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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Bigwilly" data-source="post: 1549769" data-attributes="member: 16730">My take on familiarsAs a DM, I have ruled the following:A familiar's effective HD is the same as the PC's total character level (e.g. Wiz3/Rog5 is char level 8). This doesn't actually mean much but could affect stuff like poison saves for a spider/snake familiar (10 + 1/2 HD + Con bonus). This is how I believe it's written. It gains no other benefits from its effective HD.For attacks, I use the PCs BAB modified by the Familiar's Str or Dex. That does mean that a familiar can have a good attack bonus and multiple attacks, but for most familiars it's still only going to do 1 HP of damage per round. I also give the familiar HP equal to half the PCs - straight divide by two round down, no adjusting for different Con bonuses. This makes life easy for me. A familiar's abilities however, are based on the PC's caster level (i.e for the same Wiz3/Rog5, the familiar's intelligence, natural armor, etc. are as for a 3rd level wizard.)Saying that, only the PC with the Improved familiar (Pseudodragon) has ever used his familiar in combat, although it does do a lot of scouting. Bigwilly</blockquote>