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I have a new game coming up and the suggestion is to play a transmuter wizard. I'm wondering if anyone's played a familiar-focused transmuter and if they have tips/tricks/advice on the build. I'm starting off at 11th level FYI.
I'm not sure what you mean by "familiar focused": Could you clarify what you have in mind?
That aside, I'm assuming you're going Improved Familiar to get something with UMD. I love Ratlings a lot and would suggest it. It has a lot of things going for it. It can use all scrolls without UMD, it has Tongues to act as a translator, and some very nice SLAs. Commune, Summon Swarm... but the best is the 3/day Dimension Door which you should note is not self-only. If things are dangerous it can sit on your shoulder and ready to teleport in response or you could have it sit on your fighter's shoulder and make his day by giving him pseudo-pounce. It's good stuff.
Evolved Familiar is also a very nice feat if you want to focus on your familiar and you have the room in your build. The "Skilled" evolution is 1 point and gives +8 to a skill, which can go a long way toward covering any skill based inadequacies of your chosen familiar, whether it be for scouting (stealth, perception) or just for UMD.
What do you mean with familiar focused? Do you want to use Polymorph spells on your familiar? If so then you probably want a familiar with reasonable physical stats, or something which is hard to kill. An Inevitable, Arbiter could be nice, as it has regeneration and a nice dex. The regeneration can make it quite hard to kill, allowing you to more safely send it off into melee combat. Of course it does lose the regeneration when you polymorph it into another creature, as all Ex and Su abilities are lost. A small earth elemental could also be nice since it has a reasonable strength score, which you can then increase further by turning it into a larger creature, like a dragon.
I have a new game coming up and the suggestion is to play a transmuter wizard. I'm wondering if anyone's played a familiar-focused transmuter and if they have tips/tricks/advice on the build. I'm starting off at 11th level FYI.
A few tips for using your familiar as a cool transmutation guinea pig.
1. Hit Dice: For the purpose of effects related to number of Hit Dice, use the master's character level or the familiar's normal HD total, whichever is higher.
Fun fact. BAB is an effect related to hit Hit Dice. As are feats. The more HD you have, the more BAB and Feats you get. That's just a natural effect of having more HD. This means that at 11th level, your familiar has a +8 BAB and 6 feats.
EDIT: Scratch that. The feat part is true, but familiars explicitly use their master's BAB, so you're not going to be looking at a nice BAB unless you're an eldritch knight. Sorry, forgot about this one 'cause I've been playing psions a lot lately (and psicrystals don't have that).
This is very helpful when it comes to delivering touch-spells as their BAB is generally going to be better than yours. They also use their Str or Dex for their natural attacks, regardless of their size, whenever it is favorable for them.
Also ability increases are an effect based on HD (you get +1 to an ability score for every 4 HD you have) so you have a little control over how your familiar stacks up to other familiars, which can be helpful if you want to drop some points into Strength or Dexterity for a more robust familiar.
2. The Magic rules explain that smaller creatures adjust their statistics when you hit them with polymorphing spells that alter their size/shape, which means if you cast alter self, beast shape or anything else your Tiny-sized familiar gets +4 Str and -2 Dex before the other modifications, so a Hawk under the effects of an alter self spell giving +2 Str actually has a 12 Str and 15 Dex while in the humanoid form.
3. Familiars get a scaling increase to any existing natural armor, from +1 to +10. At 11th level this is +6. This can make familiars surprisingly resilient, especially when you've hit them with spells like beast shape III which also grants a +6 natural armor bonus, resulting in a net +12 natural armor bonus (because the familiar bonus increases natural armor instead of overlapping). Toss on some mage armor, and perhaps an amulet of natural armor and you're looking at a surprisingly decent AC (+12 natural, +3 Dex, +4 armor = 29 AC without really trying). Combined with their innate Improved Evasion, Spell Resistance (which doesn't apply vs your spells), and the ability to cast Personal spells on them (such as shield, transformation, overland flight etc) can be pretty cool.
4. The Improved Familiar feat is a good option for anyone who really wants to make the most out of their familiar, especially as a side-kick or martial buddy. Mostly because the types of familiars you can get are more suited to such things and often come with weapon proficiencies.
For example, the Imp familiar has Str 10 and Dex 17. If you cast alter self on it and grant it a medium humanoid form, it now has a 16 Str and 15 Dexterity. It's type doesn't change so it retains abilities based on type (such as its devil traits), and by most accounts should retain things like it's damage reduction and fast healing (which are not abilities based on it's shape or sensory organs), though it would lose its sting and such. It likewise retains it's SLAs and since it's an outsider has proficiency with all simple and martial weapons, and has a perfect BAB (+11/+6/+1 at 11th level).
EDIT: Scratched the BAB part 'cause of familiars using master BAB instead of their own.
Likewise the Lyrakie familiar has constant freedom of movement which can be pretty cool.
Check out some of the improved familiars to get some ideas.
