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View Full Version : Handling Awakening [3.5]



Beelzebub1111
2010-11-02, 10:51 AM
So one of my players eventually wants to awaken his owl animal companion (Player is a ranger that uses the owl to scout targets). How should I handle it, should I let him play two characters (Though he does have that whole "My Companion is only there when I need them" sort of thing going on). Should I (as a DM) role play it and let him take over in combat? Should I just totally take over?

How would the Owl react to being awakened? Would it retain companion extra hit dice and benefits? or would it just get the two bonus hit dice beyond the base? Do the bonus hit dice count for the will save to awaken? What class should it take? Should the player decide on his own or would it be up to the Owl?

WarKitty
2010-11-02, 10:55 AM
By RAW an awakened animal cannot serve as an animal companion. If he wants something more intelligent, I would recommend using magic items and stat increases instead.

Beelzebub1111
2010-11-02, 11:03 AM
By RAW an awakened animal cannot serve as an animal companion. If he wants something more intelligent, I would recommend using magic items and stat increases instead.
I think that he likes the idea of a talking animal with class levels, but another of my many questions pops in my head. How would I handle advancement, would the owl just get shares of XP like another character, should he get half the ranger's share?

WarKitty
2010-11-02, 11:08 AM
I think that he likes the idea of a talking animal with class levels, but another of my many questions pops in my head. How would I handle advancement, would the owl just get shares of XP like another character, should he get half the ranger's share?

Easiest way would probably be to have the player take leadership and treat the owl like a cohort.

Fhaolan
2010-11-02, 12:22 PM
I recommend this book:
http://skirmisher.cerizmo.com/items/93-the-noble-wild-pdf-download

Not all of it makes perfect sense, but it has a lot of ideas on how to deal with animal-style PC/NPCs.

dsmiles
2010-11-02, 12:28 PM
Easiest way would probably be to have the player take leadership and treat the owl like a cohort.

This sounds kosher to me.