Hello. I am playing a halfling duelist of sorts (Lore Warden/MoMS Monk/Duelist) and I have gotten a warpony cohort that my character has become attached to during the story unfolding.
I am considering awakening it and turning it into cohort since otherwise it wont be able to keep up with the CR increses as we progress further.
What would be a good class for such cohort? I have been considering a hexcrafter magus since that leaves his to hit chances somewhat competitive with Arcane Accuracy + 3/4 BAB and it will get access to the flight hex, which is nice for a mount.
But provided that the GM doesn't approve my maximised awaken idea - what other good class options can you suggest?
Barbarian. With spell sunder rage power, and beast totem for pounce/claw/bite attacks.
You can ask it, when it awakens, what it wanna do with is new life :)
But depending on your groups way of doing things like cohorts.
In my group i think the awakens spell could awakens the horse but not give it x class levels. I must admit i love the idea of a halfling swashbuckler and his magic horse. Consider monk levels if you get DM approval, a fast horse is nice after all.
Or look at that feat that gives an animal companion, even if it not as epic.
Edit: even if i wouldent allow a hex crafter magus horse being made with an awaken Spell. I really like the image of a pony using Evil-eye hex:)
TGMaxMaxer wrote: Barbarian. With spell sunder rage power, and beast totem for pounce/claw/bite attacks.
Spell sunder does seem really interesting, thanks for the suggestion. Together with step up and disruptive it can be a mean spellcaster harasser. Probably should consider getting 4 level in Lore Warden, since his CMB will be a bit low, considering the is a cohort.
Mad Dog barbarian archetype also seems quite amusing, but probably will take too action time from the rest of the group.
Yeah, I wasn't counting on awaken giving it class levels, but sending the cohort to teach a new class once it is already awoken.
Pehaps it want to be a bard and whistle inspire curage at you when you figth:)
I meant make the Warpony an Invulnerable Rager Barbarian, and take the Beast totem tree for pounce. Frothing-mad pony charge-pounces, then the duelist on top carves you up as well.
Cap. Darling wrote: Pehaps it want to be a bard and whistle inspire curage at you when you figth:) Wouldn't that make him a Donkey instead of Pony? (hat tip to Shrek)
If it's functioning as a mount I'd go fighter, barbarian, or monk.
With the level penalty and racial hit dice rage rounds might be a problem in the short term, but that would be the strongest option in the long term I expect.
Monk will give the best non-raging saves and evasion and possibly a nice speed boost. The HD are d8s, though, and BAB is not good enough to keep up when not flurrying and maybe not even then.
Fighter can get you armor training and weapon training so barding doesn't impact mobility and accuracy will be good. More AC and less HP than barbarian, but this version should be the best at hitting.
I think I'd go fighter or monk depending on what his wisdom score winds up as.
It has 14 Wisdom which is not bad, but I am not overly attached to the monk idea. I have been considering Brawler Fighter as of late. Sadly Close Combatant does not apply to hooves (although it does for armor spikes which are the only manufactured weapon the pony can wield), but Menacing Stance + Step Up + Disruptive will make it a spellcaster's nightmare.
Im not sure if I should bother with combat maneuver's though (provided awaken gives it at least 13 int for expertise).
Brawler gives bonus to bull rush, reposition and drag, but then again Fury's Fall can stack it's good Str and Dex to CMB. Which would be the better maneuver to focus on (if any)?