Also, the DCs for things like poison (viper / imp familiars) are also a HD-based effect, which means every 2 levels it gets a +1 bump to the DC. Thus the bite of a 20th level viper familiar is harder to resist than the bite of a 1st level familiar. Also, the Ability Focus feat can be used to up the ante as well.
A faerie dragon has outright sorcerer casting of its own which should negate a lot of arguments as to whether the familiar can use wands or other magic items. Greater invisibility as a spell-like ability 3/day has to be useful, and when not transformed it has perfect flight.
"familiar focused" just means I thought I'd end up putting a lot of my transmutations on it instead of me to go into battle. I also thought about taking Improved Familiar to get a template like Celestial on my animal. Is it more beneficial to take one of the actual improved familiars in my scenario (familiar as target of transmutations for combat)?
As for the character my thought was to take Improved Initiative, Toughness and Improved Familiar as feats but I don't have any ideas for the rest of the character. I don't even know what race to be.
I usually see people either use familiars for +4 initiative, Improved Familiar for wand use (our group almost always use Brownies for this, the boards seem to prefer little dragons or outsiders), or rarely for speaking ravens or save boosters like snapping turtle.
Using it for melee is a poor idea before level 11, but you get Form of the Dragon I now, so watching your little pet turn into a dragon and wreck things is awesome. The 4 armed gargoyle you get from Monstrous Physique II is pretty sweet too. Keeping your hit points up is the goal. Either False Life or Greater False Life on your familiar is a very good idea.
"familiar focused" just means I thought I'd end up putting a lot of my transmutations on it instead of me to go into battle. I also thought about taking Improved Familiar to get a template like Celestial on my animal. Is it more beneficial to take one of the actual improved familiars in my scenario (familiar as target of transmutations for combat)?
As for the character my thought was to take Improved Initiative, Toughness and Improved Familiar as feats but I don't have any ideas for the rest of the character. I don't even know what race to be.
Well one of the pros is that your race doesn't really factor into it very far, but if you're looking for ways of making your familiar better, anything that gives your more HP gives your familiar more HP at a 50% markdown (because your familiar has half your HP), so if you're a dwarf or something (+2 Con) and favored class (Wizard) getting +1 HP/level, you're also giving your familiar +1 HP/level. Toss Toughness on you for +1/2 HP per level, and Toughness on your familiar for +1 HP/level and your familiar will slowly but surely start looking a little tougher (and you'll have the benefit of being pretty beefy yourself.
Your familiar uses all your skill ranks or the skill ranks of their base creature in a skill, whichever is better. As a result, investing in a few skills here and there can be pretty handy. Stuff like Stealth and Perception do double duty here, as do knowledge skills, and most anything that both of you could use regularly.
If you have a familiar with SLAs, feel free to toss some item creation feats on them to help you make stuff during downtime. That's a pretty good method for helping to afford gearing them up as well as you, since if you're planning to use them as a beefcake then you're probably going to want to equip them with some nice things like amulets of natural armor, rings of protection, and +Str/Dex/Con items.
If your heart is set on an animal familiar, picking up the Extra Traits feat and choosing the trait "Alluring" gives your familiar a HD-scaling SLA, which can allow you to pick up item creation feats as well, and you can grab another trait while you're at it that does something cool too.
For Your Class
This is where the familiar-friend idea breaks down. See, most aspects of your familiar are based on your character level, which is multiclass/prestige class friendly! Or are based on your statistics derived from all classes, which is again multiclass/prestige class friendly! The problem is your familiar's improvements (such as natural armor/Int increases/special abilities) are only based on the levels in classes that grant familiars.
That is to say...wizard. Maaaaybe sorcerer, IF you're an arcane bloodline sorcerer. So...worthless. This means if you want to be an eldritch knight (not a bad idea if you wanted to support your familiar, or at least give them a leg up in base saving throws, BAB, and HP) you're going to murder your familiar because their natural armor and stuff is never going to get any better.
So it's a toss up. Wizard levels = more natural armor but less HP / poorer saves. Eldritch Knight (or other multiclass options) = More HP (theoretically), more BAB (theoretically), and better saves (theoretically) but less natural armor and SR.
One solution is to take Eldritch Heritage (Arcane Bloodline). It requires Skill Focus (Knowledge) and 13 Cha, but you'll never need to go beyond that. You then gain the ability to arcane-bond as a sorcerer of your level-2 and it explicitly stacks with your wizard levels. This can be pretty awesome for two reasons.
1. If you're going strait-wizard, your familiar gains special abilities as if your level was actually (wizard level*2)-2, so at 11th wizard level you would effectively be a 20th level wizard for the purposes of your familiar's special abilities. According to the rules for advancing beyond 20th level (found in the gamemastering section) you would continue to advance your familiar at the same rate, which means that at 20th level as a wizard your familiar would have abilities as a 38th level wizard familiar, or +19 natural armor and 24 Int.
2. If you're going to play the prestige class game, then it allows you to take levels if other classes while keeping up with your wizard progression (since your effective level is now equal to all classes-2+wizard level). If you go this route, below are some interesting build ideas.
