Okay so I like the idea of familiars but I don't think I really know how to take full advantage. I see people in threads sometimes talking about all the wonderful things they did with there familiar.
When considering familiars I see people suggesting reasons for or against them I wouldn't even consider.
So with that said. I have a couple characters with familiars.
An Azata, Lyrakien who helps out an Investigator chappy.
and
A Tidepool Dragon who hands out with a Watersinger bard.
What would you guys think, "oh how wonderful, I could do X,Y and Z" with those, that I might not even consider.
First, the tidepool dragon is effectively a 4th level sorcerer (with no bloodline & poorly chosen spells.) It can use scrolls and wands of sorc spells just fine, and with freedom of movement it can move thru a web, with flight it can fly over a pit or the debris from a stone call if necessary. Obviously this costs money but BFC is often effective without save DCs - webs and pits and debris slow or deter movement regardless - and your dragon isn't trapped by them itself. A cheap scroll of stabilize and it can save lives. Moment of greatness may make your own buffs better.
It shares your bards skills and may be able to use bluff to create a diversion for someone to hide. Intimidate isn't likely to work due to tiny size but it may be better than doing nothing or than entering melee. Avoid that last.
If anyone in the party can make an enemy drop something (disarm, stun, odder effects) a familiar can jump in and pick them up while others are engaged. Also if a party member hurriedly drops a bow to switch to a melee weapon, or a wand to put both hands on a weapon or anything like that it can be useful to not risk losing the dropped item.
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The lyrakien isn't a spellcaster but it does have a 20 Cha, 19 Dex and all of an investigator's skills. And it's humanoid-shaped with full martial weapon prof. 80' flight, at least +16 skill. It's probably a great face and should be reliable-ish at UMD; get her a wand of ill omen for sure. Throwing alchemical weapons should work, shard gel or tanglefoot bags rather than direct damage. A bow with alchemical arrows maybe if greater range is possible. She could even use a reach weapon (which should let her threaten adjacent, only) for aid anothers and flanking, though routine melee will probably get her killed.
Mainly though she's a great scout. Senses, fast flight & freedom of movement to get away, dex & size to stealth, truespeech to understand what she's snooping on, hands to use thieves tools if a locked door bars her way (this can be a problem for non-humanoid familiars), every skill that the investigator has; what's not to like?
See this is exactly what I mean, I didn't twig the use of scrolls and wands with the dragon at all!
And never is a million years would I have thought the familiar could help with face duties and even less likely would I think to give it thieves tools! that is brilliant! Ughhh familiars.
So much fun. So much potential. I look at em and think "awww cute, I hope it doesn't die" and thats pretty much it lol.
Gosh darn. Funny when you find a blind spot aint it.