Arcane Discovery: True Name

[Iceheart2112]

So I've been looking forward to finally getting this discovery. My character is a semi-diabolist and wants to get a devil but isn't fully committed to the idea. The devil I'd get is a bone devil but I'm open to suggestions for changing his mind. Please help! The qualifications for it are any outsider under 12 HD.

[Jack_Simth]

Hmm... I'm guessing we're looking at the Pathfinder True Name (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/wizard/arcane-discoveries/arcane-discoveries-paizo/true-name) discovery? If so...

The Bone devil is, first and foremost, a Brute. Yes, it's got some useful spell-like abilities... but as a Wizard, everything it can 'cast' for you, you could do yourself instead.

If you don't have a Brute in your party already (Paladin, Fighter, Barbarian, et cetera), this may be a worthwhile investment. If your party does have a Brute already, however, consider instead something to fill a missing role. Be careful with using a Brute, though, as using a Brute is likely to get it killed... and you only get the one True Name per investment of that class feature - so I might suggest something more along the lines of a Judgement Devil (https://sites.google.com/site/pathfinderogc/bestiary/monster-listings/outsiders/devil/devil-judgement) (for the regeneration, which means it's less likely to die... but it can also scout via prying eyes and greater invisibility, ferry you around the planes with Plane Shift, find the good treasure via Detect Magic, and has a decent perception score to boot). However, you may want to consider something a little less combat-oriented

For instance, if you're missing a healer (or want insurance against your party healer falling, or just cheap Raise Dead spells), then the Akhana (https://sites.google.com/site/pathfinderogc/bestiary/monster-listings/outsiders/aeon/aeon-akhana) is a 12 HD critter with Cure Serious Wounds at-will, 1/day Raise Dead, and 3/day Restoration (which can remove the negative level from Raise Dead). So after a hash fight where one of the party falls... you can fix it 1/day. A Chalkyrdri-tohc (https://sites.google.com/site/pathfinderogc/bestiary/monster-listings/outsiders/angel/angel-chalkydri-tohc) has Raise Dead as well, and is better at fixing status effects, but doesn't have as much healing (but as a bonus, can also ferry you around the planes).

The skillmonkey is a bit trickier, because you're limited by types. For a scout, you might want something like an Advanced Animate Dream (https://sites.google.com/site/pathfinderogc/bestiary/monster-listings/outsiders/animate-dream/animate-dream-advanced) (incorporeality lets it get wherever, pretty much), a Azata Raelis (https://sites.google.com/site/pathfinderogc/bestiary/monster-listings/outsiders/azata/azata-raelis) can be good at locating the sort of treasure a Wizard is interested in (and as a specific critter, you could probably argue a different spell list more to your liking), and a Chrestomath (https://sites.google.com/site/pathfinderogc/bestiary/monster-listings/outsiders/caulborn/caulborn-chrestomath) is a walking library.

Obviously, you won't need a replacement Arcanist any time soon (if you do, it's already too late for you, after all), so I won't touch on those.

A Noble Dijinni (https://sites.google.com/site/pathfinderogc/bestiary/monster-listings/outsiders/genie/djinni/noble-djinn) is a good choice if you're not sure what you want - those three Wishes can get you Simulacrums of other creatures. Sure, you could use an Efreeti instead... but they're Lawful (work well together), Evil (plan to harm you, actively), have critters native to their plane that they can Intimidate into doing... well, whatever... and have a racial hatred of servitude. Binding Efreeti is suicide. Noble Dijinni a bit less so.