Akua's page

Thank you for your help Fuzzy-Wuzzy. I think I will go the Familiar Bond route.

One thing-since the bond isn't really magical, do I still need to spend 1000 GP (200*level at time of dismissal so 5) to dismiss my familiar when I get a new one? Do I even need to dismiss the bond when I get improved familiar?

Unless PFS has applicable rules for this sort of thing (I wouldn't know), you'll have to wait to get the pseudodragon until your effective wizard level is 5 (as per the boon) which will be when your character level is 7 as per Eldritch Heritage. You can't get it early by taking a dumbed-down version.

Do you already have Skill Focus in some Knowledge skill? If not, then instead of going Skill Focus => Eldritch Heritage => Improved Familiar you could go Iron Will => Familiar Bond => Improved Familiar. The advantages are that you get Iron Will, you get a (normal) familiar a bit before getting your pseudodragon, and you get to use your full HD as your effective wizard level, which means you can get Improved Familiar at 5th and also that your familiar will always be a notch farther along on the familiar abilities table. The disadvantages are that you don't get Skill Focus (Knowledge(whatever)) and you aren't in line to get Improved & Greater Eldritch Heritage.

Good to know. One last thing-does the Magical Knack Trait counter the penalty from Eldritch Heritage?

I recently got a boon that lets me get a special Improved Familiar at "spellcaster level 5" instead of level 7. However, the character is an Imperious Bloodline Sorcerer, so it doesn't normally get a familiar.

I was planning on getting the Eldritch Heritage feat to get the arcana bond power from Arcane Bloodline. However, Eldritch Heritage says "For purposes of using that power, treat your sorcerer level as equal to your character level – 2, even if you have levels in sorcerer."

Does that mean that when I want to get an improved familiar at level 5 my actual level will be treated as level 3, and I won't be able to get the special Improved Familiar? Or will I be able to get my special Improved Familiar, but her intelligence etc will just be lower than normal?

In case it's important knowledge, the familiar in question is below as well as where I got this permission boon.

Correct. He takes the encumbrance effects listed in table 7-5, including modifying his swim speed (because it is his speed: the Encumbrance by Weight section doesn't specify running speed as Encumbrance by Armor does), but there's no reason this in itself would require him to make a Swim check.

If the undine is over his heavy load to double his heavy load, he can only move 5 feet as a full-round action, as for land speed. If between double and 5 times his heavy load, he can only drag or push his load along the ground (buoyancy may be a favourable circumstance and mud may be an unfavourable one).

Thank you for your help. That makes a lot of sense.

I was wondering something about the Undines from Advanced Races. Their section says they "can move in water without making Swim checks".

Does that mean they don't need to roll a swim check if they are in heavy armor that's imposing a dex penalty while in the water? Or over their encumbrance limit in the water?