Eldritch Archer + Familiar (Eldritch Knight 10 / Arcane Archer 10)
This build is a little weird but it's pretty fun. You first begin your career as a wizard. Get to 5th wizard level, then pick up a level in any martial class (fighter, ranger, barbarian, etc). At 7th level, start taking levels in eldritch knight. When you have +6 BAB, take a level of Arcane Archer. Arcane Archer grants proficiency in all martial weapons. Now retrain your levels in non-wizard classes into more levels of eldritch knight or arcane archer (arcane archer now qualifies you for eldritch knight so you don't need the base classes anymore).
Both classes advance your effective wizard level for the purposes of spellcasting, have perfect BAB, and d10 HD. Eldritch Heritage grants your familiar. You can retrain out your base classes as needed. The end result is a 20d10 HD character with +20 BAB, with +10/+8/+6 saves, that casts like a 17th level wizard. Your familiar gets 1/2 your HP, your BAB, and your saves.
Required Feats: Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Weapon Focus (longbow or shortbow), Skill Focus (any knowledge skill), Eldritch Heritage (Arcane Bloodline). You can eventually qualify for both classes using each other (eldritch knight eventually refunds you Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, and Weapon Focus as bonus feats, allowing you to retrain your own feats that you were using for those).
Recommended Feats (You): Toughness (more HP for your companion), Boon Companion (more natural armor and abilities for your familiar, as boon companion doesn't cap your effective wizard level at your HD, only druid level, so it's a +2 natural armor and +2 more Int for your familiar), Improved Familiar (for a familiar with nice abilities; I'm fond of Imps, Arbiters, Clockwork Familiars, Fairy Dragons, Pseudodragons, Spirit Oni, Cacodaemon, Augur, etc), anything nice for your wizard side.
Recommended Feats (Familiar): Toughness (more HP for your companion), Item Creation feats (Craft Wondrous Item, Craft Magic Arms & Armor, Craft Construct, Forge Ring, Craft Rod), Multiattack, Improved Natural Attack, Improved Natural Armor, Great Fortitude, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes.
Strait Wizard Tank Familiar (Wizard 20)
In this case we're just going to use Eldritch Heritage and Boon Companion to be silly with our familiar and use them as a sort of tank. In this case we're going to take Eldritch Heritage (Arcane Bloodline), stack our class levels + wizard levels, then grab Boon Companion for another +4 to our effective wizard level for our familiar. The net result is our familiar is treated as if your wizard level is twice your wizard level+2 (so a 6th level wizard is 14th level for familiar powers).
The idea with this is to turn your familiar into a physical tank. He's not going to do much damage (your BAB sucks) but your can get his/her AC really high and can eventually make them a big meat shield. Basically every 2 effective wizard levels adds +1 to your familiar's current natural armor. Toss on buffs like mage armor and you get a hard nut to crack. At low levels, spells like alter self and monstrous physique (charda) are solid options. At higher levels you can do some surprising things with animal growth and transformation and form of the dragon.
The idea with this build is you're basically just a wizard who also uses his familiar as a tank/melee damage dealer. In a party with a dedicated tank you can use him to support or to guard you while the martial gets to play, or you can buff everyone with haste and let fido run free.
One of the more amusing things about your familiar and share spells is you can cast spells on them that target the wrong type. Thus you can do things like cast animal growth on your clockwork familiar or Imp, which gives them a net +8 to Strength and -2 Dex, and increases natural armor by +2, which can be surprisingly awesome since this stacks with polymorphing effects.
For example, if you cast monstrous physique to turn your Imp into a medium-sized Charda, your imp would now have 16 Str and 15 Dex, be medium-sized, have a natural armor of 2 + 1/2 your wizard level (minimum +1), and 5 natural attacks. Then you can cast animal growth to grant your Imp large size, a 24 Str, 13 Dex, +4 Con, and make it large-sized (with increased reach and damage).
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Also, the kyton familiar is cool. It has regeneration from its type. Even if you polymorph it, its type doesn't change, so it'll never lose its regeneration. This makes it a surprisingly resilient little bastard that you can rest fairly easy knowing that it's not going to stay dead after a hard combat.
Uh, I'm pretty sure there are no valid builds without 1 level of a non-prestige class. Even with retraining you can't retrain non-prestige class levels into prestige class levels. The best you can do is something like Wizard (Scryer) 1/ Bloatmage 10/ Magaambyan Arcanist 9.
Uh, I'm pretty sure there are no valid builds without 1 level of a non-prestige class. Even with retraining you can't retrain non-prestige class levels into prestige class levels. The best you can do is something like Wizard (Scryer) 1/ Bloatmage 10/ Magaambyan Arcanist 9.
According to the retraining rules you can. You merely have to ensure that you still meet any prerequisites required by the prestige classes. Neither prestige classes require X level in a base class. What they DO require is BAB, proficiencies, some feats, and the ability to cast arcane spells of X level.
