Arcane Sorcerer - Bonded Item - Quick Question

[divby0]

Hello everybody,

Can anyone explain how a bonded item benefits an Arcane Sorcerer?

We have a newbie player wanting to play a sorcerer and the familiar seems rather complicated for a beginner.

Can you explain to me how the bonded Staff can be used? Can the Sorcerer cast an additional spell a day like a wizard?

Markus

[Deadmanwalking]

divby0 wrote:

Can you explain to me how the bonded Staff can be used? Can the Sorcerer cast an additional spell a day like a wizard?

Yes, that's exactly what he can do. Once per day, he can cast any one spell he knows via the bonded item. This is in addition to all his other spells per day.

It's really pretty cool unless the GM targets it all the time.

[divby0]

Perfect!

That means 5 (3 +1 because of Cha +1 bonded item) spells a day for a 1st level sorcerer and she can spontaniously choose which which ones of the 2 spells she knows at first level?

[Deadmanwalking]

divby0 wrote:

Perfect!

That means 5 (3 +1 because of Cha +1 bonded item) spells a day for a 1st level sorcerer and she can spontaniously choose which which ones of the 2 spells she knows at first level?

Yes indeed she can.

On a purely mechanical note, she'd likely be better off with a Ring or Amulet than a Staff, they're easier to enchant at lower levels, and much harder to lose.

[divby0]

how can a ring or amulet be enchanted?

[wraithstrike]

Normally you would need the correct crafting feat, but with your bonded item you can enchant it anyway. There are magic item creation rules that go into detail, but for the most part you select what magic item you want that your bonded item qualifies for. You pay the correct amount of gold, after crafting for so many days you make a spellcraft check. It the check is high enough your item is completed.

[sunbeam]

If you want to go arcane sorcerer, can you just not use this feature?

I mean have neither a bonded object or a familiar?

[wraithstrike]

sunbeam wrote:

If you want to go arcane sorcerer, can you just not use this feature?

I mean have neither a bonded object or a familiar?

You have to choose one of them. Taking the ring as the bonded item is the best route to take if you think your DM will try to take it from you. Then again familiars that are killed don't affect your spellcasting.

[sunbeam]

wraithstrike wrote:

sunbeam wrote:

If you want to go arcane sorcerer, can you just not use this feature?

I mean have neither a bonded object or a familiar?

You have to choose one of them. Taking the ring as the bonded item is the best route to take if you think your DM will try to take it from you. Then again familiars that are killed don't affect your spellcasting.

So you could elect the familiar option, and just never call one?

Or just never replace it when it inevitably dies?

[wraithstrike]

sunbeam wrote:

wraithstrike wrote:

sunbeam wrote:

If you want to go arcane sorcerer, can you just not use this feature?

I mean have neither a bonded object or a familiar?

You have to choose one of them. Taking the ring as the bonded item is the best route to take if you think your DM will try to take it from you. Then again familiars that are killed don't affect your spellcasting.

So you could elect the familiar option, and just never call one?

Or just never replace it when it inevitably dies?

Never replace it when it dies. Of course if you kill it on purpose or "let it die" just to not have to deal with it I don't know how a DM might respond to that.

[divby0]

I will get her the ring!

Does it need to be a masterwork ring?

What is the easiest and nicest enchantment to put onto such a ring for a low level sorceress? (lvl1,2,3?)

[Marc Radle]

divby0 wrote:

I will get her the ring!

Does it need to be a masterwork ring?

What is the easiest and nicest enchantment to put onto such a ring for a low level sorceress? (lvl1,2,3?)

The bond item is automatically considered to be masterwork quality.

Also, keep in mind that the sorcerer or wizard is considered to have the appropriate item crafting feat (Forge Ring, in this case) but he or she still needs to meet the prerequisites, including minimum level. This means that she will need to be at least 7th level before she can enchant her ring!

See the Wizard class entry for details, but here are the important parts for your question:

Arcane Bond (Ex or Sp):
Wizards who select a bonded object begin play with one at no cost. Objects that are the subject of an arcane bond must fall into one of the following categories: amulet, ring, staff, wand, or weapon. These objects are always masterwork quality.

