Pathfinder: Bard with Variant Multiclassing

[CaptRory]

I'm putting ideas together for a character for an upcoming game (Jade Regent). I rolled monstrous stats (18, 18, 16, 15, 15, 12) and would like to play a bard. I know bards are feat starved but I'm seriously looking at using http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/character-advancement/#Variant_Multiclassing to add either Sorcerer or Wizard bits to the character. I'd really like a familiar and since this is something of a legacy character I'm probably going to focus on using a rapier as well. I'll be playing the granddaughter of my current character. https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=529409. It is a Ponyfinder game (sort of; it is set in Golarion and the campaign this is for will be Jade Regent) and every official resource is basically on the table though the GM is likely to nix or modify anything she feels is too broken.

Specifically, I'd like to know whether sorcerer or wizard would be better for Variant Multiclassing and how much damage I'm doing to my character by spending the feats on that instead of on bard stuff.

Generally, any advice is very welcome. There's more material every year and I feel like I'm drowning in it sometimes trying to find the good bits.

[awaken_D_M_golem]

On the 3.5 side, Spellthief Trickster is bard casting + 5/9ths of the Wiz list, still has the debuffs ; could couch it as "Stealing" a cutie mark which of course you'll give back when they get around to asking.

that VarMulti link is quite tasty looking.  Off hand I'm thinking some of the more difficult PrC requirements, should be comparatively easy doing this ; like Sub Chord doesn't need a few levels of this and that, FochLyrist too.

If you can swing a Major Bloodline, you could basically build a full zoot 3.5 Bard and wtf a full zoot PF Bard does idk, and qualify early for a top shelf PrC ... yet still be hard pressed to catch a mostly Sorc based SubChord.  Could tell your DM something silly yet slogan-y like :  "if you aren't slinging 9s anything else is fine".

[CaptRory]

Thanks for responding.

No 3.0 or 3.5 stuffs, but anything from Pathfinder, even third party, is open for consideration.

I am strongly looking at running a bard of some sort with the Variant Multiclassing to add Sorcerer Arcane Bloodline stuff. That gives me a familiar which I really want as well as boosting my spellcasting a fair bit.

Alternately I'm also looking at the Magus Variable Multiclass in which case I can either use Eldritch Heritage to get a Familiar, use one of the Magus Arcane Things to get a Familiar, or take the Duetist Bard Archetype to get a familiar.

[CaptRory]

Okay so I think I have it worked down to two options:

1) Bard (Magician Archetype) with VMC Magus. This allows me to boost and nullify magic with music, Magician allows me to take Magus spells so I can use Spellstrike, and he'd be reasonably awesome.

2) Arcane Duelist with VMC Wizard with Teleportation Focus. Focusing on using Whips to threaten a lot of squares and the ability to teleport around to generate lots of threat; especially against spellcasters.