Can familiars learn skills?

[Kranton Zo`erth]

I am curious to know if arcane spellcaster familiars can learn skills.....say appropriate to the animal type. Or as another thought. how many feats and spells to boost your famliar so they won't be as easy to destroy? Was thinking also of proposing a way to give up xp to my character's familiar to help it advance as my character does...make sense? or am I just wishing here?

Kranton Zo`erth

 

[Umbran]

If you go read the Familiar description (pg 52-53 of the 3.5E PHB), you'll see that the familiar already advances with the character. It's Intelligence and natural armor rise as the PC goes up in levels. It has 1/2 of it's master's hit points. It uses it's own or it's master's saves, whichever is better. It gains special powers as the master rises in level, and so on.

So, in general, there's no need to advance it otherwise. Familiars aren't supposed ot be major combatats or powerhouses in their own right.

 

[Kranton Zo`erth]

Not trying to make a powerhouse...or combatant.....am trying to add flavor to my character, qnd make use the storyline......never would consider using a familiar in combat.....nor to unbalance the game. was asking about three skills. independant to the familiar. hide, move silent, sleight of hand.

I was aware of the players handbook, and what it says about familiars. I was simply clarifying....I am used to 2nd ed. and there....the rules changed every quarter or so.....thanks for the info...

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

As per the RAW, the familiar's skills advance as does the master. In the case of a wizard's familiar, it is amazing how much Spellcraft and Knowledge Arcana a little toad can know.

(Technically, the familiar's skills do not advancce at all. But the familiar gains full advantage from any skill ranks the master possesses.)

If you actually use your familiar much, it is a good idea to spend a few skill points on things that would help a familiar survive, such as Tumble, Hide, Climb, etc. Not too difficult for a wizard, but a little tough for a sorceror.

 

[Lord Pendragon]

If you actually use your familiar much, it is a good idea to spend a few skill points on things that would help a familiar survive, such as Tumble, Hide, Climb, etc.

And that's it in a nutshell. A familiar does not gain skill points itself, but it knows everything its master knows automatically. So if you want your familiar to learn something, learn it yourself.

As far as strengthening a familiar, there were some great spells on the WoTC D&D page in the Spellbook feature. Planar Familiar, and Elemental Familiar. In a previous campaign, my fighter-mage researched an arcane version of Planar Familiar and gave his familiar the Axiomatic template. It was a great defensive boost.

 

[Thanee]

A familiar does not advance by itself. It does not gain experience or new hit dice and therefore no skills, feats or other abilities.

The only advancement is through the master's abilities, which the familiar can use as detailed in the familiar rule section.

Bye
Thanee