Bats are awesome, and pretty adorable, but +3 to Fly checks doesn't really cut compared to other familiar options which can give you 3hp (a big deal for a 1st level wizard) or +2 to a saving throw. Has anyone here built a wizard with a bat familiar? Was the concept built around fly checks, or did you just do it for kicks?
The only other mechanical reason I could see for doing it would be the blindsight.
Edit: does anyone know why the regular bat isn't listed in the PRD? They've got bat swarms and dire bats, but no regular bat. What gives?
Pick a familiar you like, don't worry about how "optimum" your choice of familiar is. As a wizard, you'll be miles ahead of all the non-casters soon enough anyway.
They have an entry for regular bats right here.
As for why you'd justify taking a bat, I'd say to just do it for flavor purposes. Wizards are strong enough already to not need a familiar's bonus to saves, initiative, or HP, so you have some wiggleroom there. You don't always need to take the most optimal choice for mechanics, as you'll still be a strong party member with a bat familiar.
But maybe I'm just biased.
Familiar bonuses are minor at best. The strongest one IMHO is picking a familiar that has the ability to talk. It's a free, intelligent, loyal messenger with plot armor.
Don't worry about the munckin aspect. If you want a bat, take a bat! While the fly bonus isn't immense, it would help as long as you plan on flying around at mid/high levels.
And actually, blindsense is nothing to sneeze at. Keep it on your shoulder and it's a pretty reliable early warning system. Especially against stealthy or invisible enemies.
Blindsense, not blindsight, but since they're relaying the information to you, it works out to the same thing.
- They can fly and get a bonus to their perception.
- They can tell you where to target with Glitterdust. In fact, they can just fly over, since they have blindsense to fall back on if they fail the save. (Or just fly over the spot.) Blindsense also means nobody gets within twenty feet without detection.
- Familiar archetypes can make any familiar useful, from acting as a body double to doubling your crafting speed.
Indeed. Never underestimate a familiar that can fly.
For the 30 ft blindsense, so I knew where to throw the glitterdust.
It's only 20 ft blindsense!
*glares from the peanut gallery*
Edit: does anyone know why the regular bat isn't listed in the PRD? They've got bat swarms and dire bats, but no regular bat. What gives?
All creatures eligible as Familiars are under the Familiar entry in the Bestiary, and thus in the PRD. http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/bestiary/familiar.html#familiar
A scout that can fly and "see" in total darkness? Where do I sign?
