So I figure there are a lot of spells I use about once every 10 adventures or so but when I need them they are super useful. Previously, you would buy scrolls with the spells on it. Now we have.... Arcane Bond. It's sort of the 1/day infinite scrollcase of all the spells in your book. So what spells do you plan on using with Arcane bond?
My 1st level favorites:
2nd level:
3rd level:
Hmm... out of time. Anyone else have any more suggestions? Best candidates are those spells which you never memorize but are super useful when you do need them (particularly in a hurry like featherfall).
Monkey, Raven, Viper, Toad
3rd - Water Breathing?
Can you even cast if you're holding your breath? V,S Maybe as you fall into the water.
Shrink Item always seemed to be a spell I used in conjunction with permanency...
However for me -
1st - Erase (Never expecting to encounter a rune trap)
I dunno, some of those Improved Familiars (like the Faerie Dragon from the beta Beastiary) had some awesome abilities that compliment your arsenal.
Pseudodragons have a poison effect, Mephits have breath weapons, and they all have their special abilities scale with level since they're treated as having the same HD as you, regardless of how many levels you have in Wizard/Sorcerer.
3rd - Water Breathing?
Can you even cast if you're holding your breath? V,S Maybe as you fall into the water.
The rules for this are actually in the book. Check the magic section.
I dunno, some of those Improved Familiars (like the Faerie Dragon from the beta Beastiary) had some awesome abilities that compliment your arsenal.
Pseudodragons have a poison effect, Mephits have breath weapons, and they all have their special abilities scale with level since they're treated as having the same HD as you, regardless of how many levels you have in Wizard/Sorcerer.
Hmm, where do you read that they are treated as the same HD as their master? Maybe I'm missing something... but that is one of the reasons I've never been a fan of familiars because they just don't scale well with the wizard... unlike the animal companions for example.
To the original question... ANYTHING!!! :)
Honestly, in our last campaign I probably used the bonded object more for offensive spells than anything else.
3rd level - Gaseous Form, Tongues, Wind Wall
4th level - Dimension Door, Lesser Geas
Of course slightly off topic...with the rules of having to hold or wear the bonded item to suffer Concentration checks, why would you ever pick anything except a ring or amulet????
Monkey, Raven, Viper, Toad
Heh... I've had caster's before and never found a familiar particularly useful. I know a lot of people love them and I am glad they added an option.
Water Breathing
I think this is a solid choice even if you can't cast it underwater. Definitely one of those spells that is super useful when you need it but generally don't memorize.
Of course slightly off topic...with the rules of having to hold or wear the bonded item to suffer Concentration checks, why would you ever pick anything except a ring or amulet????
A lot of people choose the item because they want to take advantage of the item crafting.
Hmm, where do you read that they are treated as the same HD as their master? Maybe I'm missing something... but that is one of the reasons I've never been a fan of familiars because they just don't scale well with the wizard... unlike the animal companions for example.
Check the bottom of page 82 (hard copy) under Familiar Basics. They have 1/2 your HP and are treated as having your character level (not class level) of HD for all effects determined by HD, which would include special abilities like breath weapons and poisons.
Improved Familiar is what makes familiars worthwhile. Well, that, and the spell Imbue Familiar with Spell Ability which equated to roughly 5 quickened spells for the cost of a single level 4 spell. Booyah!
Of course slightly off topic...with the rules of having to hold or wear the bonded item to suffer Concentration checks, why would you ever pick anything except a ring or amulet????
Does wearing a bonded weapon in a scabbard count?
Does wearing a bonded weapon in a scabbard count?
Of course slightly off topic...with the rules of having to hold or wear the bonded item to suffer Concentration checks, why would you ever pick anything except a ring or amulet????
Nope, if I remember correctly it specifically states you have to be weilding a wand, staff, or weapon. Only amulets and rings count if you are just wearing them.
As to enchanting the items, I understood that when you paid half cost, but with full cost crafting and still having to meet the feat prereqs that staff can't be enchanted until 12th level, you will likely have a magic sword before 5th, and that wand requires you to drop your weapon to cast a spell since you need at least one hand free...
What are you using a weapon for in the first place? You're a mage, not a fighter.
