I'd say for several bloodlines it's absolutely worth it. For some, it's simply that having a familiar at all is worth more than the 1st level bloodline power, while for others the power granted to said familiar actually make it an interesting option with certain familiar archetypes. For example, the Aberrant 1st level power is absolute garbage at higher levels, so I'd say it's worth it to swap out for a familiar. The Abyssal's 1st level power is quite a bit better, but it could be worth taking a bloodline familiar if you want to make it into a Mauler. Ultimately it's just a matter of taste IMO.
Yeah, a lot of the 1st level powers are garbage, so you might as well trade them. The good stuff usually doesn't show up until level 4.
So you might as well either get some nice bonuses or set up an improved familiar.
So, a general guide to quality
Trade out:
-pretty much any 'add elemental damage' powers. It is usually jsut 3.5 damage extra on a hit, instantly disappears with a basic 5 resist, and you only get a few rounds a day of it.
-claws, at least if you are not a natural attacker.
Keep:
-Crit stuff- you can control it with a keen falchion, and the effects are usually rather good. Aberrant is a prime example- it staggers, preventing full attacks and forces casters to choose to either cast or escape (and they can't just 5' step away, because you are a reach fiend).
-DC boosting stuff. Because that is always good, although you have to be close enough to their threatened area. So use on casters too weak to punish you, or on things that wasted their AoOs already.
The answer will also depend on whether you are talking sorceror or bloodrager.
The answer will also depend on whether you are talking sorceror or bloodrager.
Ah, forgot that it was also for sorcerers.
But in that case, it is even more worth it to dump the 1st level power most of the time.
A lot of bloodlines just have a 'do 1d8+level' damage thing. Which only works so many times a day. Those you can toss right out. IE- a poor damage option that you don't rely upon past the first few levels.
And if it is a claw power, then you should spit in your hands' face in disgust before going for the familiars. Those are not only melee attacks on a caster class... they are also limited usage melee attacks.
My bloodrager GMPC took the bloodline familiar and Improved Familiar, because she wanted the +2 to Craft that a clockwork familiar grants. I had not noticed the bloodline familiar option when I created the character, so she had her 1st-level bloodline power up to 6th level. Her bloodline is Elemental Air, so the 1st-level power was 1d6 electricity damage on all attacks for a round 3 times a day. She kept forgetting to use it, so losing it was an easy choice.
However, there was another catch. Her 12th-level bloodline power boosted the 1st-level bloodline power that she no longer had. Fortunately, she had the primalist archetype, and traded away the useless 12-level power for two rage powers.
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Added benefit- if you want your bloodline spells on Sorcerer, the delay gives you them when you get to trade out a spell known, so now you can take them right away and trade when you get them from your bloodline.
you should spit in your hands' faceI have no idea what this expression means. Are you saying claw attacks are good? Seem pretty useless to me.
Yeah, they are useless.
If you are using a sorcerer bloodline for claws, you are basically insulting your hands. Or reducing them to something worthy of insulting.
My metaphor is getting overly muddled- general point- while the 'get claws while you blood rage' powers can be decent (since you get about 20 rounds by level 10, making it reliable for every fight), the non scaling number of '3+CHA' is basically nothing.