Likewise, both the Arcane Archer and the Eldritch Knight do not require the wizard level to remain. From Arcane Archer:
At the indicated levels, an arcane archer gains new spells per day as if he had also gained a level in an arcane spellcasting class he belonged to before adding the prestige class. He does not, however, gain other benefits a character of that class would have gained, except for additional spells per day, spells known (if he is a spontaneous spellcaster), and an increased effective level of spellcasting. If a character had more than one arcane spellcasting class before becoming an arcane archer, he must decide to which class he adds the new level for purposes of determining spells per day.
So at some point during the progress the player selects wizard as the class that both arcane archer and eldritch knight count as when gaining levels. Per the rules, even if that class is retrained at a later time, the prestige class is still "stuck" in the class chosen when the class was taken. Thus both are adding caster level and spells per day as a wizard, even when the actual wizard levels are gone.
The end result is, eventually and with much retraining, you have a character who has 2 prestige classes and no base classes, while maintaining the prerequisites for both classes through one-another.
They stopped that, you could by the wording of the retraining rules, but you can't anymore.
They stopped that, you could by the wording of the retraining rules, but you can't anymore.
I don't see where the retraining rules have changed. Can you quote the PRD?
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Ashiel said: "Fun fact. BAB is an effect related to hit Hit Dice. As are feats. The more HD you have, the more BAB and Feats you get. That's just a natural effect of having more HD. This means that at 11th level, your familiar has a +8 BAB and 6 feats.
EDIT: Scratch that. The feat part is true, but familiars explicitly use their master's BAB, so you're not going to be looking at a nice BAB unless you're an eldritch knight."
I thought that familiars DON'T gain feats as the master levels. Do I have this wrong? Can you site the rule?
I think that if you are going straight wizard, then your best bet is to use your familiar to break the action economy. In other words, a wand-buddy. Also use the shrink item spell to make effective grenades for the creature (very cheaply).
One trick is to create a "wall of wood" to use as cover, shrink it, and have your familiar deploy it. This gives you AND the familiar a +4 AC bonus and it costs like 1-2 SP to create. Here is the recipe:
Build an open wooden box out 1'x'1x3' Have two thick boards sticking up out of the box about 3' long. Build a wooden pallet on those two boards. Now fill the box with clay making it bottom heavy, so it stands upright, and wrap it with clay besides, so the bottom is nice and heavy. Wrap the clay in a burlap sack. Now cast shrink item on it so that it is converted to a cloth-like object. Finally dip the bottom of the object in mud (to make it bottom heavy), and allow it to dry in the sun.
Now have your familiar simply "toss the item onto a solid surface" the item is bottom heavy so when it lands it will land (like a lawn dart) on it's bottom, it will then return to it's full size - instant "wall of wood" This is a simple item that will give you cover against enemy ranged attacks (it won't stop a direct attack) and it can be used as battlefield control on the cheep.
Alternately fill the wooden box with pungi sticks as a 5'x5' "bad zone" that your familiar can deploy for you as well.
Familiars are even more "glass cannons" than you are. 2 hits from a level-appropriate bad guy will probably kill the thing, as will a badly failed save. You need to have a familiar satchel and give the little guy a low profile. If you want to make him your tank, you need to have a fighting style to justify this. As a straight caster, you are usually better off just staying air-born and invisible. Then you don't need a tank.
If you are NOT a straight caster, then you will probably want the familiar as a flanking buddy more than as a tank, and even then, it's going to be hard on the little guy.
I don't see where the retraining rules have changed. Can you quote the PRD?They stopped that, you could by the wording of the retraining rules, but you can't anymore.
Just check the FAQ he linked, the very last line reads as follows:
Update 10/16/13: New ruling: You cannot use retraining to replace a base class level with a prestige class level.
You can find the same FAQ text on the PRD: http://www.d20pfsrd.com/basics-ability-scores/more-character-options/retrai ning
more specifically, check the *FAQ/Errata box on the right, the last line in there is exactly the same as the one I quoted.
Ashiel said: "Fun fact. BAB is an effect related to hit Hit Dice. As are feats. The more HD you have, the more BAB and Feats you get. That's just a natural effect of having more HD. This means that at 11th level, your familiar has a +8 BAB and 6 feats.
EDIT: Scratch that. The feat part is true, but familiars explicitly use their master's BAB, so you're not going to be looking at a nice BAB unless you're an eldritch knight."I thought that familiars DON'T gain feats as the master levels. Do I hae this wrong? Can you site the rule?
They are treated as having a number of HD equal to their master's level for the purposes of effects related to HD. The acquisition of feats is an effect related to HD.
Each creature with an Intelligence score receives a number of feats equal to 1 + 1 per every 2 Hit Dice after the first (so, 1 at 1 HD, 2 at 3 HD, etc.).
@Corodix. I'm not really interested in derailing Mark's thread at the moment. Suffice to say, I'm asking for the quote of the rule, from the PRD where it says in the retraining rules that you cannot retrain a class with a prestige class. I don't really care what the FAQ says because the FAQ is not the rules. The rules have no changed. There is no errata that has been issued. No new paragraphs or text have been added or modified.
There are instances where the FAQ contradicts itself, or are blatantly wrong. Hell, look at the debacles surrounding monks. If you can't cite a rule, a real rule, in the PRD, please don't bother arguing it. It's a waste of my time and your effort.
