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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Scotley" data-source="post: 1453707" data-attributes="member: 11520">Its an interesting issue. I think the important thing is that in progressing as a familiar the animal gains intelligence beyond that normally allowed for a companion. I would be inclined to let the player make the switch, but no longer advance the owl as a companion only as a familiar. Logically you would  treat animal companion and familiar as classes. Animal companion would be like monk or paladin--once you give it up you can't go back. However, I would let the character seek out a new animal companion at a later time if he so desired. All that being said I'm not sure that allowing full advancement as both would be terribly unbalancing. The natural armor bonus would not stack. The extra hit dice of the animal companion would be irrelevant as the familiar's effective hit dice and hit points are fixed based on the level of the master. Evasion and share spells are the same either way. Devotion isn't really an issue. If he goes high enough as a Druid to get multiattack and improved evasion then the owl wont get far on the familiar abilities chart. The only real boost comes in a familiar with a bonus to str. and dex., which when combined with the masters BAB makes the owl a bit more effective in combat, but I don't see that as too much of a trade off compaired to the combat advantage of having an animal companion and a familiar. As a multi-classed character it is unlikely that scry or even spell resistence will be a factor either. The animals tricks become less important as the familiar's intelligence grows. I'd say in the end the character will be giving up more raw power than he gains and thus allow this from a balance standpoint. I can't see any good reason to say no. That's usually the best reason to say yes to a player for me. Scotley</blockquote>

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