[PF] Most useful improved familiars

[marcielle]

Simply put, I'm getting my first familiar and am spoiled for choice. I'm a Summoner (soon to be) 8, doing the basic summoner thing of buffing team and letting my Eidolon charge in behind the sturdier PCs. I'm NG so I can take anything that isn't evil. Which (PF only) improved familiars do you find most useful.

As a side question, do things that 'cast as X level sorc' count as having access to the Wiz/Sorc list, and hence, don't have to UMD to activate wands?

Thanks in advance.

[Corlindale]

The Silvanshee is pretty nice. It can fly, it's fast and it can pose as a regular housecat in places where an unusual familiar would draw unwanted attention. It's also the ultimate universal translator, having both Truespeak and Speak with Animals at will.

It's a great scout with gaseous form and dimension door once/day. And it is a pocket diviner with Commune available once/week.

It can also buff your saves once/day, which might come in handy.

I've also seen people argue that it's LoH ability should scale with its HD, but I'm not sure that's how it works myself. If it does, that makes it an amazing emergency healer too, on top of all the other benefits.

[marcielle]

Thank, Cor. While I rather like the Silvanshee, it lacks the hands to make use of UMD. Any other sugestions?

[sonofzeal]

Imps are seriously badass, especially if they get Devil traits. Someone snuck that by me once, and I lived to regret it.

[marcielle]

Imp is pretty much the best familiar, but is unfortunately to far from my alignment. I can only take things that aren't NOT evil. Thanks anyway.

Currently thinking about a Cassisian for shapechange, talking to unassuming humanoids and ofc, UMD.

Mephits were pretty good familiars back in 3.5, does anyone know if this has changed in PF?

A Lyrakie might be handy for it's evil and magic radar, can UMD, is incredibly fast and has truespeech.

I like Nosois but I'm not sure how often speak with dead comes in handy.

Paracletus has an untyped +2 to all Cha skills and depending on how you read envisaging, constant telepathy.

So, is there anything I missed? Which one seems more handy in general?

[StreamOfTheSky]

Fairie Dragon is very good, and is unquestionably able to UMD, on account of actually having ranks in it in its statblock! :)

[cZak]

If the main benefit of an Improved familiar is the use of UMD then that pretty much narrows down your choices; Imp, Quasit, Cacodaemon, Lyrakie, Sprite, Zoog or one of the dragons (faerie or pseudo).
The casisian is described as a feathered helm, so I don't think it has hands for UMD.

If your familiar is going to be making itself a target by 'casting' it should have some decent defenses; fast healing/ regen, fly, invisibility (preferably at will) and some elemental immunity/ resistances.

I agree with Corlindale about the advancement of the familiar based on the caster/ master's HD.
My witch is getting the Silvanshee. A gaseous, invis at will flying cat is just too cool. And when she gets it at 7th level, it has 3d6 Lay on hands usable 4/ day. Something the party meat shields will much appreciate.

[marcielle]

It's a pretty big point. Casting form a wand is generally more powerful than what most familiars natural abilities are and scale better.
Exceptions are Aeon telepathy and maybe Nosoi speak to the dead.
Once again, I could be missing something though.

Also, while it is desribed as a featherd helm, it can shapeshift to 2 other forms, including humanoid child.

[Dayaz]

I'm sort of amused that in listing Improved Familiars with hands, everyone has forgotten the Brownie lolol

Beastiary 2 I think...

[StreamOfTheSky]

I'm sort of amused that in listing Improved Familiars with hands, everyone has forgotten the Brownie lolol

Beastiary 2 I think...

Didn't forget it, just don't like it.

[deuxhero]

I like the Arbiter. Regeneration, Flight, hands, Commune, True Speech and Flyby Attack. Short of shapeshifting (which sharing Alter Self gets you now), it has just about everything you could want.

Fairie Dragon is a second choice for actual sorcerer casting. Ratling is also nice.

[Arbane]

I like the Arbiter. Regeneration, Flight, hands, Commune, True Speech and Flyby Attack. Short of shapeshifting (which sharing Alter Self gets you now), it has just about everything you could want.

Fairie Dragon is a second choice for actual sorcerer casting. Ratling is also nice.

Also, if I'm reading it right, the Arbiter also gets immunity to a LOT of bad statuses. (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/rules-for-monsters/creature-types#TOC-Inevitable) And regeneration makes them really hard to kill.