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Hello everyone,
I'm currently creating a Stonelord Paladin for use in the Carrion Crown adventure path (my last character died, I hear that is common in this path!). While overall the class is straightforward, I am having issues understanding the Stone Servant class ability and have been discussing it with my DM. While we are managing some house ruled options as a fix, I'd like to get an official statement clarifying this ability.
It says it calls an Earth Elemental as the Paladin ability to summon his mount. That is where the similarities end. Is this ability supposed to function like Summon Monster II with the earth elemental having a duration of permanent? If the elemental dies, does the Paladin take the -1 to attack and damage for 30 days like the divine bond class feature? If the elemental dies, how does the Paladin replace it? How does the Paladin communicate with the elemental?
This is a fun feature, but without developer clarification, it's very vague and hard to interpret. If I took it as face value, this is what I understand:
-It functions like a mount in that you can call it to your side and it's a permanent ally. You can't ride it (I assume it would be mad).
-It uses the summon monster (elemental: earth) for its stat block.
-It is not able to be customized in any way, shape, or form.
-You cannot direct it like an animal companion, but without knowing Terran you cannot communicate with it.
-If it dies, you take -1 to attack and damage for 30 days. After which you can replace it as the divine bond class feature.
My issues with this are as follows:
-A bonded mount can be pushed or taught like an animal companion and is highly intelligent. The stone servant cannot be taught or use tricks to get it to do anything. **How are you supposed to communicate or ask it to do something?**
-Lower HD than a bonded mount. **If we are treating it like the bonded mount, why should the Stonelord be penalized for a creature with a lower HD dying when it's more likely to happen?**
-It doesn't specify as being equal to a summon monster spell. **What do you consider this, an animal companion? Summon monster equivalent? A summon monster spell? Something else?**
-A bonded mount can be customized fully, as an animal companion. **Why shouldn't we have some form of control over this creature?**
Any clarifications from developer's or someone who has seen updated rules would be fantastic.
Also, my suggestions for tweaking this for clarification and usefulness:
-Either make the link between servant and Stonelord telepathic, or allow the Stonelord access to speak Terran from level 4 or 5 as it makes sense with their class.
-Tie the HD to the Stonelord's level.
-Let us know what stat blocks to use.
Thanks!
Stone Servant (Su): At 5th level, a stonelord may call a Small earth elemental to her side, as a paladin calls her mount. This earth elemental is Lawful Good in alignment and possesses the celestial template, and it increases in size as the stonelord gains levels, becoming Medium at 8th level, Large at 11th level, Huge at 14th level, Greater at 17th level, and Elder at 20th level. This ability replaces divine bond.
It looks to me that you basically get an elemental as your companion. Except for also having the Celestial template, the elemental simply uses the stats in the bestiary based on the size that you're able to call. No stat advancement or bonus abilities from standard animal companion advancement seem to be used here. And yes, it would be 'permanent'. Being that the ability doesn't state that you take a penalty should the elemental die, that's off the table.
The ability completely replaces Divine Bond, it doesn't modify the mount option of Divine Bond. So take it at face value and pretend that for the purposes of this ability, Divine Bond doesn't exist.
Stone Servant (Su): At 5th level, a stonelord may call a Small earth elemental to her side, as a paladin calls her mount. This earth elemental is Lawful Good in alignment and possesses the celestial template, and it increases in size as the stonelord gains levels, becoming Medium at 8th level, Large at 11th level, Huge at 14th level, Greater at 17th level, and Elder at 20th level. This ability replaces divine bond.It looks to me that you basically get an elemental as your companion. Except for also having the Celestial template, the elemental simply uses the stats in the bestiary based on the size that you're able to call. No stat advancement or bonus abilities from standard animal companion advancement seem to be used here. And yes, it would be 'permanent'. Being that the ability doesn't state that you take a penalty should the elemental die, that's off the table.
The ability completely replaces Divine Bond, it doesn't modify the mount option of Divine Bond. So take it at face value and pretend that for the purposes of this ability, Divine Bond doesn't exist.
Thanks, I think this makes the most sense from what I've seen thus far. I'll pass this along to my DM and hopefully this will resolve any issues.
I do hope Paizo still clarifies this in the future printings.
“Stone Servant (Su): At 5th level, a stonelord may call a Small earth elemental to her side, as a paladin calls her mount.”
Calling: A calling spell transports a creature from another plane to the plane you are on. The spell grants the creature the one-time ability to return to its plane of origin, although the spell may limit the circumstances under which this is possible. Creatures who are called actually die when they are killed; they do not disappear and reform, as do those brought by a summoning spell (see below). The duration of a calling spell is instantaneous, which means that the called creature can't be dispelled.
Once per day, as a full-round action, a paladin may magically call her mount to her side. This ability is the equivalent of a spell of a level equal to one-third the paladin's level. The mount immediately appears adjacent to the paladin. A paladin can use this ability once per day at 5th level, and one additional time per day for every 4 levels thereafter, for a total of four times per day at 17th level.
There is actually nothing in this that states that a paladin's mount is impermanent. It mentions that the Divine Bond (SP) ability has a has a spell level equal to 1/3rd the paladin's level, but spell level does not determine duration, caster level does, of which none is listed for this ability. Since the creature is called anyway, the calling rules apply. The mount is here for as long as it needs to be and can return to its home plane when it is done.
So, for the Stonelord, he spends a full-round action to summon his elemental. That elemental comes in at a size appropriate to the stonelord's level, and sticks around for as long as the stonelord/elemental want. At 9th, 13th and 17th level, the stonelord can re-call his elemental an additional time per day. This allows him to send it away when it would be detrimental for him to have a big elemental hanging around without sacrificing the times when he might want such a thing.
Since the rules on gaining the celestial template change, and the rules on becoming a magical beast and gaining SR go away, I assume the death penalty does as well. The only relevant part of "as a paladin calls her mount" is the action needed and how often it can be performed.
I could probably easily be persuaded that the 30-day waiting period remains, but not the attack and damage penalties. That would take some convincing in the rules for me.