[3.5] Optimizing Low Level Adept

[babus]

Now, I know what you're thinking. You're thinking that's pretty dumb, but I swear it's for a good cause, and when I say Optimize, I more mean that I'd like to make it as serviceable as possible.

Basically I'm helping another player pick up a Swarm Familiar [Dragon Magazine #329] in a low level campaign where Druid/Wizard/Sorcerer/Cleric are banned. The Adept is the only method I'm aware of for getting a familiar earlier than level three when this person will need to take Improved Familiar without access to Wiz/Sorc. The good news is that Religious Adept is allowed, so that's both a source of spells to select and a domain power, though if the DM doesn't allow a way of replenishing the Swarm, that means taking either the Pestilence or Spider Domains, neither of which are especially good.

The character is starting at level 3, is a Kobold, and I don't expect the game to last beyond it reaching, say, level 6. I don't imagine the DM will allow the age trick for the +3 to all mental stats. The other party members are unknown at the moment, though one is going to be a Binder that uses Dance of Death to hit and/or trip lots of enemies at once.

Any suggestions?

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Take any arcane spellcasting class (Bard, Beguiler, Warmage, Dread Necromancer), and take the feat Obtain Familiar from Complete Arcane at 3rd level.

[babus]

Take any arcane spellcasting class (Bard, Beguiler, Warmage, Dread Necromancer), and take the feat Obtain Familiar from Complete Arcane at 3rd level.

Yeah, the problem is that Swarm Familiars require the Improved Familiar Feat to use, so unless he's willing to wait until level six (which is the likely endgame), he'd be stuck with a basic familiar.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

If he's starting at level three, then he can use a flaw (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/buildingCharacters/characterFlaws.htm) to get an extra feat at 3rd level, as long as it's taken "when creating a character."

[babus]

If he's starting at level three, then he can use a flaw (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/buildingCharacters/characterFlaws.htm) to get an extra feat at 3rd level, as long as it's taken "when creating a character."

That... may actually work. The DM might be picky with the wording, but Flaws are allowed. I had just assumed it was explicitly 1st level only. Many thanks.