The Glade 4.0

"Turn the lights down, the party just got wilder."
It is currently Fri Nov 22, 2024 9:15 am

All times are UTC - 6 hours [ DST ]




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 16 posts ] 
Author Message
 Post subject: D&D Question...3.5
PostPosted: Thu Oct 15, 2009 4:06 am 
Offline
Solo Hero
User avatar

Joined: Wed Sep 02, 2009 9:32 pm
Posts: 3874
Location: Clarkston, Mi
This is kinda hard for me to ask as I don't quite get how it works to begin with.

This question has to do with an animal companion and how they advance.

I have this pet. It is an eagle. Before it was just a small creature. Now at level five it is considered a large creature. Does this mean it is just magical enhancement to the stats or does the bird increase in phyical size as well? If it is the first I can see it, if it is the second I am having trouble wrapping my head around my bird all of a sudden being big enough to fly me from town to town in it's claws.

Help me understand.

_________________
Raell Kromwell


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Thu Oct 15, 2009 4:36 am 
Offline
I am here, click me!
User avatar

Joined: Wed Sep 02, 2009 8:00 pm
Posts: 3676
Well, as animals gain hit dice, they get bigger. I'm not sure how your eagle got large. It starts out as a small animal and can advance to a medium size animal at 2-3 HD, but it does say the advancement listing isn't a hard limit.

I'm assuming you are a druid because a ranger doesn't get animal companion until level 4 and it's at half their level(unless you are playing pathfinder, in which case it would be ranger level -3, but it's effectively the same thing at that level)...meaning you could have a 2 HD eagle, max. And those are only medium animals.

_________________
Los Angeles Kings 2014 Stanley Cup Champions

"I love this **** team right here."
-Jonathan Quick


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Thu Oct 15, 2009 4:47 am 
Offline
Solo Hero
User avatar

Joined: Wed Sep 02, 2009 9:32 pm
Posts: 3874
Location: Clarkston, Mi
What you are saying it does get larger in a phyical sense? Not just hit point wise? So it would be like having big bird for a companion...


Also only playing a ranger, I seem to have a problem with the program I am using for my character sheet, I will fix the birds level right away.

_________________
Raell Kromwell


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: D&D Question...3.5
PostPosted: Thu Oct 15, 2009 6:39 am 
Offline
of course

Joined: Thu Sep 03, 2009 6:56 am
Posts: 383
Location: CDC EOC
Please explain the size part you are talking about as I do not see any reference in 3.5


Ranger Animal Companion:
Animal Companion (Ex): At 4th level, a ranger gains an animal companion selected from the following list: badger, camel, dire rat, dog, riding dog, eagle, hawk, horse (light or heavy), owl, pony, snake (Small or Medium viper), or wolf. If the campaign takes place wholly or partly in an aquatic environment, the following creatures may be added to the ranger's list of options: crocodile, porpoise, Medium shark, and squid. This animal is a loyal companion that accompanies the ranger on his adventures as appropriate for its kind.
This ability functions like the druid ability of the same name, except that the ranger's effective druid level is one-half his ranger level. A ranger may select from the alternative lists of animal companions just as a druid can, though again his effective druid level is half his ranger level. Like a druid, a ranger cannot select an alternative animal if the choice would reduce his effective druid level below 1st.

Druid Animal Companion:
Animal Companion (Ex): A druid may begin play with an animal companion selected from the following list: badger, camel, dire rat, dog, riding dog, eagle, hawk, horse (light or heavy), owl, pony, snake (Small or Medium viper), or wolf. If the campaign takes place wholly or partly in an aquatic environment, the following creatures are also available: crocodile, porpoise, Medium shark, and squid. This animal is a loyal companion that accompanies the druid on her adventures as appropriate for its kind.
A 1st-level druid's companion is completely typical for its kind except as noted below. As a druid advances in level, the animal's power increases as shown on the table. If a druid releases her companion from service, she may gain a new one by performing a ceremony requiring 24 uninterrupted hours of prayer. This ceremony can also replace an animal companion that has perished.
A druid of 4th level or higher may select from alternative lists of animals (see below). Should she select an animal companion from one of these alternative lists, the creature gains abilities as if the character's druid level were lower than it actually is. Subtract the value indicated in the appropriate list header from the character's druid level and compare the result with the druid level entry on the table to determine the animal companion's powers. (If this adjustment would reduce the druid's effective level to 0 or lower, she can't have that animal as a companion.)


Animal Companion Basics:
Use the base statistics for a creature of the companion’s kind, but make the following changes.

Class Level
The character’s druid level. The druid’s class levels stack with levels of any other classes that are entitled to an animal companion for the purpose of determining the companion’s abilities and the alternative lists available to the character.

