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I am running my first Pathfinder game, and I have a player whose character is a dragon bloodline sorceress and wants a familiar. Is there a way within the Pathfinder rules to let her acquire one, or would it require GM fiat?
If there is a way can someone point out what book (And page) it's in and generally how? I searched the rulebooks I have and came up empty.
Take this, for the Arcane bloodline. You'll get a familiar. If you want to boost the familiar up to your level, use Boon Companion.
Take this, for the Arcane bloodline. You'll get a familiar. If you want to boost the familiar up to your level, use Boon Companion.
Interesting, for some reason the idea of using eldritch heritage to obtain the arcana of a different bloodline strikes me as weird. Well, it could work, dragons are known for arcane knowledge... but I can imagine some DMs might dislike it.
Another option is to simply ask the DM if s/he can allow the obtain familiar feat from 3.5. Pathfinder and 3.5 should still be fairly compatible (there is a conversion guide from Paizo at the site), so unless the DM specifically puts the foot down on 3.5 material it should be ok.
Where is "Boon Companion" found ?
Where is "Boon Companion" found ?
Seeker of Secrets
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Interesting, for some reason the idea of using eldritch heritage to obtain the arcana of a different bloodline strikes me as weird. Well, it could work, dragons are known for arcane knowledge... but I can imagine some DMs might dislike it.
Using the Eldritch Heritage Feat to take a Bloodline Arcana would certainly be weird, as that's not what it does. What it does is allow you to take Bloodline Powers from other Bloodlines... luckily, the Arcane Bloodline's Arcane Bond is not its Arcana at all, but is, in fact, its first level Bloodline Power... So using the Eldritch Heritage Feat to gain a Familiar via the Arcane Bloodline's Acane Bond power is perfectly legitimate (and is exactly the sort of thing the Eldritch Heritage Feat chain is for in the first place).
With the Crossblooded Archetype and the Eldritch Heritage Feat chain Sorcerers can now have powers from up to three Bloodlines.
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I guess I didn't ask my question clearly. She wants to remain a dragon blooded sorceress, is there any way for her to legitimately gain a familiar within the scope of the rules without changing her class or bloodline?
Eldritch Heritage doesn't change your bloodline. It does take two feats though, so a better choice may be cross-blooded. She'd still be dragon-blooded, just with some arcane thrown in.
I am running my first Pathfinder game, and I have a player whose character is a dragon bloodline sorceress and wants a familiar. Is there a way within the Pathfinder rules to let her acquire one, or would it require GM fiat?
If there is a way can someone point out what book (And page) it's in and generally how? I searched the rulebooks I have and came up empty.
I would just allow her to have one. Maybe make up a feat call it Arcane Bond and make it's requirements Sorceror 1st level. I don't really see it being a huge issue.
The easiest legitimate way to do it is to take the Cross-Blooded Sorcerer Archetype from Ultimate Magic to take both Arcane and Draconic blood.
The easiest legitimate way to do it is to take the Cross-Blooded Sorcerer Archetype from Ultimate Magic to take both Arcane and Draconic blood.
Horribly expensive though, if it's just for the familiar. And you lose out on the claws (in case those were part of the concept, for whatever reason).
In the end it all really depends on how the player wants to play her character.
I guess I didn't ask my question clearly. She wants to remain a dragon blooded sorceress, is there any way for her to legitimately gain a familiar within the scope of the rules without changing her class or bloodline?
I´m not sure but it seems like you´re misunderstanding the Eldritch Heritage Feat.
It doesn´t change your Bloodline you already have. It´s giving you ADDITIONAL powers, so you will be just as Dragon-y as ever.This is exactly how the Feat is meant to work. Sorcerors with high CHA are perfect candidates for the Feat (which has CHA pre-reqs), and in your case, Draconic Bloodline includes Skill Focus: Know(Arcana) as a Bloodline Bonus Feat, which qualifies for Eldritch Heritage: Arcane Bloodline (you just need Knowledge(any) for that Bloodline). (many BL have such synergies in granting Bonus Feats which help qualify for Eldritch Heritage of another BL)
There´s not really much ´fluff´ issue here: Eldritch Heritage is suggesting that you also have some other Bloodline, although weaker than your main one. Your character may have many other ´mundane´ bloodlines: Azlanti, Kellid, Vudrani, although those don´t grant Bloodline Abilities. It doesn´t seem to hard to imagine that besides a horny Dragon in your family tree, you had an Arcane spellcaster as well. Maybe they hooked up themselves, it seems more likely than not, honestly. Only if the player must claim to have never had ONE arcane caster in their entire family tree would there be a problem with taking Eldritch Heritage: Arcane Bloodline.
