RPG Superstar Season 9 Top 16, RPG Superstar 2015 Top 32
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I am playing a ratfolk witch who rides around on a riding dog. The uses for the mount are very nice, like the ability to carry more loot, moving without using my actions, and the ability to move double what I normally do.
The problem is that my dog is going to be in serious danger as I increase in level. Area of effect spells, like fireballs, or even monsters choosing to attack the dog could mean I have a dead pooch.
What can I do to keep him safe and alive?
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Onyx dog isn't a bad idea but I will severely limited on my time allowed with him.
There is a variation in 'Classic Treasures Revisited' which would let you combine the 'animal companion' idea with the 'figurine of wondrous power' idea and have it be available more often. Provided your GM approves that of course.
Yar!
As a witch, it's difficult. Most possible solutions probably will not be thematic, as the one mentioned above.
The obvious non-bloodline feat options would be multiclassing into any class that gives an animal companion or mount as a class feature.
Druid. Paladin. Cavalier. Ranger. etc.
The Boon Companion feat gives you a +4 effective druid level (max your character level) for determining you AC abilities (but it is not in any core boor).
Cavalier can take the "Horse Master" feat from ultimate Combat after reaching 4th level, which lets you treat your total character level as your effective druid level. This is probably your best multiclass option.
Honestly, the best solution for you that I can think of right now that doesn't risk totally betraying your character concept is to take the Leadership feat at 7th level to can a monstrous Cohort that can be used as your mount.
Good luck!
~P
Another option would be to see if your GM would allow a slightly modified Talisman of the Summoned Steed, from the Taldor companion book by Paizo (yes, it is a 3.5 Golarion book).
If your GM was willing, you could ask to change the steed from a horse to a riding dog.
You could even have two, so that if one is killed, you have another one that you can summond and ride for the rest of the day.
these would take some talking to your dm, but you could use the level 1 witch spell Mount and ask that you get a riding dog instead. The other would be Phantom Steed however this would for sure have to be okayed by your dm seeing as it is not a witch spell.
Mounted Combat Feat:
Once per round when your mount is hit in combat, you may attempt a Ride check (as an immediate action) to negate the hit. The hit is negated if your Ride check result is greater than the opponent's attack roll.
Should stop some of your problem.
Yar!
Mounted Combat Feat:
Once per round when your mount is hit in combat, you may attempt a Ride check (as an immediate action) to negate the hit. The hit is negated if your Ride check result is greater than the opponent's attack roll.Should stop some of your problem.
Speaking of that, there is a follow up feat from Cities of Golarion (from the Lastwall area) called Indomitable Mount, which does the same thing as Mounted Combat, but for Saving Throws.
Still, that becomes kinda feat heavy, especially for a witch.
I know you already are, but check with your GM about Leadership and the Improved Familiar/Evolve Familiar feats. They appear to be the most "elegant" possibilities (which also allow the mount to get stronger as you level up).
~P
Depends on how much you love Fido I suppose... you could skimp on feats and just buy more dogs :p
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RPG Superstar Season 9 Top 16, RPG Superstar 2015 Top 32
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My alignment is neutral, and we are playing Legacy of Fire, so the giant vulture fits great and is on the cohort list. My next question is would it gain in level like a normal cohort. It only has an intelligence of 2, and that normally means it can't.
No, it won't. Get it Awakened, then it can.
Yar!
I'm at work, so I can't do a thorough search, but Cohorts follow special rules.
A monster cohort gains experience points as if it were a character of its cohort level, and when it gains enough XP to advance a level, it should generally gain a key class level (fighter is often the best choice for most cohorts). You can use the monsters on the following table as guidelines when determining effective cohort levels for monsters not on this list.
That bit of text is from the Bestiary 1, and is linked here.
EDIT: furthermore, the whole section on monster advancement mentions nothing about minimum stats to add class levels.
The only place I know of that has such a requirement is for Druid Animal Companions, and that restriction is for what feats and skills it's allowed to take.
~P
Yar!
A monster cohort gains experience points as if it were a character of its cohort level, and when it gains enough XP to advance a level, it should generally gain a key class level (fighter is often the best choice for most cohorts). You can use the monsters on the following table as guidelines when determining effective cohort levels for monsters not on this list.~P
Although, they do this at a significant penalty against a normal follower.
So lets take a Ghoul for example, somehow they claim a Ghoul is the equivalent of 5th level Human Fighter follower - really? A Stone Giant vs an 18 anything?
Hmmm I think they are applying some pretty hefty negatives.
If it's your dog you really like I would go with thing to awaken it and then taking it as a cohort. Give it levels in a class fitting for its stats.
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RPG Superstar Season 9 Top 16, RPG Superstar 2015 Top 32
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If it's your dog you really like I would go with thing to awaken it and then taking it as a cohort. Give it levels in a class fitting for its stats.
Oh yeah, I totally forgot about awaken. The big issue is that the spell is a druid spell, and a 5th level one at that. It might take some creative convincing to pull off, mostly because we don't have a druid in the party.
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RPG Superstar Season 9 Top 16, RPG Superstar 2015 Top 32
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If it's your dog you really like I would go with thing to awaken it and then taking it as a cohort. Give it levels in a class fitting for its stats.
Oh yeah, I totally forgot about awaken. The big issue is that the spell is a druid spell, and a 5th level one at that. It might take some creative convincing to pull off, mostly because we don't have a druid in the party.
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If it's your dog you really like I would go with thing to awaken it and then taking it as a cohort. Give it levels in a class fitting for its stats.Oh yeah, I totally forgot about awaken. The big issue is that the spell is a druid spell, and a 5th level one at that. It might take some creative convincing to pull off, mostly because we don't have a druid in the party.
Awakened beings cannot serve as special mounts according to the spell description. Its too bad, as I wanted to use it on an ostrich. That would make a very fun mount.
Special mount, no. Regular old mount, absolutely.
Cohort via leadership, certainly.