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Hi there,
I'm wondering what my options are for creating a character who adventures with a beagle.
At the moment I know that at first level both the Druid and the Summoner can start off with companions, but still being new to the system (and D&D) in general I'm not 100% sure on how to go about this.
I'm not sure whether having a dog animal companion skinned as a beagle counts as reskinning which is why I am worried about the idea of a druid.
The character will be human with a 16 at least in Charisma.
Pathfinder society is a 20 point buy stat wise and I am looking at something along the lines of:
Str: 10
Dex: 14
Con: 14
Int: 12
Wis: 13
Cha: 16 (+2 racial)
The idea behind the character is a huntsman (who might multiclass into gunslinger for a "hunting" musket) who travels with his beagle in the pathfinder society. He enjoys the hunt and cares for his companion deeply.
Name will come once I have determined his class and faction.
All ideas and suggestions will be appreciated.
Thanks in advance,
Brendan
I seem to remember a Dragon Magazine article for 3.0/3.5 that had Dog familiars for arcane casters. Having a dog would give you +2 on Sense Motive.
Having been a beagle owner, I would say you have a perfect nighttime guard and scent hunter, but a LEEEEROOOOY JEEENNKIIINS! when it comes to Stealth, hunting, tracking, and anybody coming into the room with you. That baying would be heard by everybody. Definitely a handicap when dungeon delving.
Given how many dogs there have been in history, I'm not surprised there would be more dog companions, especially with Urban Rangers. Players always go for the "bigger and tougher" wolf.
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Here are the rules for PFS on re-skinning. I got them off of the FAQ
Can I re-skin or re-flavor an animal companion or item?
You may choose a specific type of animal companion from any of the base forms listed on pages 53–54 of the Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook or a legal Additional Resource but may not use stats for one base form with the flavor of another type of animal. Thus, a small cat could be a cheetah or leopard, as suggested, as well as a lynx, bobcat, puma, or other similar animal; it could not, however, be "re-skinned" to be a giant hairless swamp rat or a differently-statted wolf. If a GM feels that a re-skinning is inappropriate or could have mechanical implications in the specific adventure being played, he may require that the creature simply be considered its generic base form for the duration of the adventure. A player may not re-skin items to be something for which there are no specific rules, and any item a character uses for which there are no stats is considered an improvised weapon
How many animals can I have at any given time?
During the course of a scenario, you may have one combat animal and as many noncombat animals as you like. Noncombat animals (ponies, horses, pet dogs, and so on) cannot participate in combat at all. If you have so many noncombat animals that their presence is slowing a session down, the GM has the right to ask you to select one noncombat animal and leave the rest behind. A summoner's eidolon is considered an animal companion for the purposes of counting combat and noncombat animals. If you have more than one class-granted animal companion (or eidolon), you must choose which will be considered the combat animal at the start of the scenario. In general, a mount, a familiar or mundane pet, and your class-granted animal(s) are acceptable, but more than that can be disruptive.
So yes you can have a beagle as a pet. You would need to decide if you want him to be a " non "combat pet" or or a "combat pet". you can only have one "combat pet, or animal companion, at a time.
Might want to multi class into Ranger Trophy Hunter for the gun...I assume they get a free proficiency w guns since they get the gunslinger deeds
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/ranger/archetypes/paizo---rang er-archetypes/trophy-hunter
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Might want to multi class into Ranger Trophy Hunter for the gun...I assume they get a free proficiency w guns since they get the gunslinger deeds
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/ranger/archetypes/paizo---rang er-archetypes/trophy-hunter
It's for society play, the trophy hunter (and any other archetype that gains a gun) are not legal, gunslingers and the gunslinger archetypes are the only classes in society play that can get guns
O I did not know that Skerek! Can a non Gunslinger take Exotic Proficiency Firearms in PFS?
I had a rogue who picked up a beagle on a whim. He took pains to keep it out of combat. The best part was the DM was always trying to figure out my "angle" for getting the dog. He probably thought I wanted it for a drug mule or something. The character just wanted a pet.
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Dog
Starting Statistics: Size Small; Speed 40 ft.; AC +2 natural
armor; Attack bite (1d4); Ability Scores Str 13, Dex 17, Con 15,
Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6; Special Qualities low-light vision, scent.
4th-Level Advancement: Size Medium; Attack bite (1d6);
Ability Scores Str +4, Dex –2, Con +2.
Choosing your breed of dog doesn't count as reskinning. Heck, you could call it a large Chihuahua if you wanted. What reskinning prevents is taking a dog and calling it a pig or hamster. Saying your dog is a beagle is perfectly fine. Now, once you hit 4th lvl, you'll have to either have a really big beagle (since it would become medium sized), or take the option to increase its CON and DEX by 2.
O I did not know that Skerek! Can a non Gunslinger take Exotic Proficiency Firearms in PFS?
Non-gunslingers could take the feat, but they wouldn't be able to purchase firearms, so it would usually be useless.
Note: I say "usually" due to odd cases such as a gunslinger in the party lends a non-gunslinger use of a firearm for a scenario.
