Creating a Familiar

[SunstonePhoenix]

I was thinking of posting this in the FAQ forum, but then saw the rule about not having too many questions in one post, so I decided to post it here. I'm grateful for the answers that anyone can offer.

This is my first time playing a class with a familiar, and I'm very unsure as to how to calculate some of the stats. I'm creating a Chosen One Halfling with a rat as her familiar. I'm just going to list my confusions here as a list; I apologize if it looks a bit daunting.

• Firstly, do familiars get any bonus from their saving throws as an animal, or do they all have the +2 to fortitude and reflex?
  
• When an animal has, say, +10 to climb, are those all ranks in a skill, or are they misc. mods?
  
• How do you add more skill points to a familiar?
  
• Are the bonuses from their ability scores already factored into their skills? Edit: As well as class skill bonuses?
  
• Are racial bonuses already factored into their skills?
  
• The halfling paladin rides a dog that will attack during combat. If only one animal is allowed to be a combat animal per player in PFS, then can my familiar not cast guidance on the dog before he attacks?
  

Even if you can only answer one question, I'd still love to hear your answer. Thank you in advance!

[LazarX]

3) Familiars get no skill points, outside of the bestiary skills they start with, they copy the ranks from their master.

[Dafydd]

1: Saves are the familiar's or the master's (will assume wizard here)
This means a 1st level wizard's familiar has a +2 Fort, +2 Ref, +2 Will (all before the familiar's abilities) and the Fort and Ref do not improve till wizard level 9.

2: That +10 is usually from a climb speed (or fly/swim speed). Since the familiar does not lose these movement abilities, it keeps those bonuses.

3: Familiars get no skill ranks as they increase. Instead they use the ranks of their master. So a monkey familiar at level 1 Master (with 1 rank in climb) has a +14 (1 rank, 3 class skill, 2 dex, 8 climb speed).

4: If above level 1, you can usually just ignore the listed bonuses, since the ranks the master has will often outweigh the native ranks.

5: PFS allows 1 mount, 1 animal companion/eidolon and 1 familiar. This is to prevent players from bogging down combat by fielding a dozen bodies.

In your example, the familiar (lets say a scorpion, as this makes the most sense) is sitting on the dog's head. (I am assuming this is a school familiar of the paladin's?)

Scorpion: Scorpion casting guidance on you/dog
You/dog: Your turn to charge, bite, trip stab whatever.

Try to reduce the table time your turn takes by having your action planned out. If you are unable to do so, might want to have the familiar stay in it's pouch, out of sight.