In an upcoming game I'm looking to play a crazy nature-themed shapeshifter, and I thought possibly allowing the feral hunter and primal companion hunter archetypes to stack might make for a cool character. Basically this would mean keeping the primal transformation ability, but only for the hunter (no animal companion available ever), though the duration would still be limited (not unlimited like the feral hunter's animal focus).
I'm gonna talk this through with my GM, but both of us are just curious to see what the boards think. Any input welcome!
Cheers,
Gears
I would take away the Feral Hunter's Feral Focus, personally. My going principle on incompatible archetypes is that usually I'll allow them, but you can't replace the same thing twice-- if both archetypes replace the level 4 ability with a new level 4 ability, you don't get two abilities for the price of one.
Once that happens, sure, go for it.
Oh, no, that's what I meant. Sorry. Maybe I used some convoluted wording. Yeah, the idea would be to completely remove feral focus but keep all the other stuff from that archetype.
Cheers for the input!
kestral287 wrote: My going principle on incompatible archetypes is that usually I'll allow them, but you can't replace the same thing twice--
Not only is it kestral's going principle, that is also 100% correct uder the official rules, unless I am decieved.
Joynt Jezebel wrote: kestral287 wrote: My going principle on incompatible archetypes is that usually I'll allow them, but you can't replace the same thing twice--
Not only is it kestral's going principle, that is also 100% correct uder the official rules, unless I am decieved. Perhaps I didn't explain this well.
The official rule: Feral Hunter and Primal Companion Hunter both replace Animal Focus, and are thus incompatible.
Kestral's General GM Practice: You can stack the two archetypes. However, you can't replace Animal Focus twice-- you can have either Feral Focus or... whatever Primal Companion's replacement ability is called.
I don't always follow that, because there are some things that don't need to be stacked, and sometimes a weak ability helps balance out a bunch of strong ones. I would not allow, for example, Synthesist+Master Summoner, or Kensai+Hexcrafter. But for something like this? Go for it.
OK.
So you normally apply the RAW, but won't allow some archetype combinations where you get much more than you give up. Sounds like a very sensible house rule.
You actually don't need a house rule to not allow the combination of synthesist and master summoner. They both replace bond senses, so you can't do it by the RAW.
... Right. You're still not getting it.
RAW: Feral Hunter and Primal Companion Hunter cannot stack. They both replace Animal Focus. That's the RAW. Such a combination is impossible, just like Synthesist + Master Summoner, for the exact same reasons.
What I would do is allow such a combination. However, you don't get both Feral Focus (Feral Hunter's replacement for Animal Focus) and Primal Transformation (Primal Companion Hunter's replacement for Animal Focus). Instead, you would have to choose one or the other; almost certainly Primal Transformation.
Thus, you end up with a character with: Primal Transformation, Precise Summoned Animal, Wild Shape, Summon Pack, Primal Surge, and Primal Master from archetypes, along with the baseline Nature Training, Wild Empathy, Track, a level 3 bonus Teamwork Feat, Woodland Stride, and Swift Tracker.
Such a combination is totally impossible by RAW. I allow it, with the caveat that you have to select one wherever there's overlap instead of getting both. Hence, houserule.
OK, now I comprehend.
So if someone wanted to play a Summoner who was both a Synthesist and Master summoner, and you thought it was not OP and decided to allow it, they would get one [only] of the 2 things that replace bonded senses.
Seems a sensible house rule, if one that can be difficult to explain. :P
Exactly, yeah.
There are occasions when both might work together at my table, if they're altering instead of replacing-- Cross/Wildblooded is the ur-example, but if you wanted, say... a First Worlder Synthesist? We could figure something out. If you really wanted to use the First Worlder's Eidolon stats for your Magical Power Armor, I'd be good with that. But those are usually really easy, and the tricky ones aren't nearly as common as the guy wanting to run, for example, a Steelbreaker/Wild Child Brawler.
For what it's worth, I got your meaning right away.
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