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View Full Version : Need help with Animal Companions in a hostile campaign setting. [Pathfinder]



Variatas
2011-02-17, 01:38 AM
I'm currently playing in a game of Pathfinder with some friends, and one of them mentioned that he was getting help with his character designs from this forum. Since I've browsed it in the past when searching for D&D rules questions, I figured I'd try posting my current headache and see if anyone has any ideas.

After some work, and discarding a crit-Barbarian because it was technically amusing, but boring to play, I settled on a Dwarven Druid. I've been using Treantmonk's (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/extras/community-creations/treatmonks-lab) Druid guide to make a Wild Shape-focused frontline fighter, but I've run into an issue with regards to my Animal Companion.

You see, the GM is running his own setting, and it has a fairly "gritty" slant to it. Magic is fairly regulated, especially divine magic, since the primary religion of the world-spanning empire rejects all others as false, and is pretty militant about the whole thing. I've been okay so far with Wild Shape, since he hasn't forced us to fight in the open yet, and I'm holding onto stats for horses and more mundane animals just in case.

However, my animal companion is, for thematic reasons, a mountain lion (statted as a tiger.) I knew that this might cause some issues, but I expected to be able to work around them, by leaving it outside of towns we aren't planning on fighting in, and using magic to keep it hidden when necessary. Unfortunately, I seem to have been over optimistic when I figured that someone had to have come up with ways to deal with the whole "It's a wild animal, kill it!" problem in these types of games, since I've had no luck finding a decent solution.

The best I could come up with was from a sidebar in the Arms and Equipment Guide that suggests using a Bracelet of Friends to summon it when needed, but that's both 1) an expensive, expendable magic item that's likely to be out of reach for awhile, since the GM's said that magic items are rarer than usual, and 2) Of little help in getting the companion back out of the city, except by using another charge. My current solution has been to use strategically-applied Invisbility spells from the party wizard, and a covered wagon, but that's been pretty awkward, since Invisibility has a really short duration, and it's likely that there will be days when I can't get a wagon close enough. I do have Use Magic Device as a class skill through a trait, but highly customized magic items might not be obtainable.

I've been thinking of asking the GM if he'll let me have a homebrewed animal companion-only version of Polymorph or a disguise spell, citing "Heal Animal Companion" from the Spell Compendium and the fact that Druids can cast Baleful Polymorph as thematic precedents. I'd really prefer a RAW solution though, since I'm not sure he'll go for that.

Our import rules so far have been fairly open, he's approved a number of Spell Compendium spells already, though he did shoot down Focused Specialist for my friend, and several tactical feats, including Bestial Charge. He's been iffy about 3rd-Party sourcebooks in the past, so I'd prefer something from Wizards or Paizo, since that'd probably be more likely to meet with approval. Oh yeah, and we're currently 6th level, so my companion is about to become Large-sized, meaning Reduce will be even less functional than it already is (He's ruled that I can't sneak a Small-sized cat around in a frame-pack, which is probably fair.)

Condensed, TL:DR Version:
-I need a way to disguise or summon a Druid Animal Companion for use in a gritty, medieval-themed setting hostile to obvious divine magic and wild animals.

-Preferably doable by myself, as a spell; though I have UMD, magic items have been hard to come by outside of minor generic bonus items like +1 weapons and amulets of natural armor, and party finances are currently limited.

-Currently 6th level.

-Wizards or Paizo sourcebooks preferred, since GM is iffy on 3rd-party material.

-Preferably not ultra-twinky, since GM has been sensitive about importing things on those grounds already.

Sillycomic
2011-02-17, 03:22 AM
Wait, I don't get it. Why can't you just leave it outside of town? Just tell him to stay hidden and wait for you to return. Unless you've got expert ranger poachers after your mountain lion I'm pretty sure he will be fine.

Especially considering the Stealth on a pathfinder tiger. (+11 in tall grass)


But if you must have him with you, what about a hat of disguise?

It's a very minor magical item, only costs 1800 gold.

Or even UMD a wand of disguise self. Since you share Personal spells with your animal companion, you should be able to share this spell with him, and allow him, for 10 minutes at least, to look like a very large dog.

Just make sure no one pets him.

Variatas
2011-02-17, 11:13 AM
Sorry, I forgot to mention that it's seeming likely we're going to have to head to the capital city, which is apparently massive; so sprawling in fact, that it'd have to stay like 3 or 4 days travel away. I didn't think of the hat of disguise, that's both hilarious and actually an elegant way to do it. UMD'ing the wand will probably work if I can't sell that to the GM though.

Sillycomic
2011-02-17, 01:05 PM
There's nothing quite like a very large dog with a ribbon in his hair that meows every time you get too close...

Murphy80
2011-02-17, 02:36 PM
However, my animal companion is, for thematic reasons, a mountain lion (statted as a tiger.)


If a druid releases her companion from service, she may gain a new one by performing a ceremony requiring 24 uninterrupted hours of prayer. This ceremony can also replace an animal companion that has perished.
Release your friend mtn lion from service (to return home and find a mate) and find a dog (or whatever) that will suit the situation better. It costs you nothing but time. It's safer for you, it's safer for your trusted friend, it's safer for the party.

Diarmuid
2011-02-17, 04:39 PM
Or, get a muzzle and strong leash/hauberk made by a leatherworker and carry around a big whip. Tell people you've subdued it and trained it. Prove this with the many "tricks" you've taught your companion.

Sillycomic
2011-02-17, 05:00 PM
Oh, that is a good idea. Why make the poor mountain lion have all the bluff and disguise checks? Do it yourself.

Turn your group into a travelling "circus" complete with the world's strongest man (barbarian) a knife juggler (rogue) a fortune teller (wizard) and a lion tamer (druid)

Wow. Then you have a legit reason for bringing a mountain lion into the city!

Sheesh. That only costs about 100 gold for some costumes and a cart with a nicely painted sign on it. You could even sell Dr. Mystic's Cureall and make some money.

Hiro Protagonest
2011-02-17, 06:31 PM
Oh, that is a good idea. Why make the poor mountain lion have all the bluff and disguise checks? Do it yourself.

Turn your group into a travelling "circus" complete with the world's strongest man (barbarian) a knife juggler (rogue) a fortune teller (wizard) and a lion tamer (druid)

Wow. Then you have a legit reason for bringing a mountain lion into the city!

Sheesh. That only costs about 100 gold for some costumes and a cart with a nicely painted sign on it. You could even sell Dr. Mystic's Cureall and make some money.

... That's actually pretty good.