Bonus HD
Extra eight-sided (d8) Hit Dice, each of which gains a Constitution modifier, as normal. Remember that extra Hit Dice improve the animal companion’s base attack and base save bonuses. An animal companion’s base attack bonus is the same as that of a druid of a level equal to the animal’s HD. An animal companion has good Fortitude and Reflex saves (treat it as a character whose level equals the animal’s HD). An animal companion gains additional skill points and feats for bonus HD as normal for advancing a monster’s Hit Dice.

Natural Armor Adj.
The number noted here is an improvement to the animal companion’s existing natural armor bonus.

Str/Dex Adj.
Add this value to the animal companion’s Strength and Dexterity scores.

Bonus Tricks
The value given in this column is the total number of "bonus" tricks that the animal knows in addition to any that the druid might choose to teach it (see the Handle Animal skill). These bonus tricks don’t require any training time or Handle Animal checks, and they don’t count against the normal limit of tricks known by the animal. The druid selects these bonus tricks, and once selected, they can’t be changed.

Link (Ex)
A druid can handle her animal companion as a free action, or push it as a move action, even if she doesn’t have any ranks in the Handle Animal skill. The druid gains a +4 circumstance bonus on all wild empathy checks and Handle Animal checks made regarding an animal companion.

Share Spells (Ex)
At the druid’s option, she may have any spell (but not any spell-like ability) she casts upon herself also affect her animal companion. The animal companion must be within 5 feet of her at the time of casting to receive the benefit. If the spell or effect has a duration other than instantaneous, it stops affecting the animal companion if the companion moves farther than 5 feet away and will not affect the animal again, even if it returns to the druid before the duration expires.

Additionally, the druid may cast a spell with a target of "You" on her animal companion (as a touch range spell) instead of on herself. A druid and her animal companion can share spells even if the spells normally do not affect creatures of the companion’s type (animal).

Evasion (Ex)
If an animal companion is subjected to an attack that normally allows a Reflex saving throw for half damage, it takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw.

Devotion (Ex)
An animal companion gains a +4 morale bonus on Will saves against enchantment spells and effects.

Multiattack
An animal companion gains Multiattack as a bonus feat if it has three or more natural attacks and does not already have that feat. If it does not have the requisite three or more natural attacks, the animal companion instead gains a second attack with its primary natural weapon, albeit at a -5 penalty.

Improved Evasion (Ex)
When subjected to an attack that normally allows a Reflex saving throw for half damage, an animal companion takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw and only half damage if the saving throw fails.

_________________
Gorse


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re:
PostPosted: Thu Oct 15, 2009 7:09 am 
Offline
Oberon's Playground
User avatar

Joined: Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:11 am
Posts: 9449
Location: Your Dreams
Raell wrote:
What you are saying it does get larger in a phyical sense? Not just hit point wise? So it would be like having big bird for a companion...

Normal animal advancement hit dice would make them larger. Animal Companions don't get larger, however. The hit dice they get somehow don't count that way...

_________________
Well Ali Baba had them forty thieves, Scheherezade had a thousand tales
But master you in luck 'cause up your sleeves you got a brand of magic never fails...
...Mister Aladdin, sir, What will your pleasure be?
Let me take your order, Jot it down -You ain't never had a friend like me

█ ♣ █


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Thu Oct 15, 2009 7:44 am 
Offline
Rihannsu Commander

Joined: Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:31 am
Posts: 4709
Location: Cincinnati OH
HD or HP isn't a reflection of blood in your body. 1st Edition AD&D considered it more of a measure of 'favor of the gods' or luck. You can only take so much before your number is up essentially. A more experienced hero (or companion) is more likely to get a lucky (or divine favor) that keeps the blow from being quite so lethal. *shrug*


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Thu Oct 15, 2009 11:45 am 
Offline
Manchurian Mod
User avatar

Joined: Fri Sep 04, 2009 9:40 am
Posts: 5866
"Advanced" monsters often get larger as hit dice increases. A classic example is dragons. They grow older, eat more adventurers, and eventually grow big and strong. This is why young dragons are not as big as old dragons.

The hit dice an animal companion gains for being your best good animal buddy do not cause him to grow any larger. I'm not sure exactly why. One would assume that rangers and druids feed their animal companions properly. Possibly the time frame has something to do with it.

_________________
Buckle your pants or they might fall down.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: D&D Question...3.5
PostPosted: Thu Oct 15, 2009 12:55 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Sat Sep 05, 2009 2:40 am
Posts: 3188
Yeah, there is a split in the roleplaying community as to what HP's really stand for.

The first camp holds true that any loss of hitpoints means a physical wound.

The second camp maintains that it makes no sense to be at 1 hitpoint, your guts hanging out on the floor, and fully functional as if you were at full health. They are more of the camp that hitpoints are more representative of fighting stamina as well as wounds (the largest hit being the one that takes you below zero).

