[3.5] Archivist With Familiar

[Thurbane]

So, is there any easy-ish way for an Archivist to get a familiar, without losing caster levels?

Say, hypothetically, I was going straight Archivist into Alienist (and yes, I know Alienist sucks), and want to take advantage of the familiar stuff that Alienist gives. Also, I REALLY want the base class entry to be Archivist, not Wizard.

The character will eventually become a Lich, if that changes anything.

Short of dips, is there an option?

I'd like to avoid homebrewing, 3rd party or PF. No KoK and the magical "Loyalty's Reward" feat, please.

I've had a quick look at this resource, but I'm not sure anything there would fit with the build: https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?553103-Updated-3-5-Complete-List-of-Possible-Familiars

Only thing I have so far would be a 2-level dip into Diabolist for an Imp, but due to alignment and ethos issues (character will be worshipping a Far Realms entity), it's less than ideal.

Cheers - T

[Maat Mons]

If you can figure out a way to gain an arcane caster level, you can take the Obtain Familiar feat. Specifically has to be arcane though.

[ciopo]

Only thing that comes to mind is going by the interpretation that SLA have the arcane/divine tag, and so having an arcane SLA of some sort from some source would qualify for obtain familiar ... of a 0th level arcane caster.

I vaguely remember you not being of the school of thought that accept SLA as being divine/arcane tho

[Rebel7284]

- Magical Training + Items/Spells that boost your caster level could help (can Illumian qualify?)
- Duergar, the non-psionic one, explicitly cast their SLA "as a wizard" but has a LA and the Charisma penalty hurts unless you change your casting stat.
- Imbue with Spell Ability works, but only if the caster prepared those Cleric spells as Arcane with Alternate Spell Source. Anyway, spellcasting services has a price, but finding a very specific caster might cost extra.

[MaxiDuRaritry]

Will your DM allow Southern Magician and similar to allow you to qualify for Obtain Familiar since you can cast your divine spells as arcane spells? Definitely a feat you might want to consider even if not.

Would Item Familiar count as a familiar?

How about getting yourself a divine rank so you can make any critter your familiar?

How about Magical Training, from PGtF, that gives you a spellbook filled with cantrips and an arcane caster level + Practiced Spellcaster (Wizard)? That would allow you to count for the purposes of Obtain Familiar, I think, since the feat allows you to cast as a wizard. More than a bit feat intensive, though.

Don't SLAs count as arcane spells and an arcane caster level? Choose a race or feats that grant you SLAs.

[Darg]

Only thing that comes to mind is going by the interpretation that SLA have the arcane/divine tag, and so having an arcane SLA of some sort from some source would qualify for obtain familiar ... of a 0th level arcane caster.

I vaguely remember you not being of the school of thought that accept SLA as being divine/arcane tho

If this was pathfinder it was ruled to follow the source of the order of classes for source (https://paizo.com/threads/rzs2pt80&page=2?The-term-cast-as-a-part-of-abilities-and-how#65). 3.5 however, simply doesn't say. CArc does heavily imply that SLAs can be arcane and that warlocks invoke arcane magic.


Even if no players in a campaign are playing arcane spellcasters (as rare as that would be in most games), the heroes will inevitably encounter villains or NPC allies who do command arcane power, not to mention the wealth of monsters in the game that wield arcane spells or spell-like abilities of their own.

Warlock is included in the list of arcane spellcaster terms on pg 4.


Unlike sorcerers or wizards, who approach arcane magic through the medium of spells, a warlock invokes powerful magic through nothing more than an effort of will.

A warlock does not prepare or cast spells as other wielders of arcane magic do.

However, a warlock’s arcane repertoire is even more limited than that of a sorcerer, and his invocations are spell-like abilities, not spells.

Not to mention, warlock is subject to arcane spell failure.

[ShurikVch]

I know OP said "no dips" - but how about 2 levels in Mystic Wanderer (or 1 level in Dancer of Sharess)?

[DragonIceAdept]

The spell Call Faithful Servants might be useful. It won't get you a familiar but it'll get you 1d4 celestials to help you out. You have to be able to cast celestial spells yourself, but there are prestige classes that enable this.

[Anthrowhale]

I know OP said "no dips" - but how about 2 levels in Mystic Wanderer (or 1 level in Dancer of Sharess)?
My thought as well.

[Thurbane]

Actually, Mystic Wanderer 2 looks like a neat solution! The skill reqs hurt, but are doable.

But I love the other suggestions, too. Plenty to think about! :smallsmile:

[Clause]

If you going to be a lich, you will have spell like abilities, that count as req. For the feat that gives the familiar. if you can wait for this.

[Gruftzwerg]

Note the possible problems when qualifying for Obtain Familiar via SLA not thriving from class level..


For the purpose of determining familiar abilities that depend on your arcane caster class level, your levels in all classes that allow you to cast arcane spells stack.

While the requirement to pick up the feat sole requires "arcane caster level", the benefit sole works with class level that provide arcane caster level.

But there is a very expensive workaround for the Archivist here, if you are willing to invest 3 feats...

1. Southern Magician
2. Alternate Source Spell
3. Obtain Familiar

The problem to solve is, "how do we get Archivist to count as an arcane spellcasting class?"

Sole Alternate Source Spell can do this. It gives you the ability to prepare spells as arcane or divine, effectively turning your Archivist class also into an arcane spellcasting class.

Souther Magician can't do that, since it sole allows you to turn a handfull of spells into the other type. It doesn't alter your class's way to prepare spells like ASS does. But what it (SM) does is that it lets you qualify as pure Archivist for ASS.

The price is high for not losing any caster levels here. The question is, "is it still worth it for your idea?"

I had used the combo of SM and ASS in the past. It's resource intense, but sometimes it's the sole option there is.

[Inevitability]

A hilariously complicated option is to become an Arachne, from Faiths and Pantheons, which gives you a hairy spider familiar at level 1 (and lets you see through its eyes at level 2) and fully advances casting. However, this requires:
-Being a drow (or lesser drow, or half-drow)
-Getting a few ranks in Handle Animal (knowledge and spellcraft should be doable for an archivist)
-Taking Great Fortitude, Still Spell, Weapon Finesse/EWP hand crossbow and Survivor (grants +2 fortitude and +2 on survival checks, regional feat)
-Obtaining the spider domain somehow (contemplative? divine agent?)

...but of course all that is doable without losing caster levels, so it fits the criteria.