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@Ashiel: Well, Paizo sux in it's editing department because the rules say:
"A familiar is an animal chosen by a spellcaster to aid him in his study of magic. It retains the appearance, Hit Dice, base attack bonus, base save bonuses, skills, and feats of the normal animal it once was, but is now a magical beast for the purpose of effects that depend on its type."
AND they say:
"Hit Dice: For the purpose of effects related to number of Hit Dice, use the master's character level or the familiar's normal HD total, whichever is higher."
Does anyone know of a rules clarification post on this?
Edit: I found this thread on the topic. It looks like no feats for familiars...
http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2mfto?Familiars-feats#1
Note that familiars also don't gain any skill points (they use their master's), so this is consistent.
"effects related to number of hit dice" refers to things like: Is it effected by a sleep spell and that sort of thing.
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Here's a sweet little magic item for a familiar to use:
The explosion pocket - it lets you super-charge a flask of alchemist fire. Give your flying familiar a vest with this pocket on it, and once a day he can bomb a target for 2d6 points of fire damage that lasts 2 rounds. Not a bad supporting attack.
Also, share Dazing Burning Gaze with your familiar, and he can force a save every round to daze an opponent. This nicely supplements his wand mo-jo.
@Ashiel: Well, Paizo sux in it's editing department
Amen. :P
Actually, upon re-reading it, it's not poorly edited. Their type changes but their base statistics aren't recalculated beyond what it calls out, kind of like an augmented creature. Magical beasts have different base statistics than animals do.
Then they are changed from their base statistics found here based on the effects called out in the arcane bond. For example, you'll notice all of these animals are using the creature's base statistics. Then the arcane bond changes different things about them. For example, let's look at the bat familiar.
Bat
Animal Type
AC 16 (+2 Dex, +4 size)
D8 HD (2 HP)
Fort +0, Ref +4, Will +2
Str 1, Dex 15, Con 6, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 5
BAB +0
Feats 1
Skills 1 rank in Fly
Bat Familiar (1st Level Wizard)
Magical Beast Type
AC 17 (+2 Dex, +4 size, +1 natural)
D8 HD (1/2 master's HP)
Fort +0, Ref +4, Will +4
Str 1, Dex 15, Con 6, Int 6, Wis 14, Cha 5
BAB +0
Feats 1
Skills 1 rank in Fly + ranks of master.
Bat Familiar (11th Level Wizard)
Magical Beast Type
AC 21 (+2 Dex, +4 size, +5 natural)
D8 HD (1/2 master's HP)
Fort +1, Ref +5, Will +9
Str 1, Dex 15, Con 6, Int 11, Wis 14, Cha 5; 2 +1 adjustments
BAB +5
Feats 6 feats
Skills 1 rank in Fly + ranks of master.
As to the effects based on HD thing, it says: Hit Dice: For the purpose of effects related to number of Hit Dice, use the master's character level or the familiar's normal HD total, whichever is higher.
Not
For spells and effects that affect creatures based on HD, use the master's character level or familiar's normal HD notal, whichever is higher.
It specifically says for the purpose of effects related to number of Hit Dice. This is just like with the master's BAB overriding the familiar's normal BAB. Since feat acquisition and ability score adjustments are effects based on the number of HD that the familiar has, a higher master level equates to more feats and HD for the familiar. That's just RAW.
Now it would also provide more BAB, higher saves, and more skill points, except that those are especially overwritten by effects based on the master as well.
Feats and ability score adjustments, however, are effects based on the number of HD and are not overwritten by the bond effects and thus the normal rules are retained for those. Likewise, their poisons and special abilities become harder to resist as well (also an effect based on the number of HD possessed by the familiar).
Not exactly sure what the problem with familiars gaining feats would be exactly, so I'm not sure why anyone would even try to subvert the RAW.
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Well, I definitely see your point. I think the rules can be interpreted either way. There are some other areas of the rules (for example the rules on advancing animal companions, cohorts and mounts) that familiars are specifically not mentioned in. This is circumstantial evidence that the more restrictive (no-feats) rule applies. Also familiars MUST take the master's skill ranks, they don't get their own skill points to spend. So this also suggests the no-feats interpretation.
Finally, the familiar feats specify that they can be switched out for the default feats of the base creature - not that this clarifies things much, I admit.
I think this is a GM's call. The link I gave to that other thread offers a game designer's opinion, but it's not an official ruling either.
I think we have to simply say that the rules are self-contradictory on feats for familiars and leave it at that.
Oh, and the fly skill on that bat should read +1 rank OR the wizard's ranks, not AND the wizard's ranks.
A Beast Bonded Witch can transfer any feats they have to their familiar instead, it might work for this concept, although it's even worse if it dies because: witch. Too bad it conflicts with the Scarred Witch Doctor because constitiution based casting is where it's at. I suppose you could pick up a familiar through Eldritch heritage with the SWD which would be pretty useful.