with 2 feats you can ask your DM to turn the pony into your animal companion... if your DM doesn't like the awakening idea + leadership feat stuff
Skill focus: Knowledge (nature)
Eldritch Heritage : Sylvan
however: link
or you can take these two feats:
- Nature Soul
- Animal Ally
link
I think I will go with the brawler option. It really seems to offer a lot of enefits. My planned level progression until lvl 17 (few campaigns last more than that) so far is as follows:
Fighter 1 (L.Warden):[1] Weapon Finesse, [B] Dodge
Fighter 2: [B] Dervish Dance, [B] Combat Expertise
Monk 1 (MoMS): [3] Crane Style, [B] Crane Wing, [B] Improved Unarmed Strike, fuse style
Monk 2: [B] Crane Riposte
Fighter 3: [5] Archon Style, maneuver mastery
Fighter 4: [B] Mobility
Fighter 5: [7] Leadership, weapon training (heavy blades)
Duelist 1: Canny defense, precise strike
Duelist 2: [9] Archon Diversion, improved reaction +2, parry
Duelist 3: Enhansed mobility
Duelist 4: [11] Archon justice, [B] Combat Reflexes, grace
Duelist 5: Riposte
Duelist 6: [13] Critical Focus, acrobatic charge
Duelist 7: Elaborate defense
Duelist 8: [15] Staggering Critical, improved reaction +4
Duelist 9: [B] Deflect Arrows, no retreat
Duelist 10: [17] Blind Fight, Crippling Critical
Awakened War Pony
Animal 1: [B] Endurance, [1] Run
Animal 2:
Awakened HD 1: [3] Step Up
Awakened HD 2:
Fighter 1 (Brawler): [B] Weapon Focus (armor spikes), [5] Combat Reflexes
Fighter 2: [B] Iron Will, bravery +1, close control +1
Fighter 3: [7] Power Attack, close combatant +1/3
Fighter 4: [B] Blind Fight
Fighter 5: [9] Improved Bull Rush
Fighter 6: [B] Disruptive, bravery +2, close combatant +2/4, close control +2
Fighter 7: [11] Rhino Charge, menacing stance -1/-4
Fighter 8: [B] Dazing Assault
Fighter 9: [13] Greater Weapon Focus (armor spikes), close combatant +3/5, no escape
Fighter 10: [B] Improved Bull Rush, bravery +3, close control +3
Fighter 11: [15] Spiked Destroyer, menasing stance -2/-5
An impact armor spikes will help with the bull rush checks, adding enhancement bonus, close combatant attack bonus and greater weapon focus to the CMB (I think?). Step Up, Dazing Assault, Disruptive + Menacing Stance and no escape should give casters real run for their money, provided the pony can reach them. Menacing Stance + Archon Style should work in tandem to provide the pony with some protection. Will save will be a bit low, but don't see how I can help that besides taking Iron Will. One crippling (-4 saves) + staggering critical start land - the enemy options will be a lot more limited, especially with a dazing assault following them shortly.
Any feedback or suggestions?
Gloves of dueling, custom saddle providing Mounted Combat and wayfinder providing weapon focus (scimitar) are included in the planned character equipment besides the usual stat boosters.
Step Up, Blind Fight, Improved Bull Rush, and Greater Bull Rush seem less than ideal.
What about improved unarmed strike, dragon style, Improved Overrun, Charge Through and Greater Overrun?
That would let you go through meat shields, which is more a caster's nightmare than a minor defensive casting penalty that they won't even notice at higher levels.
Atarlost wrote: Step Up, Blind Fight, Improved Bull Rush, and Greater Bull Rush seem less than ideal.
What about improved unarmed strike, dragon style, Improved Overrun, Charge Through and Greater Overrun?
That would let you go through meat shields, which is more a caster's nightmare than a minor defensive casting penalty that they won't even notice at higher levels.
Well I have considered the Charge Through chain (nice find on the dragon style though), but overrun cannot be done with a weapon and brawler gives no bonuses to overrun checks, so that would mean loosing about 5-10 on the modifier from enhancement, close control, close combatant and greater weapon focus. Having in mind that the pony is already at -3 from being a cohort with some animal hit dies - it makes the chances for overruning a meat shield less than ideal.
As for the defensive casting penalty - I was assuming that -9 will limit their options for casting higher level spells. Sure they can fire lower level ones, but it's still something.
You could go unarmed fighter instead and get weapon training for the hooves. And the pony would get another style feat free of prerequisites.
Wizard obviously. And he should be named "Steve"
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