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Have some questions regarding this archetype, the Mauler familiar archetype, and the Improved Familiar feat.
First, can the Eldritch Guardian qualify for the Improved Familiar feat? The feat makes no mention of actual spellcasting ability being required, merely the required levels in an arcane spellcasting class.
The Eldritch Guardian is treated as a wizard for the purposes of its familiar ability. Could this be reasonably stretched to include the feat?
If the answer to the above is "yes," and my EG has a familiar with the Mauler archetype, can that familiar gain one of the templates offered by Improved Familiar? Note, that I do not mean taking an improved familiar with the feat, adding Mauler, and then adding template (or the reverse of the latter two steps).
Example for clarity: EG takes fox familiar, fox takes Mauler archetype, EG takes feat, mauler fox takes template made available by feat.
On a related note, are there any Paizo familiar archetypes that stack with Mauler?
First, can the Eldritch Guardian qualify for the Improved Familiar feat? The feat makes no mention of actual spellcasting ability being required, merely the required levels in an arcane spellcasting class.
The Eldritch Guardian is treated as a wizard for the purposes of its familiar ability. Could this be reasonably stretched to include the feat?
The interpretation of Improved Familiar's prerequisite is hotly debated. If you are in PFS I'm pretty sure the answer is No. For home games, talk it over with the GM, and expect table variation. Personally I'd allow it.
If the answer to the above is "yes," and my EG has a familiar with the Mauler archetype, can that familiar gain one of the templates offered by Improved Familiar? Note, that I do not mean taking an improved familiar with the feat, adding Mauler, and then adding template (or the reverse of the latter two steps).
Technically you cannot do it (in any order) because the Mauler replaces the "speak with animals of its kind" ability and any Improved familiar loses that. Many GMs are willing to overlook that, in which case it works just fine (in any order). Well, technically you are always losing your old familiar and gaining a new one, but again, most GMs will let you upgrade your fox to a celestial fox instead of swapping it, because why not?
On a related note, are there any Paizo familiar archetypes that stack with Mauler?
Looks like not. (Offhand I can't think of any stacking combos, Mauler or not, but I checked for Mauler.)
Sage stacks with almost everything, but Mauler would render Sage useless and Sage would hurt Mauler.
Sage stacks with almost everything, but Mauler would render Sage useless and Sage would hurt Mauler.
Sage and Mauler both alter intelligence (in opposite directions), so they don't stack.
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Nothing stacks with Mauler, same as school familiar, but Sage stacks with pretty much everything else.
Improved familiar's 'should' be gainable from effective wizard level. Join those of us actively trying to get a FAQ for that. Core is full of old language based on what classes at the time could do. I think this may be one of those examples. It should probably just be based on character or familiar level.
As is a 20th Eldritch Guardian may not be able to get a familiar, but someone with a level 1 familiar can also qualify for that familiar to be an improved familiar.
Improved familiars gained from the feat can not be maulers. Even the ones that are template based. As all improved familiars gained by the feat do not have speak with animals of their own kind.
Having said that, you may wish to take only the first two levels of eldritch guardian, unless you are taking other fighter archetypes. That will allow you to pass feats on to your familiar... and then start taking levels in something that increases your familiar but offers better abilities.
Hmm, thanks for the answers and explanations.
In light of the fact that I'm burning two--or three, depending my fighter level dip--feats for what amounts to Critter Companion 2.0, I can't see why there'd be any problem with it myself. While I'm sure it has ways to be abused, like nearly anything else, does that potential abuse really outweigh the feat tax?
Regarding the Mauler losing the speak with others of its kind feature and the Improved Familiar feat. I think I get how the feature replacement works, and reading the Improved Familiar feat makes no mention of requiring the ability. Nor does the feat make any mention about losing the ability if the familiar (presumably a normal familiar gaining a template) has it to start with. So the Mauler archetype not being allowed on something like a dire rat? Understandable, can't replace what isn't made available. But that archetype on a standard familiar being given a template shouldn't be an issue, because the feat never once says "the familiar loses the ability to speak with other creatures of its kind."
