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Asheram
2011-01-02, 08:25 PM
A little question about Familiars. I was reading up on them when I came across the skills section in the familiar tab.

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 are better. In either case, the familiar uses
its own ability modifiers. Regardless of a familiar’s total skill modifiers,
some skills (such as Craft) may remain beyond the familiar’s ability to
use.

The logical leap here is to say that the familiar knows all that the master knows. Which leads to that it should also be able to understand and read all the languages that the master knows?

If this is a complete mis-interperpretation, does it say anywhere if the familiar is able to understand languages?

Cerlis
2011-01-02, 09:29 PM
Rules as Intended : i would say they understand the thoughts and ideas that their master has, so they would know what button to push, what this is or that is. But Only a raven familiar knows a language.

Ernir
2011-01-02, 09:35 PM
Speak Language is a skill, which would indicate that he has them as well. However, familiars use "the master's skill ranks", and Speak Language is not purchased with ranks.

A point against it is the fact that "Speak with Master" is an actual Familiar ability.

It is an intelligent creature, though, so if it does understand languages, it should be able to read and write as well.

Really, I don't think this is well covered by the rules. So YDMMV.

The logical leap here is to say that the familiar knows all that the master knows.
Leap indeed. I don't agree with it, if for nothing else that the familiar has different skill modifiers. =/

Asheram
2011-01-02, 10:00 PM
Speak Language is a skill, which would indicate that he has them as well. However, familiars use "the master's skill ranks", and Speak Language is not purchased with ranks.

Leap indeed. I don't agree with it, if for nothing else that the familiar has different skill modifiers.


But the ranks is the actual knowledge base.
Just because someone else has the same memories as you doesn't mean that they're as proficient as you because they don't have the same physical or mental attributes to use the skill as you do.

Isn't that the only reason for being that specific in that instance?



A point against it is the fact that "Speak with Master" is an actual Familiar ability.

It is an intelligent creature, though, so if it does understand languages, it should be able to read and write as well.


And this is magical two-way communication. You can understand the animal and the animal understands you (both in what appears to be a private language as well; 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.)
So I don't agree with how that could be a point against it.