Ghostly Visage familiar

[Grand Poobah]

Hi Giants,

A Dread Necro in my game has just hit 7th level and wants to get his GV asap.

Reading through the blurb in the Fiend Folio on the GV and Symbionts it's not clear to me how it gets an ego of 10. I know the text says it's +1 for each ability score bonus, +1 for each special quality and +2 for each special attack but the GV description lists three special attacks (Gaze of Terror, meld and visage) and five special qualities (darkvision, incorporeal, mind shielding, symbiont traits, undead traits). So with a strict reading of the stat block a GV's ego is 15 derived from +4 (+1 int, +3 cha), +6 (3 x special attacks), +5 (5 x special qualities).

I assume then that some of the SA/SQs aren't counted e.g. the SA 'visage' isn't strictly an attack as no roll to attack or save is required.

So, which abilities are counted towards its ego?

Next question - as a familiar it gains abilities like improved evasion, alertness etc. Do some/all/none of the abilities a GV familiar gains count towards its ego too?

Finally, a familiar serves "as a companion and servant" according to the PHB but a GV, being a symbiont, will also have goals akin to intelligent magic items. Would a GV ever rebel against its master, perhaps not by directly taking control of him but instead being obtuse e.g. taking instructions literally, not informing the DN of something of note, changing it's visage at inopportune moments etc.

Thanks
GP

[Jack_Simth]

I assume that someone at WotC made an editing error, and simply didn't count the special qualities, but counted all special attacks. It wouldn't be the first time something like that happened.

Theoretically, yes, however: Ego really shouldn't come into play for a familar. See, a familiar becomes an extension of the character. Same alignment, goals, et cetera - in most, if not all, circumstances.

[Warchon]

The DN entry explicitly says that their familiar is Evil, even if the DN herself is not. That should mean Ego comes into play.