Easier to buy rare items
Description
Familiar is a support ability in Final Fantasy VIII that does not need to be equipped to be of use. When learned, certain shops will offer rare goods they otherwise do not have for sale. It is especially good for getting rare magazines from the Esthar Book Store. Only "specialty" shops get new goods with Familiar, the "general stores" are unaffected.
Obtained[]
The Guardian Force Tonberry learns Familiar for 150 AP, allowing Tonberry to learn Call Shop next. Tonberry is recruited by defeating Tonberry King at Centra Ruins after felling his subjects in great enough numbers. Though late in the GF roster, the player can get the Tonberry GF as soon as they have the mobile Garden. If the player removes Familiar with Amnesia Greens, there is no way to get it back.
Mechanics[]
Familiar allows the player to buy the following items. Familiar is in effect both when visiting a shop physically, and via Call Shop.
| Shop | Item | Description | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Timber Pet Shop | HP-J Scroll | Teaches a GF HP-J ability. | 10,000 |
| Timber Pet Shop | Str-J Scroll | Teaches a GF Str-J ability. | 10,000 |
| Timber Pet Shop | Vit-J Scroll | Teaches a GF Vit-J ability. | 10,000 |
| Timber Pet Shop | Mag-J Scroll | Teaches a GF Mag-J ability. | 10,000 |
| Timber Pet Shop | Spr-J Scroll | Teaches a GF Spr-J ability. | 10,000 |
| Esthar Cloud's Shop. | Demolition Ammo | Ammo for Irvine's Canister Shot. | 800 |
| Esthar Cloud's Shop. | Fast Ammo | Ammo for Irvine's Quick Shot. | 100 |
| Esthar Johnny's Shop | X-Potion | Heal a party member's HP to full. | 5000 |
| Esthar Johnny's Shop | Mega-Potion | Heal 1000 HP to all party members. | 10,000 |
| Esthar Johnny's Shop | Mega Phoenix | Revives all KO'ed party members. | 10,000 |
| Esthar Johnny's Shop | Elixir | Heal a party member's HP to full and restore status. | 50,000 |
| Esthar RinRin's Shop | HP-J Scroll | Teaches a GF HP-J ability. | 10,000 |
| Esthar RinRin's Shop | Str-J Scroll | Teaches a GF STR-J ability. | 10,000 |
| Esthar RinRin's Shop | Vit-J Scroll | Teaches a GF Vit-J ability. | 10,000 |
| Esthar RinRin's Shop | Mag-J Scroll | Teaches a GF Mag-J ability. | 10,000 |
| Esthar RinRin's Shop | Spr-J Scroll | Teaches a GF Spr-J ability. | 10,000 |
| Esthar RinRin's Shop | Giant's Ring | Teaches a GF HP+40% ability. | 20,000 |
| Esthar RinRin's Shop | Power Wrist | Teaches a GF Str+40% ability. | 20,000 |
| Esthar RinRin's Shop | Force Armlet | Teaches a GF Spr+40% ability. | 20,000 |
| Esthar RinRin's Shop | Hypno Crown | Teaches a GF Mag+40% ability. | 20,000 |
| Esthar Karen's Shop | Weapons Monthly 1st Issue | The first issue of the Weapons Monthly magazine. | 50,000 |
| Esthar Karen's Shop | Combat King 004 | The fourth issue of the Combat King magazine. | 1,000 |
| Esthar Karen's Shop | Combat King 005 | The fifth issue of the Combat King magazine. | 30,000 |
| Esthar Karen's Shop | Occult Fan I | The first issue of the Occult Fan magazine. | 35,000 |
| Esthar Karen's Shop | Occult Fan II | The second issue of the Occult Fan magazine. | 30,000 |
Use[]
Familiar is a good ability and worth setting as one of the first abilities for Tonberry to learn. Some of the new items that become available are fairly pricey, which the player could cut by also learning Haggle, but money is rarely a problem in Final Fantasy VIII unless the player wants to grind stat boost items via refining, for which the player would also need the Familiar ability: Giant's Rings, Power Wrists, Force Armlets, and Hypno Crowns bought from Esthar's pet shop refine with GFAbl Med-RF into their next forms (Gaea's Ring, Hyper Wrist, Magic Armlet, and Royal Crown), and turn into stat ups with Forbid Med-RF.
Familiar is also good to be able to buy premium healing items from Johnny's shop in Esthar, for example to use X-Potions with Auto-Potion. The shop also sells Mega Phoenixes with Familiar, which can be made into Phoenix Pinions, a tricky item to farm for otherwise. Elixirs sold here can be given to PuPu as part of his sidequest.
With Familiar, the player can get easily get junction ability scrolls to become able to junction spells for every party member's stats, useful for the final battle where the player cannot choose their party directly. The magazines the player may have missed are also sold at the Esthar book shop with Familiar, and this way the player can get all Combat Kings earlier than they become available as pick-ups.