Can a Familiars gain levels in a Class?

[Elocin]

I believe I saw somewhere, not sure where mind you, but a Psuedodragon Familiar having 2 levels of Rogue? My players might be interested in this, and so am I, and I was wondering what everyone's opionions to this might be? I don't see a problem with this but it does have to be logical. I do not see a Toad gaining levels as a Fighter, but I could see say a Psuedodragon gaining levels as a Rogue or possibly Wizard/Sorcerer. Obviously you would have to use some common sense when it comes to picking classes, mind you, but I do not see this as being too unbalanced.

What do you think?

 

[CRGreathouse]

No, you can't. I did see a prestige class that let a familiar cast like a first-level sorcerer... just one moment...

Blood Guardian by Monte Cook (Thunderhead Games)

 

[Gez]

The familiar already do gain class levels. The familiar of a wizard 5 is a wizard 5. It don't have any of the ability of a wizard 5, as it has the familiar ability instead, but it is a wizard 5. The familiar of a sorcerer 1/barbarian 19 is a sor 1/bbr 19. It too has familiar abilities instead if class abilities.

That's simple: the master and the familiar are considered to be one and the same. One schizophrenic being with two bodies, but one being. Would you allow a schizo to have double his normal class levels for his experience, just because one personality think he's a barbarian and the other think he's a sorcerer ? Probably no. So, you won't allow a familiar to have class levels on its own.

 

[rankarrog]

I would allow this to my players but to pay a price for it they should get the Leadership-Feat and take the familiar as a Cohort

 

[Elocin]

Right, I was thinking about a prereq for this was to take the Leadership feat and then the Familiar would be thier cohort. Otherwise what everyone is saying does make sense.

Thanks for your help guys.

 

[AGGEMAM]

In response to the last two posters.

A familiar already is a kind of co-hort. If you allow a familiar to gain character levels you should strip it of any benefits it gains from being a familiar. Although you could retain the wizards benefits of having the familiar.