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One man's cheese is another man's pizza topping.
I had someone critize me for making a blaster sorcerer at level that did 4d4+8 damage with burning hands at level 1.
That persons logic was. Arcane casters NEED to be week a level 1. It is cheese to make them powerfull.
When I played at Gen Con I saw several games where new people playing pregens were left watching the game while others did everything.
After I saw this I made an effort to have my character supprot theirs in future games. Either through role playing or in combat.
Building power characters is often like evolution. When you play in a game with pwoerful characters those people feel they need to step it up, oR even go overboard. Look at thistledown's post. I think this proves it.
My FIRST PFS games afterwards the GMs would brag about killing players. One told the others that they would kill two of the other players characters and did so in a month. Now I feel I need to build power characters to protect from that.
Aww thisteldown I wanna play wityh those guys too =(
you should come to one of the 3 places we frequent.
#thisisntevenmyfinalform
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Revisiting the favored class options isn't the answer. A single clause in the druid Animal companion feature culled from the Boon Companion feat would fix this.
Your maximum effective druid level can never exceed your character level.
except there are things that let you do that intentionally (huntmaster feat).
that wouldn't help as much as cause more problems
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I'm disappointed to learn that it doesn't become large. I was seriously considering a druid/musket master multiclass for owlbear cavalry. But apparently I'd have to be a halfling or gnome for that. Laaaaaame.
As a beast rider cavalier you can make your animal companion/mount large at level 7 so it's rideable. As a druid though you're out of luck. Which makes my bear shaman druid very sad.
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Of course the easy interpretation here is that when you paragon surge Improved Eldritch Heritage for the Arcane Bloodline, you get the same spells that you always get. Write them down on your character sheet, and that's what you will get every time you cast it. Barring retraining, of course.That skirts close to 'screwing with the player' to some, Adam. (Me included). He's using resources and a corner case (must be half elf) to pull the trick off.So you believe then that one of the intents of paragon surge is to be able to freely cast any spell on the wizard/sorcerer spell list as an oracle? Or is it more reasonable to assume that a choice that is made stays made.
I would use the same interpretation for an arcane sorcerer who uses a robe of arcane heritage. If a level 8 arcane sorcerer puts one on, he can choose a spell to learn from the level 9 arcane ability. Do you think it is reasonable to assume that he could take off the robe, put it back on, and make use of a different spell?
So, does that mean that you also do the same when Resist Energy or Protection from Energy are cast? Whatever energy type you choose the first time is the only energy type you can ever choose?
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I would use the same interpretation for an arcane sorcerer who uses a robe of arcane heritage. If a level 8 arcane sorcerer puts one on, he can choose a spell to learn from the level 9 arcane ability. Do you think it is reasonable to assume that he could take off the robe, put it back on, and make use of a different spell?So, does that mean that you also do the same when Resist Energy or Protection from Energy are cast? Whatever energy type you choose the first time is the only energy type you can ever choose?
Wow. You've really opened my eyes with that. That's a completely valid and totally not hyperbolic comparison of two completely analogous spells.
RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32, 2010 Top 8
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I've seen plenty of furious finishing barbarian fighters, slumber hex witches, and smart wizards one shot boss battles. should those things get banned?I think at least one of these is an eligible candidate.
I must be the worst witch player in the world. Ksenia's had slumber since first level and I've never 'broke' an encounter with it. Now if there's ever a mythic boon (please, no.) I can see it being broken...
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also ring of revelation (and the armor that does the same thing) add +1 if you have the revelation (BOTH make this a 19th level companion at 8)
I can't actually find any support for this in the rules. Do you have a quote from a rulebook or faq?
If Name Violation is just sitting back and letting folks do their thing and stepping up if it's called for, good on him. We've folks out my way that tend to do the same thing.
We also have folks out my way that brag about completing a scenario while the rest of the party didn't do anything, so I'm growing wary of folks that bend the rules a bit too far.
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I must be the worst witch player in the world. Ksenia's had slumber since first level and I've never 'broke' an encounter with it. Now if there's ever a mythic boon (please, no.) I can see it being broken...I've seen plenty of furious finishing barbarian fighters, slumber hex witches, and smart wizards one shot boss battles. should those things get banned?I think at least one of these is an eligible candidate.
