So, I noticed that it's been a while since anyone made a discussion about this, and that a few new options have been added, and few removed. What do you guys think is the best familiar that can be gained from taking the Improved familiar feat? To clarify, I mean the best familiar in the most categories. Obviously different familiars are better at different things, like some are more effective at scouting, some in combat, some confer bonuses, etc. What I want is your opinion on which familiar is the most useful in the greatest number of ways. Conversely, I'm also interested in which improved familiar you consider the least useful, and why. Thanks for any input.
What options have been removed?
For me the Imp cannot be beaten honestly.
Perma Invisibility, Fast Healing, 12 CHA for UMD.
You need UMD, but works as scout and can survive on its own. Fast healing is something REALLY powerful imo.
Using UMD makes it a target, therefore Fast Healing as double value
Lyrakian Azata.
20 Cha for UMD, 80 fly speed (perfect), emergency cure light wounds in spell list. Constant freedom of movement so no grappling your wand wielder.
Somewhat weaker offensively and not as good a scout as perma invis but it probably sits as king of the support familiars and you're less likely to be dragged to hell after you die.
I really like the Silvanshee Agathion. Too bad that they nerfed the lay on hands progression, but it remains a great scout with a 90 ft fly speed and the ability to turn into a gaseous form.
The cherry on top is the Cat's Luck ability, IMO. Cast Eagle's Splendor first to boost CHA, then get him/her to use Cat's Luck and you've got a 10 minute luck bonus to saving throws of at least +3. Great feature when going into a tough fight.
Unrelated point, but it is a really good option to use with the Summon Guardian Spirit feat, primarily because of the innate boost to CHA that comes with that.
Arbiter inevitable is great for its near invulnerability and opposable thumbs. Almost nothing can bypass its regeneration to kill it, since chaotic effects are so few and far in between in this game.
As written, Aether Elemental is probably best.
How so?
Raktavarna is hands-down the best spy, granting remote vision to its master across even planar boundaries. I like it as something that genuinely enables new options, rather than making you better at what you could already do. Probably not a good candidate for "best overall," though.
Imp.
Who doesn't want a devil on their shoulder corrupting them?
That's mostly flavor for me, but they do have good stats. Arbiters are also great and I'm pretty partial to augurs. They have some nice SLAs.
As written, Aether Elemental is probably best.How so?
60' flight, permanent invisibility, and blindsight makes it arguably the best scout. But beyond that most of its abilities go obsolete in combat pretty early, and unless you want to rapidly transport (and damage) 100 lb objects 480' per turn I don't see much utility.
I overlooked its blingsight. That does bring it up a bit in my book.
"For the purpose of effects related to number of Hit Dice, use the master's character level or the familiar's normal HD total, whichever is higher."
So, the Aether Elemental's abilities should scale with the master's level.
"For the purpose of effects related to number of Hit Dice, use the master's character level or the familiar's normal HD total, whichever is higher."
So, the Aether Elemental's abilities should scale with the master's level.
It's referring to effects that might target the familiar, such as the sleep spell. It does nothing for the familiar's actual abilities, which are set at their normal level.
That may be the intent, but the language doesn't obviously limit it that way.
Doing it his way helps the weight limit but not damage on telekinetic throw.
Player: "My familiar tosses one of those a 500 lb statues at him!" GM: "It does 6 points of damage. Wait, it has DR. No damage."
The telekinetic maneuver would become level +4 for CMB. I guess you'll roll high sometimes and not every opponent is big with full BAB, but it's still not really useful.
It's referring to effects that might target the familiar, such as the sleep spell. It does nothing for the familiar's actual abilities, which are set at their normal level."For the purpose of effects related to number of Hit Dice, use the master's character level or the familiar's normal HD total, whichever is higher."
So, the Aether Elemental's abilities should scale with the master's level.
I thought so too, but they reworded the agathion Lay On Hands ability to not scale off of HD for familiars, which seems like decent evidence to me. Keeps poison DCs feasible, if not actually good.
It's referring to effects that might target the familiar, such as the sleep spell. It does nothing for the familiar's actual abilities, which are set at their normal level."For the purpose of effects related to number of Hit Dice, use the master's character level or the familiar's normal HD total, whichever is higher."
