Automaton, Familiar

This small construct resembles a house cat. It bears elaborate markings, and the core in its head glows with a warm light.

Familiar Automaton CR 2

XP 600
LN Tiny construct (automaton, extraplanar)
Init +6; Senses darkvision 120 ft., low-light vision; Perception +6

DEFENSE

AC 14, touch 12, flat-footed 12 (+2 Dex, +2 size)
hp 15 (3d10); fast healing 2
Fort +1, Ref +3, Will +1; DR 5/adamantine; Immune construct traits, electricity; Resist cold 10, sonic 10
Weaknesses vulnerable mind

OFFENSE

Speed 20 ft., climb 30 ft.
Melee bite +5 (1d3–1 plus disease), 2 claws +5 (1d2–1)
Space 2-1/2 ft.; Reach 0 ft.
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 3rd; concentration +4)

At willdetect magic, invisibility (self only)
3/daymagic missile
1/weekplane shift (self plus 5 lbs. of objects only)

STATISTICS

Str 8, Dex 15, Con —, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 12
Base Atk +3; CMB +0; CMD 12
Feats Improved Initiative, Weapon Finesse
Skills Climb +7, Diplomacy +7, Knowledge (any one) +8, Perception +6, Spellcraft +7, Stealth +8, Use Magic Device +7
Languages Common; telepathy (touch)
SQ automaton core, intelligent construct

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Disease (Ex)

Arcane fever: Bite—injury; save Fort DC 13; onset 1d3 days; frequency 1/day; effect 1d3 Dex damage and 1d3 Int damage; cure 2 consecutive saves. The save DC is Constitution-based and includes a +2 racial bonus.

ECOLOGY

Environment any (Axis)
Organization solitary
Treasure none

A familiar automaton is usually the same size and twice the weight of the creature after which it is modeled.

For the most part, nonfeline familiar automatons use the same statistics as the cat-based familiar automaton presented here, but more powerful familiar automatons may have additional abilities better suited for their more unique frames. On rare occasions, a familiar automaton bears spells engraved in markings on its body—usually signature spells of ancient mages, engraved on their forms by request. Some mages today keep these automatons as their personal familiars.

A 7th-level lawful spellcaster with the Improved Familiar feat can select a familiar automaton as a familiar. These familiars serve well due to their innate ability to understand magic and magical items.

Familiar automatons were not designed for combat but nevertheless feature a number of abilities to assist in fights. The most notable ability is the strange disease that each familiar automaton carries. What was originally a flaw of a familiar’s automaton core eventually became a standard feature. Each of these cores leaks a minimal amount of energy that manifests as a disease known as arcane fever, technically a form of radiation sickness brought on by exposure to this planar energy. In a true twist of irony, the disease seems to be most potent against wizards, as they quickly forget how to prepare their spells as they slip further into the symptoms of the potent fever.

Most familiar automatons do not bother searching for new automaton cores. The nature of a familiar automaton’s body generally allows for any core to take dominance of the frame and discard the previous mentality; as such, most familiars tend to stay as far away from other cores as possible, content with their existing nature and unwilling to subject their frames to a new psyche. A rare few familiars have learned to maintain their minds across multiple cores, however, and these often work with other automatons to collect more cores, a practice that allows the familiar to live on far longer than it could on its own.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Construct Handbook © 2018, Paizo Inc.; Authors: Brian Duckwitz, Andrew Hoskins, Nathan King, Kris Leonard, Luis Loza, Adrian Ng, Tom Phillips, Alex Riggs, and Nicholas Wasko.

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