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So the other day I ran across an interesting (maybe ingenious) use for the Carry Companion spell. Basically a Druid had several buffalo, he loaded them with gear and then cast the spell on them and dropped them in is back pack. Each has strength 27 so it can carry 1000 pounds of stuff. then he would pull buffalo out bring it back get what he needed and then shrink it again.
By the spell description I could not see why this would not be allow. But it seemed a little strange that basically he could carry 4000 pounds of stuff around with no penalty.
Thoughts?
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Hmm, petrifying your animal friends repeatedly just so you can carry more stuff and not spend a paltry few thousand gold on a haversack? Sounds like someone has ceased to revere nature...
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Well, I'd want a list of what is being carried on each bison. And he's going to have to make the (probably trivial) Handle Animal check to make sure that the bison's attitude is still helpful, and not just friendly. And it's going to eat up a lot of his 2nd level spell slots if he needs to get things fairly often.
And Gozreh help him if he gets hit with a dispel magic.
But it's certainly within the purvue of the spell.
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He has to prepare one spell for each buffalo he wants to miniaturize?
It's a nifty way to carry a lot of stuff and more efficient than other spells of the same level (floating disk, shrink item) but it's not really game-breaking.
I mean, it's going to take him at least 3 rounds to do all this plus whatever time he needs to find an item in the buffalo's gear plus I might require a wild empathy check each time (because from the buffalo's viewpoint the world just radically changed in an instant).
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You can only cast this spell on your animal companion, and unless special rules are in play, a Druid/Ranger/Hunter/Sylvan Sorcerer etc. can only have one.So the other day I ran across an interesting (maybe ingenious) use for the Carry Companion spell. Basically a Druid had several buffalo, he loaded them with gear and then cast the spell on them and dropped them in is back pack. Each has strength 27 so it can carry 1000 pounds of stuff. then he would pull buffalo out bring it back get what he needed and then shrink it again.
By the spell description I could not see why this would not be allow. But it seemed a little strange that basically he could carry 4000 pounds of stuff around with no penalty.
Thoughts?
Actually the target is "one animal or magical beast" and the spell description states further that it needs to have an attitude of "helpful". So despite the name, it doesn't just work on your companion/familiar -- but non-druids will probably have a hard time getting other animals to "helpful".
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Actually, this is key. You are not allowed to carry over spells from previous days, so they cannot start the game in figurine form.He has to prepare one spell for each buffalo he wants to miniaturize?
Yep he wastes all his second level spells on the first day to shrink them down. I guess it is really a weird use of spell slots but he is always prepared. I told him to switch the "The Exchange" and take profession(merchant) to complete picture. We also joked about reconstituting buffalo a lot....
It was relatively harmless just seemed really strange to me.
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You can, but that's a break from the usual rule.
So I can't leave spells in my Ring of Spell Storing, either?
Thanks, I was pretty certain I could, but I didn't remember where the info to back it up was found.
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If you have too many shrunken-buffalo figurines, load them on a buffalo and shrink it!That is awesome.
What level is this character, and what the heck does he have that wieghs 4000 lbs? I can kind of see having enough stuff to need to do one buffalo, but 4?
He is a 5 druid. He carries anything and everything he can get his hands on. Battering Rams, collapsible bathtubs, flasks of oil, a barrel of ale and barrel of mead...basically he is a walking merchant caravan. Last mod he loaded up on grain to give to specific monastery since he thought the society was being pretty stinge.
I think the character concept is interesting but wanted to make sure I was not missing something ruleswise. Since the spell really has does not have a size limit and is permanent one wonders why this would not happen everywhere. A druid would make an awesome merchant
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Since the spell really has does not have a size limit and is permanent one wonders why this would not happen everywhere.
It doesn't happen everywhere because the spell is in a splat book and not a core book. More on topic, if he were, say, a hunter, then he no longer has to revere nature and could do this as much as he pleases without fear of the GM revoking his druidic powers.
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Since the spell really has does not have a size limit and is permanent one wonders why this would not happen everywhere.It doesn't happen everywhere because the spell is in a splat book and not a core book. More on topic, if he were, say, a hunter, then he no longer has to revere nature and could do this as much as he pleases without fear of the GM revoking his druidic powers.
