My 2 cp:
1) I'd like a rule that discourages 'meat shield', expendable, animal companions.
2) I'd like a rule that encourages Handle Animal use, and rewards players for placing ranks in the skill.
3) I'd like a rule that is very easy to administer.
Those are all interesting ideas, but they still wouldn't answer my pet peeve: druids who start off adventuring with a semi-useless animal companion.
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I will continue to think on it and I am not going to debate it at this point as I have driven 67 of the past 92 hours. I want to make sure I am rested and clear headed before I start making any changes. I did want to let you, and everyone else, know that I will be addressing all of these contentious issues once I officially arrive at Paizo.Thank you and drive safe.
My 2 cp:
1) I'd like a rule that discourages 'meat shield', expendable, animal companions.
2) I'd like a rule that encourages Handle Animal use, and rewards players for placing ranks in the skill.
3) I'd like a rule that is very easy to administer.Those three are the most important (no particular order). In addition, 4) I'd like a rule that allows a druid or ranger to change animal companions based on the adventure and still have most/all of their tricks. For example, I might want a bird on the Throaty Mermaid instead of a large cat.
Also, I think it should be specifically stated that the Ranger Beast Master archtype has access to all the Druid animal companion choices. As currently written in the guide, this is implied but it specifically states that a Ranger cannot.
-Swiftbrook
Just My Thoughts[
Simple Fix:
1. Druids start at 1st level with a fully trained animal companion. Additional tricks that could be known, either based on new bonus tricks, or an increase in the animal companion’s intelligence must be trained as noted below.
2. Druid’s may switch out animal companions by transferring tricks known as appropriate, by making a Handle Animal check (DC 20 +1 per trick transferred).
3. Druid’s may replace animal companions that died during a scenario before the next scenario starts. The new animal companion may known a number of tricks based on handle animal check (DC 20). Bonus tricks are known with the base check. For every 5 the check is made by, one additional trick can be known.
4. In all cases, a Druid may train their animal companion a number of times per scenario equal to one half their ranks (minimum 1) in Handle Animal.
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My simple solution, change the rules.
An animal companion starts with six tricks of the owners choice. All additional tricks must be trained one per scenario (or one at each full XP if taking the 'slow' progression) using the Handle Animal Rules. Training for a task is not available.
You can say that these six tricks are simply a combination of the druids bonus trick and tricks that the animal companion has already learned.
A first level, first scenario Druid starts off with a useful animal companion, not one with just one trick. A 10th level druid who just lost their animal companion will have a useful, if not fully tricked out, animal companion for their next adventure.
Edit: If you don't like the idea of having them start with 6, you could change it as low as 4. I think 4 is the absolute minimum to have a functional animal companion.
-Swiftbrook
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A well played Druid still has more options. For one thing they're not restricted by a limited spells known list, and they've got a good deal more variety of spells to boot. And need I mention wild shape?
When you consider abilities of summons, a summoner has just as many, if not more options. At level 4 a druid gets to turn in to a medium or small animal once a day for an hour. Id rather take the shield ally a summoner gets at level 4 if you want to bring wild shape into it.
At that level an Eidlon will have 7 evo points, from which a summoner could choose to give his Eidlon spells to further spread out his options, including cure spells.
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I had done that, too (combat), for the same reason, but then Mark had indicated you could only train one trick at a time. (I'm sorry, but I don't have the link.) So am having to train one trick at a time. Sigh.
Who is this Mark you speak of? Also what were you told to do re undoing the training for a purpose? Were you allowed to roll for training for any sessions you hadn't previously rolled in (because your AC didn't have the capacity to learn any new tricks)?
Seriously if you aren't allowed to train for a purpose it should be spelt out explicitly in the FAQ for PFS and also provide advice on how to re-spec your character if they had trained for a purpose.
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I had done that, too (combat), for the same reason, but then Mark had indicated you could only train one trick at a time. (I'm sorry, but I don't have the link.) So am having to train one trick at a time. Sigh.Who is this Mark you speak of?
Mark Moreland, now a developer at Paizo.
You might remember him as yoda8myhead.
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Mark Moreland, now a developer at Paizo.
You might remember him as yoda8myhead.
So his ruling is official in regards to Pathfinder Society organised play? If so I may ask him re re-specing my PC.
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So his ruling is official in regards to Pathfinder Society organised play? If so I may ask him re re-specing my PC.Mark Moreland, now a developer at Paizo.
You might remember him as yoda8myhead.
I ... guess. He was appointed to the head of PFS temporarily as Hyrum Savage left. I believe Michael Brock (I'll call him Dr. Brock from now on coz it's more fun) will take the position at the start of October.
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All this moaning about left-behind druids are (versus summoners) with their full-on spellcasting and pounce-kitties is starting to make me think that my samurai is just plain hosed because his horse doesn't get to shoot lightning bolts out its arse. I mean really: where's the love here?
Ya mounted classes are hosed, though samurai less then cavaliers I think. I guess you could turn around and shoot lightning bolts from your bow with mounted archery and make it appear as if they were from its arse.
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All this moaning about how left-behind druids are (versus summoners) with their full-on spellcasting and pounce-kitties is starting to make me think that my samurai is just plain hosed because his horse doesn't get to shoot lightning bolts out its arse. I mean really: where's the love here?Ya mounted classes are hosed, though samurai less then cavaliers I think. I guess you could turn around and shoot lightning bolts from your bow with mounted archery and make it appear as if they were from its arse.
I suppose I could buy two pairs of Slippers of Spider Climbing and put them on my horse when we have to go down a shaft.
...can a dog or a horse wear a ring?
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I suppose I could buy two pairs of Slippers of Spider Climbing and put them on my horse when we have to go down a shaft.or just rig a rope sling and lower the animal down. that's what I usually do.
That's easy enough for a dog, but a horse (not Reduce Animal'd)? ...fuggedabudit.
Slippers of Spider Climbing (or UMD it off a wand) on your horse has another benefit: if a swing-on-hinges trap door opens under you while riding, your mount "sticks" to the swung-down door rather than falling into the pit!
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Slippers of Spider Climbing (or UMD it off a wand) on your horse has another benefit: if a swing-on-hinges trap door opens under you while riding, your mount "sticks" to the swung-down door rather than falling into the pit!
Plus he gets to wear a red and blue costume and fight crime when not working for the PFS. Sometimes with great power comes great responsibility spiderhorse.
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And need I mention wild shape?
You can mention wild shape. but unless your druid is built for it, he most likely won't get much use out of wild shape aside from an odd scouting mission, considering that unless he's spent feats for it he can't cast spells, and it just augments his physical stats a little bit.
yeah druids have a great class feature, that turns them into split personalities. on one hand you've got spellcasters on the other you've got spellcasters who are a little more prepared for combat but can no longer cast spells.
i can *totally* see why there's a need to penalize them more than they would already be penalized by splitting up their statistics, and making it harder to control part of their class feature.
vs. a summoner, who only needs to focus on one mental stat, some con, and duck and hide behind everyone, and has automagical control of a more powerful / intelligent pet that has a lot more magic item slots than an animal typically has.