Kami Medium Shikigami

[Markov Spiked Chain]

Kami Medium get an origami familiar.

[quote Occult Adventures]At 5th level, it gains the abilities of a shikigami improved familiar (Bestiary 3 163), even if the kami medium doesn’t meet the prerequisites for having a shikigami as a familiar.

Does "gains the abilities" include losing normal familiar abilities? Specifically, the master bonus and Speak with Animals of its Kind? If so, is there any way to avoid this "upgrade"?

I'm really into the idea of flying around on an origami Hawk/Snail Kite Mauler familiar. But I'd basically be forced to switch classes after Medium 4 because the Shikigami couldn't take Mauler.

[Mark Seifter]

It does lose the normal familiar abilities, not having those is part of the abilities of an improved familiar. If I was your GM, I would certainly allow you to avoid the upgrade entirely if you wanted.