Familiars
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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.
A familiar grants special abilities to its master, as given on the table below. These special abilities apply only when the master and familiar are within 1 mile of each other.
Levels of different classes that are entitled to familiars stack for the purpose of determining any familiar abilities that depend on the master’s level.
If a familiar is dismissed, lost, or dies, it can be replaced 1 week later through a specialized ritual that costs 200 gp per wizard level. The ritual takes 8 hours to complete.
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| Familiar | Special Ability |
|---|---|
| Archaeopteryx | Master gains a +2 bonus on Reflex saves. |
| Arctic Tern | Master gains a +3 bonus on Fly checks |
| Armadillo | Master gains a +1 natural armor bonus to AC |
| Bat | Master gains a +3 bonus on Fly checks |
| Butterfly | Master gains a +3 bonus on Perform checks |
| Cat | Master gains a +3 bonus on Stealth checks |
| Cat, Margay | Master gains a +3 bonus on Bluff checks |
| Centipede, house | Master gains a +3 bonus on Stealth checks |
| Chicken | Master gains +3 hit points |
| Cockroach | Master gains +3 hit points |
| Compsognathus | Master gains a +4 bonus on Initiative checks |
| Crab, king | Master gains a +2 bonus on CMB checks to start and maintain a grapple |
| Creeper Ivy | Master gains a +3 bonus on Climb checks |
| Dodo | Master gains a +4 bonus on Initiative checks |
| Dolphin | Master gains a +3 bonus on Swim checks |
| Donkey rat | Master gains a +2 bonus on Fortitude saves |
| Dwarf caiman | Master gains a +3 bonus on Stealth checks |
| Dweomer Cap | Master gains a +3 bonus on Spellcraft checks to identify magic items |
| Fire Salamander | Master gains a +3 bonus on Escape Artist checks |
| Flowering Lattice | Master gains a +3 bonus on Diplomacy checks |
| Fox | Master gains a +2 bonus on Reflex saves |
| Fox, Arctic | Master gains a +2 bonus on Reflex saves. |
| Giant Isopod | Master gains a +1 natural armor bonus to AC |
| Goat | Master gains a +3 bonus on Survival checks |
| Hare | Master gains a +4 bonus on Initiative checks |
| Arctic Hare | Master gains a +4 bonus on initiative checks |
| Hawk | Master gains a +3 bonus on sight-based and opposed Perception checks in bright light |
| Hedgehog | Master gains a +2 bonus on Will saves |
| Ioun Wyrd | Master gains a +1 natural armor bonus to AC |
| Isopod, Giant | Master gains a +2 bonus on Reflex saves |
| Jerboa | Master gains a +4 bonus on initiative checks |
| Kakapo | Master gains a +3 bonus on Climb checks |
| Koala | Master gains a +3 bonus on Climb checks |
| Lamprey | Master gains +3 hit points. |
| Lemming | Master gains a +2 bonus on Fortitude saves |
| Leopard slug | Master gains a +3 bonus on Climb checks |
| Lizard | Master gains a +3 bonus on Climb checks |
| Lizard, Horned | Master gains a +2 bonus on Fortitude saves |
| Meerkat | Master gains a +3 bonus on Escape Artist checks |
| Mole | Master gains a +3 bonus on smell-, taste-, and touch-based Perception checks |
| Monkey | Master gains a +3 bonus on Acrobatics checks |
| Octopus, blue-ringed | Master gains a +3 bonus on Swim checks |
| Otter | Master gains a +3 bonus on Swim checks |
| Owl | Master gains a +3 bonus on sight-based and opposed Perception checks in shadows or darkness |
| Peacock | Master gains a +3 bonus on Intimidate checks |
| Penguin | Master gains a +3 bonus on Swim checks |
| Petrifern | Master gains a +1 natural armor bonus to AC |
| Pig | Master gains a +3 bonus on Diplomacy checks |
| Platypus | Master gains a +3 bonus on Swim checks |