I'd actually recommend taking levels in Eldritch Knight, because the only things you are losing out on with your familiar is the Natural Armor enhancement and the intelligence bonus. Barbarians have shown us that Int is not necessary for Melee prowess, and if you are using Transmutation spells on your Familiar it won't keep it's NA bonus anyhow. Better for your tank to have HP and BAB.
Also load up on Necromancy spells. False life and Vampiric touch channeled through your Familiar will help keep it alive.
A Beast Bonded Witch can transfer any feats they have to their familiar instead, it might work for this concept, although it's even worse if it dies because: witch.
You are forgetting about the 10th level ability of the archetype... and he is starting at 11.
Twin Soul: At 10th-level, if the witch or her familiar is gravely injured or about to die, the soul of the dying one immediately transfers to the other’s body. The two souls share the surviving body peaceably, can communicate freely, and both retain their ability to think and reason. The host may allow the guest soul to take over the body temporarily or reclaim it as a move action. They can persist in this state indefinitely, or the guest can return to its own body (if available) by touch, transfer into a suitable vessel (such as a clone), or take over another body as if using magic jar (with no receptacle).
Your familiar just shares your body if you die and the reverse is also true, so you can commune with it in your head for spells... it also makes you both into potentially immortal body snatchers. Ever wanted a Troll familiar? How about a dragon? Now it is possible.
Ah, of course I'm forgetting. That's what I get for going from memory.
Ok, while my GM and I both differ from Ashiel's interpretation of familiar feats, I think the Eldritch Heritage route would be ok. From what I understand, it works like this:
1. I'm a wizard and therefore my familiar gets 11 levels of advancement.
2. With Eldritch Heritage I get 9 sorcerer levels of familiar advancement.
3. All classes with familiar advancement stack, granting a total of 20 levels of familiar advancement.
Do I have that right?
Ok, while my GM and I both differ from Ashiel's interpretation of familiar feats, I think the Eldritch Heritage route would be ok. From what I understand, it works like this:
1. I'm a wizard and therefore my familiar gets 11 levels of advancement.
2. With Eldritch Heritage I get 9 sorcerer levels of familiar advancement.
3. All classes with familiar advancement stack, granting a total of 20 levels of familiar advancement.
Do I have that right?
Correct.
Keep in mind that even if your GM goes with the effective HD increase = ability adjustments and feats (as both are an effect based on number of HD) you'll still need to be careful. Familiars are not in any way suited for being very strong and you'll need to devote a fair amount of your attention to your familiar and taking away from being a wizard.
But that's part of the fun, right? To do something weird. To be a summoner-lite + wizard lite? Of course it is.
Here's an example of a mostly-core familiamancer.
Tabitha Black (5th level Wizard) and her Owl
Medium humanoid (elf, human) transmutor 5
HD 5d6+25 (50 Hp) (includes favored class bonus)
Wizard Spells Prepare (CL 5th)
3rd - Beast Shape I, Haste x2
2nd - Alter Self x2, Glitterdust (DC 16), Bull's Strength
1st - Mage Armor x2, Expeditious Retreat, Shocking Grasp x2
Cantrips - Mage Hand, Prestidigitation, Detect Magic, Light
Str 7, Dex 14, Con 16, Int 18, Wis 11, Cha 13
Feats - Skill Focus (Knowledge: *pick one*) (b), Scribe Scroll(b), Boon Companion (1), Eldritch Heritage (Arcane Bloodline: Arcane Bond [Familiar])[3], Toughness [5], Craft Wondrous Item (B)
Skills (2 + Int Mod / level) - As desired
Equipment - +2 Con item, +2 Int item, +1 resistance item, spellbook
Shadow the Black Owl
Tiny magical beast
AC 26 (+4 armor, +4 dex, +2 size, +6 natural)
HD 5d10 (30 Hp)
Fort +4, Ref +8, Will +6; SR 17; Improved Evasion
Str 6, Dex 18, Con 11, Int 11, Wis 15, Cha 6
Feats - Toughness [1], Lightning Reflexes [3], Iron Will [5]
SQ - share spells, empathic link, alertness, improved evasion, deliver touch spells, speak with master, speak with animals of its kind, SR 17
Shadow the Black...Tiger (Beast Shape I)
Medium magical beast
AC 26 (+4 armor, +3 dex, +8 natural)
HD 5d10 (30 Hp)
Fort +4, Ref +7, Will +6; SR 17; Improved Evasion
Melee 1 bite +3 (1d6+1), 2 claws +3 (1d4+1)
Str 12, Dex 16, Con 11, Int 11, Wis 15, Cha 6
Feats - Toughness [1], Lightning Reflexes [3], Iron Will [5]
SQ - share spells, empathic link, alertness, improved evasion, deliver touch spells, speak with master, speak with animals of its kind, SR 17
Shadow the Black...Tiger (Beast Shape I + Bull's Strength)
Large magical beast
AC 26 (+4 armor, +3 dex, +8 natural)
HD 5d10 (30 Hp)
Fort +4, Ref +7, Will +6; SR 17; Improved Evasion
Melee 1 bite +5 (1d8+3), 2 claws +5 (1d4+3)
Str 16, Dex 16, Con 11, Int 11, Wis 15, Cha 6
Feats - Toughness [1], Lightning Reflexes [3], Iron Will [5]
SQ - share spells, empathic link, alertness, improved evasion, deliver touch spells, speak with master, speak with animals of its kind, SR 17
It's no eidolon, but it's pretty cool.
