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View Full Version : (Pathfinder) Tardigrades, Rathbones, and Humvees Oh My! PEACH & WRIK!



Paulcynic
2011-10-05, 01:57 AM
WRIK = Will Review in Kind. Please evaluate, critique, Play-test, and provide feedback on my work. I will provide the same in return :) Thank you to those who do!

Three distinctly different paths in both flavor and mechanics for your Animal Companion :). This thread was inspired by Kenneth's Animal Companion (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=216293) changes for his 3.5 homebrew, and the reactive abilities were inspired by Dryad's Field Medic (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=199341). However, these PrC's are completely my own creation :)

Basic Premise: After 10th level, Animal Companions become marginalized and increasingly useless against higher CR foes. I feel that they are a thematically significant mechanic, and needed a bit of love to diversify their over-all contribution to the party. Each of the three PrCs are meant to supplement a group's 'rotation', not replace a fully Classed role.

Paulcynic
2011-10-05, 01:58 AM
Role Pets should offer the group a means of filling gaps in their party 'rotation'.

→ An OT is always welcome. Lets call this type of pet the Tardigrade (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tardigrade), critters known to survive extreme punishment.

→ Extra striker damage is vital to any class who's Master is principally a Striker, lets call this type of pet the Rathbone after the world-famous Fencer.

→ Lacking a debuffer can hurt, and so a pet with some sort of Crowd Control or Debuffing is a good thing; lets call this type of Supportive Pet the Humvee (light combat, support vehicle).

Requirements

Base Attack Bonus: +6 or greater

Intelligence Score: 3 or greater

Basic Class Features

Pets continue to level as per Table: Animal Companion Base Statistics (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/classes/druid.html#table-3-8-animal-companion-base-statistics), except that they do not learn new Tricks or Feats as those are replaced by Instincts (see below), and use the BaB advancement from this PrC in place of the normally listed bonus.

http://i51.tinypic.com/2005wcn.jpg

Prestige Class Abilities

Primal Way: Upon taking this PrC, you must choose how your pet will Specialize. Once selected, when ever your pet gains a PrC level, he gains a new Instinct, but he may only choose Instincts from those listed under his Primal Way. There are three 'paths' a pet can take, the Tardigrade (OT), the Humvee (Debuffing and CC), and the Rathbone (Striker).

Instincts: Each Archetype will contain a list of Instincts for the pet to choose from. Instincts last for a number of Rounds equal to your pet's HD plus Wisdom Modifier unless otherwise noted. Spell-like abilities use your pet's HD as their CL.

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Tardigrade Selecting this Primal Way automatically grants your pet the following two abilities, which are fundamental to functionality of Tardigrade Instincts:

Intervene: This ability triggers as an Immediate Action in response to an ally being threatened by the specified circumstances, or when commanded by his Master. Intervene happens before rolls are made, allowing these abilities to affect the outcome of the triggering action. The pet may Intervene, charging directly to the closest adjacent square next to you or your ally, and to the triggering enemy target, so long as the ally or foe is no farther away than one increment of the pet's base movement. Your pet may make an Acrobatics check to ignore difficult terrain and Attacks of Opportunity DCs as normal. Intervene requires, and uses up one Attack of Opportunity.

Fixate: You may command your pet to stalk a designated target for the remainder of the combat or until that target is killed. Once Fixated, your pet suffers a -2 circumstance penalty to his AC against all other attackers from his being a bit distracted. However, your pet is free to roam the battlefield, engaging other targets. Once fixated, the pet may Intervene in response to the commanded circumstances. A pet may only fixate on one target at at time.

Tardigrade Instincts

Knock Some Sense (Ex): Whenever an ally is affected by a Grapple, your pet can Intervene, interfering with the attacker's attempt to grasp him. This grants your ally a CMD bonus versus grapple equal to the pet's Strength modifier plus HD.

When your pet's BaB is at least +8, he can Knock Some Sense into allies affected by any sort of Enchantment effect, granting them a second save with a Circumstance bonus to save equal to the pet's Strength Modifier.

Bullet Time (Ex): If an ally would be hit while in Defensive Stance, or while casting a spell Defensively, your pet may Intervene, granting the ally a Dodge bonus to AC equal to your pet's Strength mod against this triggering attack and all further attacks from the triggering attacker this round. If the triggering attack roll is less than the ally's increased AC, the attack fails.

If the pet's BaB is at least +9, he may grant the ally a bonus to his Reflex save equal to your pet's Strength Modifier. If the save is successful, your pet also saves. If the save fails, your pet fails as well.

By Tooth and Nail (Ex): As a Swift action, you command your pet to fixate on a target at least one size category larger than yourself. Whenever you initiate a Combat Maneuver against this target, your pet may then Intervene, leaping upon the designated target with a successful Touch attack. If successful, treat yourself as one size-category larger, allowing you to initiate a Combat Maneuver against enemies up to two size-categories larger, and reducing your Combat Maneuver penalties due to size differences as well.

If your pet's BaB is at least +9, you are treated as two-size categories larger for the purposes of this ability.

