Zyonel |
Hey everyone,
I am trying a new build starting as an Elven Treesinger with a Carnivorous PLANT Companion.
I would like to multi-class with the new Divine Hunter archetype but have some questions.
Would these levels stack for the purpose of advancing my plant companion?
In other words would a level 1-Treesinger/3-Divine Hunter have a level 4 Carnivorous Flower as a companion?
Would this be granting his plant companion the Celestial template benefit as well?
On the same note would the wild empathy granted at level 1 from the hunter overcome the -4 check to make an empathy check against animals from the treesinger?
A different approach to this build could be to take the domain power as a level 1 Treesinger, and then multiclass as a regular Hunter.
In this scenario would I be able to take on the Carnivorous Flower as a companion by multi-classing as a Hunter?
Although I wouldn't benefit from the Celestial template I would then be able to gain all the teamwork feats!
Please let me know if any or all of this is possible?!
Thanks
Andreas Forster |
As I see it, it wouldn't work.
The Hunter uses the standard druid list of animal companions, while the Treesinger uses his own list of plant companions. A multiclass Treesinger/Hunter would have an animal companion according to his Hunter level and a plant companion according to his Treesinger level.
Also Wild Empathy and Green Empathy are different abilities, so they work independently. It would of course be wise to use the better one in a given situation.
Drake Brimstone |
As I am reading it, the levels in Druid and Hunter DO stack for determining the power of your Companion and this is why:
"Except for the companion being a creature of the plant type, drawn from the list below, this ability otherwise works like the standard druid's animal companion ability."
And, referring back to the Druid's Animal Companion ability
"If a character receives an animal companion from more than one source, her effective druid levels stack for the purposes of determining the statistics and abilities of the companion."
Nowhere in there does it say the other source of an Animal Companion must have the same list. As far as I am aware, it is only a Pathfinder Society Rule that ever makes that requirement. (So if this is for PFS you are out of luck.)
As for the Divine Hunter, yes, you would apply the Celestial or Fiendish template as normal.
Andreas Forster |
It's actually in the FAQ for the Advanced Players Guide.
Cavalier: Do animal companion levels from the druid class stack with cavalier mount levels?
If the animal is on the cavalier mount list and on the list of animal companions for your other class, your cavalier and druid levels stack to determine the animal's abilities. If the animal is not on the cavalier mount list, the druid levels do not stack and you must have different animals (one an animal companion, one a cavalier mount).
For example, if you are Medium druid and you choose a horse companion, levels in cavalier stack to determine the horse's abilities. If you are a Medium druid and you choose a bird companion, levels in cavalier do not stack to determine the bird's abilities, and you must choose a second creature to be your mount (or abandon the bird and select an animal companion you can use as a mount).
This same answer applies to multiclassed cavalier/rangers.
(Note that the design team discourages players from having more than one companion creature at a time, as those creatures tend to be much weaker than a single creature affected by these stacking rules, and add to the bookkeeping for playing that character.)
Although this lists issues with cavalier mounts, because of the cavalier's very limited list of mounts, it clearly states that a choice has to appear on the list of both classes in order to stack.
So this rule is still active in a home campaign. The GM could call a house rule in a home campaign, though.
But even in a home game, please inform your GM about the actual FAQ ruling and explicitly ask for a house rule, instead of just stating that it works. A GM might feel cheated otherwise ;)
Weirdo |
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Actually, the treesinger's ability is "plant bond (plant companion)" not "animal companion." So like the cavalier, it's an ability that uses the same mechanic but with a different name and restricted list of choices for flavour reasons.
The big difference is that the cavalier is restricted to a subset of choices from the druid's list, while the treesinger gets a new set of choices unique to that archetype. It's possible for the cavalier/druid to match the mount to the animal companion; it's not possible for the treesinger/hunter to match the plant companion to the animal companion.
Because the hunter (like the druid) is supposed to be a generalist in terms of their nature bond, I do not see a good reason to prohibit a hunter who is also a treesinger from choosing to treat their plant companion as their hunter companion. And the design team seems to agree with me that stacking is preferable to not stacking.
(Note that the design team discourages players from having more than one companion creature at a time, as those creatures tend to be much weaker than a single creature affected by these stacking rules, and add to the bookkeeping for playing that character.)
morningsunshine |
Because the hunter (like the druid) is supposed to be a generalist in terms of their nature bond, I do not see a good reason to prohibit a hunter who is also a treesinger from choosing to treat their plant companion as their hunter companion. And the design team seems to agree with me that stacking is preferable to not stacking.
(Note that the design team discourages players from having more than one companion creature at a time, as those creatures tend to be much weaker than a single creature affected by these stacking rules, and add to the bookkeeping for playing that character.)
Could you share the thread the above was mentioned in? Thanks!!