2) The Eldritch Heritage: Arcane Bloodline feat grants the Arcane Bond class feature. You already have that class feature, so you gain nothing (a it specifically states you cannot also select the Bonded Item). You cannot gain the same class feature twice, unless it is specifically stated (which it is not in this case).
Sorry, no. It grants you the Arcane Bond as a sorcerer of your character level-2. The sorcerer's bloodline power for arcane specifically says that it stacks with wizard levels. There is no arguing this.
Thus if your Wizard Level is 5, you have an arcane bond as a 3rd level sorcerer + 5th level wizard = 8th level wizard. Boon Companion kicks it up to 12th level wizard because boon companion has a cap for animal companions, not familiars.
All the other stuff, I'd say consult your GM on. But yes, feats and ability score increases are an effect of having more hit dice. There's no way to argue that sensibly. The rules even say that every 2 HD over 1 add +1 feat, and every 4 HD adds +1 to ability scores. That is an effect based on number of hit dice.
There's no arguing that it isn't, unless you can prove that gaining higher numbers of HD doesn't grant feats / stat increases.
2) The Eldritch Heritage: Arcane Bloodline feat grants the Arcane Bond class feature. You already have that class feature, so you gain nothing (a it specifically states you cannot also select the Bonded Item). You cannot gain the same class feature twice, unless it is specifically stated (which it is not in this case).
So instead of stacking, the one with the highest effective wizard level would be the only one in effect?
Just for the record.
ef·fect
[ih-fekt] Show IPA
noun
1. something that is produced by an agency or cause; result; consequence: Exposure to the sun had the effect of toughening his skin.
2. power to produce results; efficacy; force; validity; influence: His protest had no effect.
3. the state of being operative or functional; operation or execution; accomplishment or fulfillment: to bring a plan into effect.
The number of HD directly causes you to gain additional feats and ability score increases. Since "effect" is not using a special definition in the rules (there are many effects that can affect and there are many effects that are merely in effect) it defaults to just what the word means.
If it said "spell effect", or "the effects of spells and abilities", sure, I'd agree with you 100%. However, it doesn't. It says for the purposes of effects (as in, all effects) related to number of hit dice. Feat acquisition is an effect related to number of hit dice, as are ability score adjustments.
It's just plain english.
So instead of stacking, the one with the highest effective wizard level would be the only one in effect?
2) The Eldritch Heritage: Arcane Bloodline feat grants the Arcane Bond class feature. You already have that class feature, so you gain nothing (a it specifically states you cannot also select the Bonded Item). You cannot gain the same class feature twice, unless it is specifically stated (which it is not in this case).
That's not what the rules say. They say that all your sorcerer levels stack with wizard levels to determine the final result. In this case your effective sorcerer level is X, your wizard level is Y, and your total is Z.
This is not complicated.
I don't want this to be another "familiars do/don't get more feats" thread so if that debate has to be had please start a new thread. In the meantime I'm thinking if I want to have my familiar with me in melee Eldritch Knight is the most effective way to go.
By 11th level I'd have an effective BAB of +8/+3. My familiar (through the feats Eldritch Heritage and Boon Companion) would be as effective as 18th level (all class levels -2 for my effective sorcerer level, +4 from Boon Companion, +5 wizard levels) for determining its familiar abilities.
This means whatever familiar I choose will have BAB +8/+3, +9 Natural Armor bonus and a 14 Int along with all the powers available between master and familiar. With the right buffs this makes a very effective flanking buddy or a minion killer.
It will be stronger in the long run, but by going EK, you dropped 2 levels of spell progression. So no Form of the Dragon I for 2 more levels. 4 Armed Gargoyle from Monstrous Physique II or the Beast Shape III forms are your best shapechanges until level 13.
I don't want this to be another "familiars do/don't get more feats" thread so if that debate has to be had please start a new thread.
My apologies, it was never my intention. :\
In the meantime I'm thinking if I want to have my familiar with me in melee Eldritch Knight is the most effective way to go.
By 11th level I'd have an effective BAB of +8/+3. My familiar (through the feats Eldritch Heritage and Boon Companion) would be as effective as 18th level (all class levels -2 for my effective sorcerer level, +4 from Boon Companion, +5 wizard levels) for determining its familiar abilities.
This means whatever familiar I choose will have BAB +8/+3, +9 Natural Armor bonus and a 14 Int along with all the powers available between master and familiar. With the right buffs this makes a very effective flanking buddy or a minion killer.
Yeah, for the most part strait-wizard results in the sturdiest familiar, but it's hard for the familiar to be useful if it can't actually do something, which is why the BAB and buffs are so important.
