[PF] Improved Familiar SLA

[Barstro]

I've looked online as best I can, but cannot find a definitive answer to the question; Does a familiar's Spell Like Ability scale with the familiar's master?

I've read compelling arguments both ways, but those forums are old.
It basically comes down to;
1) Nothing says that they gain Hit Dice (levels), so they do not.
2) That's just silly. "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." means that anything that is based off of Hit Dice is affected.

Is there an actual answer?

If so, please explain the following to me;
Faerie Dragon has the following


hp 22 (3d12+3)
3/day greater invisibility (self only),
Spells
A faerie dragon casts spells as a 3rd-level sorcerer.
I know that actual HP will be 1/2 the master's HP

With a level 7 Caster, how long does greater invisibility last (1 round/lvl)


Also, what about DC for the breath weapon?

Breath weapons allow a Reflex save for half damage (DC 10 + 1/2 breathing creature's racial HD + breathing creature's Con modifier


5-foot cone, euphoria for 1d6 rounds, DC 12 Fort negates
CD 10+(1/2*3=1)+(Con 13=1)=12
or
CD 10+(1/2*7=3)+(Con 13=1)=14

[Keneth]

Yes, as the number 2 argument states, all effects based off hit dice are increased.

In the case of Faerie Dragon, that includes its SLA caster level (and Concentration bonus), and its breath weapon DC, but not its sorcerer level.

Exception to the rule are, therefore, hardcoded values, like the Imp's caster level for the purposes of commune, or Silvanshee's lay on hands ability (since the errata).

[Barstro]

Yes, as the number 2 argument states, all effects based off hit dice are increased.

In the case of Faerie Dragon, that includes its SLA caster level (and Concentration bonus), and its breath weapon DC, but not its sorcerer level.

Exception to the rule are, therefore, hardcoded values, like the Imp's caster level for the purposes of commune, or Silvanshee's lay on hands ability (since the errata).

So, the Faerie Dragon's "Spells Known" Caster Level will always be 3, because of "A faerie dragon casts spells as a 3rd-level sorcerer"

However, its SLA Greater Invisibility increases with HD, even though there is language that says "Spell-Like Abilities (CL 3rd; concentration +6)"?

[Coidzor]

So, the Faerie Dragon's "Spells Known" Caster Level will always be 3, because of "A faerie dragon casts spells as a 3rd-level sorcerer"

However, its SLA Greater Invisibility increases with HD, even though there is language that says "Spell-Like Abilities (CL 3rd; concentration +6)"?

Pretty much. One is its native spellcasting ability and the other is its spell like abilities, and either its SLA's CL scales with HD, in which case the effective HD scaling from being a familiar counts or its SLA's CL is static and wouldn't increase in CL even if the Faerie Dragon gained more racial HD or took class levels.

[Keneth]

Yep, the "Spell-Like Abilities (CL 3rd; concentration +6)" part reflects the fact that a Faerie Dragon's SLAs are based on its HD. I don't think there are any familiars whose SLAs aren't HD-based, aside from specific SLAs, like commune, where that fact is noted next to the spell in question.

[Psyren]

Basically, they don't actually gain HD (so no additional feats), however effects that scale based on HD scale because of the master.

[mregecko]

I have no opinion here, but just going to point out -- for the breath weapon -- it says:


Breath weapons allow a Reflex save for half damage (DC 10 + 1/2 breathing creature's racial HD + breathing creature's Con modifier

If you're basing HD off of the Master's HD, they aren't racial HD at all... So you could argue that breath weapon DC doesn't scale.

[Keneth]

If you're basing HD off of the Master's HD, they aren't racial HD at all... So you could argue that breath weapon DC doesn't scale.

Since it's not class hit dice, it's effective racial hit dice