I`d like to know if the bonus that the cords confer apply to the Certamen.

Now that Certamen are influence by Presence & Stamina a familiar could change the numbers a lot.

Thanks

//The only benefits the cords apply to certamen is the decrease in botch dice. Familiars give a bonus to soak, but that's not the same as a bonus to stamina.//

So the soaking bonus that the bond confers does not apply to the soaking total in the certamen contest.

Nor do the pesonality benefits of having a familiar affect the attack bonus that is based on the Presence of the Magus.

This makes me wonder on what are the Certamen rules based on?

If in a certamen your presence is of importance and that the bond enhences it in all interaction should it not affect the outcome of a Certamen also? You can apply the same question to soak.

This is still a question that needs to be developped.

I'd be thankfull if we could get to the bottom of this one...

> So the soaking bonus that the bond confers does not apply to the
> soaking total in the certamen contest.

I don't see this.

> Nor do the pesonality benefits of having a familiar affect the
> attack bonus that is based on the Presence of the Magus.

IMO, they do, actually. There's no rule stating this, but I like it.

> This makes me wonder on what are the Certamen rules based on?

The combat rules.

> If in a certamen your presence is of importance and that the bond
> enhences it in all interaction should it not affect the outcome of
> a Certamen also? You can apply the same question to soak.

It doesn't seem the same thing to me. Soak is your capacity to absorb damage with your body. In Certamen you aren't doing that: you are fighting the drain of your mystical energies represented by your fatigue levels. If a familiar boosted your stamina, or your energy recovery rate, though, I'd say that was handy.

Just my opinion.