mountain cat familiar

[Gilladian]

My players recently rescued a mountain lion cub and are having it trained and raised by a local ranger. The wizard (who does not currently have a familiar) has expressed an interested in having the cub (once grown), become his familiar. By then he should be 5-6th level, I would imagine (I've stated that it will be 10 months before the animal is adult enough to be taken from the trainer).

I intend to use leopard stats for the cat when it is full grown. What advice can you give me on making the mountain lion a familiar? What minimum level would you require, and any special feats? Should he have to pick up some animal handling?

By the bye, in case it matters, this is an e6 campaign, so they'll never get much more powerful than 6th-8th level characters.

 

[Pergentile]

Since the whole thing is involved with the role-playing of the campaign, I personally wouldn't put any mechanical requirements on it. It is trained, and will be intelligent as a human child from being a familiar. Familiars are also almost considered part of the PC's soul, so handle animal etc, wouldn't be very fitting. Familiars are generally fairly weak as far as combat goes, just give it the stats of a Hunting Dog. If you want to make it an "improved familiar", then just have the wizard take that feat. (Its in DMG, under alternate rules... I think).

 

[Theo R Cwithin]

[edit] Heh, i just realized I completely misunderstood the OP! Oh well, here's the suggestion for a young cat, anyway. [/edit]

There's the "young creature" simple template in PF:

Simple template: YOUNG (CR -1)
Creatures with the young template are immature specimens of the base creature. You can also use this simple template to easily create a smaller variant of a monster. This template cannot be applied to creatures that increase in power through aging or feeding (such as dragons or barghests) or creatures that are Fine-sized.

Quick Rules:
+2 to all Dex-based rolls, –2 on all other rolls, –2 hp/HD.

Rebuild Rules:
Size decrease by one category; AC reduce natural armor by –2 (minimum +0); Attacks decrease damage dice by 1 step; Ability Scores –4 Strength, –4 Con, +4 size bonus to Dex.