Blink Dog Campaign

I'm considering building a campaign for my players where they will play blink dogs. I figure that since the species has human level intelligence and follow the stars, they should be a great pick-up game for a pack, finding new tasks as the stars move them.

The mechanics is where I have some questions.

For a party of 4 or 5, I would usually average their class levels, but it seems in this case it should be the average of their class levels plus their 3 racial hit dice. Therefore, a group of 4 or 5 level 1 (player class) blink dogs (4*(3 hd + 1 class level)/4) should face CR 4 encounters, right?

The next question has to do with class compatibility. It seems magical classes that don't require spell books would be easiest. How should I handle weapons and armor? I could make magical armor fit the wearer in any form as a rule, but that doesn't really change weapons. Thoughts?

Those are the big questions, but what else can you think of that might cause a snag for me?

Any thoughts would be great!

If I were a Blink Dog (Ya ha deedle deedle, bubba bubba deedle deedle dum), I would pay somebody with manipulative forepaws to make for me a amulet of unseen servant as soon as possible. (Cheaper than telekinesis.)

I'm considering building a campaign for my players where they will play blink dogs. I figure that since the species has human level intelligence and follow the stars, they should be a great pick-up game for a pack, finding new tasks as the stars move them.

The mechanics is where I have some questions.

For a party of 4 or 5, I would usually average their class levels, but it seems in this case it should be the average of their class levels plus their 3 racial hit dice. Therefore, a group of 4 or 5 level 1 (player class) blink dogs (4*(3 hd + 1 class level)/4) should face CR 4 encounters, right?

The next question has to do with class compatibility. It seems magical classes that don't require spell books would be easiest. How should I handle weapons and armor? I could make magical armor fit the wearer in any form as a rule, but that doesn't really change weapons. Thoughts?

Those are the big questions, but what else can you think of that might cause a snag for me?

Any thoughts would be great!

The big shiny problem is: No Hands. Paws are not the same thing at all. Without magic use, no opening doors, no disabling traps, no collecting treasure. If they had armor, they couldn't put it on or take it off by themselves. If the party hires a minion as a valet they can get around some of this, but the valet can't go with them if they travel somewhere by blinking. And then it wouldn't be an all blink dog party anyway. It sounds like a cool idea - I've been wishing I had a group that could play animals as in Noble Wild - but the hands thing is the showstopper.

I like the idea. Have a displacer beast army starting to mass and there you go, you've got an arch for the game.

I've been wishing I had a group that could play animals as in Noble Wild - but the hands thing is the showstopper.

I'd play. I've been trying to play animals for a year or two now, and now that I don't have to have the awaken spell...

Couple of things to consider:

• Spellcasters in this group are doomed. Level 1 magic vs. CR 4 enemies? Not a good strategy.
  
• Magic is your only ranged combat in this group. Just keep that in mind as you build encounters.
  
• Melee units are going to be using natural attacks. Since the group is quite unusual, you'll be relying on Amulets of Mighty Fists. However, since everyone is a blink dog it's a safe pass to treat them just like magic weapons and adjust the pricing (and limitations) to match.
  
• Consider getting rid of the racial hit dice on the blink dogs. The only thing you need to do here is to balance the party against itself, so why not give them the diversity to pursue classes other than the "I hit it to death" ones? Just make sure that when you do rebuild the blink dog race that it can function reasonably well for any role (not necessarily class, though).
  
• Remove limitations from classes that merit the loss. Eschew Materials for free, no spellbooks for wizards (probably also take away Arcane Bond to balance against sorcerer), no divine foci. Rogues should probably be allowed to take "minor magic" for free to grant Mage Hand and allow a clause that lets them manipulate stuff just like a Arcane Trickster.
  
• Consider eschewing equipment all together. You could easily grant innate bonuses to the characters to keep them on par with geared adventurers. Grant base classes a flat armor bonus (9 for heavy armor, 6 for medium, and 4 for light) and then a scaling enhancement bonus (+1/2 levels) distributed like regular magical armor. Same for natural weapons.
  