So, the Aether Elemental's abilities should scale with the master's level.
Do you have any proof of that? It is certainly an "effect related to number of Hit Dice".
Not really. It looks to me like they changed the wording at some point. It's been discussed ad nauseum elsewhere though.
My group tends to run it like Ravingdork does, but I do think it's a good question to get figured out one way or the other if someone wants to FAQ it.
I like the Tidepool dragon for spellcasting, personally I allow retraining on their spells known and rule the Share Spells ability to work both ways so it's a cool way for non wizard/sorcerer characters to get some cool arcane spells added to their list, like Shield for people using THWs and witches who don't get it for some reason.
I can't find a stat block of any NPCs having a familiar with a HD based ability, like poison. Does anyone have any references? Of course, stat blocks are known to be an unreliable rules source, but it would be good to know how the scenario designers think it works.
I like the shikigami kami. Immunity to a load of stuff, fast healing, ok melee and ranged damage for a familiar, invisibility for scouting and the seller for me, it can merge with you, no losing that familiar again. And a real easy alignment requirement
Considering that in the AP I'm currently playing in, the improved familiar of the bard was pretty much the MVP of my parties last two combats at level 13-14, I'm gonna have to go with Tidepool Dragon. Especially if your GM rules that Share Spells goes both ways, because then you have 3 Freedom of Movements on tap.
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For me the Imp cannot be beaten honestly.
Perma Invisibility, Fast Healing, 12 CHA for UMD.
You need UMD, but works as scout and can survive on its own. Fast healing is something REALLY powerful imo.
Using UMD makes it a target, therefore Fast Healing as double value
I agree. I should also add it has:
FlightResistances
Change Shape(Very nice ability)
Poison
DR
Immunities
SLAs (Commune and Augury are good ones. Suggestion is fun to us on low level peasants)
See in Darkness
I like giving him A. Barrier as his armor. Converting some damage it takes into non-lethal. Effectively increasing his fast healing while giving him +2 AC.
But I still think that Imp is one of the strongest options. If your allowed to upgrade to an Imp Consular even better. They gain Telepathy AND a more powerful Change Shape.
And what Improved familiar is most suitable for Eldritch Guardian?
And what Improved familiar is most suitable for Eldritch Guardian?
Something with a decent STR, you'll want a good bonus too. Compsognathus is popular, it also has poison for early levels. Mauler Familiars are cool because they can flank and do damage like an animal companion.
I'm not sure what the PFS rules are on retraining familiar spells, I think JJ said he'd personally allow familiars to have their own feats and spells changed based on what the player wants, but I think that's in home games.
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I can't find a stat block of any NPCs having a familiar with a HD based ability, like poison. Does anyone have any references? Of course, stat blocks are known to be an unreliable rules source, but it would be good to know how the scenario designers think it works.
I found ONE;
AP 96, Myralka - DC 15 Whirlwind, does not match DC 12 base air elemental. Master is 8th level, 10 + 1 Str + 8/2 = 15 DCAlso four which do not increase;
AP 56, Moto - DC 9 poison, same as base viper
AP 57, Xicorax - DC 13 breath weapon & CL 6 for SLAs, same as base air mephit
AP 79, Zazu - DC 10 poison, same as base scorpion
PFS 3-25, Duchess - DC 13 poison & CL 6 for SLAs, same as base imp
I can't find a stat block of any NPCs having a familiar with a HD based ability, like poison. Does anyone have any references? Of course, stat blocks are known to be an unreliable rules source, but it would be good to know how the scenario designers think it works.I found ONE;
AP 96, Myralka - DC 15 Whirlwind, does not match DC 12 base air elemental. Master is 8th level, 10 + 1 Str + 8/2 = 15 DCAlso four which do not increase;
AP 56, Moto - DC 9 poison, same as base viper
AP 57, Xicorax - DC 13 breath weapon & CL 6 for SLAs, same as base air mephit
AP 79, Zazu - DC 10 poison, same as base scorpion
PFS 3-25, Duchess - DC 13 poison & CL 6 for SLAs, same as base imp
So in other words.... no one knows. Just like that Queens of the Stone Age song.
