Awaken Spell

[Shar Tahl]

What would be the purpose of casting Awaken a second time? It gives text for the instance that this happens. Does an initial awake make it a servant, and a second make it completely free willed?

Spell Description:

You awaken a tree or animal to human-like sentience. To succeed, you must make a Will save (DC 10 + the animal's current HD, or the HD the tree will have once awakened). The awakened animal or tree is friendly toward you. You have no special empathy or connection with a creature you awaken, although it serves you in specific tasks or endeavors if you communicate your desires to it. If you cast awaken again, any previously awakened creatures remain friendly to you, but they no longer undertake tasks for you unless it is in their best interests.

An awakened tree has characteristics as if it were an animated object, except that it gains the plant type and its Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores are each 3d6. An awakened plant gains the ability to move its limbs, roots, vines, creepers, and so forth, and it has senses similar to a human's.

An awakened animal gets 3d6 Intelligence, +1d3 Charisma, and +2 HD. Its type becomes magical beast (augmented animal). An awakened animal can't serve as an animal companion, familiar, or special mount.

An awakened tree or animal can speak one language that you know, plus one additional language that you know per point of Intelligence bonus (if any). This spell does not function on an animal or plant with an Intelligence greater than 2.

[Ross Byers]

That text refers to casting awaken on a different creature. In short, you can cast awaken on every animal in the forest, but only one can be your ally at a time.

If that wasn't true, it'd be too easy for a Druid to have an army of intelligent animals following them around.

[LazarX]

Just a trivial note here. Osalian, the Great Druid of Eberron is a pine tree that was Awakened over 2 thousand years ago.

[Shar Tahl]

I see. That makes more sense now! No revenge of the forest scenario!

[Shar Tahl]

I wonder... You could probably use this as a background point for a upright walking animal like those in the novel Redwall! I shall try to convince my GM/girlfriend that I should be permitted to do this is in the next game!

[LazarX]

Shar Tahl wrote:

I wonder... You could probably use this as a background point for a upright walking animal like those in the novel Redwall! I shall try to convince my GM/girlfriend that I should be permitted to do this is in the next game!

Awaken does not change the physical characteristics of the animal. So a quadrapedal dog would still be walking on 4 legs and lack opposable thumbs. He would however be a very smart dog able to take on class levels such as ranger. And he would be smart enough to make the best use of what nature gave him physicalwise.

You want to go the furry route, you'll need a bit more than just the Awaken spell to justify it.

[Mauril]

You'll need the anthropomorphic template from one of the 3.5 books. I've never used it, but I understand that it can be incredibly broken.

[Ezh Darkstrider]

Just a thought....

Maybe instead of the Anthropomorphic template, you could start as a Rakshasa...

Maybe a 'Fallen Rakshas'... somehow born goodly-aligned... {With multitudes of built-in kill-you-on-site enemies}

Gives you many options physically, and some cool powers... Obviously only if it's world- and power-level-appropriate.

... Just a thought

Of course... not very Redwall-like, but...

[Michael Johnson 66]

If I wanted to play an anthropomorphic animal a la Redwall, I think I'd just make up a new race from scratch. It wouldn't be too hard, using the core races as a guide. A badgerfolk barbarian sounds pretty awesome, actually! :)

[LazarX]

*flees from the furry invasion*