• Go with the clause of "magic armor resizes when equipped."

Those are some great points. Thanks for the replies.

Does anyone know if there has ever been anything posted about running a hand-free campaign? That would be a great resource to peruse.

Of course, keep up the comments. Anything I can use to make this work out would be awesome, and anything to point out bumps in the road before I get there would be great too!

Those are some great points. Thanks for the replies.

Does anyone know if there has ever been anything posted about running a hand-free campaign? That would be a great resource to peruse.

Of course, keep up the comments. Anything I can use to make this work out would be awesome, and anything to point out bumps in the road before I get there would be great too!

I wouldn't get discouraged about spell casting. Sure, some spells aren't good, but there are a ton that are: shield, mage armor, alter self, floating disk, grease... the wizards can still have fun.

As far as magical weapons, download Kobold Quarterly #11 (it's free). It has a weapon called Nailbiters. It's basically a sheath that goes over teeth and/or claws that can be made out of special materials (adamantine for example) and enchanted just like any other weapon.

A blink dog group shouldn't have any problem opening most doors. You can still hook a paw and push/pull on the handle. Round door knobs are not going to be common. However, unlocking doors will be a problem.

Primary spell casters are probably your best options overall for classes but natural weapon ranger or fighter might also be viable options.

Just don't try and run the exact same type of campaign, but with dogs in human cities.
In a mostly outdoors setting, they should work JUST fine. This can include human settlements, but the human/oids can be more nomadic typec, like Mongols or Plains Native Americans living in tents, etc.

Rather than turn a Wizard with Spellbook into comedy, or just give them a workaround, I would retain that difference. Witches now conveniently provie access to Prepared Arcane Casting without spellbooks, and Sorcerors are of course still an option. But your blinkdog casters COULD still use scrolls, they just wouldn't like to as much, but could pull it out of a shoulder holster and spread it on the ground to read. (or read from captured spellbook) MAKING scrolls wouldn't work so well.

Re> weapons and armor as loot... how is this different than humans fighting lots of trolls? Or human MONKS fighting lots of greatsword-armed opponents? Why not just let ago of the assumption that the players NEED to loot and re-use all the gear your NPCs drop, and instead just make sure that you send enough gear their way that is APPROPRIATE to them to keep them within WBL.

I might consider allowing a multitude of item effects to all be applied to ONE Amulet. It seems plausible they could have some reasonable way to build an Amulet without bigtime magic... they could even buy one from other species. You could allow effects/magic items to be added to it ACCORDING TO 'normal' HUMANOID BODY SLOTS, i.e. more than one Headband type needs the dual-stat pricing, but it doesn't cost more just because it's not a Headband, and doesn't effect pricing of other effects, e.g. Amulet of Natural Armor.

You could also implement this as 'inherent' heroic bonuses, just using the standard pricing within WBL. That seems the best option if you want a blink dog culture that isn't tool using, object/wealth accumulting, etc. OR... allow 'rituals' magically enhancing their bodies themselves, which would apply these effects in a similar manner. When they impress the right blinkdogs, the tribe might want to reward/recognize their prowess, and this is the blinkdog way...?

A combination of magic items and permanent magical effects is probably going to be the most beneficial to them.

If I were a Blink Dog (Ya ha deedle deedle, bubba bubba deedle deedle dum), I would pay somebody with manipulative forepaws to make for me a amulet of unseen servant as soon as possible. (Cheaper than telekinesis.)

+1, no +5!

This concept reminds me of Okami, and like in that game, your characters might just have to use their teeth/ backs to carry stuff around. Of course, in Okami you had a little dude riding on your nose- maybe improved familiar for the casters to get a mephit?

OR

Intelligent items. I had this idea while playing as a Lantern Archon- no hands, no substance. So I had the items carry themselves around. Blink Dogs are LG- maybe the celestial who sent your pound puppies to fight granted them items with the 'defeat/ slay X enemy' purpose.

Good luck!

