So my dog died this past Thursday and I want to honor him with a PC.


Advice

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I would go with the Summoner, personally.

I think that it would be a fitting tribute that even though the eidolon could pass on in this world, he would never really be gone and would return to be by his masters side once time had passed?

I also think that the class has a lot of "give and take" abilities between the two. To share hit points, take damage for each other, to boost his masters defenses.

It's representative of the kind of loyalty that I would think you and your dog would have shared?
Something that goes both ways.

Condolences, by the way.
In some ways losing an animal can hurt more than losing a person. And while I can't claim to know exactly what it is that you're going through, I can tell you that this sort of experience can be a huge wait emotionally.

Wonderful thing that you're doing to immortalize him and give him a chance to live on beside you, if only in your thoughts.
Shows that he obviously lead a good life and was loved by somebody very much.


Did you think of the haunted oracle?

Malevolent spirits follow you wherever you go, causing minor mishaps and strange occurrences (such as unexpected breezes, small objects moving on their own, and faint noises).
It's like your dog was still there playing with you !

Could can also take the spirit guide archetype:
Through her exploration of the universe's mysteries, a spirit guide opens connections to the spirit world and forms bonds with the entities that inhabit it.
This grants you fluffy connection with the outer world.

And if you go something like ancestor to get those fluffy "spirit relevations" like spiritual armor, you can think of a spiritual shield with the face of your loved dog protecting you everytime you are targetted.

- Spirit of the Warrior (lv11) would seems like when you hit with your weapon, your dog raises as spirit to aid you hit harder.

- Spirit Walk (lv11) you can imagine yourself going in the plan of your dog, and when you run incorporeal, your dog is also running behind or at your sides for the duration of the effect.

He can assist you whatever you do, he can play with you, and you are permanantly "linked" with him.

Just some thoughts, hope it can help you.
RIP doggy.


Loros wrote:

I would go with the Summoner, personally.

I think that it would be a fitting tribute that even though the eidolon could pass on in this world, he would never really be gone and would return to be by his masters side once time had passed?

I also think that the class has a lot of "give and take" abilities between the two. To share hit points, take damage for each other, to boost his masters defenses.

It's representative of the kind of loyalty that I would think you and your dog would have shared?
Something that goes both ways.

Well I appreciate the idea, I'm just not sold on doing it that way. But again, it's just a personal opinion moreso than a game opinion.

Loros wrote:


Condolences, by the way.
In some ways losing an animal can hurt more than losing a person. And while I can't claim to know exactly what it is that you're going through, I can tell you that this sort of experience can be a huge wait emotionally.

Wonderful thing that you're doing to immortalize him and give him a chance to live on beside you, if only in your thoughts.
Shows that he obviously lead a good life and was loved by somebody very much.

Thank you for that. I'm dealing with it...but you are right. This hurts more than losing say, a human friend in some respects. Malcolm was a huge part of my life from when I was in my mid 20s until now. So it's not something I can just 'shake off'.


Metux wrote:

Did you think of the haunted oracle?

Malevolent spirits follow you wherever you go, causing minor mishaps and strange occurrences (such as unexpected breezes, small objects moving on their own, and faint noises).
It's like your dog was still there playing with you !

Hmph. Well I hadn't considered going Oracle. Haunted would be a good way to do that. I had thought moreso of my dog, Malcolm, being an actual assistant rather than just a small mechanic.

Metux wrote:


Could can also take the spirit guide archetype:
Through her exploration of the universe's mysteries, a spirit guide opens connections to the spirit world and forms bonds with the entities that inhabit it.
This grants you fluffy connection with the outer world.

And if you go something like ancestor to get those fluffy "spirit relevations" like spiritual armor, you can think of a spiritual shield with the face of your loved dog protecting you everytime you are targetted.

- Spirit of the Warrior (lv11) would seems like when you hit with your weapon, your dog raises as spirit to aid you hit harder.

- Spirit Walk (lv11) you can imagine yourself going in the plan of your dog, and when you run incorporeal, your dog is also running behind or at your sides for the duration of the effect.

He can assist you whatever you do, he can play with you, and you are permanantly "linked" with him.

Well I had considered Ancestors for doing Shaman but this works some ways too.