Depending on what level she wants it at, being able to take the qualifying Feat (Skill Focus) via the Bloodline Bonus Feat makes it even easier to grab a Familar via Eldritch Heritage. You can grab Skill Focus at any level though (Half-Elves get it free, of course). The other options would generally have more downsides, IMHO (dipping 1 level in Wizard or Witch, taking Crossblooded Archetype) and those change what the character is, namely reduce her ´Dragon Sorceress´-ness (Wizard dipping is 1 less Sorceror level, which hurts, and Crossblooded reduces her spellcasting just as much). I´m really not sure why any GM would object to using a Feat for what it´s intended, but would consider some non-PRPG 3.5 Feat to accomplish the same thing.
I guess I didn't ask my question clearly. She wants to remain a dragon blooded sorceress, is there any way for her to legitimately gain a familiar within the scope of the rules without changing her class or bloodline?I´m not sure but it seems like you´re understanding the Eldritch Heritage Feat.
It doesn´t change your Bloodline you already have. It´s giving you ADDITIONAL powers, so you will be just as Dragon-y as ever.
This is exactly how the Feat is meant to work. Sorcerors with high CHA are perfect candidates for the Feat (which has CHA pre-reqs), and in your case, Draconic Bloodline includes Skill Focus: Know(Arcana) as a Bloodline Bonus Feat, which is what is needed to qualify for Eldritch Heritage: Arcane Bloodline.There´s not really much ´fluff´ issue here: Eldritch Heritage is suggesting that you also have some other Bloodline, although weaker than your main one. Your character may have many other ´mundane´ bloodlines: Azlanti, Kellid, Vudrani, although those don´t grant Bloodline Abilities. It doesn´t seem to hard to imagine that besides a horny Dragon in your family tree, you had an Arcane spellcaster as well. Maybe they hooked up themselves, it seems more likely than not, honestly. Only if the player must claim to have never had ONE arcane caster in their entire family tree would there be a problem with taking Eldritch Heritage: Arcane Bloodline.
^^That^^
The Cross-blooded archtype from Ultimate Magic would net her the familiar at level one at the cost of her ability to turn her hands into dragon claws. She could still call herself a dragon sorcerer if she wanted too and use every other power and ability from the dragon bloodline.
Seems like a no-brainer if she wants the familiar out of the bag and doesn't want to invest a pair of feats and/or wait til level 3.
Besides, I'd wager that 90% of the female players I've ever played with would choose a familiar over claws any day. (The other 10% would have just rolled a wizard)
With Eldritch Heritage, the only reason to take Cross-Blooded is if you don´t plan to take more than 1 level of Sorceror.
As said, the loss of spells is just way to hurtful.
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Or... she could use the Tattooed Sorcerer archetype from Inner Sea Magic that just came out. You will stay as the dragon bloodline, but you do end up replacing the 1st level and 9th level bloodline powers as well as the 7th level bloodline feat, but it's actually quite a nice archetype. It even lets you get a nice safe way of storing your familiar if it's in danger!
The Cross-blooded archtype from Ultimate Magic would net her the familiar at level one at the cost of her ability to turn her hands into dragon claws. She could still call herself a dragon sorcerer if she wanted too and use every other power and ability from the dragon bloodline.
Seems like a no-brainer if she wants the familiar out of the bag and doesn't want to invest a pair of feats and/or wait til level 3.
Besides, I'd wager that 90% of the female players I've ever played with would choose a familiar over claws any day. (The other 10% would have just rolled a wizard)
I don't know if crippling your character is a no-brainer. Maybe 'crippling' is a bit strong, but delaying 2nd level spells to level 5? For a primary caster? That's horrible.
Or... she could use the Tattooed Sorcerer archetype from Inner Sea Magic that just came out. You will stay as the dragon bloodline, but you do end up replacing the 1st level and 9th level bloodline powers as well as the 7th level bloodline feat, but it's actually quite a nice archetype. It even lets you get a nice safe way of storing your familiar if it's in danger!
Can you share more about that? I`m really more a fan of setting-specific stuff than general crunch... What else does the Archetype look like, and does it only modify the Bloodline or other stuff as well?