Bestiary II makes the mention of Blink Dog Sages. These are usually Sorcerers. Note that Sorcerers get Eschew Material Components for free as a bonus feat. And if you take the Arcane bloodline, you can get a monkey as a familiar for all your fine manipulation needs.

You haven't mentioned anything about your setting yet, but as a suggestion you might try running it as an "After Man" scenario.

Have all the humanoid races die or disappear without warning. Your PC Blink Dogs have to enter the now abandoned human cities and figure out how to shut down dangerous devices (think the magical or steampunk equivalent of a nuclear reactor) before they run amok.

Opponents could be golems or other constructs following whatever defensive orders they were last given, an insane doomsday cult composed of awakened domestic animals and ex-familiars, or the results of a zombie apocalypse.

Lots of great ideas! I'll try to touch on as many as I can.

Regarding Okami, my initial vision did get some inspiration from that game. The image in the book made me think of the game and then the gears started turning.

Regarding items/armor/etc, I think I've figured out the system I'm going to use for that. Each dog has within itself a "Personal Star Chart." This chart maps out the "Stars" that guide them through life's experiences and can change over time. Each item slot a normal character would have corresponds with a "Star Position" that is then filled with a "Star," or blessing granted by another being who is a part of their lives. What "Stars" can be used by a blink dog is based on its "Personal Star Chart" and class.

As an example: The blink dogs are granted the "Iron Defense +1 Star" from a patron for a job well done. This "Star" equates to a suit of plate mail +1, with the associated traits -- altering AC, lowering speed, etc. It is positioned in the "Defensive Star Location" or armor slot. Since the dog is a warrior, he can do this, but his party member who is a wizard cannot.

"Stars" can be modified just as a magic item can, and they can carry multiple "Stars" that fit the same "Star Position" but only use them as they would item slots.

For setting, I planned to make most adventure involve settlements and natural sites, with a little inter-planar activity. I really like the idea of a major humanoid city being found but empty. Perhaps a summoning ritual went awry.

The dogs would be trying to maintain the balance between the material plane and the other planes while agents from other planes try to destroy the barriers between. Eventually they discover it's all part of the plans of a potent other-planar entity who is trying to rend the barrier so it can control the material plane and they have to take down the big baddie.

The Personal Star Chart idea really cleans up npc gear too. Since the dogs don't use the items, it's just man-junk to them so they should leave it behind.

Also, treasure doesn't have to be so carefully minded since I can just give them what they want/need instead of trying to reason why a scroll would be in a chest of coins to give the wizard something to get excited about.

Magic item creation feats would still be useful for enhancing Stars they have already received.

I guess the big question now is: Can a single Star be used by more than one dog or do they need multiples if they each want one of the item/effects?

I'm leaning towards Stars being individual "things" that cannot be used by multiple beings at once. They can gift them to each other, but can't use them simultaneously (just like an item).

What do you suppose their racial modifiers to ability scores would be?

Maybe it would be best to deconstruct their stats with the buy-in system and allot each player that many points to re-construct themselves.

Thoughts??

I feel like this thread is incomplete without a reference to the Blink Dog Nation.

Oh wow! I had no idea such a resource even existed for me to work with. Thanks for the Blink Dog Nation link.

Double wow! I thought for sure you were familiar with that...
I just didn´t directly mention it because... I thought everybody was familiar! :-)

Yeah, that`s a great example of where this could be taken, although there wasn´t really any details re: gear/alternatives like has been discussed here... and the setting seemed more directly in contact with `conventional` human/oid cultures than what you`re discussing. Incidentally, I love the planar aspect... It comes off similar to that 2nd Edition species of Good-Aligned Elephant-like extraplanr beings...

De- and reconstructing the blink dog's entry, I think this is what I think the race template would look like. Of course it's not balanced with the core races, but then again it's not meant to be; it has racial hit dice. If this doesn't look right, please let me know.

This clearly needs some work. I don't know how to translate the skills to a racial template. I need to figure out what to do with feats. Languages needs work too.

Of course, any advice is always helpful. Thoughts?