And what Improved familiar is most suitable for Eldritch Guardian?
In general, improved familiars can't have the mauler archetype. So you will want a familiar capable of range or who has a greater than 0 reach. The sprite has native shortbow accuracy, so that could be an interesting combo.
A weird option is the wasp familiar, which isn't PFS legal. But it can have the stats of an imp, while still being a mauler.
So in other words.... no one knows. Just like that Queens of the Stone Age song.
I've always been under the impression the abilities of familiars only scale with modifiers, not HD.
The HD party says treat the effects as HD equal to its master. That's why the Lay on hands errata, because it's an effect related to HD.
But DC shouldn't change imo.
Familiars never level up like Animal Companions do, they don't gain feats either, so DC shouldn't scale besides their base HD.
60' flight, permanent invisibility, and blindsight makes it arguably the best scout. But beyond that most of its abilities go obsolete in combat pretty early, and unless you want to rapidly transport (and damage) 100 lb objects 480' per turn I don't see much utility.As written, Aether Elemental is probably best.How so?
Even better than that, the invisibility is useful against sound-based blindsense and blindsight, combined with flight it can be effectively be hidden in any occasion.
This means also that the aether elemental is going to telekinetic maneuver enemies against their "flat-footed CMD" (-> they lose their dex to CMD).|
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60' flight, permanent invisibility, and blindsight makes it arguably the best scout. But beyond that most of its abilities go obsolete in combat pretty early, and unless you want to rapidly transport (and damage) 100 lb objects 480' per turn I don't see much utility.As written, Aether Elemental is probably best.How so?Even better than that, the invisibility is useful against sound-based blindsense and blindsight, combined with flight it can be effectively be hidden in any occasion.
This means also that the aether elemental is going to telekinetic maneuver enemies against their "flat-footed CMD" (-> they lose their dex to CMD).
oh is 3pp a choice?
I'd throw out positive and negative elemental then as a good choice for maximized Channels. The negative energy one can basically maximize enervation spell.
Well, I've been looking at the familiars a bit, and I have to say, I like the imp and tidepool dragon.
Lyrakien Azata is my favorite. Among those benefits already mentioned, can remove fatigue once per day...Starlight burst is cool, though not reliable with only a Reflex DC of 12.
And it is guaranteed for a Wizard or Sorcerer to always have a beautiful woman at their side! :P"
Lyrakien Azata is my favorite. Among those benefits already mentioned, can remove fatigue once per day...Starlight burst is cool, though not reliable with only a Reflex DC of 12.
And it is guaranteed for a Wizard or Sorcerer to always have a beautiful woman at their side! :P"
Well, if you can potentially RP the Familiar, through rank sharing you can have a great diplomacy familiar :P
7 Ranks + 3 Class Skill + 5 CHA at level is nothing to ignore.
You can use the Sage Archetype to do it on a character without investing in diplomacy on your PC.Lyrakien Azata is my favorite. Among those benefits already mentioned, can remove fatigue once per day...Starlight burst is cool, though not reliable with only a Reflex DC of 12.
And it is guaranteed for a Wizard or Sorcerer to always have a beautiful woman at their side! :P"Well, if you can potentially RP the Familiar, through rank sharing you can have a great diplomacy familiar :P
7 Ranks + 3 Class Skill + 5 CHA at level is nothing to ignore.
Definitely a wise choice. I don't like it much because you don't get that many Skill Points, and since the Familiar doesn't get your Ranks, some re rolls might not be available with higher numbers, but not 100% sure
there are a couple of good choices.
Personally I think you should pick something that works stylistically with your character design and theme, or something totally contrary for contrast that compliments your caster. Just going by the mechanics is a pea poor choice. It's a role playing game!
Characters that choose a familiar with an evil alignment are simply tempting the GM to do bad things.
It is true that the familiars thematic appropriateness should factor in to a persons choice in familiar, but this particular thread was created with the purpose of discussing your favourite familiar option from the improved familiar feat, and why you regard it as such.