Bashamo |
First: Do familiar archetypes follow the same stacking rules as class archetypes? I don't see any indications one way or the other.
Second: Does the Mauler archetype's Increased Strength ability count as "altering the familiar's intelligence score" for the purpose of archetype stacking? It notably does NOT contain the usual "this ability replaces/alters..." line.
At 3rd level and every 2 levels thereafter, a mauler's Strength score increases by 1. As a result of this ability, the familiar's Intelligence score remains 6; a mauler can never have an Intelligence score higher than 6.
Third: Let's assume for a second that familiar archetypes can stack, and that Mauler somehow doesn't alter the intelligence feature of the familiar. How would a Mauler/Sage's INT score be calculated?
A sage's Intelligence score is always equal to 5 + its level, but the sage gains the additional natural armor increases of a familiar only half its level.
This ability alters the familiar's Intelligence score and natural armor adjustment.
An unusual contradiction. Its INT can never be higher than 6, but must always equal 5 + its level.
This is a no-brainer as far as RAI goes. The central RAW question, however, is: if an archetype implies that it replaces/alters an ability, but doesn't explicitly call it out as such, is the ability replaced?
Arcaian |
First: Yes, you have stacking rules as per usual archetypes.
Second: Almost any GM I've ever met would rule that it does indeed alter the familiar's intelligence score, even without that line.
Third: There would be no RAW as to how the INT score is calculated, as they're clearly not able to be stacked.
PiccoloBard |
Somewhat related: If you have a wizard archetype that modifies your familiar, can you also give your familiar an archetype of its own? A Pact Wizard with a School Familiar, for instance. Or Spirit Binder/Figment (which seems kind of cool concept-wise, but would it work?). Spirit Binder in particular does stuff to your familiar's stats…
David knott 242 |
Somewhat related: If you have a wizard archetype that modifies your familiar, can you also give your familiar an archetype of its own? A Pact Wizard with a School Familiar, for instance. Or Spirit Binder/Figment (which seems kind of cool concept-wise, but would it work?). Spirit Binder in particular does stuff to your familiar's stats…
I would assume that you can use any familiar archetype that does not alter or replace a feature of your familiar that is already altered or replaced by your wizard archetype, if any such familiar archetype existd.