Master Class Level vs Arcane Spellcaster Levels

[Huckster42]

The rules on Familiars refers to Master Class Levels (which are any levels in a class capable of summoning a familiar). The Improved Familiars feat refers to Arcane Spellcaster Levels. Are Master Class Level and Arcane Spellcaster Level supposed to be different, or is this a terminology mistake in the rules? I can't see a good reason for calculating the master's levels in two different ways. Thoughts?

Huckster

 

[ElectricDragon]

It seems to suggest that bards could benefit from the Improved Familiar feat if they have at least one level of wizard or sorcerer (and their bardic levels count towards gaining the familiar). Still the bard levels would not count for purposes of the familiar special abilities.

Ciao
Dave

 

[Li Shenron]

Nah, that's too sophisticated. It's simply that classes which grant a familiar can stack their levels to determine the familiar abilities. In the core game it's only Wizard and Sorcerer, so it's pretty easy to figure out. The different name is probably just a refuse.