https://aonprd.com/ArchetypeDisplay.aspx?FixedName=Witch%20Putrefactor
The archetype specifies you pick a familiar as normal, but narrows the list down to a few creepy-crawly themed options. Does this enable you to pick up improved familiar at some point? I was leaning towards ‘yes’ since the class feature otherwise functions as the familiar ability, which is all you need to improve it but I wanted to see other interpretations
Thank you
Yes, you can do this.
This is going to be up to your GM, but whatever you choose for your Imp Familiar won't be vermin, so you probably won't be able to Disgorge it. Personally, I think Disgorging a Lyrakien Azata or a Pseudodragon is a good way to break your game, so your GM would be perfectly within the right to disallow this.
Also, Witches have special rules for changing familiars and they are vague when it comes to handling the Imp Familiar feat. So depending on how your GM interprets this quoted below, your Imp Familiar might not automatically know all the spells your vermin familiar knew.
A new familiar begins knowing all of the 0-level spells plus two spells of every level the witch is able to cast. These are in addition to any bonus spells known by the familiar based on the witch’s level and her patron (see patron spells).
So, you have a couple options here:
1) Your GM is just nice, and says that your Patron "wills" that your new familiar knows everything that your old familiar knew.
2) Your GM is a pragmatist, and allows your old familiar keep its spells for 24 hours after being dismissed, and then allows you to commune (1 spell per hour) with your new Imp Familiar to teach it your spells.
3) Your GM wants you to Suffer, and you simply lose most of your spells. <--- this can be countered by finding another Witch; you let your current familiar commune all of its spells to your Witch friend's familiar, and then dismiss your own, and then gain your Imp Familiar, and then have the Witch friend commune all of its spells to your Imp Familiar.
A GM that doesn’t let your improved familiar start with all your spells is misunderstanding the rules here. When you take the improved familiar feat you gain a NEW familiar and it BEGINS to be your familiar when you acquire it, therefore it should have all your spells as soon as you get it.
A GM that doesn’t let your improved familiar start with all your spells is misunderstanding the rules here. When you take the improved familiar feat you gain a NEW familiar and it BEGINS to be your familiar when you acquire it, therefore it should have all your spells as soon as you get it.
Yeah, me personally, I'm in the 1) camp. You change familiars and they know everything your old familiar knew. I already know there's ways around the other two rulings, so why bother. Just save time and not be a jerk about it.
But, I still wouldn't let you Disgorge your new Imp familiar unless it's a vermin called out in the Putrefactor Archetype. If allowed, that's op.
There is that stone that can remember all your witch spells incase you familiar dies. :)