag.

The Homunculus physical description at least manages that of an imp, quest, or mephit, all of which can use wands.

The Homunculus is a level 7 Improved familiar, which is on par with all others who can UMD, except Mephit (Level 5)

[Eponine Lokrien Savet]

Bump. I would like input from others please; whether or not you agree.

[Ascalaphus]

I don't know, but it's an interesting question.

[Auke Teeninga]

Even though I think it's a valid point it still is an exception to an exception, so it's not something that campaign management would like to spend a lot of time on.

If it would be added to the FAQ, how would you suggest the wording? (Should be short and clear)

[Ascalaphus]

This FAQ should be amended:

Can my animal companion or familiar wear or use magic items? wrote:

It is intended that animal companions or familiars can not activate magic items. An animal companion could benefit from an item with a continuous magical effect like an amulet of natural armor if its master equipped the item for the animal companion. Animal companions of any type may not use manufactured weapons.

Animal companions are also limited by their individual anatomies. In Pathfinder Society Organized Play, animal companions always have access to barding and neck-slot items so long as they have the anatomy. For example, a horse and pig can always have access to barding and neck-slot items. A snake does not have access to either. However, an item called out to be used by a specific animal is usable by that animal regardless of slot.

Additionally, animal companions have access to magical item slots, in addition to barding and neck, as listed on the inside front cover of the Animal Archive so long as they select the Extra Item Slot feat. The Animal Magic Item Slots table found in Animal Archive is not a 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. If you do not own a copy of the Animal Archive, your animal companion may only use barding and neck-slot items.

An animal or familiar has to have an intelligence of 3+ to activate an ioun stone. If the animal or familiar has less than a 3 intelligence, they may not activate an ioun stone.

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 carbuncle and voidworm protean, familiars granted by the Improved Familiar feat, uses the Serpentine section of the chart. If you do not own a copy of the Animal Archive, your animal companion may only use barding and neck-slot items.

Specifically, changes to the last paragraph in blue:

hypothetical change wrote:

The brownie, faerie dragon, imp, homonculus lyrakien azata, mephit, quasit, sprite familiars, granted by the Improved Familiar feat, use the Biped (hands) section of the chart. The carbuncle and voidworm protean, familiars granted by the Improved Familiar feat, uses the Serpentine section of the chart. If you do not own a copy of the Animal Archive, your animal companion may only use barding and neck-slot items.

To activate a wand, the familiar must be able to use the Hands slot and be capable of speech. Familiars otherwise follow the normal rules for using wands, meaning most of them will require Use Magical Device.

[zefig]

Ascalaphus wrote:

Specifically, changes to the last paragraph in blue:

]hypothetical change wrote:[/quote wrote:

The brownie, faerie dragon, imp, homonculus lyrakien azata, mephit, quasit, sprite familiars, granted by the Improved Familiar feat, use the Biped (hands) section of the chart. The carbuncle and voidworm protean, familiars granted by the Improved Familiar feat, uses the Serpentine section of the chart. If you do not own a copy of the Animal Archive, your animal companion may only use barding and neck-slot items.

To activate a wand, the familiar must be able to use the Hands slot and be capable of speech. Familiars otherwise follow the normal rules for using wands, meaning most of them will require Use Magical Device.

I would clarify that slightly further based on what I've read of Mike's responses to similar questions in the past:

To activate a wand, the improved familiar must in its natural form be able to use the Hands slot and be capable of speech. Familiars otherwise follow the normal rules for using wands, meaning most of them will require Use Magical Device.

[Ascalaphus]

You could refine that even further and require a Hands slot in both its natural and current form, but yeah, I agree with you.

[zefig]

Fair enough. I know that wands for familiars that can take humanoid forms but aren't themselves humanoid has been shot down before.

[Eponine Lokrien Savet]

I am rebumping this for the sake of the Familiar Folio and the Homunculist!

In addition to re-asking the question above, I also wish to pose the question:
"Can a Homunculist take the Improved Familiar Feat to gain a Homunculus that is humanoid, and thus possibly capable of using wands?"

[Eponine Lokrien Savet]

To refine the question originally posed question to the best I can personally do:

Mr. Brock, can an Improved Familiar (such as a homunculus) that has the Hands slot and is capable of speech (such as through the Homunculus' Voice option in Alchemy Manual) in its permanent natural form use magical items, such as wands in Pathfinder Society Play?

[Eponine Lokrien Savet]

I added a rules question which can be found here in the hope of getting a firm answer for PFS play since Mr. Brock has a very tight list of familiars which can use magical devices, found here (along with which section of Animal Archives the particular familiar uses for form).

[Taenia]

Keep in mind that the Arviter, Inevitable has hands but isn't humanoid in shape. It even wields a dagger. So hands alone may not be a qualifier for wand use, though I think this familiar should have that ability.

[Mahtobedis]

There is an entire set of familiars which need to be classified if they can use wands or mot, some of which are even called out in familiar folio as being able to use wands.

[Ragoz]

It be greatly appreciated if this was revisited especially with the familiar folio's release. Not just for the homunculus obviously but for all improved familiars who would qualify.

[GreySector]

Zak Glade wrote:

To activate a wand, the improved familiar must in its natural form be able to use the Hands slot and be capable of speech. Familiars otherwise follow the normal rules for using wands, meaning most of them will require Use Magical Device.

Small correction: the name of the skill is Use Magic Device, not Use Magical Device.

[Dhjika]

Louis Manko Levite wrote:

Keep in mind that the Arviter, Inevitable has hands but isn't humanoid in shape. It even wields a dagger. So hands alone may not be a qualifier for wand use, though I think this familiar should have that ability.

Arbiter has hands, has spell like abilities (one at caster level 12), can talk (IIRC it has truespeech), has above 10 Int and a 14 charisma. And it is an outsider.

I used to have one on a character as a familiar that used wands all the way up to 14th level - when the ruling went out that only certain ones could use wands, I tried to get it on the list, but failed.

I think there may be no objective criteria for which ones can use wands and which one cannot - it was decided only a subset could.

[Eponine Lokrien Savet]

I understand the statements regarding the Arbiter, however, I would point out that no other Improved Familiar has a cost (that I can find) aside from the Homunculus. . . and thematically, they are my favorite :)

[Eponine Lokrien Savet]

Dhjika wrote:

Louis Manko Levite wrote:

Keep in mind that the Arviter, Inevitable has hands but isn't humanoid in shape. It even wields a dagger. So hands alone may not be a qualifier for wand use, though I think this familiar should have that ability.

Arbiter has hands, has spell like abilities (one at caster level 12), can talk (IIRC it has truespeech), has above 10 Int and a 14 charisma. And it is an outsider.

I used to have one on a character as a familiar that used wands all the way up to 14th level - when the ruling went out that only certain ones could use wands, I tried to get it on the list, but failed.

I think there may be no objective criteria for which ones can use wands and which one cannot - it was decided only a subset could.

I agree, it would be nice if there were a simple ruling along the lines of:

For an Improved Familiar to be able to use wands, the Improved Familiar must
1) have hands;
2) have an intelligence score of at least 7; and,
3) must be able to speak a language, out loud.

[Eponine Lokrien Savet]

Michael Eshleman wrote:

Zak Glade wrote:

To activate a wand, the improved familiar must in its natural form be able to use the Hands slot and be capable of speech. Familiars otherwise follow the normal rules for using wands, meaning most of them will require Use Magical Device.

Small correction: the name of the skill is Use Magic Device, not Use Magical Device.

Duly noted.