MOST Bard types don't get to have a familiar.
As far as I know every other Arcane caster has the ability to get a familiar. Even a Rogue can get a familiar. But the majority of Bards can not.
I'm probably missing the whole roleplaying point of it, but a bard and a song bird familar would work great.
Other casters can't but most of them are divine. Many of the divine casters get a companion of some sort or another.
It's not written in stone that you HAVE to have one, but it'd be nice to have that option. (But I am not talking about the Sea Singe)
Thanks
Bard will have a high charisma, use Skill focus Knowledge [any], and Eldritch Heritage [arcane] will get you your familiar for the cost of 2 feats (or 1 if you're a half-elf).
I'm not sure of any quicker way.
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For reference, Eldritch Heritage. Requires Skill Focus (any knowledge).
Other than that, sounds like you'd need a custom archetype.
It's not a question of how. It's a question of why. I know how the Bard can get one. I want to know why a Bard from the start doesn't get one. The majority of arcane classes get familiars at or around first level, why not the bard?
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I can understand why the bard doesn't always get one. For the same reason a sorcerer or magus doesn't. It's not a defining characteristic of the class.
But I can see what you're saying - there should be a bard archetype that grants a familiar in exchange for something else. Dirge bards should get a raven that says "Nevermore". Buccaneer bards should get a parrot. Archaeologist bards should get a Tien child named Short Round.
As for Eldritch Heritage, are there any bloodlines besides arcane that grant familiars? I know another path for a sorcerer who wants a familiar is the Tattooed archetype. Any other bloodlines that do it, though?
The Sorcerer gets it through the Arcane Bloodline and the Magus can take Familiar through and Arcana. As far as the Bard, there is the Sea Singer that gets a Parrot
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I agree that it is a bit odd that a bard doesn't have an easier time getting a familiar than a fighter does. Fromper's right that since it's not a defining part of the bard it doesn't make sense as a default ability like the wizard's arcane bond or the witch familiar. The bard also wasn't built with special customization options like the sorcerer's bloodline or the magus arcana that would make it easy to include a familiar as an option. The archetypes provided an alternate opportunity for this, though unfortunately it seems to have been implemented only in a very narrow manner.
At this point I think the best way to introduce bardic familiars at this point would be an additional feat requiring bard level 1 or 3 that gives you a familiar with your effective wizard level based on your bard level (maybe even equal to your bard level). This would at give bards an easier feat entry into familiars compared to Eldritch Heritage (no need for Skill Focus, possibly level 1 entry instead of level 3) and could also give them a stronger familiar (maybe from a limited list). Again, a new archetype would also work, but then there might be compatibility issues with other archetypes.
I don't think there's another Sorcerer bloodline that gives a familiar, though I could be wrong.
There is also the Sorceror Serpentine Bloodline, but it doesn't get the Familiar at 1st level,
it gets it later at 3rd level, and the class-linked abilities of the Familiar lag behind at Sorc Level-2.
(HPs, Saves, etc, are all based on your total stats, not Class Level)
The Bloodline ability also gives at-will Speak With Animals for Reptiles/Dinosaurs.
But yeah, like SOME Sorcerors get Familiars at 1st level (if they choose Arcane BL),
some Bards get Familiars at 2nd level (at full Class Level for level-linked abilities) if they choose Sea Singer Archetype.
Most Sorcerors and Bards don't get them.
(as mentioned, Tattooed Sorceror Archetype also lets any BL have a Familiar, at the expense of BL Powers)
As mentioned, you need skill focus in any Knowledge skill to qualify for Eldritch Heritage: Arcane,
you can take Skill Focus in Diplomacy to qualify for Eldritch Heritage: Serpentine,
but you need Improved Eldritch Heritage in it to get the Familiar (the Familiar is the 3rd level ability).
The 1st level ability is a Bite Attack with CON damage Poison, usages/day and DC based off your CHA.
Qualifying for Eldritch Heritage is easy for Bards, since CHA is their primary Casting Stat,
and being a skillful class, taking Skill Focus is emphasing an area they would naturally want to excel at,
between Knowledge skills (a focus of theirs) and Diplomacy (again a focus of theirs, and using CHA) the Eldritch Heritage options to gain a Familiar aren't really 'playing against the grain' for them, and are pretty synergistic Feats for them to take.
