My daughter is looking at creating a back-up character for our RotR game, and somehow got into her head the idea that she wants to play a small-sized creature who rides a giant spider.
Preferably a hairy spider that she can boost the Charisma of and name Lucas.
Any suggestions for the best way for her to do this? As a back-up character, she'd be brought in at sixth level and start with suggested WBL in gear and gold.
I was vaguely considering a Goblin Cavalier, but I can't see a way to give her a Giant Spider as her mount.
It's just GM approval that limits what sort of mount a cavalier can get. If the GM agrees that in this society cavaliers ride giant spiders, done. That said there's a vermin tamer archetype for those whose GMs don't agree, or the hunter's verminous hunter archetype, or a summoner could build an eidolon to match.
This might become on of the fondest memories she looks back on. Let her ride her awesome spider, Lucas.
If we wanted things telling us what we can't do we'd go back to reality.
Oh, please understand that I want her to be able to ride Lucas. I'm just trying to figure out the best way within the rules to let her do that and have fun.
I have absolutely no problem just letting her play a small Cavalier
and replacing the dog mount she's supposed to get with Lucas the friendly giant spider.
I'm just trying to figure out if there's a better way to let her get the experience she wants (small creature riding the giant spider) than that.
I was also thinking a harness will be necessary so she shoot arrows from the ceilings.
I like the Verminous Hunter archetype. I'll swing that by her - as well as the Eidolon idea.
She's not too committed to any part of it other than "giant spider mount for a small creature," so having more varied options is a good thing. She's currently playing a Catfolk druid with a lion animal companion, which is why I've tried to avoid that particular option.
The Summoner or the Hunter are both pretty different from what she's been doing though, so she might dig either one.
She doesn't have to be a cavalier or a hunter if she doesn't want to. She can use just about any class she wants, but she really just needs the feat Mounted Combat (keep Lucas alive!) and a decent Ride/Handle Animal check. If the class she chooses doesn't have Handle Animal/Ride as class skills you can give it to her through traits, or if her Handle Animal/Ride checks need a bit of a boost, you can use the Born Rider or Horse Lord traits, except swap horse for spider. I know she's entering the game at lvl 6, but Pioneer would give her the ability to start with a mount (if she ever wants to do something like this again starting from lvl 1).
As far as the question of "how to legally give her a spider", this can be done in one of two ways: backstory, she is xxxx race and she is from Weridespiders Town, or Pioneer Trait, you begin play with a giant spider.
She could even be an archer, gunslinger or a spell caster, and ride Lucas up and down the walls while shooting or flinging spells (it would be almost the same as a Fly spell, so this isn't game-breaking).
Campaign - Pioneer (Kingmaker) You begin play with a horse. Also, choose one of the following skill Climb, Handle Animal, Knowledge (nature), Perception, Ride, Survival, or Swim—you gain a +1 trait bonus on this skill.
Race - Horse Lord You gain a +2 trait bonus on Handle Animal checks, and a +1 trait bonus on Ride checks. This trait applies only to horses.
Regional - Born Rider You gain a +1 trait bonus on Handle Animal and Ride checks.
Regional Cavalry Rider You gain a +1 trait bonus on Ride checks, and Ride is always a class skill for you.
Regional - Imperial Soldier Choose one of the following skill Heal, Intimidate, or Ride. You gain a +1 trait bonus on that skill, and it is always a class skill for you.
Regional - Lightning Rider When mounted and making a charge, your mount’s speed is increased by 10 feet. You must have the Mounted Combat feat to take this trait.
Social - Beast Bond You gain a +1 bonus on Handle Animal checks and Ride checks. One of these skills (your choice) is always a class skill for you.
|
She could start with Recruits as her level 5 feat and switch to Leadership at 7 and get an awakened spider as a cohort. That would give the spider a small CHA boost to start and she might like the idea of being able to talk to him.
Awaken could be done through spellcasting services or she could just find the spider after taking Recruits/Leadership if the GM is nice. Adding empower and/or maximize to Awaken is a good idea if possible.
As she levels the spider will gain class levels so there are some fun possibilities there.
Lucas the Spider is a talking (and singing) spider so this would be a pretty good idea. I'm gonna say he needs bard levels as he can also play the harp. (As well as being able to create a harp with his web.)
I'd suggest that a mite would be a good choice as a race, but the racial hit die kinda hurts, and a charisma penalty is not gonna help with his leadership score.
Edit: Obviously, Awaken doesn't work on vermin so you'll have to look for something other than a giant spider for a cohort.