The strait-wizard has the potential to catch up at 11th level though, because while transformation is a horrible spell for almost everyone, it's surprisingly decent to use on a familiar if you're a familiarmancer, since the benefits it grants work alongside shapeshifting spells.
However, since it's only 1 round/level, I doubt that it's an easily sustained tactic and will only last about one combat per casting at best, I think.
On a side note, thanks for starting this thread Mark. A friend of mine recently read through this thread when I sent it to her and now she wants to make a familiar-wizard to.
I am personally thinking the Beast-bonded Witch may be the best way to go.
With hexes like Beast of Ill Omen and Beast Eye you can make your familiar fairly useful. Beast Bonded Witch also has the ability to give their familiar feats. This is useful because now you can give your Familiar Improved Natural Attack, Toughness (to shore up weak HP), Craft Wondrous Items (now you AND your familiar can craft stuff), and whatever else you can think of.
On top of all that, the witch can easily send her familiar in to combat and not have to worry as much about combat since if her familiar dies, it's soul simple goes into you and you are now your own familiar. Additionally, your familiar can now act as a ghost and possess creatures and make them your familiar.
If you feel like being jiggy and having some fun, you can be a Samaran with Mystic Past Life alternate ability. This will give you quite a few spells you can steal from the Wizard's spell list so you can still get things like Form of the Dragon for your familiar.
My other suggestion would be going Shaman from the Advanced Class Guide. If you are playing for the late game, the Nature shaman has a VERY potent ability for their Familiar. Their familiar becomes both a Familiar AND an animal companion and gains all bonuses from being both...
The nice thing with the witch is that hexes gives you things to do that don't require burning through spell slots.
Please check my math and tell me if I've got this right:
1. Per the Polymorph rules, a Tiny familiar changed to a Huge form means it has to go to Small first, giving +4 Str.
2. I cast Monstrous Physique III making it a Huge Monstrous Humanoid: +6 to Str
3. I cast Animal Growth the following round making it the next size cat larger and granting +8 str.
If I even have the space to fit the familiar at this point, have I just legally granted my familar +18 to Str?
Please check my math and tell me if I've got this right:
1. Per the Polymorph rules, a Tiny familiar changed to a Huge form means it has to go to Small first, giving +4 Str.
2. I cast Monstrous Physique III making it a Huge Monstrous Humanoid: +6 to Str
3. I cast Animal Growth the following round making it the next size cat larger and granting +8 str.
If I even have the space to fit the familiar at this point, have I just legally granted my familar +18 to Str?
Yes. That's correct. Multiple spells that directly increase size, and polymorph spells don't stack, but a polymorph spell + enlarging spell (such as animal growth) will stack. If you then cast transformation on them then it'll grant +4 more Strength and nice BAB for a bit for that stacks as well.
The rough thing is that it takes a looooot of spellcasting power to make them good for what lasts for about 1 fight. But it's really fun to turn your Familiar into a little minion that might actually give some enemies reason to stop and go "Wait, that was his little squirrel!?"
Ummm... that's ridonculous. Lesser Rod of Quicken, drop in a Bull's Strength on the familiar, and you're putting up a monster that, for 1 fight, is +26 to Strength with a +11 BAB. Yes, it takes a lot of firepower and time; it would also require the space for said squirrel to suddenly be Gargantuan, but if you could pull it off...
2 +27 claw attacks (2d6 +16) every round. That's... silly.
Ummm... that's ridonculous. Lesser Rod of Quicken, drop in a Bull's Strength on the familiar, and you're putting up a monster that, for 1 fight, is +26 to Strength with a +11 BAB. Yes, it takes a lot of firepower and time; it would also require the space for said squirrel to suddenly be Gargantuan, but if you could pull it off...
2 +27 claw attacks (2d6 +16) every round. That's... silly.
And fun! :P
Ok, so if I'm understanding transmuters in general, they look great at a glance but their abysmal BAB keeps them from being viable, yes? So essentially if I'm going with any kind of transmuter build I'll need to find a way to either pump my own BAB or cheese out my familiar.
Also if I do decide to pimp my familiar I should get a ruling from my GM on using Eldritch Heritage and Boon Companion. Even if it's just a bonus to my little buddy's natural AC, it might be worth it for the extra feats I'll have to take.
Other feats for transmuter builds I've seen suggested have been Toughness, Improved Initiative and save enhancers. Are there any must-have transmuter feats anyone would recommend beyond these?
I'm going to say Evolved Familiar again. If you wanted you could use it to add more natural attacks onto your hypothetical squirrel of doom.
Suggested build - please critique:
20 pt build; Human
Str 15
Dex 14
Con 16 (+2 Human)
Int 16 (+2 Inherent)
Wis 12
Cha 7
Feats
1st Improved Initiative, Scribe Scroll, Toughness
3rd Improved Familiar
5th Arcane Strike, Craft Wand
7th
9th
10th
11th
Familiar: Faerie Dragon
I went with the familiar based on the fact that it won't have to UMD 1st level scrolls or wands with spells on it's potential lists. This way between wands, scrolls, and spells it's almost like having a lesser rod of quicken all the time. Please let me know what to add or change.