This is kind of a part two to a previous question.
How would one travel with or otherwise transport an ooze animal companion? This didn't seem like a problem until a player I'm working with asked me, and I'm kind of stumped. Most oozes are fairly slow and digest whatever they touch. So letting it follow you like a dog would mean going slowly, and carrying it or even wearing it like a cloak would do damage to the character. Odds are it would also damage any kind of item that was used to carry it fairly quickly too.
Any ideas for how to safely transport an ooze?
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A bucket or wheelbarrow? Looking at a couple of oozes I'm not seeing anything that states that all oozes digest and damage whatever they touch.
If the character is a wizard, they could use a floating disk spell. Alternatively, they can cast levitate on the ooze and give it a "string" to hold on to letting them drag it around with them like a balloon.
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As @DecimusDrake has stated, Oozes do not deal Damage to Creatures (or Objects) by default :
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Some oozes have the ability to deal acid damage to objects.
It really depends on the Race of Ooze, (even the Evil Animate Hair can be hilariously worn as an hairpiece without incurring Damage). So the Ooze can be carried by hand, on your shoulders, (on your head!), or in a bag - as long as there is air.
Your best bet for a Speed improvement is probably the Racer Animal Companion Archetype, (+10ft.).
Unless this Ooze has an Intelligence of 3 somehow, it will presumably lose its Mindless Traits and have an Animal's Intelligence. If so, with Ability Score increases it can only take the Fleet Feat twice by Ch. 10-16 for Speed +10ft. As such, this is a poor option.
Feats: This is the total number of feats possessed by an animal companion. Animal companions should select their feats from those listed under Animal Feats. Animal companions can select other feats, although they are unable to utilize some feats (such as Martial Weapon Proficiency). Note that animal companions cannot select a feat with a requirement of base attack bonus +1 until they gain their second feat at 3 Hit Dice.
Animal Feats
Animal companions can select from the following feats: Acrobatic, Agile Maneuvers, Armor Proficiency, Heavy, Armor Proficiency, Light, Armor Proficiency, Medium, Athletic, Blind-Fight, Boon Companion, Combat Reflexes, Devotion against the Unnatural, Diehard, Disruptive Companion, Dodge, Endurance, Feral Grace, Ferocious Beast, Ferocious Feint, Great Fortitude, Greater Tenacious Hunter, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Initiative, Improved Intercept Blow, Improved Natural Armor, Improved Natural Attack, Improved Overrun, Intercept Blow, Intimidating Prowess, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Mobility, Power Attack, Reflexive Interception, Run, Share Feature, Skill Focus, Spring Attack, Stealthy, Tenacious Hunter, Toughness, Weapon Focus. Animal companions with an Intelligence of 3 or higher can select any feat they are physically capable of using. GMs might expand this list to include feats from other sources.
By far the best option that I could find is the Racer Animal Companion Archetype, which will grant the Ooze Speed +10ft. with no Armour and only a Light Load from the get-go :
Source Ultimate Wilderness pg. 188, Animal Archive pg. 21Some companions have uncanny speed, providing their masters with swift transport.
Racer Feats: In addition to the standard feats available to animal companions, a racer can select Acrobatic Steps, Charge Through, Improved Lightning Reflexes, Lightning Stance, Nimble Moves, and Wind Stance.
Fast Movement (Ex): A racer’s speed is 10 feet greater than that of typical animals of its kind when it is wearing no armor and carrying a light load.
This replaces share spells.
Sprint (Ex): At 6th level, once per hour a racer can move at 10 times its normal speed when it makes a charge or uses the run action.
This replaces devotion.
The only downside is that it replaces Share Spells (Ex), which the Player might well want :
Share Spells (Ex): The druid may cast a spell with a target of “You” on her animal companion (as a spell with a range of touch) instead of on herself. A druid may cast spells on her animal companion even if the spells normally do not affect creatures of the companion's type (animal). Spells cast in this way must come from a class that grants an animal companion. This ability does not allow the animal to share abilities that are not spells, even if they function like spells.
As already mentioned by @LordKailas, the Spell [1] Floating Disk is probably your earliest option, although at 1 hour/C.L. it will end after 1 hour from a purchased Scroll/Wand.
Spell options for the Ooze itself seem to start at Spell Level 2, (Ch. Level 3 for a 9th Level Spellcaster) :
* [2] Harmless Form - you can use this to Polymorph the Ooze into an Animal with a better Speed, (e.g., Cat Speed 30ft., Hawk Fly 60ft. or Raven Fly 40ft.). It lasts for a set 8 hours and is Dismissable. (Personally I recommend this Spell once available as it grants lots of flexibility.)
* [3] Anthropomorphic Animal - with Share Spells (Ex) allowing you to Cast non-Animal Type Spells on your An. Companion, you can grant an Ooze-Humanoid hybrid form to utilize Magic Items, (e.g., [5 550gp] Boots of Striding and Springing for Speed +10ft.). It lasts for 1 hour/C.L., (min. 5 hours) but is not Dismissable. With the help of a C.L.11+ Spellcaster this Spell can later be made Permanent for 7 500gp (+ Spellcasting service).
* [3] Assume Appearance - with Share Spells (Ex) allowing Personal/You Spells, this can be an easier to manage solution ... if the idea of the Ooze taking the form of a dead person is not too off-putting.It lasts for 1 day/C.L., (min. 5 days), and is Dismissable.
I love the evil animated hair. It'd make a great familiar for a white haired witch.