Yea, Slumber hexes are good for about the first 4-5 levels. Or until you fight an elf, half-elf, ooze, plant, construct, caster, undead, or any other multitudes of enemies you face after tier 1-5.
But back to the topic. I really do hope to see more boons introducing exotic and unique animal companion boons, or more intelligent item boons, Gamin the Misforged is a fun and unique weapon.
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also ring of revelation (and the armor that does the same thing) add +1 if you have the revelation (BOTH make this a 19th level companion at 8)I can't actually find any support for this in the rules. Do you have a quote from a rulebook or faq?
Rings of revelation only add uses/day, and say nothing about increasing effective oracle level.
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RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32
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Finding workarounds to acquire extraordinarily powerful effects is a tradition in roleplaying games, but there are certainly times when it seems more distasteful than laudable. The proposed animal companion combo is distasteful in this way. Opening up more avenues to enable that distastefulness is likewise distasteful, even though most of the options made available through such a decision would actually be healthy, productive, and rewarding.If your goal is to disallow the higher-than-your-level AniComp, then I wonder if it might be better to ban that specific alternate FCB altogether and then still go ahead and let half-elves get the rest of the elf and human stuff (and open up Racial Heritage to the ARG, as well, if that was the plan). That'd open more doors than it closes, I think.
That is, if shutting down the boosted animal companion is the goal.
That's why I was suggesting you could ban the thing(s) that allow the boosted AC but still open up other stuff. Doesn't that give the best of both worlds? Or am I misunderstanding you?
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also ring of revelation (and the armor that does the same thing) add +1 if you have the revelation (BOTH make this a 19th level companion at 8)I can't actually find any support for this in the rules. Do you have a quote from a rulebook or faq?
If Name Violation is just sitting back and letting folks do their thing and stepping up if it's called for, good on him. We've folks out my way that tend to do the same thing.
misread that item. doesnt work like i thought. sorry.
i tend to play flagbearer bards or healers of some sort (oracle of life), cover skill checks, utility and protection buffs. if i need to attack things, we're doomed.
RPG Superstar 2013 Top 8
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By capping effective druid level at character level, designers will have to include text that makes the Huntmaster (for example) explicitly breaking that general rule. Animal Companions would follow the default power curve unless specifically allowed.
Which means that any rules item in a softcover book would never function that way (even if that was the original intent) because books only receive errata when they are reprinted, and to date only one softcover book has ever been reprinted (Adventurer's Armory).
Hey. Spoiler alerts I suppose.
But which AP lets you get this Owlbear-companion-boon? It sounds fun, and I might think of running my group through it if I can.
Generally speaking, Zombie-boots, the campaign discourages that sort of question ("What scenario opens early access to a wand of lightning before the Fame score necessary to just buy it?") Sorry.
Oh alright.
But I think you misunderstand where I'm coming from. I wasn't looking for items for myself, or for "epic-loots", if that is how I came off. I'm the DM and my player's would snap up neat opportunities like that- And that's pretty much all there is to it.I thought it sounded "neat."
Developer
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K :-)I... didn't expect this topic to come back up.
I love the owlbear boon. Please please PLEASE don't stop making awesome boons like that.
Aw, now you've done it. Now Kyle's going to start sending me emails asking me a) if he can help design another Chronicle sheet and b) if he can include a boon for a hippocampus, manticore, and/or sabertooth pegasus.
UPDATE: No, Kyle. We're not putting a sabertooth pegasus boon on #5–08.
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K :-)I... didn't expect this topic to come back up.
I love the owlbear boon. Please please PLEASE don't stop making awesome boons like that.
Aw, now you've done it. Now Kyle's going to start sending me emails asking me a) if he can help design another Chronicle sheet and b) if he can include a boon for a hippocampus, manticore, and/or sabertooth pegasus.
UPDATE: No, Kyle. We're not putting a sabertooth pegasus boon on #5–08.
You've only seen phase one of his plan. Firat he lulls you in with the awesome companions. Then, his next scenario will have a special hazard "Dirge of the Darklands" that automatically transforms all Animal Companion owlbears, hippocampi, manticores, and sabertooth pegasi into monstrous gugs intent on the party's death. Even if you win, you've still killed your lovable closest companion and cannot get another special companion from the boon, so the tears will flow (the tears must flow!).
