- Type of feat: Class
- Prerequisite: Wizard or sorcerer
- Required for: Improved Familiar
- Specifics: A character with this feat may summon a familiar once per day. A familiar is a magical beast that resembles a small animal and is unusually tough and intelligent. The creature serves as a companion and servant. Familiars retain the appearance, Hit Dice, base attack bonus, base save bonus, skills, and feats of the normal animal it once was, but they gain various bonuses as a result of their bond with their master.
Familiar Basics
Hit Points
The familiar has one-half the master's total hit points (not including temporary hit points), rounded down, unless its own total hit points are higher.
Saving Throws
For each saving throw, the familiar uses its own base save bonus or the master's, whichever is better.
Skills
For each skill, the familiar uses its own skill ranks or the master's, whichever is better. Regardless of a familiar's total skill modifiers, some skills may remain beyond the familiar's ability, such as skills requiring fine motor skills beyond what a paw is capable of.
Familiar Abilities
Natural Armor Bonus
Familiars have higher AC than normal animals of their type. This value increases by 1 at every level.
Intelligence
Familiars are smarter than normal creatures of their type. All familiars start at a minimum of 6 Intelligence and receive one additional point of Intelligence at every level. If a familiar naturally has higher than 6 Intelligence, it uses its base score until the master is of a high-enough level to surpass it.
Bonus Feats
All familiars receive the Alertness, Improved Evasion, Empathic Link, and Deliver Touch Spells feats at level 1, the Speak with Master feat at level 5, the Speak with Like Kind feat at level 7, the Spell Resistance feat at level 11, and the Scry on Familiar feat at level 13. The details for these feats are provided on the familiar's character sheet once the master has reached the appropriate level.
If the familiar dies, the character suffers 1d6 damage, but may summon the familiar again on the following day.
- Use: Selected.
Gameplay Notes
List of Familiars
- Bat: Master gains +3 to Listen checks.
- Beetle: Master gains +1 hit point per level.
- Cat: Master gains +2 to move silently and hide checks.
- Chicken: Master gains +1 hit point per level.
- Hawk: Master gains +3 to Listen checks.
- Pig: Master gains +3 to diplomacy checks.
- Rabbit: Master gains +1 bonus to all saves.
- Raven: Master gains +3 to diplomacy checks. Ravens also gain the Language feat.
- Rat: Master gains +2 to fortitude saves.
- Snake: Master gains +3 to bluff checks.
- Spider: Master gains +3 to bluff checks. Other types of spiders are available with Bind Familiar.
- Weasel: Master gains +2 to reflex saves.