Improved initiative vs Companion Spellbond

[Warrnan]

I’m playing a two player gestalt campaign with my best friend. My hero is bard/Druid. His hero is cleric/barbarian but swapped rage for favored enemy stuff. I’m contemplating improved initiative vs companion spellbond for my last feat. Most of my feats will go to inspire courage optimization but I’ve got one left and I’m trying to decide. We play that the animal companion always goes on my initiative just to keep it simple. I also have a wild cohort. My hero has eschewed wild shape for swift and deadly hunter and is focused just on healing/buffing while my dogs eat face. (I just prefer to remain human. I know it’s sub optimal.)

We are playing at level 5

Any opinions on my final level 1 feat? Thanks.

[eggynack]

Companion spellbond is better at a baseline, and your plan revolves around animal companion buffing, so probably that one. You get somewhat less out of hitting yourself with buffs than you would with wild shape, but there's some solid additional value you pick up out of the arrangement.

[Darg]

The problem with spellbond is that the companion loses the spells if you move out of 30 ft of each other. Improved Initiative is available all the time and with the way OP has the companion move on their initiative means their companion benefits from the feat too.

[Warrnan]

Thanks folks. Improved initiative does make me and my pets go first. With my metamagic rod of rapid spell for Summon Natures Ally or +3/3 inspire courage going first will really be amazing. Me not being an animal for buffs to share with AC does make companion spellbond weaker for me.