Metux wrote:


Just some thoughts, hope it can help you.
RIP doggy.

His name was Malcolm. And I will miss him a great deal.


I guess it isn't really a player character thing, but I have had an idea for a long time for a story involving a dog.

My idea was that (for some reason) a mage or priest was the caretaker of an isolated village of handicapped people. You know retarded, crippled, etc.

The setting is your typical medieval murderfest, but this isolated village in the mountains or whatever is a peaceful oasis.

Well anyway the mage is getting older and knows he is going to die. So what does he do? Who can he trust to look after his people when he is gone?

Then his eye turns to his faithful border collie...

Anyway you know the drill, rituals, magic, "a mage did it."

We have an awakened anthropomorphic half-dog creature with some kind of template. The creature has an overwhelming purpose: to guard and protect his charges.

I was going to have a group of adventurers encounter this village and wonder how it could possibly exist in all the chaos. And why no one from any surrounding village will even go near it. To cap it off, no one in the village can really answer the question.

Brigands know from bitter experience not to even approach this village. Because if they do, the gods help them.

They will hear howling in the night, getting closer each night. It can't be reasoned with, you can't shake it from your trail, and it absolutely will not stop until you are dead.

Was going to call the short story "Guard At The Gates of Hell."


...Okay Sunbeam.

Thanks for that.


Thought I'd bump this back up a bit...see if anyone else wants to add something.


My dog Casey Jones says "bark, bark, bark, wag, wag, bark". He wants to help you bump it back up too. I hope someone comes through for you.


Victor Von Fausten wrote:
My dog Casey Jones says "bark, bark, bark, wag, wag, bark". He wants to help you bump it back up too. I hope someone comes through for you.

Thank you! :) I'm mostly interested in hoping that someone from the design team MIGHT come over here.

That or someone comes up with a good idea.


Thomas Seitz wrote:
Cavall wrote:

Ugh I looked at the preview and was thinking of you and thought to myself "this is not the best way to honour his friend."

Plus you'll have to wait some time.

Well a) I figure his emotional focus will be devotion, not hatred and b),

it's not like I'm needing this character RIGHT now.

Spirit Binder Wizard. The archetype is explicitly based around the passing of a loved one and capturing their essence within a familiar. Necromancy is involved, but you're only required not to ban the school; you don't have to specialize in it.

For the familiar itself, you could re-skin the fox familiar as a small dog for the physical base and still take Spirit's Gift to give it's the Bones mystery. Or you can give it the figment archetype.


cavernshark wrote:
Thomas Seitz wrote:
Cavall wrote:

Ugh I looked at the preview and was thinking of you and thought to myself "this is not the best way to honour his friend."

Plus you'll have to wait some time.

Well a) I figure his emotional focus will be devotion, not hatred and b),

it's not like I'm needing this character RIGHT now.

Spirit Binder Wizard. The archetype is explicitly based around the passing of a loved one and capturing their essence within a familiar. Necromancy is involved, but you're only required not to ban the school; you don't have to specialize in it.

For the familiar itself, you could re-skin the fox familiar as a small dog for the physical base and still take Spirit's Gift to give it's the Bones mystery. Or you can give it the figment archetype.

I don't think reskinning is required, from what I remember Dogs can already be familiars


Exactly, dogs can be familiars, and I was thinking of making this a regular size dog. Since you, know, he was 75 LB and probably about 3 1/2 feet tall.


Thomas Seitz wrote:
Victor Von Fausten wrote:

A few options come to mind:

Druid with a dog as his animal companion

Witch with a dog familiar

A Halfling or Gnome Cavalier who has a wardog as his trusty mount.

Or a Samsaran who was your dog in a past life and has unusually good memories of that life.

Just spitballing a few ideas. Though after looking at them the Halfling cavalier looks kind of interesting.)

Well my only problem is all these things are living. I was kind of going for...not living. You know, G-H-O-S-T or something like that. Not evil undead just...no longer of this world. Spirit and such.

Still might take up the halfling idea.

I am so sorry to hear about your dog. Malcolm must have been an excellent friend, and I hope that you get to have a great experience with this tribute character.