The Entry doesn't list any Racial bonuses, so base it on the magical Beast creature type.

Skill points equal to 2 + Int modifier (minimum 1) per Hit Die. The following are class skills for magical beasts: Acrobatics, Climb, Fly, Perception, Stealth, Swim.

So a base blink dog would have 6 skill points. Or you chould always to like +2 Kn: Planes checks since they are star gazers

If you use the savage species rules(I think?) for racials (subtract 11 from odd numbers, 10 from even) you get:

str +2, dex +4, con +4, int +0, wis,+2, cha +0
for racial adjustments, if you wanted to go that way

Feats are just like player classes, 1 every odd lvl of HD, A base Blink dog would have 2 feats.

Savage species rules? Is this a rule I'm missing or is it a supplement?

Do you think I should make the players take the feats listed in the Bestiary write-up or should I allow them to choose their own 2?

So, if I understand this correctly...

Does it appear to have any problems with it?

This sounds cool

once they have started being seen as beneficial to a village , town etc the townsfolk might automatically start doing things to make the blink dogs lives, and therefore the villagers, better

They could craft them armour, enchant a collar for them etc

the dogs may lead the village militia to a montser, now dead, lair, so the wealth can be gathered etc.

Now to pull it together in a single post to make more sense...

Whew, that was a lot of information. I really love these "spoiler" buttons for making it seem less daunting and more organized.

My thoughts...

this should not be a gear oriented campaign. Instead of thinking of ways for dogs to use gear... try something reaally different and dispense with gear altogether.

Watch some disney. watch some cartoons and anime which feature animal characters. real animal characters as opposed to two legged humans in animal masks. Read Watership Down.

Think about how dogs and canines in general relate to each other, how they organise.

Maybe you should consider a pack of blink dog heroes sent by some higher power to protect or guide a "chosen one". Or to defeat some specific evil that's particularly tailored their characteristics... or even combine the two ideas above.

I just re-iterate my recommendation for Noble Wild. It isn't a free product, but it isn't that expensive on PDF and has excellent alternative systems (3.x/OGL) for playing animals, which translates well for blink dogs. I bought it just because it was a great read, not because I had any hope whatsoever of getting my current gaming group to play. (Alas. Had a group that would have given it a try, but they'd scattered to the winds by the time the book came out.) It's 3.x, so some conversion would be needed especially for abilities that cost xp, since that mechanic was done away with in Pathfinder.

That reminds me... Oathbound from Bastion Press had a really cool idea called "Prestige Races" - you either visited a magical location or spent a feat, and then you had the ability to spend xp to alter your body along certain advancement tracks. Essentially making yourself a sort of magical item. Some were mutually exclusive and some levels were worthless to some characters and could be skipped, but generally you just kept adding on abilities as you progressed (and spent more XP) and your character kept changing, usually with some visual clues of your alteration. Very cool, and I think they made the idea OGL - I'm pretty sure I saw a few prestige races show up in an article of Dragon. Maybe you can track down some on the web, I know that I have a big list of OGL ones from a dead website saved on my hard drive that I could email if needed.

A few years ago Clinton Boomer came up with a Blink Dog Nation for RPGsuperstar.

If you can find it that could be a source of ideas.

bittergeek,
Very cool leads for me to follow. They sound really interesting.

everyone,
This has been a really informative journey. I doubt I'm near the end for sure, so anything else you all have to add, please do. The more I have to work with, the better game I can run.

Now to dig into some of those leads. ~_^

Savage species rules? Is this a rule I'm missing or is it a supplement?

Do you think I should make the players take the feats listed in the Bestiary write-up or should I allow them to choose their own 2?

Savage species was a 3.x book, it delt with turning most any Monster into a player character, with level adjustments, and racial lvls, etc. its not a Paizo product.

A blink dog group shouldn't have any problem opening most doors. You can still hook a paw and push/pull on the handle. Round door knobs are not going to be common. However, unlocking doors will be a problem.

Not only that, but they are of average human intelligence. They could theoretically still have lockpicks and use their mouth to pick a lock or hold a key to unlock a door.