A druid or beast rider cavalier can get a giant spider as a vermin companion (see ultimate magic). The 4th level advancement makes it medium sized, big enough for a small-sized rider.
A small cavalier would be a hard experience. They all get negatives to strength so lance charging would be limited. The angel blooded aasimar could be small size with a str bonus if she wanted to be a mounted combatant or she could just be a druid as any race and let Lucas do all the fighting. Beast Rider Cavalier or Hunter is probably what your looking for. I recommend the aasimar and she could even take scion of humanity to pass as human or you could change the fluff and make it scion of Gnomanity or whatever. If aasimar is too powerful, you can take away celestial resistance and spell like abilities to bring the rp down.
How about the Sohei Monk? It says they are masters of the Horse, but everyone has already said to just change that part. The Sohei gets free Mount feats. You are starting at the ideal level. The monk gets to flurry with the chosen weapon.
A small cavalier would be a hard experience. They all get negatives to strength so lance charging would be limited.
Wayangs are small but do not get a penalty strength.
Sylvan Sorcerer, Druid, Hunter, anyone spending the feats for an animal ally.
The real question is, what does she want to do besides ride a spider?
Rather generic in build, but can go any direction.
Gathlain sorcerer (wildblooded) 1 (Pathfinder RPG Ultimate Magic 70, Ultimate Wilderness 122)
CN Small fey
Init +9; Senses low-light vision; Perception +0
--------------------
Defense
--------------------
AC 15, touch 14, flat-footed 12 (+3 Dex, +1 natural, +1 size)
hp 8 (1d6+2)
Fort +1, Ref +3, Will +2
--------------------
Offense
--------------------
Speed 30 ft., fly 40 ft. (poor)
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 1st; concentration +5)
. . 1/day—entangle (DC 15), feather step[APG] (DC 15)
Sorcerer (Wildblooded) Spells Known (CL 1st; concentration +5)
. . 1st (4/day)—mage armor, magic missile
. . 0 (at will)—detect magic, message, open/close (DC 14), prestidigitation
. . Bloodline Sylvan
--------------------
Statistics
--------------------
Str 8, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 18
Base Atk +0; CMB -2; CMD 11
Feats Eschew Materials, Improved Initiative
Traits reactionary, scholar of the ancients
Skills Fly +5, Spellcraft +5, Use Magic Device +8
Languages Common, Draconic, Sylvan, Thassilonian
--------------------
Special Abilities
--------------------
Animal Companion Link (Ex) Handle or push Animal Companion faster, +4 to checks vs. them.
Eschew Materials Cast spells without materials, if component cost is 1 gp or less.
Fly (40 feet, Poor) You can fly!
Low-Light Vision See twice as far as a human in dim light, distinguishing color and detail.
Share Spells with Companion (Ex) Can cast spells with a target of "you" on animal companion, as touch spells.
Sylvan Your magic shows a kinship to that of the beast-talkers and shapechanger fey.
--------------------
Hairy CR –
Web tyrant spider (Ultimate Wilderness 185)
N Small vermin
Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +0
--------------------
Defense
--------------------
AC 15, touch 14, flat-footed 12 (+3 Dex, +1 natural, +1 size)
hp 9 (2d8)
Fort +3, Ref +6, Will +0
DR 1/cold iron
--------------------
Offense
--------------------
Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft.
Melee bite +2 (1d4)
Special Attacks web (+5 ranged, DC 11, 2 hp)
--------------------
Statistics
--------------------
Str 10, Dex 17, Con 10, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 2
Base Atk +1; CMB +0; CMD 13 (25 vs. trip)
Skills Climb +8
--------------------
Special Abilities
--------------------
Climb (30 feet) You have a Climb speed.
Damage Reduction (1/cold iron) You have Damage Reduction against all except Cold Iron attacks.
Darkvision (60 feet) You can see in the dark (black and white only).
Web (+5 ranged, 2 hp, 8/day, DC 11) (Ex) You can set or toss webbing.
Do you know if she's going to have the spider do most of the fighting? If yes, hunter would be the way to go, I think. Bonus teamwork feats that they share with their companions and they can apply animal focuses for bonuses.
A mauler familiar is medium size, which is big enough to be amount for a small sized creature. That opens up a lot of other possibilities.
If she is at all interested in ranged combat, I'd suggest an eldritch archer magus. Ranged will work well with a spider mounts useful mobility options. Spellstrike will make up for small size as far as melee damage. The familiar should be tough enough to survive an occasional melee if an opponent gets close and will provide some extra muscle in that situation.