| Ptarmigan | Master gains a +3 bonus on Stealth checks |
| Pufferfish | Master gains a +2 bonus on Fortitude saves |
| Puffin | Master gains a +3 bonus on Swim checks |
| Raccoon | Master gains a +3 bonus on Sleight of Hand checks |
| Rat | Master gains a +2 bonus on Fortitude saves |
| Raven* | Master gains a +3 bonus on Appraise checks |
| Parrot* (use raven statistics) |
Master gains a +3 bonus on Linguistics checks |
| Mole | Master gains a +3 bonus on smell-, taste-, and touch-based Perception checks |
| Ravenous Tumbleweed | Master gains a 10-foot bonus to speed when using the charge, run, or withdraw actions |
| Razor Fern | Master gains a +3 bonus on Stealth checks |
| Rhamphorhynchus | Master gains a +2 bonus on Initiative checks |
| Sawleg Locust | Master gains a +3 bonus on Acrobatics checks |
| Scorpion, greensting | Master gains a +4 bonus on Initiative checks |
| Seal | Master gains a +3 bonus on Swim checks |
| Shimmerwing Dragonfly | Master gains a +3 bonus on Fly checks |
| Skunk | Master gains a +2 bonus on Fortitude saves |
| Sloth | Master gains a +3 bonus on Climb checks. |
| Spider, scarlet | Master gains a +3 bonus on Climb checks |
| Spiny Starfish | Master treats his effective character level as 4 higher to recover hit points by resting |
| Squid, Vampire | Master gains a +2 bonus on Reflex saves |
| Squirrel | Master gains a +3 bonus on Sleight of Hand checks |
| Squirrel, flying | Master gains a +3 bonus on Fly checks |
| Suture Vine | Master gains a +3 bonus on Heal checks |
| Tardigrade, Giant | Master gains a +2 bonus on Fortitude saves |
| Tarsier | Master gains a +3 bonus on Acrobatics checks |
| Thrush* | Master gains a +3 bonus on Diplomacy checks |
| Toad | Master gains +3 hit points |
| Tuatara | Master gains a +3 bonus on Survival checks. |
| Turtle | Master gains a +1 natural armor bonus to AC |
| Turtle, snapping | Master gains a +2 bonus on Fortitude saves |
| Viper | Master gains a +3 bonus on Bluff checks |
| Wallaby | Master gains a +3 bonus on Acrobatics checks |
| Weasel | Master gains a +2 bonus on Reflex saves |
| Mongoose | Master gains a +2 bonus on Fortitude saves |
- Speaks one language of its master’s choice as a supernatural ability.
Familiar Basics
Use the basic statistics for a creature of the familiar’s kind, but with the following changes.
- Hit Dice: For the purpose of effects related to number of Hit Dice, use the master’s character level or the familiar’s normal HD total, whichever is higher.
- Hit Points: The familiar has half the master’s total hit points (not including temporary hit points), rounded down, regardless of its actual Hit Dice.
- Attacks: Use the master’s base attack bonus, as calculated from all his classes. Use the familiar’s Dexterity or Strength modifier, whichever is greater, to calculate the familiar’s melee attack bonus with natural weapons. Damage equals that of a normal creature of the familiar’s kind.
- Saving Throws: For each saving throw, use either the familiar’s base save bonus (Fortitude +2, Reflex +2, Will +0) or the master’s (as calculated from all his classes), whichever is better. The familiar uses its own ability modifiers to saves, and it doesn’t share any of the other bonuses that the master might have on saves.
- Skills: For each skill in which either the master or the familiar has ranks, use either the normal skill ranks for an animal of that type or the master’s skill ranks, whichever is better. In either case, the familiar uses its own ability modifiers. Regardless of a familiar’s total skill modifiers, some skills may remain beyond the familiar’s ability to use. Familiars treat Acrobatics, Climb, Fly, Perception, Stealth, and Swim as class skills.
