Its a Mantis that secretly wants to be a bear!
So is it a Manbear or a Beartis?
It just gets a little confused about what it identifies as :(
Does it hiss or does it growl?
Or does it go Growissss!
I'll probably just play a Melee Hunter with a Giant Mantis I think, provided I can find a way to keep it alive in cold terrain.
So you will not be going for Precise Shot at level 2? That plus the trait for wind that Mort pointed out should make a reasonable archer. Could probably even manage a switch hitter.
As for keeping it alive, you could always use half your spell resources on Endure Elements.
You might want to consider reduce person and ant haul. There are quite some shinengans that can be gotten into when you can fly at level 1. The biggest issue will be the weight.
I've seen the gnomish soracle at level 2 with a roc animal companion. It can be quite impressive at low levels. I never did get to see how well it scaled to higher levels though.
Flying at low levels can be great though. So far, most of our adventures have been outdoors so you could take advantage of it. The lodge battle would be the exception.
Humans are too heavy to fly. She would need undersized mount, and the mantis, ant haul. 10 str is NOT carrying you anywhere, since thats only 47 pds or so for a quadped.
Believe me, for a gnome soracle to take into the air, you need to be like carrying next to nothing, without ant haul.
Been there, done that. I would consider myself rather cheese tolerant, and I probably know the way to cheeses of many varieties.
I also don't recommending only 5 fting/staying on same spot while in the air since its a DC 15 fly check to hover...
Yeah, I think the character works better as a melee hunter as opposed to a ranged one. I kinda want them both to be in the thick of things fighting in tandem - where an archer probably wants to keep its distance a little more. Also this variant of the hunter has different animal focuses, unfortunately no DEX boost - it feels more geared to melee at any rate.
Anyway I have also heard of / played with that gnome oracle build. I discarded several "caster" classes due to being similar to what we already had, so I didn't consider it as option - but my personal variation on it is to go Kitsune, built around enchantment, and then casting Form of the Dragon on herself, her Roc, and familiar if she wants a cinematic moment or something.
As an aside, Magic Warrior Magus and I think Vigilante are one of the earliest classes to get flight - which they pick up at level 3.
GM Mort, have you seen the cheese Far Strike Monk build? Trigger Ranged Trip with Ki Throw and whoops, that bbeg you just targeted teleported right to the paladins feet. It's really silly.
I don't think I'll push undersized mount though - I feel feat pushed already and I'm perfectly happy waiting until Level 7.
So, is the character almost ready?
I'll be curious to see how it works. I haven't ever done a character with a flying mount and only seen a few in action. None of those did it via melee.
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Ki throw requires an unarmed attack. I do not see how you're doing it at ranged.
Anyway, how interesting. It seems that large mantises do get reach which means if you wanted to, you could run a polearm pet.
I agree with the emphasis on teamwork feats, hunters are better off in melee then at range.
The idea behind the cheese is that the "Ki Missile" ability allows the monk to apply its special ki attacks to its thrown weapons "as if they were unarmed strikes". Jury is out though as to whether Ki Throw would be consider a "Ki Attack".
Its blurry, I agree, but some of the silliest cheese often is :)
The cheesiest thing I have played though was an Arcanist with Emergency Force Sphere, Dimensional Slide, Shift Caster, and the Conjuration Wizards school ability. Locking people inside Emergency Force Sphere is scary as hell unless you have teleportation.
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New characters almost ready Whiskers (it was built late yesterday), just sorting out a way for my character to be in a cold area.
Worth noting though if I should be pre-purchasing cold weather gear. As knowledge spread about its cold weather or am I better off "stocking up" at the town?
I'll read up on Polearm pet later, I still have backstory work to do.
No snowshoes in town. We could get you a matching musty cold weather outfit like Einar, if you want...
Useful for catching people but you still can't kill them while in the sphere...
Ki focus and Ki throw...dubious dubious business. Too grey for me to think about it. I only take solidified cheese, not grey cheeses.
Ki focus states:
These attacks include the monk's ki strike, quivering palm, and the Stunning Fist feat (including any condition that the monk can apply using this feat).