The quoted post elicited two ideas: one is the Spirit Binder wizard archetype (pretty self-explanatory). The other might seem a little strange, but what about a Shadowdancer? The shadow could easily be flavored as the canid protective spirit of a lost dog companion. It's certainly "[n]ot evil undead," since it shares your alignment, and it's incorporeal, which definitely affords it a sort of numinous, ethereal, ghostly quality.

Edit: well, I see Spirit Binder was suggested two posts above.


GozrehTime wrote:
I am so sorry to hear about your dog. Malcolm must have been an excellent friend, and I hope that you get to have a great experience with this tribute character.

Yes he was a great friend. Some times more than I knew. Now that he's gone...it's not been easy but there it is.

GozrehTime wrote:


The quoted post elicited two ideas: one is the Spirit Binder wizard archetype (pretty self-explanatory). The other might seem a little strange, but what about a Shadowdancer? The shadow could easily be flavored as the canid protective spirit of a lost dog companion. It's certainly "[n]ot evil undead," since it shares your alignment, and it's incorporeal, which definitely affords it a sort of numinous, ethereal, ghostly quality.

Edit: well, I see Spirit Binder was suggested two posts above.

About Shadowdancer, I just don't see it being the same as an actual you know, ghost.

At least with Spirit Binder I COULD in theory make it so he could be animal companion AND possibly a ghost (with DM's permission.)


So I've been thinking...If I do this, I really want my dog familiar to be a ghost. That might mean I give up certain features like touch spells my familiar can cast as me. I think that's a reasonable thing to do while it still advances as a familiar.

What do you think?


Bump this back up again to see what people think.

The Exchange

My condolences.

"If it [Heaven] went by merit, you would stay out and the dog would go in." - Mark Twain


Lincoln Hills wrote:

My condolences.

"If it [Heaven] went by merit, you would stay out and the dog would go in." - Mark Twain

Thanks. I was also hoping for some more insight if you had any on how I could do this via PC in Pathfinder....


Awakened Dog.

Class levels can be whatever the hell you want.


Solient, I'm pretty sure I'm sticking with ghost or spirit, NOT an actual living animal.

Awakened dog isn't something I'm ready to deal with right now.


Likely the most true to your desire way to build this would be a bit of GM hand waving. A template (such as ectoplasmic creature or ghost) would give you as true to a spirit dog as one can get, and a bit of a power boost as well. If I were GM'ing for you, I would allow it with the caveat that the dog cannot be an animal companion or familiar because of the additional scaling in power, and that fact that the dog is a spirit, not a living being. But that is just my two cents. And could be amended to your and your GM's taste.

Also, sorry to hear about the loss of your dog Malcolm but is awesome that you wish to immortalize your loyal friend via a PF character. Having lost many pets over the years, I know it hurts allot, but hang in there and remember all the good times and good memories, those matter most in my humble opinion.


GM_Beernorg wrote:

Likely the most true to your desire way to build this would be a bit of GM hand waving. A template (such as ectoplasmic creature or ghost) would give you as true to a spirit dog as one can get, and a bit of a power boost as well. If I were GM'ing for you, I would allow it with the caveat that the dog cannot be an animal companion or familiar because of the additional scaling in power, and that fact that the dog is a spirit, not a living being. But that is just my two cents. And could be amended to your and your GM's taste.

Well I was thinking more along the lines he couldn't deliver touch spells (being incorporal and all) and possibly not get spell resistance. Cause I'd like something that for animal companion or familiar. But eh I get what you're saying.

GM_Beernorg wrote:


Also, sorry to hear about the loss of your dog Malcolm but is awesome that you wish to immortalize your loyal friend via a PF character. Having lost many pets over the years, I know it hurts allot, but hang in there and remember all the good times and good memories, those matter most in my humble opinion.

Well that's what I'm trying for Mister Beernorg. Keeping to the good and try to just...let go of the bad.


Thomas Seitz wrote:
Said PC also had a beloved dog that passed on but instead of joining the eternal cycle, the dog stays on as his master beloved ghost dog. How would one create such as character?

Whatever option you take, ensure he is dog-loyal to his friends and master and dogged in his determination.

