New PFS Wizard L1 question (familiar)

[Michael Dupler]

I am creating my first PFS char, L1 Wizard, and was wondering for PFS play what is a better investment: Bonded Item or Familiar/imp familiar?

Sorry if this has already been addressed, couldn't find it through search

thanks

[trollbill]

Both are sufficiently useful that it really boils down to choice. Do you see your wizard with a familiar or not?

[nosig]

this is very much to personal taste.

For example - I prefer the benifits of a familiar - my personal favorite is an Owl.

My son on the other hand massively prefers haveing one more spell "on call" that he can pull from his entire book. (one more spell of highest level?)...

Both have thier advantages ...

(yeah, this means I didn't give you an answer).

[Iammars]

The advantages of familiars don't really come up until higher level when you can get an improved familiar. Familiars can't do much at low levels (BURNING GAZE!), but once they can start using wands/taking other actions, the action economy is awesome.

Bonded objects are better at low-levels and stay pretty good throughout your career as a pathfinder, and certainly having access to that one spell is immensely helpful in certain times. Also wizards can craft their bonded item, so if you were depending on a particular object I might go with a bonded object.

Honestly, it's more a matter of playstyle than anything else. If you think you won't be great at preparing what spells you need to cast or you really want one item, then go with the bonded object. Otherwise, go with the familiar and improve it to one you like as soon as you can.

(Also, if you want to stay with a smaller familiar, there's the +4 to init ones that are really good. It stacks with improved init, and if you're a battlefield control wizard, it's really important that you go first.)

[nosig]

Iammars wrote:

The advantages of familiars don't really come up until higher level when you can get an improved familiar. Familiars can't do much at low levels (BURNING GAZE!), but once they can start using wands/taking other actions, the action economy is awesome.

Bonded objects are better at low-levels and stay pretty good throughout your career as a pathfinder, and certainly having access to that one spell is immensely helpful in certain times. Also wizards can craft their bonded item, so if you were depending on a particular object I might go with a bonded object.

Honestly, it's more a matter of playstyle than anything else. If you think you won't be great at preparing what spells you need to cast or you really want one item, then go with the bonded object. Otherwise, go with the familiar and improve it to one you like as soon as you can.

(Also, if you want to stay with a smaller familiar, there's the +4 to init ones that are really good. It stacks with improved init, and if you're a battlefield control wizard, it's really important that you go first.)

bolding mine...

Sorry Iammars, I could not disagree more.

An Owl familiar gives a first level wizard:
1) "Master gains a +3 bonus on sight-based and opposed Perception checks in shadows or darkness".
2) "Alertness (Ex): While a familiar is within arm's reach, the master gains the Alertness feat."

These two things alone would boost the Wizards Perception by +5 in many dungeon crawls or shadowed environments. And it does this at 1st level, for free.

Each of the other familiar types give different bonuses (though all give Alertness with a +2 to perception and sense motive).

The familiar can stand watch while the wizard sleeps (and sleep in a backpack during the day), waking his master in the event of danger.

The bonded item allows the wizard only an additional 1st level spell casting at 1st and 2nd level.

SO, I actually feel that familiar is stronger at lower level.

[MrSin]

Familiar I've always thought is best, unless you have a particular magic item you really want to represent you. Familiars give lots of passive bonuses. Dictum Mortum had a guide in 3.5 that was great for familiars, though many 3.5 uses are gone. You have a ton of skill points and familiars share skills with you, so they're great for assisting and the like if they apply.

The biggest bonus is of course, that you have a best friend to go with you on all your adventures!