If you're really desparate, wear a spiked gauntlet on one hand so you can either punch with it, or hold your wand in it and cast a spell with your other hand.
Well even if you don't find the Familiar directly useful, they are generally useful in a couple of ways.
Hawk -- +5 on perception checks at level 1 is nice, increases another +2 at level 10.
Ravens -- quick messengers, and could read magical scrolls.
Monkeys -- can use multiple magical items like a normal character can. A good reason to have ranks in UMD since familiars can use your skill bonus on their skill checks.
Which is another good point. Familiars use your class level for their effective HD, can use your skill bonuses for checks (give you extra checks in cases of perception checks), extra actions (UMD again), and can get places you yourself can't or don't want to.
Also with share spell you could use alter self on your familiar to get an extra body on the field.
So I guess what I'm saying is they have a lot of use, and they scale with levels gained even though it doesn't look like they do on first glance.
*****
Last note -- My Arcane trickster has a monkey familiar, as a tiny creature he can go places I can't and pick locks/disable devices/ find traps just as well as I can.
*****Last note -- My Arcane trickster has a monkey familiar, as a tiny creature he can go places I can't and pick locks/disable devices/ find traps just as well as I can.
Just a quick question. I thought the AT only gets his spells, but no other benefits from his spellcasting class. An arcane bond, either object or familiar, would stop advancing once you enter the AT class.
Is that right, or is your game just ruled differently? Just curious.
Familiar attributes such as Hit Dice, attacks, saves and skills are based off the master's character levels/abilities, not just their levels in classes entitled to familiars.
Well the Monkey won't get extra stuff from the familiar table this is true.
However his Max HP is 1/2 my max HP -- At all times. So when I gain a level and gain HP so does he. Also since he can use my saves or his which ever are better... his saves improve as mine do. Same with the skills, since he uses my bonus or his whichever is higher.
So while he doesn't "improve" on the familiar chart, unlike the animal companion he continues to get better because all his stats are based solely on my stats, not his "animal companion level".
Familiar attributes such as Hit Dice, attacks, saves and skills are based off the master's character levels/abilities, not just their levels in classes entitled to familiars.
"All familiars have special abiities (or impart abilities to their masters) depending on the master's combined level in classes that grant familiars."
I get it. The familiar improves with character level, but doesn't go past your Wiz and/or Sor levels for its abilities on p. 83.
Wiz and arcane Sor levels stack, but other classes don't, including the AT, or any other PrCs which grant spell levels. So, Abraham's monkey will always get 1/2 his hp, etc., but not the familiar abilities without more levels of Wiz or Sor.
Still a pretty cool monkey!
Just don't break that magical 200,000 gp limit.
Rings are nice, some of my favorites are:
Regeneration (again nice to see it back where it should be)
Telekinesis
Blink
Freedom
Evasion
Those will cover most your problems.
Dimensional Anchor
Yes - I needed that one badly once against a nasty drow shadowdancer in the underdark... but it's the kind of spell you never know you'll need...
For the Melee type character with Wozard dip. Practiced Spellcaster (Comp Arcane) gives you upto +4 CL, which is what's used for determining your ability to enchant your arcane bonded item.
Also remember that enchanting items doesn't have to be a solo effort. You have to have sufficient CL to get the pretend craft item feat, but everything else can come from a friend.
Don't forget that Wizards who go PrC hunting can also grab the feat Obtain Familiar from the complete arcane. For the cost of a feat you can have your familiar advance with the combination of all your arcane spellcasting classes.
Don't forget that Wizards who go PrC hunting can also grab the feat Obtain Familiar from the complete arcane. For the cost of a feat you can have your familiar advance with the combination of all your arcane spellcasting classes.For the Melee type character with Wozard dip. Practiced Spellcaster (Comp Arcane) gives you upto +4 CL, which is what's used for determining your ability to enchant your arcane bonded item.
Also remember that enchanting items doesn't have to be a solo effort. You have to have sufficient CL to get the pretend craft item feat, but everything else can come from a friend.
Those are good options if your GM allows it (I would, for the record), but they're not core.
Just sayin'.
