So I was typing out a draft for an Aid Another guide on Google Docs qnd ai wanted to ask a few questions regarding the action. Primarily so I dont look dumb when I show it off. Primarily I got the idea of this guide after seeing an Eldritch Guardian Fighter Archetype build focusing on giving +6 helpful bonuses with himself AND his Familiar creature. This got me thinking on how to apply this build to a character focused on Aid Another that could be in 3 places at once or even triple guard someone if need be.
So my questions are as followes:
1. Do Aid Another bonuses stack from Player and Companions? (i.e. Familiars or Animals or Leadership Cohorts).
2. Can Creatures Aid Another with Bodyguard if they share the same square? Are they considered adjacent?
3. How far is a threatened square depending on the size of the creature? (debating on Bodyguard Familiar or Mauler Familiar archetype.) This is related to the question above regarding Familiars with Bodyguard.
4. Can a creature Aid Another to another creature while mounted? Can he Aid Another to his Master/Rider?
5. How do Magic Items work when you have a Familiar and Mount companion active in your campaign? (i.e. Can we all have Bonevilent Armor?)
6. Do Eldritch Guardians have a Spellcasting level? Are there other Archetypes that have Familiars but no spellcasting level?
7. Just to confirm, Familiar level is Player level but only gains abilities based on the players Spellcasting Level? Animal Companion level is only affected by the players Effective Druid Level?
1) Yes. Different sources stack.
2) I believe so.
3) Small and Medium sized creatures threaten 5 feet. Any smaller than that, and you only threaten 0ft. That is, you can only attack something inside of your square.
4) I believe so.
5) I believe so.
6) Eldritch Guardians does not have a Spellcasting level. I do not know of other non-caster archetypes which grants familiars.
7) The familiar's level never changes. It does not get feats or skill ranks. The familiar's statitics are based on its master total stats. The familiar gains abilities based on the level of the class which granted the familiar.
Animal Companion's level and progression is only affected by the player's Effective Druid Level.
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Here's a feat you might like. Boon Companion.
1) Aid Another bonuses are untyped, so they all stack. The GM may rule that there are only so many characters that can Aid you at one time, depending on what you're doing.
2) Whether a square is adjacent to itself is a hotly debated topic and may vary from rule to rule. Here I have to say yes, the square is adjacent to itself; it would be dumb not to be able to Aid the familiar on your shoulder or the companion you're riding on because you're somehow too close.
3) I'm not positive I understand the question, but I think you want this table.
4) Nothing says otherwise, so Yes to both.
5) I'm not sure what you mean, but certainly nothing stops you from all having benevolent armor. Whether the bonuses from the armor will stack with each other is unclear to me, because it says you add the enhancement bonus of the armor to the aidee's AC but doesn't say "as an enhancement bonus." If it is such, they won't stack; if it's just adding to the Aid's untyped bonus, they will. I could see it either way. Heck, I could call it obvious either way. :-(
6) Not for being Eldritch Guardians, no. They could multiclass like anyone else. I can't think of other such archetypes offhand, but the feats Familiar Bond and Improved Familiar Bond make familiars available to absolutely anyone.
7) Familiars do not have levels. You are probably thinking of
Hit Dice: For the purpose of effects related to number of Hit Dice, use the master's character level or the familiar's normal HD total, whichever is higher.
It gets abilities based on the master's effective wizard level. Effective wizard levels from multiple sources stack. The familiar of a Wizard 2 / Cleric 14 is considered 16 HD but only has the abilities of a 2nd-level Wizard's familiar. Animal Companion goes by effective druid level (which also stacks), yes.
Okay, so that helps a bit. This will help me with the guide so far... So a few more questions based on the above questions possible...
1. Okay, so basically a +18 to AC is the stars qlight just right with my three bodyguard creatures. Lol
2. Good to know. I'll make sure to note that this is debated.
3. Are there any good small sized familiars?
4. Another bonus for Cavalier.
5. I mean, can we all three habe rings and armor ans magic items or do we share a magic item slot? I asssume by Fuzzys answer, the qnswer is yes.
6. I misread the rules. Qustion is void.
7. Okay that makes sense. And those feats are nice.
3) I had a Wallaby tank once. His name was Wally.
As Spiked Chain said, those are the small familiars. Dodo and Wallaby are the most attractive choices in my opinion.
5) Familiars and animal companions do have their own magic item slots. Check this table: Table: Magic Item Slots for Animals. They mention it is all up to the GM, in the end, though.
EDIT: Oh, and I hope you're picking up this feat: Harrying Partners.
Okay so basically.... Bodyguard Archetype for the Wallaby, Goat, and Dodo familiars and Familiar's you plan to be using to Aid Yourself. Otherwise Mauler would be a better Aid Another Archtype to use to increase the size of a Creature. (Pick one with High Con and High Natural Armor and you got yourself a decent companion).
@Wonderstell - Thank you for the list as this will do wonders for helping me with Familiar and Mount choices. Seems like pretty much all the choices for the Aid Another Familiar and Animal Handler are able to wear the Benevolent Armor.... now the thing is: How much money does it cost to equip 3 characters with 1 player's worth of gold? Considering I can't cut cost by making them myself. Hahaha.
