I have seen (and searched for) threads with Arcane bond. There seems to be two split on which version of it people believe to be better. I see the ability to modify your own magical item as if you have the craft feat and the ability to spontaneous cast any spell in your book extremely good. I realize the downside is also rough to deal with. I still don't see why some people think that the Familiar is so good. Would someone help me out and enlighten me?
NOTE: Im not saying that the bonded item is better than they familiar. I just want to her some of the upsides that brings people to that camp.
I suspect it boils down to action economy.
While I haven't actually picked up a familiar before, I've read that once you get improved familiar you can get one that can start using magic items (through UMD) such as a wand. I've also read that they can help you with skill checks and can scout. Scout being a big one.
Unimproved familiars such as the raven or scorpion add to your skill and in some cases combat stats. They share the alertness feat with you if they're within arms reach, so you get a plus to perception and sense motive (I believe) along with whatever bonus they'd normally give. My favorite being the green sting scorpion, giving a +4 to initiative. That's pretty much like getting improved initiative for free.
As far as improved familiars go, a lot have nice abilities right off the bat that then makes them even more useful depending on the ability. Also... what coffee golem said.
I'm sure I missed quite a bit on what else there is to it, but there is a lot that can be done with familiars.
Personally, I like both. I'm playing a wizard using the bonded item (ring) and have already once used the spontaneous cast to help the party. Looking forward to enchanting my ring later on as well.
Some might say it depends on the DM. Because some DMs may target your bonded item, but if they're the type to do so, it's likely they'd also aim for a familiar as well. Early on though, if you lose your bonded item, you get that large penalty to even try using a spell. Later on in levels this tends to become negligible, but really it's up to how much you're willing to risk.
In addition to all the above, intelligent familiars can run errands. My air elemental once used his 100' fly speed to go back to town with a note explaining to the local wizard our (immediate) need for a scroll of Dispel Magic.
The air elemental also uses a combination of Ant Haul and True Strike to grapple opponents and then fly up in the air with them. They can attempt to escape the grapple if they wish, but it is a long way down. This is a good way to take prisoners (that can't fly)in the middle of a battle or simply fly high enough to drop them for 20d6 damage.
3rd party materials let you trick out your familiar even further (Book of Familiars by Troll Lord Games) or get extra familiars (Advanced Feats: Witch's Brew by Open Design). Troll Lord's book even has a prestige class that specializes in gaining familiars (up to 6 I believe).
So, to sum up... action economy, recon, errand-running, aid another, extra knowledge/perception checks, bonuses to skills/init, delivering touch spells, share spells (Call the Void!, Burning Gaze, Fire Sneeze), inate abilities on improved familiars, no downside when they are killed/lost, and last, but not least, more RP fodder.
|
Familiars tend to be better if you stick in a class which advances them. Not so good for characters who just dip into Wizard or whatever.
They also suffer a little from being more 'GM-dependent' than a bonded object - the same as any 'companion' type which is (essentially) an NPC - so how good they are can depend on how the GM runs things (do you or the GM get to control the familiar's exact actions, for example).
Bonded objects can also be 'GM-dependent'. I have heard some people complain on these forums that their GM sees the arcane failure chance from losing a bonded item as justification for always going after them for theft and sunders. There are often complaints of metagaming over such actions. But if you are with this type of GM... well, you'll need all the luck you can get anyway.
Since familiars are fairly intelligent, I never got why some GM's would try to control them or need a handle animal check. While I can understand why they can do so with an animal companion, since it is a fairly normal animal built around training by a handler, the familiar is often more intelligent than many of the other party members. With a direct mental link, even if it is fairly weak at first, I would imagine that you could be able to direct it to some extent, enough to justify player control at least.
|
|
They do different things. Ultimately improved familiar does something you literally can't buy. Gives you the ability to UMD an item for free each round.
before reading the wall of analysis if you're dipping into wizard for diviner or something +4 initiative is probably far and away the best possible option.
If you take evolved familiar it can even have a handy +8 to the check.
Now, what are you giving up for that? All the money spent on wands is one thing, the feat (or 2) is another. Remember you LOSE the "free" feat(s) from the familiar when you take Improved Familiar.
Here are the situations. Home campaign, crafting is legal ect. Familiar is way more powerful. nothing gives you the level of power that a familiar getting to use wands gives you. Powerful buff actions used as a "free" standard action every round. Seems strong.
Also +4 initiative (untyped) is 16000 GP on a weapon so there is some value to just that if you never make your familiar better :D.
Arcane bond lets you spontaneously cast a spell from your spellbook 1/day, what replicates that? to some extent scrolls do, there are only so many spells you're likely to need to cast on a whim. See invisibility, daylight, fly (assuming the first one got dispelled) Gaseous form (this should be a potion, for those pesky grapples).
NOW sometimes this isn't the case, I'll use PFS as an example. No crafting wands means those familiar actions are VERY expensive to be hasting people or magical circling, invisibility sphere, great invis ect, Those wands cost a metric ton, an you're party isn't going to help you out in buying them, nor are you getting your 50% discount :D.
This also leads into arcane bond. PFS scenarios are usually pretty random, scrying is less likely to work (you're usually in the dark, and have less prep time) so that arcane bond spell is much more likely to come up, when you face some golem made of masks that shatter crushes, it's useful :D.
The bond literally saves you money. You don't need to carry as many scrolls, and almost never need to double up on any of them. You literally just get half off your ring (of invis or free movement :D). While the familiar requires money to sustain it's power (albeit a very efficient use of money..)
If you're in a low wealth campaign, or PFS it's a much closer argument. Or if your party won't chip in for buffs / you don't want to take crafting feats.
Assuming your ring is free movement, and you use the bond 1/5 combats for a spell you would normally use on a scroll it could easily save you 25-30k, especially in those mid levels when you might need to cast higher level spells.
A lot of the Bond's power is negated by getting scribe scroll for free, but again PFS changes this.
I like bonds, I like having more money and more cool items, but the power multiplier of effectively quickened hastes 50 times for 11k gold and a feat or two is a pretty big deal :D
It depends a bit on what level you are playing at. You may never see the bracket where improved familiar comes into play.
At very low levels, the familiar is usually better, because it can do things the PCs can't easily match. (climb, swim, etc)
From level 4 to maybe 10, the arcane bond is better. This is more true if, like PFS, the game you're playing has a ton of variety. If you're playing something like Dragon Mountain, it's not as important.
And yes, when you get to the points that the wands are pocket change, that's a great option.
One note: for an eldritch knight, the ability to enchant your weapon for cheap is quite nice to have.
I've never been a fan of familiars. For story purposes, my wizard uses her birth father's rapier as her bonded weapon. She's taken maybe one swipe with it as an AOO the entire time I've played her. The way I see it, the weapon can be another source of AC. I can upgrade the weapon to have the defending weapon property, and still benefit from having a +x weapon. Pair this with the Arcane Builder discovery, and you can craft in no time (well, less time). Also, fortunately for me, I don't have a jerk GM who tries to steal or sunder my sword. Disarms wouldn't work too well anyway since she has a weapon cord.