Musical Bard with an Elephant

[Evil the Cat]

I recently decided I wanted to play a bard that uses a piano. Now, obviously this is difficult for adventuring, so I came to the obvious conclusion: I need an elephant animal companion.

The game is currently 7th level and I'm trying to find a way to have both bardic music, and an elephant animal companion. As a druid with 1 level in beastmaster, I can cheese-interpret natural bond to have an elephant at 7, but not while having bardic music.

If someone can help me come up with a way to, at level 7 without getting too cheesy, have both bardic music and an elephant, I'd really appreciate it.

tldr: level 7, I want bardic music, and an elephant animal companion.

[hivedragon]

you are aware you can have as many trained pets as you want that aren't from the animal companion class feature :smallsigh:

[Evil the Cat]

There's no way my GM will let me buy an elephant, but if it is a class feature, he has less ways to protest. Also, I think he will now make sure I never encounter an elephant in-game.

[Tyger]

Why an elephant? Why not a Tenser's Disc?

[Evil the Cat]

http://images5.cpcache.com/product/66533325v10_480x480_Front.jpg

[Keld Denar]

Wild Cohort (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20031118a) feat?

Unfortunately, you'd need to be 16th level to get an elephant.

So, I don't think you are gonna accomplish what you want to get an elephant until a bit past 7...sorry...

[Evil the Cat]

I can do it at 8 as brd 1, druid 6, beastmaster 1 with a loose interpretation of natural bond. i could also have an elephant as bard 6 beastmaster 1 with same interpretation, but i lose bardic music. Now, I could probably do the bard variant - virtuoso, but that'd again be at level 8.

[nedz]

Using the Leadership Feat with Special Cohorts (DMG p199) might get you an Elephant at Level 12 (Elephant CR7+3, +2 Levels); but I don't think Elephants qualify as Cohorts since they don't have LA.
An Awakened Elephant should qualify so you just need to find a friendly 11th level Druid.:smallbiggrin: I'm not sure what that would do to the CR though?

[*.*.*.*]

Fey bard gets an AC, but loses most of the bard stuff...

[Telonius]

I'd suggest statting out a juvenile version of an elephant, with fewer HD.

Large
HD: 5d8+25
BAB: +3
STR 20
Trample 2d8+7
Feats: Alertness, Endurance

Modify the full attack for one size category smaller and the lowered strength, too, and call it equivalent to a 4th-level animal companion.

Then, use a Summon Nature's Ally scroll to call a few crows and a mouse, get a scroll of Fly, and start up the Bardic Music. :smallbiggrin:

[hivedragon]

how about you just turn piano into a permanently animated object

[Ravens_cry]

Try the Wild Cohort feat (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20031118a) if you do not want all the extra baggage that leadership has, ie. a hoard of low level followers. You would have to be 16th level to get an elephant by RAW (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/classes/druid.htm#alternativeAnimalCompanions).

[Zaq]

Technically, the Fey Bard (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#bard) from UA gets an animal companion as Druid and keeps Bardic Music, but they give up most of the good songs (I'm thinking you're rather more interested in Inspire Courage than you are in Countersong, no?).

Then again, there's always this. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/wondrousItems.htm#marbleElephant) Not quite ideal, but not bad. About 2/3 of your WBL at level 7, sure, and it only works 4 times a month, but it's still a hilarious item.

[Evil the Cat]

I think I pulled it off by (admittedly shaky) RAW.

Fey bard 3, Druid 1, Harmonious Knight Paladin of Freedom 1, Beastmaster 1, and a bloodline level.

I think I can technically add the bloodline class ability advancement to Fey Bard, Druid, and Beastmaster. Natural Bond (using the RAW legal though definitely shaky interpretation that since elephant is -12 levels, i can Natural Bond away 3 of that.)

This gives me effective Druid level 14 on the companion, letting me have an elephant with the level 2 animal companion bonuses, and inspire courage from harmonious knight. From here I'll look into a PrC that says I add my bard levels to it to determine my effects, without it mentioning whether or not i have to actually have said music beforehand. (Virtuoso maybe).

I like the animated piano idea though. I wonder what kind of an odd build I can do around that.


Technically, the Fey Bard (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#bard) from UA gets an animal companion as Druid and keeps Bardic Music, but they give up most of the good songs (I'm thinking you're rather more interested in Inspire Courage than you are in Countersong, no?).

Then again, there's always this. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/wondrousItems.htm#marbleElephant) Not quite ideal, but not bad. About 2/3 of your WBL at level 7, sure, and it only works 4 times a month, but it's still a hilarious item.

Definitely more interested in the inspire courage, lol.

Too bad there's no unlimited use figurines. That would also let me store my elephant away during dungeons.

[nedz]

Sounds like you would need a seven pack of Marble Elephants:smallcool:

You could always go for a custom item a Figurine of Wonderous Power: Piano - probably slightly cheaper, and you'd only need a six pack of them.