Familiar Ability Descriptions
All familiars have special abilities (or impart abilities to their masters) depending on the master’s combined level in classes that grant familiars, as shown on the table below. The abilities are cumulative.
| Master Class Level | Natural Armor Adj. | Intelligence | Special |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st–2nd | +1 | 6 | Alertness, improved evasion, share spells, empathic link |
| 3rd–4th | +2 | 7 | Deliver touch spells |
| 5th–6th | +3 | 8 | Speak with master |
| 7th–8th | +4 | 9 | Speak with animals of its kind |
| 9th–10th | +5 | 10 | — |
| 11th–12th | +6 | 11 | Spell resistance |
| 13Th–14th | +7 | 12 | Scry on familiar |
| 15th–16th | +8 | 13 | — |
| 17th–18th | +9 | 14 | — |
| 19th–20th | +10 | 15 | — |
- Natural Armor Adj.: The number noted here is in addition to the familiar’s existing natural armor bonus.
- Int: The familiar’s Intelligence score.
- Alertness (Ex): While a familiar is within arm’s reach, the master gains the Alertness feat.
- Improved Evasion (Ex): When subjected to an attack that normally allows a Reflex saving throw for half damage, a familiar takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw and half damage even if the saving throw fails.
- Share Spells: The wizard may cast a spell with a target of “You” on his familiar (as a touch spell) instead of on himself. A wizard may cast spells on his familiar even if the spells do not normally affect creatures of the familiar’s type (magical beast).
- Empathic Link (Su): The master has an empathic link with his familiar to a 1 mile distance. The master can communicate empathically with the familiar, but cannot see through its eyes. Because of the link’s limited nature, only general emotions can be shared. The master has the same connection to an item or place that his familiar does.
- Deliver Touch Spells (Su): If the master is 3rd level or higher, a familiar can deliver touch spells for him. If the master and the familiar are in contact at the time the master casts a touch spell, he can designate his familiar as the “toucher.” The familiar can then deliver the touch spell just as the master would. As usual, if the master casts another spell before the touch is delivered, the touch spell dissipates.
- Speak with Master (Ex): If the master is 5th level or higher, a familiar and the master can communicate verbally as if they were using a common language. Other creatures do not understand the communication without magical help.
- Speak with Animals of Its Kind (Ex): If the master is 7th level or higher, a familiar can communicate with animals of approximately the same kind as itself (including dire varieties): bats with bats, cats with felines, hawks and owls and ravens with birds, lizards and snakes with reptiles, monkeys with other simians, rats with rodents, toads with amphibians, and weasels with ermines and minks. Such communication is limited by the Intelligence of the conversing creatures.
- Spell Resistance (Ex): If the master is 11th level or higher, a familiar gains spell resistance equal to the master’s level + 5. To affect the familiar with a spell, another spellcaster must get a result on a caster level check (1d20 + caster level) that equals or exceeds the familiar’s spell resistance.
- Scry on Familiar (Sp): If the master is 13th level or higher, he may scry on his familiar (as if casting the scrying spell) once per day.
Small and Vermin Familiars
Small-sized familiars threaten the areas around them like Small creatures, and can be used to flank enemies, though both familiars and their masters are often loath to use such tactics, as the result is often a dead familiar. Small-sized familiars are also harder to keep on a master’s person than Tiny or smaller familiars. Often they require some form of magic item, like a bag of holding, for such a feat to work.
The process of making a vermin into a familiar grants it an Intelligence score and removes the mindless trait. Vermin familiars communicate with their masters and other vermin of their kind (greensting scorpions with other scorpions, house centipedes with other centipedes, and scarlet spiders with other spiders) by way of a strange combination of behaviors, slight changes in coloration, and even the excretion of scents, subtle and otherwise. As with other types of familiars, other creatures cannot understand this communication without magical aid.