A wizard can add additional magic abilities to his bonded object as if he has the required item creation feats and if he meets the level prerequisites of the feat. For example, a wizard with a bonded dagger must be at least 5th level to add magic abilities to the dagger (see the Craft Magic Arms and Armor feat in Feats). If the bonded object is a wand, it loses its wand abilities when its last charge is consumed, but it is not destroyed and it retains all of its bonded object properties and can be used to craft a new wand. The magic properties of a bonded object, including any magic abilities added to the object, only function for the wizard who owns it. If a bonded object's owner dies, or the item is replaced, the object reverts to being an ordinary masterwork item of the appropriate type.

[sunbeam]

divby0 wrote:

I will get her the ring!

Does it need to be a masterwork ring?

"Wizards who select a bonded object begin play with one at no cost. Objects that are the subject of an arcane bond must fall into one of the following categories: amulet, ring, staff, wand, or weapon. These objects are always masterwork quality. Weapons acquired at 1st level are not made of any special material. If the object is an amulet or ring, it must be worn to have effect, while staves, wands, and weapons must be wielded. If a wizard attempts to cast a spell without his bonded object worn or in hand, he must make a concentration check or lose the spell. The DC for this check is equal to 20 + the spell's level. If the object is a ring or amulet, it occupies the ring or neck slot accordingly."

divby0 wrote:

"What is the easiest and nicest enchantment to put onto such a ring for a low level sorceress? (lvl1,2,3?)

"A wizard can add additional magic abilities to his bonded object as if he has the required item creation feats and if he meets the level prerequisites of the feat. For example, a wizard with a bonded dagger must be at least 5th level to add magic abilities to the dagger (see the Craft Magic Arms and Armor feat in Feats)."

If you go with a ring you'll have to wait till 7th level to enchant it. If you went with an amulet you could enchant it at 3rd level. 5th level if you picked a weapon like a dagger. 5th for a wand, and 11th level for a staff.

But the controversy over this whole thing is:

"If a wizard attempts to cast a spell without his bonded object worn or in hand, he must make a concentration check or lose the spell. The DC for this check is equal to 20 + the spell's level."

You might never have anyone who steals your focus. Or ever have anyone capture you and take your equipment. (If you are captured, you can pretty much count on any magic items or masterwork items being stripped from you.)

But if you are somehow separated from your focus you have to go through a dc 20 + spell level check ANY time you try to cast a spell.

Replacing it (if it were destroyed) is:

"If a bonded object is damaged, it is restored to full hit points the next time the wizard prepares his spells. If the object of an arcane bond is lost or destroyed, it can be replaced after 1 week in a special ritual that costs 200 gp per wizard level plus the cost of the masterwork item. This ritual takes 8 hours to complete. Items replaced in this way do not possess any of the additional enchantments of the previous bonded item."

That's probably not a show stopper in terms of money to replace except early on. But you are absolutely going to have to do that, or make a concentration check to cast any spell.

All that for basically one extra spell slot of your highest level (since you can only use it for a spell you "know").

Much more useful for a wizard than a sorcerer. The possible downside just isn't worth it to me.

The familiar can be worth it though. You have to take improved familiar, and probably get the little bugger some equipment as well.

Just saying to me it kind of seems more a liability to a sorcerer than a class feature.

[divby0]

It is a beginner group.

Most important for me is that it is easy to handle and nice to play.

the one more spell a day makes it for her nicer to play and easier than the familiar.

For more experienced players your point is absolutely right♦

[Nixda]

While you're spot on about the extra spell for the first few levels, it becomes less interesting for a spontaneous caster like a sorcerer quite fast. You might just as well get a familiar an keep it in your pocket just for the bonus it gives (like +3 HP, or +2 to Fort or Ref saves).

[Devastation Bob]

I think they added snapping turtles in the Bestiary 2 that can be familiars, leave him in his shell, no fuss no muss, +2 to Fort saves.