Last night, the clever druid of the party decided that in order to recruit dino's in the aid of Farshore's defense, he should awaken the dominant male (I don't know anything about dino pyschology, so I've been treating the herbivores like big cows and the carnivores like big cats) of the herd and ask him to recruit other dinos to the cause as the herd makes its way to Tanaroa.
The ankylosaurus, now named Herman, has an Intelligence of 9 and Charisma of 13. He's in charge of three other female ankylosaurus and is bound to run into more herd of herbivores. From what I know of herd mentality, if Herman was to run into another group of ankylosaurus he would probably take it over and bring those other dino's with him.
I don't know how this should play out. Should I roll randomly on the encounter table to see if they make it there and if they run into other dinos? How should I resolve the 'really really smart cow' issue when dealing with other dinos? I want to reward ingenious solutions but I don't want to make this part of the module a cake walk.
Hmmm. An interesting idea, but how do you get a herd of ankylosaurs from Tanaroa to Farshore, which is on an island. Ankylosaurs are considerably larger than a horse, and trying to get an untamed one into a sling to put him on a ship has to be tough, though druid spells could probably make it possible. Teleportation might work, but that will limit the size of the herd you can get to Farshore. And do you let them run around in the little town, taking the sides off of buildings with their spikes? Or wander through the plantations outside town, angering the farmers you're supposed to be protecting? One awakened ankylosaur might work OK, since you could explain that the houses and farms are what he's here to save. A herd of un-awakened ankylosaurs might generally herd after the awakened leader, but they'll still behave like big wild herbivores. Imagine a herd of oversized bison stampeding through town and you get the picture.
I'd reward creativity by allowing the druid to bring the awakened creature to aid in the defense. Not quite sure how you would direct the rest of the ankylosaur herd in battle anyway, unless you can somehow either train or ensorcel them all to get them under direct control.
i would also consider the free will given to the dino. it might just not want to protect anyone... you might make the PCs roll some impressive diplomacy checks to convince it. then again what language does an awakened dino speak...? it would take time to teach it a language. on the otherhand the druid can cast speak with animals and communicate with it via that spell.
i like this idea, very fantasy like! what spell awakens an animal? what level is it?
*blink* you dont know?
Awaken, druid list, level 5
This spell gets awesome fun when combining with something like redwizardry and mystic theurge.. and you are casting a empower^7 awaken = Int avg 49-50
Those are some seriously smart dinos :D
This spell gets awesome fun when combining with something like redwizardry and mystic theurge.. and you are casting a empower^7 awaken = Int avg 49-50
I was under the impression that you could apply any given metamagic feat to any one spell only once. Therefore, no octuple-extended divine favors, or septuple-empowered awakens, etc. Am I confused?
|
i would also consider the free will given to the dino. it might just not want to protect anyone... you might make the PCs roll some impressive diplomacy checks to convince it. then again what language does an awakened dino speak...? it would take time to teach it a language. on the otherhand the druid can cast speak with animals and communicate with it via that spell.
i like this idea, very fantasy like! what spell awakens an animal? what level is it?
Awaken is a 5th level druid spell. It's in the 3.5 PHB.
originally there was no such limitations.
Those were introduced after such superfun spells were revealed...
You can still do it, if you pick the same feat that many times (doh! ps: -really dumb rule, btw)
Redwizrds are a special case tho, as they don't even need to pick those feats in the first place in order to use them while using their circlemagic spell-levels.
|
Back on topic, high end breakings of the Awaken spell aside, I would think that a single awakened dino would be able to get lesser unawakened dinos of the same species to follow him with the general herd mentality.
Beyond that, getting that dino to do what you want, in GENERAL TERMS, should be manageable with some diplomacy and/or handle animal checks. I'd probably make it a diplomacy check, and let handle animal provide a synergy bonus, or some such. In turn, his control over the rest of the herd will be imperfect as well, though, so having the whole herd act with him will be a haphazard affair, to say the least; this will be particularly true if he leads them into obvious danger. Expect lots of collateral damage. But it should definitely be FUN to watch. :)
better.. awaken rocs & T-rexes (& Similar slayers)
Rocs then carry the meateaters to the ships & drop as bombs..
Much of a similar event in my STAP; the druid awakened a plesiosaur to guard the harbor, then began searching for "herdless" dinosaurs to bring to the "farshore herd". So by the time the Crimson Fleet arrived, they had a plesiosaur, an elasmosaur (non-awakened, just well trained), three megaraptors, four stegosaurs, and six parasaurolophus (duckbills).
That, and the druid has been considering getting Temuani-Tecuani (the Uber-Rex) raised and awakened, or maybe just reincarneted, under the right circumstances.
Or go strait for the fishysaurusus (I can not seem to spell ichthyaurusus O:) Why let the ships ever get to Farshore if you can take them down at sea. Like the awakened anky though, makes me want to play a druid. Anyone remember the illusion of an ankylosaurus that was actually a rust monster (I think it was A4-one of the 'slavelord' series.) Been wanting an anky since then.
That, and the druid has been considering getting Temuani-Tecuani (the Uber-Rex) raised and awakened, or maybe just reincarneted, under the right circumstances.
That is a NEAT idea. I really like the idea of an angry Olman cleric/druid raising the Rex from the dead, awakening him, and then becoming an ecoterrorist against the colonists.
What I wound up doing was awarding double VP for the awakened dino. I had the other non-awakened ones killed en route, while Herman survived becuase he was smarter than the predator. He then helped the colonists who went onto the peninsula by being a talktative beast of burden and by giving the kids rides. It was cute.
The druid also effectively scuttled two Crimson Fleet ships with a control winds spell. He's a smart guy, that little druid.
Thanks for the feedback! It really helped with my overall decision on how to treat the dino.
..lol reincarnated.. but as a gnome... and then left wondering how come no one fears him anymore :D
I'm just going to interduce the saurians during HTBM useing a traveling monk Hornhead Saurial named Gihzt, they'll make interesting allies and chould pervided the dinosaure "troops"
I'm just going to introduce the saurians during HTBM using a traveling monk Hornhead Saurial named Gihzt, they'll make interesting allies and could provide farshore with awakened dinosaur "troops"