can multi-class PC have Companion / Familiar?

[FWCain]

Can a PC who is multi-classed, and whose respective classes allow him access to both a companion as well as a familiar, have his companion also be his familiar? (The specific example I'm envisioning is a Ranger/Magus having an owl that is both his companion and his familiar.)

Thanks in advance.
Franklin

[David knott 242]

He can have a companion and a familiar.

Unless you are using 3rd party rules, I am not aware of any method for combining the two into a single creature.

[VoodistMonk]

Would it honestly change anything to combine the two into a single entity?

It would have the Familiar archetype, and abilities to share spells and speak with its master.

It would also get feats, size adjustment, and the tricks of the Animal Companion.

Obviously you could get into some shenanigans with the Mauler archetype and the size increase from the AC leveling up, but really it's not that big of a deal... you don't want to risk losing both of them at the same time, so your Mauler Owl Fampanion is probably not going to be divebombing touch spells in combat.

[Scott Wilhelm]

I don't think it's kosher to have a Familiar that is also a Companion. But you can have 1 of each.

VoodistMonk wrote:

Would it honestly change anything to combine the two into a single entity?

If I were the GM, I'd allow it, but per RAW, I don't think it's allowed.

VoodistMonk wrote:

Obviously you could get into some shenanigans with the Mauler archetype and the size increase from the AC leveling up,

I don't think the Size will result in shennanigans.

Mauler wrote:

the mauler’s size becomes Medium

If you were a Mammoth Rider with a Huge Triceratops Animal Companion that was also your Mauler Familiar, well then in his Battle Form, it shrinks to Size Medium!

[VoodistMonk]

The OP mentioned Owls...

Mauler Owl becomes medium at level one...

Animal Companion size adjustment due to level, it becomes large...

Large Mauler Owl Fampanion divebombing touch spells might lead to shenanigans...

I don't really mind, regardless.

Putting BOTH your Familiar AND your AC into combat is a fool's gamble.

But I can see how it would be awesome flavor-wise for a character to combine the two into one entity.

[VRMH]

You could also have your Familiar possess your Companion, but I can't see much of a benefit to that arrangement.

[DarkPhoenixx]

Don't think it is supported by rules RAW, but I don't see a problem.

Its HP would be compromised, since its a familiar (but at -3 ranger progression maybe its not that big of a difference). GM will have to adjudicate cases where Companion and Familiar rules clash, but if companion is used as base creature for familiar rules seems like it gonna work.

[Coolwasabi]

As a pathfinder reference, a Shaman with the Nature spirit can make their spirit animal basically a familiar companion at level 16. It just adds the special abilities of the familiar to the companion and swaps the int score.

[Mysterious Stranger]

The answer is no.

A familiar is an animal chosen by a spellcaster to aid him in his study of magic. It retains the appearance, Hit Dice, base attack bonus, base save bonuses, skills, and feats of the normal animal it once was, but is now a magical beast for the purpose of effects that depend on its type. Only a normal, unmodified animal may become a familiar. An animal companion cannot also function as a familiar.

[avr]

A courtly hunter's animal companion is very like a combination of companion and familiar, but for the combination in the OP no, as Mysterious says.

[blahpers]

It would definitely change things. An animal companion would eventually be a much more reliable means of delivering touch spells, and the familiar's empathic link is a powerful (if underrated) ability that would only get better on a tankier animal companion.

The question is, would it break things? Nah. You're giving up having two companions worth of action economy for those benefits. It's a decent enough house rule if you can figure out how to calculate things like hit points and skills.

[zza ni]

for any gm who want to home-brew this (not following the pathfinder rules) there was a prc at 3.5 of combination of druid and arcane caster (Arcane Hierophant) that had an animal companion which also serve as familiar.

Companion Familiar:

Upon becoming an arcane hierophant, you must dismiss your familiar, if you have one (You do not risk losing XP for doing so.) You may retain any one animal companion you already possess. You add your arcane hierophant class level to your druid or ranger level for purposes of determining your animal companion's bonus Hit Dice, natural armor adjustment, and Strength/Dexterity adjustment (see the sidebar The Druid's Animal Companion, page 36 of the Player's Handbook). For example, a character who is a 4th-level druid/3rd-level wizard/4th-level arcane hierophant has the animal companion of an 8th-level druid (+4 bonus HD, +4 natural armor, and +2 Strength/Dexterity adjustment, or an animal companion chosen from the 4th-level or 7th-level lists). In addition, your animal companion (if any) gains many of the abilities that a familiar would normally possess. You add your arcane hierophant class level to your arcane spellcasting class level, and determine the Intelligence bonus and special abilities of your animal companion accordingly (see the sidebar Familiars, page 53 of the Player's Handbook). For example, a 4th-level druid/3rd-level wizard/4th-level arcane hierophant has a familiar companion equal to that of a 7th-level wizard and 8th-level druid (Intelligence 9, alertness, improved evasion, share spells, empathic link, deliver touch spells, speak with master, speak with animals of its kind, devotion). The Hit Dice, hit points, attack bonus, saving throws, feats, and skills of the familiar companion are determined as normal for an animal companion. Due to the familiar companion's unusual Intelligence score, it may very well have more skill points than other animals of its kind. The familiar companion is a magical beast (augmented animal), but you can bestow harmless spells on your familiar companion as if it were an animal instead of a magical beast. If your familiar companion is killed or dismissed, you do not lose XP. You can summon a new familiar companion by performing a ceremony requiring 24 hours of uninterrupted prayer.

hack if the gm allow this then taking the prc might be a good way not to be behind on both druid\ranger\etc and arcane class abilities (casting animals etc)

[David knott 242]

Importing that prestige class from D&D 3.5 and using various 3rd party features are the only methods that I am aware of for combining an animal companion and a familiar into a single creature. I would recommend the Arcane Hierophant prestige class since it is more easily vetted.