Changeling familiar

[Shinoskay]

So, per RAW it probably doesnt but hoping im reading it wrong.

Does changeling familiar feat allow a familiar to shift freely between its normal form and its new alter form?

https://aonprd.com/FeatDisplay.aspx?ItemName=Changeling%20Familiar

"Your familiar’s change shape universal monster ability can function as alter self, and it gains a single alternate form of either Small or Medium size. This form is of a child or teenager of its master’s species, and once chosen cannot be changed. Such changeling familiars always bear some kind of visible mark of their original nature, such as a cat’s eyes, a serpent’s tongue, or small demonic horns. The changeling familiar does not gain any new languages with this transformation, so changeling familiars are often mute."

Stuff like 'can function like alter self' and 'it gains a single alternate form' is where im hoping it allows what im thinking.

[Melkiador]

I don't see why you think it might not? My reading is that it can change as freely as it could before.

[Shinoskay]

MOST change shape monster abilities have a limit per day on uses.

im hoping there is a reading of changeling familiar that isnt restricted by the universal abilities normal per day uses. it looks like it may be, but then I could be reading it wrong or there could be an errata or something.

[Shinoskay]

I found the readings I needed, in universal it gives a general rule of free shifting so unless the creature's specific ability gives limitations then I am good.

so, adding the alter self form follows the same rules as it is adding to the change shape ability.

this is what I needed to see.

[vhok]

Changeling Familiar says it works off of Change Shape SU, neither of them list a limited times per day so just because you think MOST are limited, this one is not.

[blahpers]

It uses the same resource pool as the change shape ability being used to qualify for the feat--basically broadening the utility of the familiar's already-existing ability. If there are no limits on that ability, there are no limits on the alternate form either. If the original ability is once per day, it'll still only be once per day, but they'll be able to pick whether to adopt a "normal" form or the alternate form granted by the feat.

Think of it like Expanded Summon Monster. You don't get more summons or a separate pool of summons for the new options--you just get more options. But if you can somehow cast summon monster I without a daily limit, you can do it with the expanded options too.

[Melkiador]

Which familiar creature are we talking about here? I’m not aware of any that have a limit to their change shape ability, and it’s a tough thing to search for.

[blahpers]

Melkiador wrote:

Which familiar creature are we talking about here? I’m not aware of any that have a limit to their change shape ability, and it’s a tough thing to search for.

As proteans, voidworms can only change shape once per day, probably to limit the use of the heal effect they get for reverting to the normal form.

Aside: Kinda weird that proteans of all things are the ones that have use limits on their change shape ability.

[David knott 242]

If you take the Shapeless Familiar feat first, your familiar gains a Change Shape ability that can be used as often as desired.