Note it does not state Ki throw.
Use the above link, I screwed up the earlier link. Replace Axebeak with Mantis. Continue =)
GM, its more, should I really by buying cold weather gear?
OOC, I really should, but in character, I don't know yet if I already know about the cold weather - if I know about it, I should probably be buying it, but if I don't know about it, then technically I shouldn't be buying cold weather items, despite the usefulness.
Ki attack is for the monk to apply the property that allows his fists to get through DR/magic or DR/alignment, nothing to do with Ki Throw.
Ki Throw is basically a rider on your trip combat maneuver, that when you trip, you get a free reposition. Note that despite the name, there’s nothing stating that ONLY MONKS can take the feat. You could be a fighter, brawler, or what not, as long as you meet the pre-requisites, you could still take the feat. Except that the second part of the feat for creatures bigger then you would be essentially useless, since you have no ki to burn.
It does not matter if you buy cold weather gear or not. Heldren has a set waiting for you. The only problem is that it's off white, musty smelling and probably hasn't been used in years...
Cadence's letter would probably have told you its snowing here, so feel free to have your character react appropriately when it comes to gear.
One day, I'll find a way to make a wizard out of you ;)
Maybe with a Wizardizer...
New characters almost ready Whiskers (it was built late yesterday), just sorting out a way for my character to be in a cold area.
Worth noting though if I should be pre-purchasing cold weather gear. As knowledge spread about its cold weather or am I better off "stocking up" at the town?
I'll read up on Polearm pet later, I still have backstory work to do.
Great, glad it is almost ready. Where is it?
At least one of the people had to buy cold weather gear because they were caught without it. I had the clothing -- having come from the Storval plateau that made sense -- but not a full artic kit.
Do what is right for your background.
If you are still going verminous hunter (which sounded interesting) you could still take Endure Elements out of concern for your chitinous friends' health but not have cold weather gear yourself. I find that totally believable.
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Since we are about to restart, I wanted to ask if Crummock should take the wand of Summon Monster I? He could use it better than Mr. Whiskers since he has Handle Animal trained. That would allow him to try and get the summoned creature to flank, grapple, or other tricks.
Tis a hard hard thing you're asking honestly. To get an animal to do a trick it isn't trained in is a DC 25 handle animal check :(
But Crummock definitely has interesting spells known...
A 10% chance of success is much better than a 0% chance with the Handle Animal check.
Great, glad it is almost ready. Where is it?
Crunch is in my profile, finishing up on the backstory, unless you want me to speed write it and not focus on it too heavily.
I opted to get a cold weather outfit on the basis that Cadence is probably sending me out a letter informing me that its cold. I didn't want to spec too heavily in winter gear though, so its just a cold weather outfit.
Eh speed write, we can fill details as we game.
If you want me to incorporate backstory into AP, I can try to do so, but no promises. Otherwise I won't touch a players backstory without their permission.
I need to inform you that even though Vernai has the maneuver(grapple), since he doesn't have improved grapple feat, he will provoke when grappling, unless using the grab from his rider, which requires him to hit with a melee attack first.
Yep, I'm ok with that ruling.
You are also welcome to adjust my backstory to fit the campaign if you wish. I'm currently at work and not at my laptop, but I'll speed write and submit with moments of getting home.
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*growl*
I smell something bad! An animal companion without barding!
I am a proud member of Druid Local 704..
That offence is punishable with poking with pointy sticks!
But likely you didn't know Mantises can wear armor. I own animal achive(yes, huge fluffy loving friend), so I can point you to the right section.
Quadruped/Hexapod (feet) types
Camel, dinosaur (triceratops), elephant, giant ant, giant mantis, giant wasp, hippopotamus, mammoth, mastodon, megafauna (arsinoitherium, baluchitherium, megatherium), rhinoceros
Slots
Armor, belt (saddle), chest, eyes, headband, neck, shoulders, wrist
If you want to get combat reflexes as your starting feat, you may consider hauling a reach weapon around. You threaten at both 5 and 10 ft using reach weapon+spiked armor combination.
