For that matter, the main disad of a familiar seems to be the constant low-to-moderate power drain, and a properly built familiar can use magic just fine themselves, and most likely won't have your problems with low-power spells. Might be handy to have something small, sneaky and friendly to do the little subtle things for you without lighting up on magesight-equivalents.
Only question is, what should you start with and what should you spec it to.
- You have enough power to go full on Master of the Menagerie if you want to, but that doesn't really seem to be your schtick. You likely don't want more than one, just from a "managing your life" standpoint
- You want to start with something small enough to easily fit fully within your defenses (and/or the air ducts). That way they won't have to waste a transformed form on it.
- You want something that's common enough in the areas that you'll be operating in that people won't see it and immediately think "familiar of enemy magus"
- You'll want something that can aid you in the ways you are most likely to desire aid. That sort of support is going to be most useful when you are operating solo, so base on that.
You really don't need any more gun. As far as combat goes, they're going to be inside your defenses, which means that they're close enough that them throwing up a shield is going to protect you too. Shielding specialty seems valuable, if only because having another set of eyes that can throw a solid shield on your behalf is always helpful in any fight that isn't a curbstomb in your favor. You'll also want them to have enough ability at healing to stabilize you and, preferably, get you back to functional, as that's the most glaring example of things that you might need that you can't do for yourself. Having the ability to cloak and/or teleport both of you at once would also be awfully handy from a "survive when everything goes badly" standpoint - and if they can teleport the two of you over short distances without prep time, that can be handy as a combat dodge - not necessarily one you use all that often, but a good combat dodge in the right place at the right time can really pay off.
Alertness and other forms of sensory spec will depend on your own abilities in the area. If you yourself are able to notice ambushes before they happen, then you've got that handled. If you aren't, then having a friend to do that for you can be really very helpful. Of course, it's possible that your device might handle this as well. Similarly, when you're in a running gunfight, having someone who can be looking at the map, and making plans and strategic calls on where to run the gunfight to can come in handy, especially since working for Jail is likely to wind you up penetrating security in at least a few places that you've never been before.
I dunno. I've run out of ideas, but it does seem like, give your available power, a well-tuned familiar is an easy win in terms of effectiveness.
Only question is, what should you start with and what should you spec it to.
- You have enough power to go full on Master of the Menagerie if you want to, but that doesn't really seem to be your schtick. You likely don't want more than one, just from a "managing your life" standpoint
- You want to start with something small enough to easily fit fully within your defenses (and/or the air ducts). That way they won't have to waste a transformed form on it.
- You want something that's common enough in the areas that you'll be operating in that people won't see it and immediately think "familiar of enemy magus"
- You'll want something that can aid you in the ways you are most likely to desire aid. That sort of support is going to be most useful when you are operating solo, so base on that.
You really don't need any more gun. As far as combat goes, they're going to be inside your defenses, which means that they're close enough that them throwing up a shield is going to protect you too. Shielding specialty seems valuable, if only because having another set of eyes that can throw a solid shield on your behalf is always helpful in any fight that isn't a curbstomb in your favor. You'll also want them to have enough ability at healing to stabilize you and, preferably, get you back to functional, as that's the most glaring example of things that you might need that you can't do for yourself. Having the ability to cloak and/or teleport both of you at once would also be awfully handy from a "survive when everything goes badly" standpoint - and if they can teleport the two of you over short distances without prep time, that can be handy as a combat dodge - not necessarily one you use all that often, but a good combat dodge in the right place at the right time can really pay off.
Alertness and other forms of sensory spec will depend on your own abilities in the area. If you yourself are able to notice ambushes before they happen, then you've got that handled. If you aren't, then having a friend to do that for you can be really very helpful. Of course, it's possible that your device might handle this as well. Similarly, when you're in a running gunfight, having someone who can be looking at the map, and making plans and strategic calls on where to run the gunfight to can come in handy, especially since working for Jail is likely to wind you up penetrating security in at least a few places that you've never been before.
I dunno. I've run out of ideas, but it does seem like, give your available power, a well-tuned familiar is an easy win in terms of effectiveness.