Don't forget that Wizards who go PrC hunting can also grab the feat Obtain Familiar from the complete arcane. For the cost of a feat you can have your familiar advance with the combination of all your arcane spellcasting classes.For the Melee type character with Wozard dip. Practiced Spellcaster (Comp Arcane) gives you upto +4 CL, which is what's used for determining your ability to enchant your arcane bonded item.
Also remember that enchanting items doesn't have to be a solo effort. You have to have sufficient CL to get the pretend craft item feat, but everything else can come from a friend.Those are good options if your GM allows it (I would, for the record), but they're not core.
Just sayin'.
Yeah, we keep running into that problem. I'm pretty sure this is what the CharOp boards were like back when it was just the core rulebooks.
"We've got 11 base classes and 30 feats. Prestige Classes are DM approval only... how can we break this game?"
Also remember that enchanting items doesn't have to be a solo effort. You have to have sufficient CL to get the pretend craft item feat, but everything else can come from a friend.
This is not true anymore. In order to meet spell prerequisites you have to actually have the spell memorized... At least that's how I read it.
Ring of every Ring ability out there and a few wonderous item affects for fun. Remember you pay 1/2 market price for the 1st ability and 3/4 for subsequent abilities. Stack them on baby.
I'm not sure if you are just referring to the cost to craft or if you think the 1/2 crafting cost is still there. It costs the normal amount to craft effects onto your bonded items. It's essentially just a free "Forge Ring" feat with regards to that one item.
Since Forge ring is 7th level you are more likely to start out with an amulet (wondrous item 3rd level). If you craft that to the moon then when you craft your ring you are throwing away all the crafting expenses you did on the previous item.
All this stuff looks a lot easier when you are looking from the perspective of making a prebuilt 10th level character but for characters you actually level up these things play out a little different.
Dimensional Anchor
Yes - I needed that one badly once against a nasty drow shadowdancer in the underdark... but it's the kind of spell you never know you'll need...
Dimensional Anchor... nice call.
Break Enchantment (the spell with a 1 minute casting time)
See Invisibility
Arcane Lock
Knock
Is that rule (silly IMHO) still in pathfinder?Just don't break that magical 200,000 gp limit.
No, it's not a rule anymore (eee prices on Staff of Passage and Staff of Power as evidence).
I don't have the book yet but from the reference document "Magic Items"
bottom of the page "requirements" it specifically says more than one person can work on a item.
Except almost all the crafting feats say
If spells are involved in the prerequisites for making the armor, the creator must have prepared the spells to be cast (or must know the spells, in the case of a sorcerer or bard) and must provide any material components or focuses the spells require. The act of working on the armor triggers the prepared spells, making them unavailable for casting during each day of the armor's creation. (That is, those spell slots are expended from the caster's currently prepared spells, just as if they had been cast.)
The creator must have prepared the spell to be placed in the potion (or must know the spell, in the case of a sorcerer or bard) and must provide any material component or focus the spell requires.
* shrug *
Break Enchantment (the spell with a 1 minute casting time)
See Invisibility
Arcane Lock
Knock
Spells cast through the arcane bond have the same casting time as normal (not sure if that's what you were getting at or not).
Spells cast through the arcane bond have the same casting time as normal (not sure if that's what you were getting at or not).Break Enchantment (the spell with a 1 minute casting time)
See Invisibility
Arcane Lock
Knock
No, I was just mentioning it because it's pretty brutal having to prepare a spell that takes a minute to cast. Not only does the effect have to be a long term one you're trying to 'break', but you have to be in a non-combat situation also or casting Break Enchantment just isn't worth it.
From the reference document:
Note that all items have prerequisites in their descriptions. These prerequisites must be met for the item to be created. Most of the time, they take the form of spells that must be known by the item's creator (although access through another magic item or spellcaster is allowed).
From the reference document:
Note that all items have prerequisites in their descriptions. These prerequisites must be met for the item to be created. Most of the time, they take the form of spells that must be known by the item's creator (although access through another magic item or spellcaster is allowed).
Wasn't trying to argue with you. I wish they had worded the specific creation feats differently. To me the word creator would imply the person who is actually crafting the item and would exclude assistance.