RPG Superstar 2011 Top 32
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Based on the character consept you give, I'd go with a ranger. Buy a dog with your starting money, and when you hit 4th level, make it your animal companion. Since being a "gun" hunter is tricky in PFS, why not go with archery and be a bow hunter? I'd rearrange you ability scores though if you went with this.
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I had a rogue who picked up a beagle on a whim. He took pains to keep it out of combat. The best part was the DM was always trying to figure out my "angle" for getting the dog. He probably thought I wanted it for a drug mule or something. The character just wanted a pet.
Too funny. In real life, i actually wish i could have a dog, but I can't because i'm in a no pet apartment. So I guess on some level I contented myself by befriending my friend's dog Mo.
Every time we game at my place, and my friend brings his dog Mo, I spoil the dog. When we play at his place, I spoil Mo.
All of my characters funnily enough, all have a Dog called Mo, be they a ranger or druid with an animal companion a Mo dog, or a wizard/ sorcerer with a familiar a Mo dog, or the character simply has a pet dog called Mo. Mo is a small 15 pound white dog, with some chiuaua ansestry, and something else...
anyways its now a running joke in our group. " yes your character can have a mo dog"
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O I did not know that Skerek! Can a non Gunslinger take Exotic Proficiency Firearms in PFS?
Yes, indeed.
Note, however, that PFS rules require you to have the Gunsmith feat in order to purchase any sort of gun, even if you have the Amatuer Gunslinger or EWP: Firearms feats.
Pathfinder RPG Ultimate Combat
Feats: Equipment: Advanced firearms on Table 3–5 are not permitted in Pathfinder Society Organized Play. No character may purchase a firearm unless he possesses the Gunsmithing feat. All ammunition except metal cartridges may be purchased in Pathfinder Society Organized Play.
The following two feats function differently in Pathfinder Society Organized Play than they do in regular games:
Gunsmithing does not grant the ability to craft firearms, ammunition, or black powder. Rather, it allows the purchase of bullets, pellets, black powder, and alchemical cartridges (with 1 rank in Craft [alchemy]) at the listed reduced price, but does not grant a discount on the purchase of any firearm. Resold items gained through this feat are worth half the actual cost paid, not half the regular market value for the item. No PC can purchase a gun without this feat, even if they possess the Amateur Gunslinger or Exotic Weapon Proficiency (firearm) feats.
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At the moment I know that at first level both the Druid and the Summoner can start off with companions,Rangers and Clerics with the Animal domain also get ACs. Cavaliers, Samurai and Paladins also do, but they have to be mounts.
I'm not sure whether having a dog animal companion skinned as a beagle counts as reskinning which is why I am worried about the idea of a druid.
As far as the rules are concerned, it doesn't matter what the breed is so long as the stats don't change. You can also have a "mutt" which is part beagle, part something else.
The character will be human with a 16 at least in Charisma.Any particular reason you need a 16?
I might just go for the Mysterious Stranger gunslinger archetype and buy a guard dog. Save the multiclassing stresses and see how long I can keep a 5hp dog alive for.
A 5hp dog is unlikely to survive to Tier 3-4 if it goes along on adventures (even if all it does is poke its cute, little snout out of your backpack). Every time it takes damage, you'll be spending not-exactly-pocket-change gold or prestige-points in the form of magical healing to keep it going (i.e., a CLW wand charge is worth 15gp, whereas the whole "pet" costs substantially less than that).
(IMO gunslinger is a "fussy" one-trick-pony class that is probably not well-suited for a new player to PFS, btw.)
= = = =
Suggestion: be a gnome or a halfling, and get a bonus to charisma (this saves 5 out of 20 build-points as a 14 gets bumped to a 16 rather than bought all the way up), and ride your dog. Then choose a class which gets some use out of that charisma.
Halfling Cleric of Erastil
STR-10
DEX+14
CON:12
INT:14 (or 12)
WIS:15
CHA+14 (or 16; I recommend the higher INT in this case)
Halfling racial alternate: Outrider
Affinity: Lastwall
Traits: Birthmark, Dangerously Curious
01 Cavalier [Gendarme][Order of the Dragon] Mounted Combat, Weapon Finesse, (Mount:pick dog)
...[Gendarme][Order of the Dragon] is a strong way to start any mount-based build (particularly one which then intends to be something else, such as a caster): you pick up two mounted, pick up a ton of class skills (don't forget the ones the Order grants), ignore armor-check penalties to Ride while mounted as a cavalier, and gain heavy armor and martial weapon proficiencies. On top of that, four skill points.
02 Cleric1 [Erastil:Animal/Plant]
...if you're not interested in Wild Shape, then being a plant/animal cleric is actually better than being a druid because you won't be restricted to garbage armor, and you can convert your spells to something which is useful and which you'll need a lot of in PFS (healing). You also see the main bread-n-butter druid spells added to your cleric list.
