So, I've been pondering a fun little problem lately... Familiars can take archetypes of their own, and one of them is Sage. It changes their Int growth and lets them try Knowledge checks untrained. This has obvious use on a talking familiar like a Raven, Thrush, Parrot, or any speech-capable Improved Familiar. I'm curious about something else entirely.
Specifically, how would one get a non-talking Familiar that doesn't yet have its Familiar-Master unique language, to actually make use of Sage abilities in a way that actually helps its master? Bearing in mind they don't just lack the ability to speak until they gain that language... said familiars outright don't have a language at all beyond animal noises, so they can't read languages yet either.
I'd love to get thoughts on this, because I'm interested in working with a Sage-type Owl on a celestial Sorcerer build and this has been eluding me for a while. The obvious fix would be to grab a Thrush instead, but I'd love to have the Owl if I could actually make use of Sage somehow. Any ideas?
Been looking at the same thing. Honestly at level 5 when they can talk to you, they will actually be giving good advice. Ie no penalty to int and should have a healthy amount. Not perfect but a thought
True, but that's still four levels where I'm left wondering how they give ANY advice...
True not saying that was a great answer, honestly if a home game I would hope the gm would cut you some slack. My thought was finally just to go with the thrush or raven until i could get improved familiar and switch it out then.
Yeah, that's workable. It's not the ideal fix I was hoping for, but a Thrush is by no means a bad familiar.
Either I go with a Sage Thrush or an Emissary Owl. It works.
EDIT: Think I've got it. Could spend a skill point on Linguistics to let them understand Common. They'd then be able to offer yes/no answers to things you ask, which could help narrow down some Knowledge checks.
This does not seem ideal, but it could work perhaps.
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There is some funkyness, I have been researching. Each of these animals have slots, it is merely which ones I have to work with depending on the creature. At 3rd level I can have craft wondrous item feat, however, permanency is a 5th level spell acquired at character's arcane class level 9th if working from the sorc/wiz list.
I have to get the animal (Int 1 or 2 past 3 and up to something that would make it able to have a skill point possibly, subject it to successful training animal skill check to get past yes and no questions and not have a "Lassie come home" dialogue. I am still limited as intelligent as the animal has become it still may not have an apparatus to mimic the common language.
The Faerie Dragon is what I am looking at as a possibility at 7th with improved familiar feat, and it doesn't have a similar voice box making it kind of difficult, however, at a Level 3 sorcerer class and a head band or other slot/slot-less item made to gain the correct SLA or spell might seem like the way to go. Not sure if it is allowed to have a familiar if it is already acting as a familiar, but it is a Sorcerer, not sure If I can get it a bonded object yet.
I am looking at all of the animal extensions to a PC, Familiar, Companion, and Mount; I think I am missing and forgetting one here; kinda tired from running all day, I will stop here, probably not having helped. I just figured looking at these other things might give you an answer that wasn't just spending gold to buy stuff.
At level 5 you can understand the familiar
Well, I do appreciate the thoughts. It's true, at 5th level the problem goes away. At 7th level the problem is even less of an issue due to improved familiars.
This however stings for levels 1-4 in PFS play, where I was curious to find some way to plausibly (without a GM getting upset at you for very disingenuous rules-lawyering) get a Sage familiar that isn't a talking bird to work.