Greetings, fellow travellers.
Paizo gives us new plant companions available to (elven) druids with a certain archetype.
How cool! WTF!?
Right, having decided as GM that I will allow plant companions to be available to all druids, I had the idea of creating a halfling druid being carried around by its treant - exactly, just like in LotR!
Ok, while I really like the fluff, I am concerned about the mechanics and how to make the little fella viable.
Sources allowed are CRB and APG, assume 25 pt buy, plus I don't like dipping.
The treant becomes large at lvl 4. With the picture above in mind, I imagined something like the treant doing melee and the druid engaging in ranged combat - either spells or ranged weapons.
I know the halfling is not really out of reach for most monsters, but I'd like to hear about your ideas how you would play one.
Would you go for an archer with this druid? I assume mounted combat rules apply here as well.
TL, DR:
In general: what feats do you recommend. What should be spells he usually has prepared?
Thanks in advance!
Ruyan.
Since riding a moving tree won't be nearly as protected or advantageous as flying around as an air elemental or bird and casting spells, the attraction of the plant companion eludes me. Perhaps I'm missing something.
I've not heard of this archetype before, whats it called? It interests me.
If you're thinking about ranged combat as a halfling and Halflings of Golarion is available to you, consider using a sling. I know the negative to STR hurts but the feats make it a very viable and interesting option.
Greetings, fellow travellers.
Since riding a moving tree won't be nearly as protected or advantageous as flying around as an air elemental or bird and casting spells, the attraction of the plant companion eludes me. Perhaps I'm missing something.
That's what I usually do with my druids, but the fluff of the movie where Sam and Pippin are carried around by Treebeard was too strong to resist thinking about an PF equivalent.
I've not heard of this archetype before, whats it called? It interests me.
It's no archetype. I just combined the idea of the plant companions from here with Lord of the Rings.
[...]consider using a sling. [..]feats make it a very viable and interesting option
Yeah, the move action to reload sucks. I will look into HoG!
Thanks so far! Any other ideas out there?
Ruyan.
Sam wasn't on treebeard. you mean merry.
The nitpicking tells me, you have intimate knowledge of the movie. Your general posting in these forums tells me similar things about PF - so, do you have some advice to offer? Because the more I look at the poor fella in his tree, the more I come to see his shortcomings.
Ruyan.
druid is fine, I'm more amiss with the plant companion. What started out as a cool new idea, seems to be exactly that: a cool idea, but no real concept for a druid.
The halfling does not have the proficiency (would cost an extra feat).
The treant is only large - so it won't keep the druid riding it out of harms way.
The druid is better of staying/polymorphing into elemental form and to his thing.
So, any help is really welcome (or I get to try my bard/dd).
Ruyan.
You could have the Druid turn himself into a plant that blends with the Tree companion. I know that doesn't tie in elegantly with the fluff you wanted, but it would confuse the heck out of foes for some mighty cover and camouflage.
Yeah, that's something I've also considered and could prove for some nice cover for the rest of the group.
A beastmaster ranger with the boon companion feat is an option. You can also take the eldritch heritage feat to gain a companion with the Sylvan bloodline.
Boon Companion and Eldritch Heritage are out - we only use CRB and APG.
Have you considered a halfling summoner (synthesist)?
Yeah, as a lost resort. We already do have two arcane casters in our group.
Back to the drawing board. Thanks for the ideas, guys!
Ruyan.