Its more, is there such a thing as light barding, because it doesn't show up on the srd or HeroLab.
@Ziva: Yes, there is - table 6-8, page 153 of the core rule book.
Basically, for a medium, non-humanoid (like a mantis), it is just double the cost of 'normal' armor.
Ah, last question then, do I (by this I mean my companion) require proficiency to wear barding? I did a quick search but some people say you do, and some say you don't - it's unclear.
Also i wrote up like a two cent backstory for speed writing - since I think I'm holding everyone up, but I can flesh it out / make various adjustments as required.
Technically you do, but since the only penalties you get for wearing barding you’re not proficient with is the negatives to your attack roll of the value of your ACP, if you have no ACP, you take no penalties! MW studded leather barding is about as much as you can put on before ACP starts to kick in.
Though for the record I actually had mithril breastplate of comfort made for my lion…now talk about high budget stuff.
Hmm ok thanks for that.
Bought and updated, Vernai now has 18 AC that jumps to 20 AC with its Beetle Animal Focus. That's not half bad.
Yeah. There's a saying, "If the enemy is in range, so are you." It applies to animal and vermin companions as well.
I'd hate to kill Vernai while you know, she was just doing as her master commanded. Companions don't even get a choice on adventuring. Also, he or she? I'm curious.
Its a she
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You know, Mr Whiskers, the little green ball could be This ;)
With a little reflavouring of the tendrils as hands...
Ziva and Cadence, you two ready? I can get ROW started again tomorrow morn my time.
My activity on Sunday(Sat for Americans) won't be very good, I'm the organizer of the family christmas parteh.
Yep, I'm ready
Finally wrote up a bit of a background on Mr. Whiskers. I'll keep the current version in my profile.
Comments/suggestions welcome.
He was the seventh child, born in a warren beneath the Storval Plateau. Even at a young age he had an interest in the world outside the warrens. In addition to the magical training he received, he was able to learn several languages and training in various wilderness skills from the Shoanti tribe that traded with his warren.
He received the nick name Mr. Whiskers from the Shoanti, who were amused by the way ice would collect on his whiskers until they looked like icicles sticking out from his face.
Finally, he was ready to go out and explore the world!
He joined a Shoanti trading expedition headed for Kaer Maga. Once there, he parted with the Shoanti and found another caravan headed south. This is when he first met Einar, a northern warrior that seemed a bit down on his luck. The two of them traveled together, eventually arriving in Heldren.
A few questions: who gave Mr Whiskers Arcane training? How did he meet Nivean? What is Mr Whiskers's actual name?
A few questions: who gave Mr Whiskers Arcane training?
Someone in the warren, Ratfolk get a bonus to Int so there should be a fair number of wizards. There was most likely some self study too. I expect that there are far more wizard Ratfolk than Arcanist.
How did he meet Nivean?
Most likely while getting survival training from the Shoanti (digging a snow cave), since lemmings burrow beneath the snow. Willing to consider other options.
What is Mr Whiskers's actual name?
I still haven't come up with a good one. Tried several times. Would love one that sounds somewhat like whiskers -- at least close enough for punning or immigration / border authorities to mangle it to whiskers.
Guys, guys, I'm waiting for Ziva and Cadence to finish their talky talkies so we can move on with the story...
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Sorry guys, might have been conspicuously absent today, but we had a family party and after that I was playing little pig and the big bad wolf with my nephew around the playground....
Guess who was the big bad wolf? ;)
Rawr =)
GM Mort,
I want to ask this before it comes up in combat. Using some string, does it work to tie a tindertwig to a smokestick so it is ready to light?
The objective would be to allow me to draw the pair as a move action, light the stick using the tindertwig as a standard action, and drop them as a free action.
If you allow it, please assume that is what I have done with each. I really should have asked this sooner, sorry.
Yes it makes sense. Why not?
I don't see any reason why it shouldn't work, but then I would have designed the smoke sticks with the igniter built in.
Thanks!