For a really cool rp take on it, there was a feat I saw once. Pre-req someone close to you had to die. Benefits, -1 wisdom drain, but the ghost of the departed manifests when you are alone, you can speak and converse and they allow you to make a second perception check at your base whenever you can take one (so that is strong, but you are taking the -1 wis to make it happen). Alas it disappears if you are disturbed by allies close by, and you have to sacrifice the 1 wis to summon it again. Works if your character does some solo scouting.


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DM Under The Bridge wrote:
Whatever option you take, ensure he is dog-loyal to his friends and master and dogged in his determination.

*GROAN!* That was a terrible pun. But otherwise I accept.

DM Under The Bridge wrote:


For a really cool rp take on it, there was a feat I saw once. Pre-req someone close to you had to die. Benefits, -1 wisdom drain, but the ghost of the departed manifests when you are alone, you can speak and converse and they allow you to make a second perception check at your base whenever you can take one (so that is strong, but you are taking the -1 wis to make it happen). Alas it disappears if you are disturbed by allies close by, and you have to sacrifice the 1 wis to summon it again. Works if your character does some solo scouting.

Huh. I'll have to check that out.


Wouldn't know where you would start to find it, deep in the history of roleplaying at the moment so cannot check for you.

It is out there, I remember it because I wanted to take it after a near TPK. Creepily expand it through the idea an npc who has a whole group of dead friends and rivals following him about.


DM Under The Bridge wrote:

Wouldn't know where you would start to find it, deep in the history of roleplaying at the moment so cannot check for you.

It is out there, I remember it because I wanted to take it after a near TPK. Creepily expand it through the idea an npc who has a whole group of dead friends and rivals following him about.

Well that's the advantage of the Internet/Google. If it exists, it's probably out there. ;)

[EDIT] Or maybe not...


Thomas Seitz wrote:

Solient, I'm pretty sure I'm sticking with ghost or spirit, NOT an actual living animal.

Awakened dog isn't something I'm ready to deal with right now.

Understood.

I'd check out Occult Adventures Playtest, if you can find it.

Or wait for the book to come out next month.

Spiritualist/Medium might suit you best, there.


Soilent wrote:

Understood.

I'd check out Occult Adventures Playtest, if you can find it.

Or wait for the book to come out next month.

Spiritualist/Medium might suit you best, there.

That was sort of my plan, yes. I have it from a reliable source there might be a way to convert phantoms (that are humaniod) into animals. However it might not be in Occult Adventures. But Spiritualist is high on the list.


Because of the nature of the situation, any reasonable GM should be able to work with you to adapt that very easily.


Soilent wrote:
Because of the nature of the situation, any reasonable GM should be able to work with you to adapt that very easily.

I'd imagine so, but if not, I have thought of having a ghost familiar/animal companion that doesn't get spell resistance and can't deliver touch spells. Still grows with me though.


Yes I'm bumping this again. I know it's not been 24 hours, but I figure with the Iconic Medium up, it's due.


Well medium preview has me thinking I COULD also do Medium as a way to keep my dog as a helper of sorts.

Still kind of like the idea of him being a ghost though an astral spirit is good too.


Thomas Seitz wrote:

Well medium preview has me thinking I COULD also do Medium as a way to keep my dog as a helper of sorts.

Still kind of like the idea of him being a ghost though an astral spirit is good too.

You might want to rather look at the Spiritualist instead, they are basically summoners with a ghost-eidolon from what i see :)


Hazrond,

Well I wasn't sure if that was something a medium could do too. But okay, I'll keep to Spiritualist with Shaman as my backup.


Looks like I'm going spiritualist! :) But then again Shaman or Wizard have their points too.


So I let this lapse a little longer to see if that helps generate responses.

Anyone else have suggestions? I really do want a ghost/spirit dog companion moreso than just a RP mechanic.


The Psychic spell list of Spiritualist should serve you best.

A Wizard would possibly be fun, but would be robbing you of a great deal of content that would allow you to interact with that spirit.


Soilent wrote:

The Psychic spell list of Spiritualist should serve you best.

A Wizard would possibly be fun, but would be robbing you of a great deal of content that would allow you to interact with that spirit.

Well I guess we'll have to wait and see when that comes out.

Thanks Solient.


Still waiting to see what Occult Adventures brings.

