Multiclass and improved familiar

[Vrischika111]

1/ can a multiclass Magus 7 / anything 1 that gives a familiar (even VMC)
take improved familiar ?

the requirements are "Ability to acquire a new familiar", sufficiently high level" (ARCANE caster level from 3 to 7, based on new imp. familiar)

2/ can a shaman (divine caster) take improved familiar ?

my stance would be:
1/ yes
2/ no (raw) but should be allowed to.

[VRMH]

I concur.

[Faan]

I don't know how VMC works, but I'll answer the question otherwise with: it's tricky.

A Wizard-3/Witch-4 has a 7th level Familiar ("Levels of different classes that are entitled to familiars stack for the purpose of determining any familiar abilities"), but is not a 7th level Arcane Caster for purposes of Improved Familiar.

A Wizard-3/Fighter-4 with Boon Companion has a 7th level Familiar ("The abilities of your animal companion or familiar are calculated as though your class were 4 levels higher"), but is not a 7th level Arcane Caster for purposes of Improved Familiar.

A 9th level Shaman with Eldritch Heritage (Arcane) counts as a 7th level Sorcerer, and so would qualify for Improved Familiar.

[Byakko]

The "Arcane Caster" referenced in Improved Familiar has never been properly defined and remains a point of contention. Expect table variation.

Specific to shamans:

Quote:

This ability uses the same rules as the wizard's arcane bond class feature and is treated as a familiar...

A shaman uses her level as her effective wizard level when determining the abilities of her spirit animal.

To me, this says the Shaman counts as a wizard when dealing with familiars and thus would qualify for Improved Familiars.

However:

Quote:

If a spirit animal is lost or dies... The new spirit animal must be of the same sort of creature as the previous one.

Which means you can never actually change the familiar you start with. There are some ways around this, mostly involving the retraining rules.

Anyway, as mentioned before, expect table variation.