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Looking at the Fey Touched familiar option via the Improved Familiar feat, I'm very interested, but I wasn't sure if it would work for me. I have a moth familiar.
The template says it could change into a small or medium creature as alter self.
But the universal monster rules regarding the Change Shape special quality state: "A creature cannot change shape to a form more than one size category smaller or larger than its original form."
Since my moth is diminutive, becoming small or medium is more than one size category different.
Does this mean the ability won't work for my moth? Or is this a case of "specific trumps general" and it can work because the template is more specific than the universal Change Shape rule?
Specific trumps general, and in particular 'unless noted otherwise' under change shape tells you that the template can override the general rule. There are plenty of examples of, say, really big dragons being able to change shape into a medium-size humanoid form.
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Thanks so much!
One other question I had in this topic was, change shape also states: "This ability functions as a polymorph spell, the type of which is listed in the creature’s description, but the creature does not adjust its ability scores."
Does this mean that if my moth changes shape into a human, that its stats do not undergo the normal size-change-chart edits? Or that it doesn't get the +2 str bonus from alter self? Or neither at all.
I'm concerned that having a 1 str human would be tricky since its carrying capacity would exceed a light load after just 3 pounds x_x
I 'think' you'd apply the normal bonuses/penalties for size changes. I could be wrong though.
Yeah, I think that's just about the spell modifier itself. The principle is both to keep it as simple as possible and to avoid having large dragons changing shape into strix or halflings for a combat buff.
Your moth getting a 7 Str rather than 1 when in humanoid form isn't going to be out of line.