Looking for a way to gain an Imp familiar on a specific type of character.

[Yogibear41]

I'm looking for a way to gain an imp familiar, while keeping full BAB (No divine power, doesn't count). I know I could easily grab one using Duskblade 7, or Hexblade, but I am trying to find another way.


Thinking of starting something like Ranger 4/Paladin of Tyranny 2, then going into Horizon Walker for 6 levels to grab fatigue/exhaustion pseudo immunity and Dimension Door at will.

I know about using the ACF at ranger 4 to gain a familiar, but those are only from the base list, and it is debatable if you can use improved familiar to gain a better version since 1/2 ranger level may or may not apply toward the "arcane spellcaster level" bit. I would actually prefer to gain the imp through a use of this ability since it is 3/4s HP and does not cost you XP if it dies.

Focusing on Wisdom synergy with things like Serenity, Zen Archery, and the Wisdom bonus to AC in light armor from the dragon magazine ranger ACF, but will be pumping strength foremost to focus on melee combat, and also to do more damage with compound bows if I need to go ranged.



The character concept is going to be both devil related (probably a dispater follower haven't decided yet) and shift from a bounty hunter-ish type to more of a trying to become a ruler at higher levels, so classes that fit that theme would work well.

[ATHATH]

A Corrupter (Dragon Magazine #313) gets an Imp or Quasit at 6th level and has full BAB.

[Flickerdart]

Any character with arcane CL3 can take Obtain Familiar, and use the sum of class levels that grant it arcane spells in order to determine its benefits. A paladin or ranger with Sword of the Arcane Order technically has this.

[Darrin]

Silverbrow Human (Dragon Magic) has feather fall as an SLA, which gives you an arcane caster level equal to your HD/character level. So you can either take the Urban Companion ACF (Cityscape Web Enhancement) and then Improved Familiar at 9th, or Obtain Familiar at 3rd and Improved Familiar at 9th.

Sword of the Arcane Order might be problematic, as it's not clear what your arcane caster level would be without at least one Wizard level. It's also difficult to take this feat before 6th, although there are ways around that: Frostblood Half-Orc + Mystic Ranger, for example.

Or you could just take Leadership and get the imp as a cohort.

[Yogibear41]

Silverbrow Human (Dragon Magic) has feather fall as an SLA, which gives you an arcane caster level equal to your HD/character level. So you can either take the Urban Companion ACF (Cityscape Web Enhancement) and then Improved Familiar at 9th, or Obtain Familiar at 3rd and Improved Familiar at 9th.

I thought Spell like abilities gave you caster levels, but they didn't specifically count as arcane or divine. (I thought warlocks and DFAs just did) My character already has racial spell like abilities with a caster level = my HD, but I was pretty sure they did not count toward an "arcane caster level" Can you tell me where the rules are for this specifically counting as arcane?


Sword of Arcane Order is a no-go because I do not follow Mystra, or that other deity. Corrupter would work but I am LE not NE. I might take Leadership on this character eventually anyway, and I would rather use it on something more useful than just an Imp, but it is something to keep in mind.

Would it be possible to get an Imp as a Paladins special mount? I would rather not go about it this way, but having the option to do so would be good.

[Flickerdart]

Would it be possible to get an Imp as a Paladins special mount? I would rather not go about it this way, but having the option to do so would be good.

Yes and no. While the alternate mount rules at the back of the DMG produce a class level at which you can have the imp (3 plus 2 (CR) plus 1 for flight = 6th level paladin) the rules also say that a mount must be willing and able to bear you as a rider. The imp can assume the form of a boar, but you must be Small to ride it, as it is a Medium creature.

Of course, after you acquire the imp, you are under no obligation to actually ever ride it.

[Darrin]

I thought Spell like abilities gave you caster levels, but they didn't specifically count as arcane or divine. (I thought warlocks and DFAs just did) My character already has racial spell like abilities with a caster level = my HD, but I was pretty sure they did not count toward an "arcane caster level" Can you tell me where the rules are for this specifically counting as arcane?

Best I can do is Monster Manual page 315:

"If no caster level is specified, the caster level is equal to the creature’s Hit Dice."
[...]
"A monster’s spell-like abilities are presumed to be the sorcerer/wizard versions. If the spell in question is not a sorcerer/wizard spell, then default to cleric, druid, bard, paladin, and ranger, in that order."

Feather fall is an arcane spell that only appears on the bard, wizard, and sorcerer lists. The default is presumed to be a sorcerer/wizard spell. Since feather fall is an arcane spell, an SLA would be considered an arcane spell, and thus the creature has an arcane caster level for the purposes of using it.

This isn't a strong argument, as the text in the MM never explicitly specifies if the spells are treated as arcane or divine. However, the whole concept of a caster level that was NOT arcane or divine didn't exist until Artificers came along in the Eberron Campaign Setting. Within the context of just the SRD or Core rulebooks, I don't think there exists any such thing as a caster level that is neither arcane nor divine.

The other relevant source would be Complete Arcane page 72, which specifies when an SLA can be used to qualify for a feat or prestige class. And again, this isn't entirely clear here, as a generic "caster level 5th" is used as an example where an SLA would work, but specific levels of spells won't work. By strict RAW, I think you're ok here because the requirement for Improved Familiar doesn't specify a specific level of spells, just "Arcane Caster Level 7th". If it said "4th level arcane spells", then that'd be a no.

So I think by RAW that within the context of SRD/Core, all SLAs default to arcane because it's presumed you're using the sorcerer/wizard version, unless the spell only appears exclusively on a divine spellcaster list. A drow casting faerie fire has a divine caster level for that SLA because that spell only appears on the druid list, but has an arcane caster level when using his darkness SLA.

[Yogibear41]

Its an interesting point, never really thought about it like that before.

[Troacctid]

The rules never define the terms "arcane caster level" or "arcane spellcaster level," so some interpretation is required. You could ask your DM if random spell-like abilities count. However, I don't think that interpretation is well-supported by the rules, and it's certainly against the spirit of the feat IMO.

[atemu1234]

The rules never define the terms "arcane caster level" or "arcane spellcaster level," so some interpretation is required. You could ask your DM if random spell-like abilities count. However, I don't think that interpretation is well-supported by the rules, and it's certainly against the spirit of the feat IMO.

I wouldn't normally allow it, but hey, that's just my opinion.

Why this thing has no level adjustment is beyond me. (It'd be playable at LA +1 or +2, but no, it just had to be --).