Already saw Harrying Partners as this and I already have it listed under a must have feat for the Cavalier build. I'm currently searching for ways other classes can give this benefit to others without much effort.
So far I think the best build is a Bard and Cavalier combo with Familiar Bond and Improved Familiar Bond. I'm thinking of going Human Cavalier due to the fact that Path of the Dragon and Helpful don't stack. I might go Halfling Cavalier for the "Medium Mount vs Large Mount" pros and cons.
For the purpose of the guide I was writing up, this was quite helpful. If I have any further questions, I'll be sure to ask.
Before I go, last question: Is there anything rules based that you think would be helpful to know for Companion Aid Another tactics? Any Advice or Tips you could give? (I know wrong location for the second, but it wouldn't hurt to ask).
Are there any other "Aid Another" classes that share Teamwork Feats with allies?
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Hunter and the Sacred Huntmaster Inquisitor archetype share all their teamwork feats with their animal companions. You can do some pretty neat things with them.
Also worth noting is the Monster Tactician Inquisitor Archetype. It shares its teamwork feats with the creatures it summons, and remember that when you summon lots of creatures you can get tons of Aid Another attempts.
Another is the Holy Tactician Paladin archetype. It shares 1 teamwork feat with all allies, with an unlimited duration (and the ability to change it as a swift action).
Hm.... I'll have to take a look at those to try and abuse Harrying Partners by force feeding it to allies. Thanks again for the tips and tricks guys, I'll be sure to keep those in mind while writing this guide.
If you're getting down to pricing, remember the Armor for Unusual Creatures table. It may help you or screw you, depending on the creature.
@Scott
I wasnt planning to go to far in depth about bodyguard outside of size restrictions and a few interations between companion and familiar for archetypes.
But looking at these I could dedicate a whole section of the thread to Bodyguard FAQS.
@Fuzzy What does it mean that medium creatures cost x2 the amount?
@Fuzzy What does it mean that medium creatures cost x2 the amount?
The x2 is for Medium non-humanoid creatures. That means that if you have, say, a pony (which are Medium non-humanoids) and you want barding (animal armor) for it you have to pay twice the base cost, so full plate would be 1500 x2 = 3000.
Note that only the base cost is multiplied---masterwork full plate for a pony is 3150, not 3300, and making it out of adamantine only adds the usual 15000 for heavy armor, not 30000.
Similarly, full plate for a horse (Large non-humanoid) is 1500 x4 = 6000. Medium humanoids are x1 for everything because that's the baseline.
And note the footnote that Tiny or smaller creatures divide the armor bonus by 2, so if you get full plate for a Tiny familiar (which is most of them) it only provides +4, not +9. (Sucks!) This will affect the bonus granted by benevolent armor. Magic armor's +N applies normally (is not halved).
Okay. This does help clarify a lot of confusion. Though that does mean I will be even less cash in my pocket giving me abd my familiar and companiin benevolent armor.
@Markov: I was considering Duettist Bard but it wouldncost arcane strike. Though not using a lot of spell levels it might be worth ignoring. Reviewing the list I might go Mauling Turtle or Armadillo or even go Bodyhuard for either the Dodo or Wallaby. Thank you for helping to explain how familiars work, I'll have to rework that section lol.
@Fuzzy: Okay that makes sense. So basically the base armor cost is doubled but the enchantment cost remains the same. That doesnt hurt to much but something I will hqve to keep in mind. Thank you for all your help.
Don't forget the Battle Song of the People's Revolt masterpiece.
The Rogue Carnivalist archetype gets a familiar without being a caster.It's not a good idea, but it gets one.
They do but not something I would look into. I gave them a (*) on the guide and a (***) with Mauler Archetype. On a build making three Aid Another bots (you, familiar, and mount) that is PFS Legal. On a build focused for Aid Another bot for the Familar it qould work to give the Maer extra damage and one yoy start the ability to Bodyguard as an AoO than it is quite strong.
Personally I think the only (*****) classes for an Aid Another Familiar would be Eldrixh Guardian Fighter by increasing self AC and sharing their Combat Spells onto a Mauling Familiar instead of using the Bodyguard Template.
Just thought I'd drop this info here since I came across it for a character I was working on.
I have an Archer Inquisitor with the Chivalry Inquisition which grants a mount (as the Cavalier). I increased the mount's intelligence up to 3, and have given in Combat Reflexes, Bodyguard, In Harm's Way, Combat Stamina, Benevolent Armor enhancement, Creed of Protection, and Ring of Tactical Precision (on my character).
All these things combine to allow my animal companion to boost my AC as an AoO by 7, or 9 if he spends the Stamina points.
Aid another (normal) +2
Creed of Protection +2
Benevolent +2 (currently varies as enhancement on armor increases)
Ring of Tactical Precision +1
Combat Stamina allows up to 2 points to be spent to increase the Aid Bonus by 2.