PF familiar/animal companion

[Exirtadorri]

Ok guys...maybe i'm missing something somewhere or i'm just retarded or something but I can't seem to figure out a few things. I was looking into a wizard with a familiar (and before a druid with animal companion) and I looked up the stats on everything in the bestiary (like the wiz description tells me to) and I just can't figure out bonus feats, bab, and everything else that goes with it.

I was going to take a monkey at level one looked it all up. How does the bab work? what about mods to hit and damage? Are feats based on how many HD it has or I have? do they use a different chart? What about size increase? do they get that monsterous +8 str or whatever?


Sorry if all this seems so noob, but it all just seems so unclear on what they should get and how it all changes as it levels. What i'm asking for is reference to what I need to know to get the most out of my familiar with page references so I can write it all down and pass it on to my group. If you dont feel this is post worthy you can always PM me and explain it that way. Thanks in advance.

[Novawurmson]

Familiars (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/wizard/familiar)



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.


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.

Some important takeaway points:

1. The familiar uses your HD for effects related to HD (and has HP equal to half your HP), but does not actually gain HD; thus, it does not gain feats.
2. It has BAB equal to yours.
3. Mods to hit and damage as normal for a creature of its size and BAB (your BAB), except if it has better Dex than Str, it can use Dex for its natural weaons on attack rolls.
4. It does not increase in size unless you specifically use something on it to increase its size (in which case, use the rules explained in that spell or ability that increases its size)

Note that animal companions are much different: They DO gain HD (and thus feats, as outlined in the table here (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/druid/animal-companions)), they have their own BAB progression, some of them do increase in size, etc.

[Exirtadorri]

So...basically....a familiar is worthless until IMP familiar can be taken and even then more of a burden and distraction then really being worth the lead I used to write down their stats. I really dont understand how with all the drawbacks and problems a familiar net you how a UMD can possibly be worth it due to all the bull you have to deal with to get there.

[Novawurmson]

Where did I say that? Familiars are amazing utility because they're basically a second set of actions made with your BAB and skills. The most obviously (ab)usable is Use Magic Device. Always make sure your familiar is aiding you as much as possible with the Aid Other action for a +2 to most skill checks. Most good Wizard guides will give you even more things to do with your Tiny ball of love. Check my signature for a link to a collection of handbooks.

[grarrrg]

Where did I say that? Familiars are amazing utility because they're basically a second set of actions made with your BAB and skills. The most obviously (ab)usable is Use Magic Device. Always make sure your familiar is aiding you as much as possible with the Aid Other action for a +2 to most skill checks. Most good Wizard guides will give you even more things to do with your Tiny ball of love. Check my signature for a link to a collection of handbooks.

Don't forget the potential use on a Gish.
The Familiars base stats (HP/Bab/Skills/Saves) are based on YOUR abilities, REGARDLESS of what class they came from.
More 'Wizard' levels only increase your Familiar's INT bonus, Natural Armor, and Special Abilities.

So an Eldritch Knight would have a decent "fighting" Familiar, as it's stats would be (partially) based on Full Bab, and d10HD.

Likewise, a straight-class Paladin can easily take the Eldritch Heritage (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/general-feats/eldritch-heritage) Feat, for Arcane Bloodline to get a Familiar that would have Full Bab and d10HD for EVERY level.

I'm not saying that "Melee Familiar is bestest idea EVAR!!1!".
What I am saying, is that it keeps scaling _regardless_ of what class you take.