They would EASILY be able to open unlocked doors, as they are human intelligence level, they would figure out a way very quickly.

People can train normal everyday cats and dogs to open doors, so for a Blink Dog it would be a piece of cake...that and could just Blink past the door.

Actually, doors wouldn't be a problem for blink dogs.

While blinking, you can step through (but not see through) solid objects. For each 5 feet of solid material you walk through, there is a 50% chance that you become material. If this occurs, you are shunted off to the nearest open space and take 1d6 points of damage per 5 feet so traveled.

I just re-iterate my recommendation for Noble Wild. It isn't a free product, but it isn't that expensive on PDF and has excellent alternative systems (3.x/OGL) for playing animals, which translates well for blink dogs. I bought it just because it was a great read, not because I had any hope whatsoever of getting my current gaming group to play. (Alas. Had a group that would have given it a try, but they'd scattered to the winds by the time the book came out.) It's 3.x, so some conversion would be needed especially for abilities that cost xp, since that mechanic was done away with in Pathfinder.

Actually Bitter, I translated Noble Wild to Pathfinder. You can find it here:

http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/77980/The-Noble-Wild%3A-An-Animal-Pla yer%E2%80%99s-Handbook-for-Fantasy-Role-Playing-Games-%28Pathfinder-Edition %29?term=noble+wild

The lack of hands issue is addressed through various Deeds, a type of magical ability, and Noble Animal Magic can be performed without hands.

Or go outside the box entirely and work rules conventions so that gear isn't neccessary.

Blink Dog is best monster. With at will quickened dimension door, they can exploit Dimensional Dervish and Whirlwind Attack to hit everyone along a path of double the distance of dimension door. ...and apply sneak dice. A neat way around the no thumbs problem is to get a familiar, take the improved familiar feat, and choose one with thumbs.

Something that has never been answered for me is the issue of spellcasters and races that don't have hands.

Many spells take some kind of component. How exactly are you pulling spider legs out of a pouch and holding them? Eschew materials only goes so far, and you frequently see spellcasters like Nagas in various materials.

I guess it is the kind of thing everyone prefers to ignore though.

Still a blink dog sorcerer going through his somatic spell components would be a sight to see. Some serious mojo going on.

Blink dogs have sick advantages to make up for lack of hands.

Locked door? Dimension door through it. Oh what, it's dangerous on the other side? Dimension door back, it's quickened. Unless you are actually in initiative, the "no other actions this round" doesn't matter.

Go into dimensional agility line (first feat you get to chose) and you can do SERIOUS combat abuse of at will dimension door.

Sure you will miss 20% of the time from blinking, but you have insane mobility.

Everything go to heck in a handbasket? Flee with dimension door. No attack of opportunity provoked. Few things can catch up. Something teleports to you? unless it's got dimensional agility too, you door away again before it acts.

Blink dogs are VERY good at harassment.:)

That's what you do as a blink dog pc. get dimensional agiliy ASAP and abuse at will dimension door. Add in dimensional dervish, and as mentioned before you get frightening.

and don't forget the 50% miss chance for your active blink, which you cannot turn off. the 20% miss chance for you is trumped by the 50% miss chance of THEM.

Now be a monk, and you get abundant step. NOW we are talking. you move with abundant step, not provoking attack of opportunity, attack, then dimension door away, also not provoking attack of opportunity. add on dimensional dervish to THAT, and you can attack multiple times and use flurry of blows, and get away. And hey, blink dogs are lawful, so they qualify for monk class. they get speed, they get armor bonuses...

Bestiary II makes the mention of Blink Dog Sages. These are usually Sorcerers. Note that Sorcerers get Eschew Material Components for free as a bonus feat. And if you take the Arcane bloodline, you can get a monkey as a familiar for all your fine manipulation needs.

I wondered about that entry in Bestiary 2 as soon as I saw it. "Blink dog sorcerers? There aren't many spells that lack a somatic component." Nowadays they'd probably give the blink dog sage an occult class instead -

Hmmm.