Advice on the Occultist

[djones]

So there's a good chance that when August rolls around I might be involved in a Strange Aeons campaign, which I'm anticipating eagerly.

Now, beyond the 'starting in an asylum, Lovecraftian horror, insanity' beats, not much is known about the AP, so I don't feel bad about asking for build advice for it.

I like the look of the Occultist as appropriate to the AP, and if I'm going to be going a bit crazy as power increases I want to start off that way, so I'm picking up a raven familiar with one of my feats and giving it the Figment template for a hallucination so vivid other people can see it and talk to it.

But how does getting the implements work exactly? For example, if I choose a transmutation implement as a weapon, do I get a freebie MW like a bonded item or do i need to buy it?

[DaemonArcher]

AFAIK the beauty of implements is the idea that any item of historical significance, any relics or other potential artifacts are a reason itself for an occultist to adventure. You should consult with your dm when you're about to aquire a new implement as entire campaigns could almost be built around an occultist's premise. If your DM wills it, you'll have to buy it, but talking about it beforehand can really make for some fun stories about how you got said implement (got a rogue to steal an ancient knife you identified to be of significant value from an exhibition) on the other hand... Maybe your guy just trips over a rock that once had been lobbed at and killed a hero at some point, it's all imaginin'