03 Cleric2 Boon Companion
04 Cleric3 2nd, WIS>16
05 Cleric4 [Animal Domain:Animal Companion], Indomitable Mount
...the Animal domain's animal companion feature kicks in; choose the same animal you chose as cavalier (your dog), and it will stack. You pick up Share Spells for the dog (cavalier mounts don't receive it). The level -3 penalty is eliminated by Boon Companion. Indomitable Mount is like Mounted Combat for your mount's saving-throws.
Cavalier Skill List: Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), and Swim (Str).
Order of the Dragon Skill List: Perception (Wis) and Survival (Wis)
Cleric Skill List: Appraise (Int), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (history) (Int), Knowledge (nobility) (Int), Knowledge (planes) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Linguistics (Int), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int)
Dangerously Curious (Trait grant, with +1 bonus): Use Magic Device
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At 1st, put one skill rank into each of Climb, Handle Animal, Perception, Ride, Swim, And Use Magic Device. At 2nd, put ranks into Diplomacy, Perception, Sense Motive, and Spellcraft. At 3rd, put ranks into Appraise, Bluff, Heal, and increase Ride. You can make DC10 knowledge checks untrained in PFS, so you can wait to fill those in. Ride is your most important skill; by 4th or 5th, get it maxed. You get bonuses from Halfling (Outrider). Buy masterwork tools for your skills. Buy a Circlet of Persuasion around 5th or 6th level.
Armor: breastplate for a long time (do not enchant), then mithral full-plate mid-level. Elven chain barding for the dog eventually.
Equipment at 5th: mithral four-mirror armor, mithral buckler, Cloak of Resistance +1, MW light crossbow, MW cestus, Agile Amulet of Mighty Fists, Efficient Quiver, Bag of Holding, Pathfinder Pouch, Wayfinder.
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Error: Gendarme grants one feat at 1st, not two. (Only one was taken, so no rebuild necessary.)
Stats: Start with STR:8, DEX:15 and raise DEX at 4th (WIS at 8th) and go with higher AC and ranged/finesse attacks (given the relatively modest CON, finesse/touch style, and quarter-weight mithral armor, this is very doable). Bonus: mithral four-mirror armor instead of MFP, saving 6455gp.
Getting your dog around obstacles: that's what the bag of holding is for. (Tip for not having an evil GM tell you that your dog suffocated because you forgot it: before sending the dog in, cast a spell with ten minutes or less duration which has an effect which alerts you when it expires; when it does, you're reminded. UMD'ing Longstrider off a wand is a good choice, because you'll immediately notice yourself getting slower when it expires -- and it's obviously a spell you like on yourself while afoot.)
Feats onward.... 7th: Improved Initiative, 9th: Rapid Reload or Metamagic, 11th: Metamagic (don't take anything you can duplicate with a cheap Rod).
Gear: upgrade the Amulet of Mighty Fists to Spellstoring (or even start with it that way). Since you'll be doing a lot of support work, it's nice to be able to really drop the hammer with your fewer attacks. Rapid Reload at 9th with a nice crossbow is another viable option.
A Bag of Holding is a great idea for holding a dog or a cat inside. There's got to be a way around the 10-minute limit, like sewing several wooden dowel sticks across it, or a metal barrel hoop, that forces the bag to stay open and is large enough for the animal to go through.
Escalate this to a Handy Haversack, and do the "forced open" addition to one of the side pockets. The new Familiar's Pocket. And it should only take 1 gp to do to a Bag of Holding or Handy Haversack. Mark it on your character sheet as a modification to the bag and move on.
Ok, first question I have for you is what are you wanting out of the beagle; effective fighting, scout, guard, mount, or a just-for-the-heck-of-it?
That decides which way to go on the other options.
A Bag of Holding is a great idea for holding a dog or a cat inside. There's got to be a way around the 10-minute limit, like sewing several wooden dowel sticks across it, or a metal barrel hoop, that forces the bag to stay open and is large enough for the animal to go through.
Escalate this to a Handy Haversack, and do the "forced open" addition to one of the side pockets. The new Familiar's Pocket. And it should only take 1 gp to do to a Bag of Holding or Handy Haversack. Mark it on your character sheet as a modification to the bag and move on.
I'm not sure how well the bag of holding would work out unless you are holding it in your off hand. If you throw it in your back pack other stuff will tend to fall across the opening and restrict the air flow.
The haversack should work fine though.
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I had a rogue who picked up a beagle on a whim. He took pains to keep it out of combat. The best part was the DM was always trying to figure out my "angle" for getting the dog. He probably thought I wanted it for a drug mule or something. The character just wanted a pet.
One time I ran Hollow's Last Hope, the party adopted the fox they rescued. I had a six year old facinated at what we were playing (her older sister was in the game) and if I'd thought clearer, I'd have invited the 6 year old to play the fox (it was Halloween and she was dressed as a cat.)
One mistake I regret.
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Or go with the guard dog and keep buying new ones. Give them the same name every time and claim they are the same dog even though they look nothing alike.
Guard dogs are a good idea for wizards in Tier 1-2; at Tier 3-4 they die like mice. If you keep buying them after that, you're a dog-murderer, not a dog-lover.