Questions on Familiars

[Bloodgruve]

Couple questions

1. If you dip Wizard1 and gain a familiar will it level up with your character regardless of class or do only your Wizard levels count?

2. Is there any way to avoid the penalties of dismissing a familiar to gain a new one when you get Improved Familiar?

3. If I want an Imp is it better to summon a Familiar as soon as possible and dismiss it upon reaching 7th level or just wait to summon any Familiar until 7th level?

Side question, can a PC use a wand/staff/runestaff if the spell is on its spell list without UMD or a UMD check?

TYVM
Blood~

[Dming For Noobs]

1. No, Prc-ing out hurt your familiar growth

2. Not that i know of

3. by the time you can gain an imp familiar, i would imagine that the 200 exp loss is barley noticeable

And yes

[Baron Malkar]

If you take the acquire familiar feat then your caster level will advance your familiar.

[Bloodgruve]

SRD states its 200xp per level so 700 to 1400 xp. Also states it can't be replaced for a year and a day which is the tough part.

I read a bit further and found where it states that only 'familiar classes' advance it.

[Coidzor]

Couple questions

1. If you dip Wizard1 and gain a familiar will it level up with your character regardless of class or do only your Wizard levels count?

2. Is there any way to avoid the penalties of dismissing a familiar to gain a new one when you get Improved Familiar?

3. If I want an Imp is it better to summon a Familiar as soon as possible and dismiss it upon reaching 7th level or just wait to summon any Familiar until 7th level?

Side question, can a PC use a wand/staff/runestaff if the spell is on its spell list without UMD or a UMD check?

TYVM
Blood~

1. Your familiar will continue to have your BAB, your skills, and half of your HP and all that jazz regardless of your wizard level. You will not, however, advance any further than wizard 1 as far as the benefits of natural armor bonuses and increased intelligence (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/classes/sorcererWizard.htm#familiars). Unless you take a PrC or something that advances familiar.

2. Beyond having the DM handwave it as an oversight on WOTC's part, not to my knowledge.

3. Unless you want to use the familiar before you can get an imp, just wait for the imp.

4. Yes.

[holywhippet]

There is the extra familiar feat which will let you obtain a second familiar (or more).