I guess it would be CONVENIENT for Bards if all of them could get a Familiar with one Feat only,
or even if there were new Archetypes that granted a Familiar (that one seems more likely),
but ultimately they are not very connected in theme to Wizards as a whole.
Interestingly, the primary Sorceror Bloodline with a Familiar (Arcane) gets it because their family/bloodline specifically included accomplished Wizards.
I don't see why all Bards should have a simpler time of getting a Familiar than all Sorcerors (those who don't have Arcane or Serpentine BL or the Tattooed Archetype).
I could see a Magician Archetype-only Feat that granted a Familiar with one Feat,
actually just expanding the options for their Arcane Bond to include Familiars (they get to choose non-weapon Arcane Bonded Items, presumably to prevent overlap with the Arcane Duelist Archetype's Weapon Only Arcane Bond), since Magician already seems somewhat more thematically linked to Wizardry.
I'd have liked to give that to the Magician archetype - would fit perfectly. It does give the bard Arcane Bond, unfortunately, only the item version (ex weapons).
IMO, a perfect house rule area.
Ruyan.
Why don't Bards get familiars? 'cause Bards have to learn to Perform.
Do you really want to give a puppy to someone who practices on the violin several hours per day?
Why don't Bards get familiars? 'cause Bards have to learn to Perform.
Do you really want to give a puppy to someone who practices on the violin several hours per day?
By the same logic, Why would a beginning wizard want a 'puppy'? He's got to study all day in a small room, all his time is spent studying. When is he going to have the time to take care of that animal?
The idea AFAIK, is that the familiar helps you. It isn't a hindrance.
Exactly, besides with a familiar, the bard would always have an audience!
Ruyan.
That gives me an idea for an archetype, the organ grinder bard with his Capuchin monkey familiar. Since the music is mechanical and the organ must be built/maintained, he gets certain mechanical skills (knowledge(engineering), craft(?), disable device) with/instead of perform skills. As he gains levels, the complexity and sophistication of his organ increases as well (and possibly in size). Perhaps the bard sings/dances/otherwise performs with the organ as accompanyment. Perhaps the organ eventually becomes self mobile, maybe even able to fly.
Perhaps Gnomes are especially good at it ?
Sorcerers only get a familiar when choosing the arcane blood-line. I feel that familiars fit better with the studious type of magic, rather than the spontaneous instinctive type of bards and sorcerers (again arcane bloodline gets a pass in my book because it's in some way related to the whole wizard business). Rogues cast like wizards so they fit too.
It's kind of hard to explain in words why i think this is fine. It just is. To me.
While I'm not against just giving the bard a familiar, I think it would be even cooler if he was better at charming animals. Pied Piper, Snow White, the ghost of the kid who had the flute in the Legend of Zelda: a Link to the Past, etc. Except this is D&D so you should probably also be charming plants and faeries and s#@#. How bad ass would it be to challenge a satyr to a pan pipe showdown in return for his services? Yeah I know this can KINDA be done already, but not in a very satisfying way.
But I can see what you're saying - there should be a bard archetype that grants a familiar in exchange for something else. Dirge bards should get a raven that says "Nevermore". Buccaneer bards should get a parrot. Archaeologist bards should get a Tien child named Short Round.
You mind if I steal that for a forum signature?
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But I can see what you're saying - there should be a bard archetype that grants a familiar in exchange for something else. Dirge bards should get a raven that says "Nevermore". Buccaneer bards should get a parrot. Archaeologist bards should get a Tien child named Short Round.You mind if I steal that for a forum signature?
Sure, whatever. :)
Sorcerers only get a familiar when choosing the arcane blood-line. I feel that familiars fit better with the studious type of magic, rather than the spontaneous instinctive type of bards and sorcerers (again arcane bloodline gets a pass in my book because it's in some way related to the whole wizard business). Rogues cast like wizards so they fit too.
Do you mean Magi?