We have a hunter in my weekly group who has a new rhino each session. Running joke is he sells off the *good* ones as pets/weapons, and the bad ones become dinner. Of course, he IS Exchange.
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We have a hunter in my weekly group who has a new rhino each session. Running joke is he sells off the *good* ones as pets/weapons, and the bad ones become dinner. Of course, he IS Exchange.Since the spell really has does not have a size limit and is permanent one wonders why this would not happen everywhere.It doesn't happen everywhere because the spell is in a splat book and not a core book. More on topic, if he were, say, a hunter, then he no longer has to revere nature and could do this as much as he pleases without fear of the GM revoking his druidic powers.
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Considering the cost ins spell slots and the unfortunate action economy inherent in this tactic, I would have no real problem with a druid doing this - if he takes proper care of his lifestock in his spare time (which is unlimited).
If he starts unshrinking his buffalo in the midst of his enemies, strapped with lamp oil and gunpowder, and the party sorcerer just happens to throw fireballs... that might be another story.
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If you have too many shrunken-buffalo figurines, load them on a buffalo and shrink it!That is awesome.
What level is this character, and what the heck does he have that wieghs 4000 lbs? I can kind of see having enough stuff to need to do one buffalo, but 4?
He is a 5 druid. He carries anything and everything he can get his hands on. Battering Rams, collapsible bathtubs, flasks of oil, a barrel of ale and barrel of mead...basically he is a walking merchant caravan. Last mod he loaded up on grain to give to specific monastery since he thought the society was being pretty stinge.
I think the character concept is interesting but wanted to make sure I was not missing something ruleswise. Since the spell really has does not have a size limit and is permanent one wonders why this would not happen everywhere. A druid would make an awesome merchant
Though not the druid of which you speak, I nonetheless concur that I make an awesome merchant... :P
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Venture-Captain, California—Sacramento
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If you have too many shrunken-buffalo figurines, load them on a buffalo and shrink it!That is awesome.
What level is this character, and what the heck does he have that wieghs 4000 lbs? I can kind of see having enough stuff to need to do one buffalo, but 4?
He is a 5 druid. He carries anything and everything he can get his hands on. Battering Rams, collapsible bathtubs, flasks of oil, a barrel of ale and barrel of mead...basically he is a walking merchant caravan. Last mod he loaded up on grain to give to specific monastery since he thought the society was being pretty stinge.
I think the character concept is interesting but wanted to make sure I was not missing something ruleswise. Since the spell really has does not have a size limit and is permanent one wonders why this would not happen everywhere. A druid would make an awesome merchant
Level 5? he has a 22 wisdom at level 5? I mean, it is doable, but that is a lot of investment in a single stat for a druid who is not a combat caster. At that level he is using all his level 2 castings on them. Further, if he unloads one, he can't reshrink it unless he has a wand or waits a day. Not a problem for scenarios that start with a long trip, but there are a bunch of scenarios where they are over in a day, and having buffalo follow you around would be inconvenient.
I would start keeping an eye on how many times a day he is casting that spell.
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He really should ant haul one then carry companion it. That alone should let you carry most of the mundane equipment in the game.
And when the duration of ant haul expires while it is still a statue? I'd avoid this to keep from having table drama.
Battering Ram? I thought that siege weapons were not permitted.
Probably meant a Portable Ram (which is legal).
Level 5? he has a 22 wisdom at level 5? I mean, it is doable, but that is a lot of investment in a single stat for a druid who is not a combat caster. At that level he is using all his level 2 castings on them.
Don't forget that you can memorize second level spells in third level slots. But this does seem to be much more handy in longer scenarios.
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He really should ant haul one then carry companion it. That alone should let you carry most of the mundane equipment in the game.And when the duration of ant haul expires while it is still a statue? I'd avoid this to keep from having table drama.
What's the point of casting ant haul on it and then carry companion? Carry companion doesn't have an encumbrance/weight limit or anything.
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What's the point of casting ant haul on it and then carry companion? Carry companion doesn't have an encumbrance/weight limit or anything.He really should ant haul one then carry companion it. That alone should let you carry most of the mundane equipment in the game.And when the duration of ant haul expires while it is still a statue? I'd avoid this to keep from having table drama.
I don't think many DMs are going to let you pile equipment on it higher than its maximum load. Increase the maximum load, get more stuff.
And ant haul lasts longer than most scenarios.