But, admittedly, I'm pretty new to PF, so I might be missing something about either of my points that more experienced players aren't.
Kitsune oracle of battle with the dual-cursed and warsighted archetypes. Hi-ho, combat feats and luck manipulation everywhere! The fox wasn't chosen in my examples at random, lol.
If this isn't for PFS, consider the Wasp Familiar feat for your EG. It gives you most of the benefits of an improved familiar without losing access to mauler. But you have to worship Callistria, and keep her alignment.
If this isn't for PFS, consider the Wasp Familiar feat for your EG. It gives you most of the benefits of an improved familiar without losing access to mauler. But you have to worship Callistria, and keep her alignment.
Intriguing, but unfortunately doesn't fit the character's backstory. Thanks for the suggestion regardless.
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If this isn't for PFS, consider the Wasp Familiar feat for your EG. It gives you most of the benefits of an improved familiar without losing access to mauler. But you have to worship Callistria, and keep her alignment.Intriguing, but unfortunately doesn't fit the character's backstory. Thanks for the suggestion regardless.
If it will be a mauler, you have to take Maulers Endurance. Otherwise it will be too squishy... and unlike ACs, they are really expensive to replace.
If it will be a mauler, you have to take Maulers Endurance. Otherwise it will be too squishy... and unlike ACs, they are really expensive to replace.
Yes, I noticed that the hit points were very much on the light side for a front-line type. That's actually what convinced me to finally give up the Eldritch Guardian concept. With my desired build, the required balance of feats, levels, and what not was just too scatter-shot to hold together to my satisfaction. Having a critter that can't take a licking was the final straw.
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If it will be a mauler, you have to take Maulers Endurance. Otherwise it will be too squishy... and unlike ACs, they are really expensive to replace.Yes, I noticed that the hit points were very much on the light side for a front-line type. That's actually what convinced me to finally give up the Eldritch Guardian concept. With my desired build, the required balance of feats, levels, and what not was just too scatter-shot to hold together to my satisfaction. Having a critter that can't take a licking was the final straw.
Oh, no, it most certainly can take a licking.
Here is a write-up I wrote about Eldritch Guardians with Mauler Familiars."A: Mauler familiar with the mauler familiar HP feat with a Eldritch Guardian master does give a lot of HP, for a familiar.
Eldritch Guardian with 0 con mod at 10
Fighter = 64 : familar = 32.
But, with the mauler feat the familiar
Fighter = 64 : Familiar = 52.
Add toughness...
Fighter = 74 : Familiar = 57
With +3 con bonus
Fighter = 104 : Familiar = 72
And finally, FCB to HP
Fighter = 114 : Familiar = 77
So, a EG with +3 con mod and the toughness feat, the mauler feat and adding FCB to HP gives his familiar HP greater than a fighter without a con bonus.
For Defense, it has your base saves, it has progressive natural armor, many can wear actual armor or you can UMD(as it is a class skill) Mage Armor "
Oh, no, it most certainly can take a licking.
Here is a write-up I wrote about Eldritch Guardians with Mauler Familiars."A: Mauler familiar with the mauler familiar HP feat with a Eldritch Guardian master does give a lot of HP, for a familiar.
Eldritch Guardian with 0 con mod at 10
Fighter = 64 : familar = 32.
But, with the mauler feat the familiar
Fighter = 64 : Familiar = 52.
Add toughness...
Fighter = 74 : Familiar = 57
With +3 con bonus
Fighter = 104 : Familiar = 72
And finally, FCB to HP
Fighter = 114 : Familiar = 77
So, a EG with +3 con mod and the toughness feat, the mauler feat and adding FCB to HP gives his familiar HP greater than a fighter without a con bonus.For Defense, it has your base saves, it has progressive natural armor, many can wear actual armor or you can UMD(as it is a class skill) Mage Armor "
Unfortunately, my planned build left no room for those feats, and the fighter (EG) dip was meant to be as brief as possible, further cutting the total hit points of the mauler familiar. But I am keeping this in mind for a theoretical Eldritch Knight build, which should be a bit more effective.