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The issue here is not favored class bonuses. The issue is that Animal Ally is worded insanely. It scales with class levels and it stacks with class levels? Seriously?
I would rule in 100% of circumstances that it does not let you double-dip the advancement whatsoever. You can be a 5th level fighter, 5th level druid, and your pet will be a 7th level Animal Companion - 10th level with Boon Companion, 11th if you're a Huntmaster. It's not a 12th level Animal Companion, no matter how you slice it.
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You've only seen phase one of his plan. Firat he lulls you in with the awesome companions. Then, his next scenario will have a special hazard "Dirge of the Darklands" that automatically transforms all Animal Companion owlbears, hippocampi, manticores, and sabertooth pegasi into monstrous gugs intent on the party's death. Even if you win, you've still killed your lovable closest companion and cannot get another special companion from the boon, so the tears will flow (the tears must flow!).K :-)I... didn't expect this topic to come back up.
I love the owlbear boon. Please please PLEASE don't stop making awesome boons like that.
Aw, now you've done it. Now Kyle's going to start sending me emails asking me a) if he can help design another Chronicle sheet and b) if he can include a boon for a hippocampus, manticore, and/or sabertooth pegasus.
UPDATE: No, Kyle. We're not putting a sabertooth pegasus boon on #5–08.
Bah, no worries.
Baird can be thwarted by hiring a piper who'll get all his ratfolk minions to follow.
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Now I really, really want a sabertooth pegasus. How's the weight distribution on that thing?It can't fly, those saberteeth weight too much.
What I really want for an AC would be a ** spoiler omitted **
IF ANIMAL ALLY worked like the cavalier feat horse master (OR HAD A SPECIAL SAYING SOMETHING), it would still be worth taking, and not "supernerfed". change the prereqs AND VOILA
just saying...
Horse Master (Combat)
You blend horsemanship skills from disparate traditions into a seamless mounted combat technique.
Prerequisite: Expert trainer class feature, Ride 6 ranks.
Benefit: Use your character level to determine your effective druid level for determining the powers and abilities of your mount.
Normal: You use your cavalier level to determine your effective druid level for determining the powers and abilities of your mount.
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Okay, so just to confirm how the boon would work specifically with a Beastmaster, check this situation out:
I have a Ranger Beastmaster that plays the module and obtains the owlbear boon. When the ranger played the module, he wasn't level 4 yet, he was level 2. Since the module is intended for characters between level 2 to 4, he was able to play it. So does he have the chronicle sheet applied to his character at level 2 and then when level 4 rolls around, the level where he can obtain an animal companion, the boon activates, granting him access to the owlbear.
Is this the correct thought process on how this would work for a character, such as a Ranger Beastmaster, who doesn't get their animal companion right away?
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Developer
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Okay, so just to confirm how the boon would work specifically with a Beastmaster, check this situation out:
I have a Ranger Beastmaster that plays the module and obtains the owlbear boon. When the ranger played the module, he wasn't level 4 yet, he was level 2. Since the module is intended for characters between level 2 to 4, he was able to play it. So does he have the chronicle sheet applied to his character at level 2 and then when level 4 rolls around, the level where he can obtain an animal companion, the boon activates, granting him access to the owlbear.
Is this the correct thought process on how this would work for a character, such as a Ranger Beastmaster, who doesn't get their animal companion right away?
That sounds correct.
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You're actually at an advantage that way.
Compare it to a druid or heavens oracle who get a companion at level 1, they can change theirs at level 2/3/4, except they have to train it fully because they are getting a new companion.
For the ranger it's simply one of the options at level 4 so it comes fully trained because that's the first time you get an animal companion.
Contributor
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Small update: for those of you who like your owlbears fun-sized you may want to check out this Kickstarter!
Druidism =/= necromancy I swear
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I named mine "Waffles".
The plan is to use her primarily as a mount, and not as a second combatant. Her AC is terrible, and I don't have the gold to spend on appropriate gear for her. Hopefully she won't be targeted much.
But if someone's really getting on my nerves, I have a fragile flask of maple syrup readied as a splash weapon ;-)
