Holy Liberator Help (3.5)

[gallagher]

So i have a character that just pinged a new level. he is a Ranger1/Fighter4/Holy Liberator6. i just got the celestial companion. when i first saw this, i was pretty excited about it, but then i saw my choices of companions, and felt a little underwhelmed. i cannot pick a mount, because i am medium sized, we are playing in the underdark, and i am not allowed to retrain/rebuild.

which companion is strategically the best in this situation? i was kind of feeling that if it is better to not bother, and pick a different level (instead of my 6th for holy liberator) or maybe get a celestial cat and have it be like mr scruffy. no real combat help, but he can search small areas, possibly retrieve small items, and take messages nonmagically to other characters.

for those wondering, we have a frenzied berzerker, a skillmonkey bard, and an initiate of the sevenfold veil wizard in the party. our tactics are pretty solid that we are very effective as a team in combat, and we all rolled rather well (to be expected, we got 5d6 drop 2 :smallbiggrin: )

i picked holy liberator, but didnt want to be LG, and my DM didnt want any of the alternate paladins. also, no TOB, Psionics, or ToM.

[Leon]

Not having played one but having played with One.

He started with a Dire Wolf but that was killed and once he could replace it chose the Cat - that cat was incredibly useful just for the fact that its a cat and most places wont bat a eye toward a cat roaming about.

You have a FB - you don't need any combat help from a pet - small intelligent spy/utility helper more so is very good to have

[Lyndworm]

I'm not particularly familiar with the class, but I have used utility companions before. I would have to suggest a monkey, if you can swing it. Cats are stealthier and (in most campaigns) less likely to arouse suspicion even if seen, but monkeys have thumbs. Plus, they're adorable and really easy to anthropomorphize into their own character.

[gallagher]

regardless of which animal i pick, what are some things i can get for it that would make my companion better?

[Darrin]

i cannot pick a mount, because i am medium sized, we are playing in the underdark, and i am not allowed to retrain/rebuild.


I'm not sure I understand what you mean by you cannot pick a mount. Do you *want* a mount? The warhorse is the only option that is large-sized, but I understand they have trouble fitting down narrow passages without squeezing. However, the whole point of special mounts is you can call them in when you need them and dismiss them when you don't. That was the whole point of changing how the special mount worked in the 3.0 to 3.5 update, because paladins were whining about not being able to take their mount into dungeons.



which companion is strategically the best in this situation?


The eagle is the strongest flyer, and has one of the best Spot skills in the animal section (+16). When it gains 2HD, you can give it Flyby Attack as a bonus feat, which opens up some interesting options: Aid Another, for example, allows it to give you a +2 untyped bonus to attack or AC while still staying somewhat out of harm's way (i.e., 40' above you). It can do anything the cat can do, and makes a better messenger.

The wolf is the strongest non-flyer if you're not counting the warhorse. It has the Trip (Ex) ability, which is a decent debuff, and when it gains HD you can add Improved Trip for the +4 bonus and free follow-up attack. However, at your ECL it's not likely to be much help in combat, and will probably wind up soaking up a single attack every every 30 days. It also has scent and makes a somewhat passable tracker, and you can improve it a bit by spending whatever skill points it does get on the Survival skill.

Since your celestial companion is almost identical to the paladin's special mount, try asking your DM for an "unusual mount" (DMG p. 204). The Draconomicon also has rules for using a dragon as a special mount, or you can take the Dragon Steed feat to pick up a Dragonnel (6HD, 90' fly speed).

There are other ways to get a stronger mount/companion/cohort/etc. The Wild Cohort feat (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20031118a), for example, or a dip into a PrC such as Beastmaster or Beast Heart Adept.


regardless of which animal i pick, what are some things i can get for it that would make my companion better?

Magic items:

Pearl of Speech (600 GP, MIC p. 118). Allows your companion (celestial, so minimum Int = 3) to speak and activate command-word items.

Talisman of the Disk (500 GP, MIC p. 188). Command-word activated (thanks to the Pearl of Speech) floating disk at will. Allows you to ride along with your companion, something like a "pouncing sidecar". You gain a lot of the benefits of a mount without some of the drawbacks: your "mount" doesn't have to be large, you can use your mount's faster speed, no ride checks or falling out of a saddle, +1 attack bonus for being 3' higher than your opponent, and you can full attack after your mount is done moving.

Amulet of Tears (2300 GP, MIC p. 70). Your companion is very fragile at your current ECL. This item can give up to 36 temp HP per day, which may not help much, but hey at least it's cheap.

Collar of Healing (5000 GP, MIC p. 89). As an immediate action 1/day, a "Get Out of Death Free" card for your companion.

Shrink Collar (10000 GP, A&EG p. 80). Allows you to shrink a larger mount down to a more dungeon-friendly small size. Also can be used to bring tiny or smaller creatures *up* to small size. Your companion has an Int of 3, so no need to check for panic. Also works on humanoids, if you need to squeeze down a narrow passage for some reason.

Other:

Your *celestial* companion can take Exalted feats. Vow of Poverty, for example (but then can't use any of those magic items I mentioned above).

Ask your DM if your companion can become a Dragonborn of Bahumat. The +2 Con helps increase HP, and if your companion has enough HD, you can add flight to a ground-pounder. For flying/tiny companions, the breath weapon gives them something more useful to do in combat (particularly with Entangling Exhalation).

[Hazzardevil]

I reccomend you try a few levels in Crusader, the Celestial companion is interesting, but after that holy liberater is the pits.
Then after a few levels in crusader, take levels in RKW for more maneuvers.

[Amiria]

I reccomend you try a few levels in Crusader, the Celestial companion is interesting, but after that holy liberater is the pits.
Then after a few levels in crusader, take levels in RKW for more maneuvers.

The companion gets considerably stronger with more levels of Holy Liberator. If he wants a competent companion he hath to stay in HL.

[Cog]

The companion gets considerably stronger with more levels of Holy Liberator. If he wants a competent companion he hath to stay in HL.
Not true. Celestial Companion is based on character level rather than class level.

[Talya]

Not true. Celestial Companion is based on character level rather than class level.


...sweet. I never looked at this class before that.

[Hazzardevil]

Not true. Celestial Companion is based on character level rather than class level.

That's why I said crusader, however theres a flaw in the RKW method. You have to lose a level and a bab to get in with sacred exorcist as your best option

[Cog]

...sweet. I never looked at this class before that.
Another nice thing is that it draws off the Pally spell list, so if you've got access to C. Champion and such it benefits from the spells there too.

[Amiria]

Not true. Celestial Companion is based on character level rather than class level.

Ah yes. I knew that the class was better than it looked at first sight. I played a Holy Liberator in City of the Spider Queen. But that was like 7 years ago and I haven't used the class since then.

[Doc Roc]

Ask your DM if your companion can become a Dragonborn of Bahumat. The +2 Con helps increase HP, and if your companion has enough HD, you can add flight to a ground-pounder. For flying/tiny companions, the breath weapon gives them something more useful to do in combat (particularly with Entangling Exhalation).

This is brilliant! Recommend this, quite hard.