I kind of sit somewhere in between. Mostly due to the fact that it's not that fun gameplay wise when a conversation goes like this:

"I attack the ogre mage with my axe!"
"All right! You swing your axe, he ducks out of the way, but he looks a bit more shaken!"
"I missed?"
"No. Why?"

_________________
Les Zombis et les Loups-Garous!


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: D&D Question...3.5
PostPosted: Thu Oct 15, 2009 1:47 pm 
Offline
The Game Master.
User avatar

Joined: Wed Sep 02, 2009 10:01 pm
Posts: 3729
Numbuk wrote:
Yeah, there is a split in the roleplaying community as to what HP's really stand for.

The first camp holds true that any loss of hitpoints means a physical wound.

The second camp maintains that it makes no sense to be at 1 hitpoint, your guts hanging out on the floor, and fully functional as if you were at full health. They are more of the camp that hitpoints are more representative of fighting stamina as well as wounds (the largest hit being the one that takes you below zero).

I kind of sit somewhere in between. Mostly due to the fact that it's not that fun gameplay wise when a conversation goes like this:

"I attack the ogre mage with my axe!"
"All right! You swing your axe, he ducks out of the way, but he looks a bit more shaken!"
"I missed?"
"No. Why?"



This debate is why my home-brew in 3.x used the variant Wound/Vitality system. I found it to be a superior abstraction.

_________________
“The duty of a patriot is to protect his country from its government.” - Thomas Paine


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: D&D Question...3.5
PostPosted: Thu Oct 15, 2009 2:37 pm 
Offline
of course

Joined: Thu Sep 03, 2009 6:56 am
Posts: 383
Location: CDC EOC
For what it is worth, TMNT (and other Strangness) uses a dual system as well. I always found that aspect appealing.

_________________
Gorse


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re:
PostPosted: Thu Oct 15, 2009 4:16 pm 
Offline
Commence Primary Ignition
User avatar

Joined: Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:59 am
Posts: 15740
Location: Combat Information Center
Corolinth wrote:
"Advanced" monsters often get larger as hit dice increases. A classic example is dragons. They grow older, eat more adventurers, and eventually grow big and strong. This is why young dragons are not as big as old dragons.


"I'm the Dagon of Grindly Grunn
I breathe fire as hot as the Sun
When a knight comes to fight
I just toast him on sight
like a hot, crispy cinnamon bun."

_________________
"Hysterical children shrieking about right-wing anything need to go sit in the corner and be quiet while the adults are talking."


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Thu Oct 15, 2009 9:21 pm 
Offline
Solo Hero
User avatar

Joined: Wed Sep 02, 2009 9:32 pm
Posts: 3874
Location: Clarkston, Mi
Sounds like a dragon with good taste.

Ok, sending this to my DM. He needs another reason to **** with the druid in my party anyway.

_________________
Raell Kromwell


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Fri Oct 16, 2009 1:26 pm 
Offline
Cheesehead

Joined: Thu Sep 03, 2009 1:15 am
Posts: 465
I think the best way to look at it is that the animal companion is a creature like a normal animal of that type but with a special template, so some features of the animal (including size) do not apply while that template is active.

That gives the DM the ability if the druid/ranger is killed for the eagle to go berserk and enlarge itself in accordance with the rules for advancement and size enlargement.

Or the character the chance to argue it would if in so doing he believes it will be better for the party and possibly prevent a TPK.

Of course, if the creature is something that may help the foes slaughter the party, it may be important to bring that up with the party so the druid is healed/protected and the question doesn't come up.

_________________
Once, I was a ranger
Then, I was a warlock
And a mage
And a paladin
Now, I seek to be myself


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Fri Oct 16, 2009 8:22 pm 
Offline
Oberon's Playground
User avatar

Joined: Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:11 am
Posts: 9449
Location: Your Dreams
As a druid, always use a dire animal for your companion. The will save is essential!

_________________
Well Ali Baba had them forty thieves, Scheherezade had a thousand tales
But master you in luck 'cause up your sleeves you got a brand of magic never fails...
...Mister Aladdin, sir, What will your pleasure be?
Let me take your order, Jot it down -You ain't never had a friend like me

█ ♣ █


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat Oct 24, 2009 10:37 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Fri Sep 04, 2009 8:49 am
Posts: 2410
I like the split HP/Vitality system, too. It makes narrating combat so much easier, as a GM.

_________________
Image

It feels like all the people who want limited government really just want government limited to Republicans.
---The Daily Show


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat Oct 24, 2009 5:46 pm 
Offline
Grrr... Eat your oatmeal!!
User avatar

Joined: Wed Sep 02, 2009 11:07 pm
Posts: 5073
i prefer to avoid 3.0/3.5 and play 1e/2e

_________________
Darksiege
Traveller, Calé, Whisperer
Lead me not into temptation; for I know a shortcut


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 16 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 6 hours [ DST ]


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 101 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group