/jp/ - Otaku Culture

>>14944820
The latter.
You can add parts on to an existing pet to mutant levels at Doctor Gavela in South Tyris. This costs them Life, but they won't need it as a shopkeeper.
On the other hand, the starting levels for some monsters in Charisma/Negotiation would take an eternity of grinding to match.

There's probably even better monsters than the stuff on this list by now, it's fairly old.