I do know Mesmerist isn't where I'm going, but if I ever want an anti-bard, that's the route I'm going.


Bump this back up now that Occult Adventures info has SLOWLY started to trickle in.

Silver Crusade

I'll just pop in to give my two cents

You could easily honor your passed away dog with a -living- character/animal companion. I'm speaking for myself here but I'd be more likely to do that, and celebrate the memories of him alive, than go with a spirit. You could even flavor a animal companion as being a "spirit" whos love/affection/loyalty was so strong it manifested itself on the material plane again through sheer will to be with its master. This would fit the "a boy and his dog" theme IMO.

That said, my other one cents if you do decide to go for a spirit/ghost, summoner is still a great option, you can totally reflavor your ediolon as being a spirit/ghost. It won't get the benefits of incorporealness due to the nature of your bond, but is still there. They even have traits specifically for summoners (loyalty across lifetimes, etc) from what I see occultists seem to be focused around binding/swapping spirits for powers... Not sure if I'd like that.


Rorek,

I appreciate your input. But I'm wanting to do this my way. I also feel spirit works better by not being bound by something as limiting as flesh.

Summoner...is a little too out there for me. OA Spiritualist, to me, seems the best way based on what been previewed and talked about.

I do thank you for the input.

Silver Crusade

Best of luck to ya mate. You'd know best


Thomas Seitz wrote:
the xiao wrote:
there will be a ghost rider cavalier archetype in occult, so maybe a halfling ghost dog rider cavalier?
It's a consideration. However I'm a bit meh towards mounted combat. We'll see though when Occult Adventures comes out.

Let me first say that I also am sorry for your loss. I thought I would point you to an update on the Ghostrider Cavalier for your consideration.

Luthorne wrote:
The cavalier archetype is the Ghost Rider archetype. It trades out its mount for a special version of the spiritualist's phantom companion that takes the form of a spectral mount with various restrictions; it trades out tactician, greater tactician, and master tactician for a frightful gaze ability that paralyzes creatures with fear, and eventually gains the ability to use it on creatures that are mindless or immune to mind-affecting effects; it trades out cavalier's charge for immunity to fear and producing an aura that grants a allies a bonus against fear; it trades out expert trainer and banner for the ability to have its mount ignore difficult terrain and and travel on top of water; finally, it trades out mighty charge and greater banner for the ability to have its mount walk briefly on air and eventually fly.


Gisher,

I'm just not much for mounted combat is the major hurdle I'm having. It's a cool archetype, no question about it. It's something I (as DM) might even allow to have a non-animal companion in the form of a bike perhaps.

But for me, as a character, and what I'm thinking about....I think Spiritualist (along with one of the archetypes) is really what I'm looking closer towards.


[Apologies in advance as I skipped the second page of discussion (due to time). I will come back to see what I missed soon.]

First, I would like to say that I am sorry for your loss.

Secondly, if you would like a melee-type character without waiting for Occult adventures, you may wish to look into barbarian and taking the Spirit Totem line of rage powers. Have the spirit(s) instead be flavored as just the lost canine companion's ghost. Though only viable starting at level 2, it could be a thought.

I have not looked into spiritualist or the other occult options. Just trying to offer a possible option for something prior to release.


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DM-DR wrote:

[Apologies in advance as I skipped the second page of discussion (due to time). I will come back to see what I missed soon.]

First, I would like to say that I am sorry for your loss.

Secondly, if you would like a melee-type character without waiting for Occult adventures, you may wish to look into barbarian and taking the Spirit Totem line of rage powers. Have the spirit(s) instead be flavored as just the lost canine companion's ghost. Though only viable starting at level 2, it could be a thought.

I have not looked into spiritualist or the other occult options. Just trying to offer a possible option for something prior to release.

Now there's something I hadn't considered. :) Admittedly I'd still like an actual assistant, but this does work for me as another option.

However while I'm thinking about this character, I don't think it will actually see play until maybe next year. If that. Still I appreciate something else to think about. Thank you DM-DR.


You are welcome, Thomas. And best of luck in creating a character and finding the perfect game to play it in!


DM-DR wrote:
You are welcome, Thomas. And best of luck in creating a character and finding the perfect game to play it in!

Thanks I hope to use this concept before the end of next year.

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