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Okay, let's see if somebody can help me figure out how to do this:
I saw a miniature earlier today of a dwarf riding a dire bear, charging into combat. For those of you interested in seeing the miniature, you can view it via the link below:
http://paizo.com/store/byCompany/r/reaperMiniatures/byProductType/miniature s/warlord/dwarves/v5748btpy7ab7
This has inspired me to figure out a way to create a Dwarf Warrior that could ride a Dire Bear mount into combat. Needless to say, within PFS this is not easy to do. However, with as many creative people who know the rules of the game, I figure somebody here has an idea on how to do this.
After reviewing the rules, I came up with two ways this might work. First idea I came up with was to create a Paladin and create the bear as a mount. However, The bear starts off as a Small creature, that later turns into a medium sized creature. Since a dwarf is a medium sized creature, this won't do. Also, the rules are kinda vague if a bear could be selected as well.
Second idea was to create a Fighter/Summoner whose Edilion would take the form of a large dire bear. However, the trade off on levels in order to take Summoner levels to buy this up doesn't seem all that inviting.
Any other ideas on how to pull this off? Also, if anybody wants to offer clarifications on the ideas I've already offered, you're more than welcome to do so.
Tarrintino
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Another idea I considered in relation to the Summoner Eidilon option:
Does the "Boon Companion" feat in the "Seekers of Secrets" sourcebook work on the Summoner's Eidilon? Seems like an easy way to get a couple of extra points of Evoloutions for the creature, thus cutting down on the number of levels required to create the Dire Bear.
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Eidolons must look "fantastical" which means it can't look like something else that exists. So you could use the mini, but maybe you'd want to add some bling to the miniature.
Paladins, I believe, are restricted on their mounts and couldn't have a dire bear.
Try going Dwarven Cleric with Animal Domain and Boon Companion.
Or go Beast Master Ranger with Two-handed weapon fighting style.
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This does being into issue the language in Pathfinder regarding mounts. The old 3.5 language restricting mounts to being at least one size larger than the rider no longer exists. "suitable" is used to describe some mounts in the CRB, but there is no specific rule. This could lead people to believe that you can ride a mount of your same size. Therefore, a boar, sized medium could be used by a dwarf, sized medium. According to the Ride skill, an unsuitable mount only provides a -5 penalty to the check.
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This does being into issue the language in Pathfinder regarding mounts. The old 3.5 language restricting mounts to being at least one size larger than the rider no longer exists. "suitable" is used to describe some mounts in the CRB, but there is no specific rule. This could lead people to believe that you can ride a mount of your same size. Therefore, a boar, sized medium could be used by a dwarf, sized medium. According to the Ride skill, an unsuitable mount only provides a -5 penalty to the check.
You can never get a naturally large bear as an animal companion.
The summoner is your best bet. An eidolon doesn't have to be 'fantastical' it just has to be obvious that it's not an natural animal. A dire bear with that magical rune on it's forehead sounds good to me.
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Thanks for the input, guys, but I'm still unsure about going w/ the summoner to get the bear as I wouldn't be able to get the bear to large size until 8th level. Therefore, the Dwarf Bear Rider warrior wouldn't be all that much of a warrior in this case.
*sigh*
I'll have to look into the Dwarf Cleric w/ Animal Domain & Dwarf Beast Master Ranger options further and see how feasible these ideas would be.
Anybody else have a different and/or creative way to pull this idea off?
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I'll have to look into the Dwarf Cleric w/ Animal Domain
To make the bear companion large, you can use Enlarge Person thanks to Share Spells. Later in life, you can make it large with Righteous Might.
You could also just go straight Druid and focus on being a melee fighter type character with a Bear. Take a look at Bear Totem Druid. This way you still get access to Animal Growth (by far the best way to make your animal big).
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To make the bear companion large, you can use Enlarge Person thanks to Share Spells. Later in life, you can make it large with Righteous Might.
You could also just go straight Druid and focus on being a melee fighter type character with a Bear. Take a look at Bear Totem Druid. This way you still get access to Animal Growth (by far the best way to make your animal big).
You could go the other way and cast reduce person on yourself.
RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16
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To make the bear companion large, you can use Enlarge Person thanks to Share Spells. Later in life, you can make it large with Righteous Might.
