Funny or cool familiar concepts


Pathfinder First Edition General Discussion

Silver Crusade

My gnome kineticist is about to get 'elemental whispers'. This will result in a tiny rabbit (sage archetype) that mostly lives in my character's head. The rabbit, when manifested, is created out of strands of aether, and wears a little monocle.

Aside from this epic RP aspect of my gnome seeming to have gotten a multiple personality disorder, and the surprise on everyone's faces when the familiar actually mamyfests, it has great game perks!

With just one feat/talent, my gnome got alertness, +4 initiative, an ally to chew through the occasional ropes when his hands are bound, and access to all knowledge skills, with free skillpoints to boot! What's not to love?

This made me wonder... What cool or funny familiar concepts have you people thought up, or better, used in the game. Let's hear the stories!


The Hell Pup, a Young Hellhound for level 7/8+ casters. It doesn't jut give you a pet dog, but also a nice RP experience.


Mauler Familiar with permanent Anthropomorphic Animal on it. Bonus points if this makes if match the master's race (catfolk, vanara, tengu, etc.). Also possible with non-mauler dire rat familiar and ratfolk.

Verdant Wheel

3 people marked this as a favorite.

A PFS build that I plan to do is a Magical Child... except he's an elderly halfling, known as Lomwise "Loamy" Frond, or The Gardener in his Vigilante Identity. Why The Gardener? Well, he fights with a sickle, uses trowels as grappling hooks, uses Pit spells a lot.... and his familiar is a small plant in a pot... a Mauler Petrifern. BEWARE THE RAPIDLY FERTILISED TREE OF JUSTICE.

Eventually, I think that Mister Trelawney will become, as an Improved Familiar, either a Fire or Earth Elemental, depending on whether he decides to stick with being wood or rock, and of course would eventually be able to switch back to being a tree.

Shadow Lodge

I've got a LN character with a Celestial Imp - a homebrew critter courtesy of the GM who is simultaneously the angel and devil on my shoulder.

My favourite familiar in play, though, was probably a friend's Silvanshee "Conisch." The concept itself wasn't too unusual, but the familiar's personality provided a really interesting contrast with the master's. The master was a serious, noir-inspired diviner wizard. His "cat" had a chipper, almost cheerleader-like attitude and a vaguely Scottish accent. He felt at times like the wizard's inner optimist.

Nitro~Nina wrote:

A PFS build that I plan to do is a Magical Child... except he's an elderly halfling, known as Lomwise "Loamy" Frond, or The Gardener in his Vigilante Identity. Why The Gardener? Well, he fights with a sickle, uses trowels as grappling hooks, uses Pit spells a lot.... and his familiar is a small plant in a pot... a Mauler Petrifern. BEWARE THE RAPIDLY FERTILISED TREE OF JUSTICE.

Eventually, I think that Mister Trelawney will become, as an Improved Familiar, either a Fire or Earth Elemental, depending on whether he decides to stick with being wood or rock, and of course would eventually be able to switch back to being a tree.

Can I steal this concept for an NPC?

Verdant Wheel

Weirdo wrote:
Nitro~Nina wrote:

A PFS build that I plan to do is a Magical Child... except he's an elderly halfling, known as Lomwise "Loamy" Frond, or The Gardener in his Vigilante Identity. Why The Gardener? Well, he fights with a sickle, uses trowels as grappling hooks, uses Pit spells a lot.... and his familiar is a small plant in a pot... a Mauler Petrifern. BEWARE THE RAPIDLY FERTILISED TREE OF JUSTICE.

Eventually, I think that Mister Trelawney will become, as an Improved Familiar, either a Fire or Earth Elemental, depending on whether he decides to stick with being wood or rock, and of course would eventually be able to switch back to being a tree.

Can I steal this concept for an NPC?

Aha, I'm flattered, absolutely you can.

I love the angel/devil idea, btw.


I had a diabolist conjurer wizard with an imp consular as a familiar. That was an interesting pretty fun character, summoning in devils with a snap.

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