Is a dragon familair worth two feats?

[incog64]

I got DMM Dweomekeeper/cleric build where I am taking at least 3 levels in Mystic Wanderer (Magic of Faerun). At level three you get a familiar.

Is a dragon familiar worth two feats, dragon familiar and something else to boost my arcane caster level. I already have DM consent for alternative spell source to boost my Arcane caster level. Also note I have an arcane caster level from a dread necromancer dip.

I'd probably take alternative spell source at level 9 and dragon familiar at level 12, if its worth it.

Thoughts and thanks.

[Forrestfire]

Dragon Familiar can be worth the feat, but generally isn't, in my opinion. The wyrmling dragons you can get are generally extremely weak in combat until the Red and Gold variants at later levels; some of them have solid debuff breath weapons but even that tends to pale compared to the utility of the things you get from Planar Familiar or Improved Familiar. And that's setting aside the RP considerations of having a baby dragon run around fighting for you. I wrote a pretty extensive guide to Improved Familiars as part of my ranger handbook; while the rest of the handbook won't apply to you, the familiars section (https://hexdrake.support/ranger_handbook/#c5-fam-recs)would be a good read for choosing what familiars might be preferable.

[Jay R]

Your character's feats should (usually) emphasize and strengthen what the PC is actually going to do. And the build should make the feats worth more. How is the character's build made better by having a dragon familiar? Maybe it's a good choice, but we don't have the information to see how.

If a character is not mostly or entirely a Wizard or Sorcerer (or a PC class that grants familiars), then a familiar is less useful. Note that your PC's cleric and Dweomerkeeper levels do not add to the familiar's Natural Armor, Intelligence, or special abilities. Changing the arcane caster level doesn't affect that. The rule states, "All familiars have special abilities (or impart abilities to their masters) depending on the master’s combined level in classes that grant familiars." This is not the same as caster level (unless your DM has changed that rule entirely).

Of course, if it's just for swank or flavor, because you want to have a dragon familiar, then don't worry about whether it's "worth it". Take it, enjoy it, and accept the greater challenge.

[Elkad]

Obtain Familiar is yet another feat to pay for, but it does change your familiar level to "your levels in all classes that allow you to cast arcane spells stack".

On a Wizard, you typically trade away your familiar for an ACF, and then buy it back with Obtain. Not sure if you can do similar here, or if it would just be another feat sunk.


For pure power, a Dragon Familiar is pretty far behind a bunch of the Improved Familiars, but it's not always about power.

[Gnaeus]

Is draconic casting a benefit of dragon HD, like ranger casting is a benefit of ranger levels? If yes, there's an argument that a sorcerer and cleric spells are in the dragon RHD spell list and he should be able to use wands even if he can't cast the spells yet. Worst case, no familiar with hands and speech is bad. There are a lot of useful command word activated items.

[MaxiDuRaritry]

If this isn't for a build already in play, what about going changeling and taking a changeling wizard sub-level dip to allow your familiar to change into any kind of familiar you have access to? Then you could have all the dragon types.

[Troacctid]

In my opinion, a familiar is worth one feat, and a dragon familiar is probably worth one additional feat, but not two additional feats, and if you do spend an additional feat, dragons are pretty far down my list of preferred familiar upgrades. In no particular order, I think imp, quasit, lantern archon, coure eladrin, musteval, cloaker, and wraith are all more compelling choices for me.

In your case, I would just stick to the standard familiar.

[incog64]

Thankssssssss