Not any more. According to the FAQ, SKR has ruled that Share Spells is only usable with spells that have a Target of "You". Enlarge Person has a Target of "one humanoid creature".
To make the bear companion large, you can use Enlarge Person thanks to Share Spells. Later in life, you can make it large with Righteous Might.Not any more. According to the FAQ, SKR has ruled that Share Spells is only usable with spells that have a Target of "You". Enlarge Person has a Target of "one humanoid creature".
While this does exactly follow the rule as printed, I wonder then at the second sentence of the share spell ability:
A druid may cast spells on her animal companion even if the spells normally do not affect creatures of the companion's type (animal).
Are there any spells extant that have a target of you, but are restricted to a specific creature type?
There aren't on the summoner list, which is why SKR changed his ruling (see my post just above yours).To make the bear companion large, you can use Enlarge Person thanks to Share Spells. Later in life, you can make it large with Righteous Might.Not any more. According to the FAQ, SKR has ruled that Share Spells is only usable with spells that have a Target of "You". Enlarge Person has a Target of "one humanoid creature".While this does exactly follow the rule as printed, I wonder then at the second sentence of the share spell ability:
A druid may cast spells on her animal companion even if the spells normally do not affect creatures of the companion's type (animal).Are there any spells extant that have a target of you, but are restricted to a specific creature type?
You ninja'd me. Nice find.
Another reason to always check one's rules source before stating a rule. (I need to remind myself of this daily too.)
Venture-Captain, South Carolina—Greenville
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.*. Thread Necromancy .*.
Firstly, I am rather impatient to be a Dwarf Bear Rider--does anyone know of a PFS boon etc. that would allow this to be accomplished sooner? (As a Cavalier (Beast Rider)).
Second, are Druids and Summoners casting Enlarge Person on their companion/eidolon, hopping on for 1 min/level, then hopping off? At what level is this possible?
So my Cavalier would be riding a horse up to 7th level. A Dwarf on a horse is a non-traditional concept (barring The Hobbit/LotR). Anyone know of a good Dwarf Cavalier miniature?
Does anyone else find it silly that I can ride a dinosaur at 4th level but not a bear? ;-)
Thank you!
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I'm coming at this from the other side, I'm a beae shaman druid who wants to be able to ride my bear. Now, for whatever reason, Beast Rider cavaliers can apply the large templates to their companions at level 7 but druids can't, which seems terribly unfair. We know that the druid and cavalier levels stack for determining the level of the animal companion, do I have to actually take 7 levels of cavalier just to make my bear large so I can ride it?
The rule book says
"In addition, a 7th-level or higher Medium beast rider can select any creature whose natural size is Large or Huge, provided that creature is normally available as a Medium-sized animal companion at 7th level (like a bear)."
It doesn't say that the ability happens at 7th level *of cavalier* and replaces something else, which is the way that sort of thing is usually worded. It seems reasonable that a level 7 character with at least 1 cavalier level and a lvl 7 animal companion/mount should be able to apply the "large" templare to their existing animal companion and make it rideable. That 1 level dip would be an acceptable hit to my casting ability. Anything more than that would be too heavy a cost to pay and make multiclassing nonviable.
Thoughts?
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"In addition, a 7th-level or higher Medium beast rider can select any creature whose natural size is Large or Huge, provided that creature is normally available as a Medium-sized animal companion at 7th level (like a bear)."
Thoughts?
This would get into a case of rules as intended versus rules as written. While not written per se, the implication is that this would only apply to having seven levels of cavalier. That aside, you must still level as that class to gain the benefits of the archetype in question. It would therefore remain restricted to cavalier levels. Still, this does mean a medium sized cavalier can ride around on a large sized bear mount. It's no dire bear, but about as close as someone can expect to ride within purview of what is allowed in PFS.
The bear in the animal companion option is a black bear, with Medium as a max size. The brown (grizzly) bear maxes at Large, and could be attained by the Beast Rider Cavalier (as above- NINJA'D!).
Further, the normal Cavalier and Paladin classes' Mount feature state horses/camels being the usual mount, other suitable mounts being subject to GM approval (why you asked, yes?) The price for either bear (untrained)is as follows:
Grizzly bear-740gp
Dire Bear- 1750gp
I strongly suggest the Beast Rider Cavalier, as the RAW regarding the mount specifically mentions a Large bear. Hope this helps- cool idea!