Hunted (Ex): As a Swift action, you may command your pet to fixate on a target. Once fixated, the pet may Intervene any time his designated target attempts to cast a spell with a Verbal or Somatic component, interfering before the triggering action is completed. If the fixated caster is casting defensively, he makes his Concentration Check (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/magic.html#table-9-1-concentration-check-dcs) as normal. However, if he was not casting defensively, your pet gains a free attack with his intervention, forcing the target caster to make a damage-based Concentration Check.

If your pet's BaB is at least +9, he gains the feat Step Up and Strike (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/advanced/advancedFeats.html#step-up-and-strike) against his designated target, even if he doesn't normally qualify for it.

Flanker (Ex): As a Swift action, you may command your pet to fixate on a target. Once fixated, the pet may Intervene any time his fixated target is engaged by an ally who needs flanking assistance (When ever said ally does not have a flanking bonus against the designated enemy), this happens before the ally rolls to strike.

If your pet's BaB is at least +7, he can make a free Overrun attempt to achieve a flanking position.

If his BaB is at least +9 he gains a free attack against his fixated target once he's in flanking position.

Pissing Contest (Ex): Any time your pet discovers an enemy who is currently, or is attempting to become Invisible or hidden through Stealth, as an immediate action he may mark them with a stream of powerful smelling urine. The target must make a Reflex save DC (10 plus ½ pet's HD plus Dexterity mod) or their location is obvious even to those with the dullest sense of smell. Treat all others as if they have the Scent ability, but only against targets marked by this ability.

Like a Tiger in Flight (Ex): Any time an enemy attempts to travel in the positive z-axis (fly or climb), your pet may Intervene, gaining a free Grapple attempt before they lift off the ground.

If your pet's BaB is at least +9, he may make a Jump check with a +20 circumstance bonus to grapple a target already in flight, or who has already climbed out of his reach.

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Rathbone Selecting this Primal Way automatically grants your pet the following ability, which is fundamental to the functionality of Rathbone Instincts:

Test: Rathbone pets can Test a target's defenses as an Attack action, unless otherwise noted. If the Test attack lands he gains one Rathbone enhancement against that target only. This enhancement lasts until the target is killed or combat ends. A target may be Tested multiple times, each time granting your pet a different enhancement against that particular target.

Rathbone Instincts

Soft Spot (Ex): When fighting creatures with natural Damage Reduction (not provided by a magical source), your pet can Test for vulnerable soft-spots. If successful, your pet may surgically bypass this target's tough hide, allowing him to ignore an amount of DR equal to his Wisdom mod plus HD.

If your pet's BaB is at least +10, he ignores magical Damage Reduction as well.

Obligatory Chaser (Ex): Once in a flanking position (when he is granted a flanking bonus), your pet may Test his target. If successful, the pet becomes neigh impossible to shake off, retaining his flanking bonus (including benefits from feats based on flanking), even if he has no flanking partner. As a Standard Action, the victim of this ability may attempt a CMB roll against the Pet's CMD, though he suffers a penalty equal to your pet's Flanking bonus. Your pet may only use this enhancement against one target at a time.

If your pet's BaB is at least +10, increase his Flanking bonus by an additional 2.

Knuckle Dragger (Ex): If your pet successfully knocks a target Prone, he may Test him as a free action. If successful, treat the pet as if he were one size-category larger for purposes of reach and type of damage die but only against this target. This enhancement against said target until the end of combat or until the target is killed, as normal; however, the benefit of this ability only applies when the target is Prone.

If your Pet's BaB is at least +9, whenever this target is no longer prone, your pet gains one free Trip action each round against him.

When your pet's BaB is at least +11, increase his Crit range and modifier against this prone target by 2.

Merciful Kill (Ex): If your pet Grapples a target and gets them into the pinned condition, your pet may Test his target, which automatically crits if it lands successfully. The target must make a successful Fortitude save DC (10 plus damage dealt) or die from a coup-de-grace (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/combat.html#coup-de-grace). Your pet may only attempt this ability against a specific target once per day.

Totemic (Su): Animals are closer to the spiritual world than the Master Races; as such, after a fresh kill, they're able to consume the essence and spirit of powerful creatures by eating their entrails. If a creature that was tested this combat dies, as a full-round action your pet may absorb some of its latent powers. Your pet gains all of that creature's Senses for a number of hours equal to your pets Wisdom modifier plus HD.

He also gains any Extraordinary, Supernatural, and Spell-like abilities for a number of rounds equal to your pet's Wisdom modifier plus HD. Once used, that particular ability is spent (no longer available), as using one of these abilities releases some of the slain creatures soul. The only exception are planar summoning abilities, which are impossible for your pet to replicate.

Ravager (Ex): If your pet can act in a surprise round, he may pour every ounce of strength, skill, and fury into a single assault against a target caught by surprise (unable to act in this surprise round), charging up to twice his movement. Your pet gets a free Test action against this target, and if successful it automatically crits. The target must then make a Fortitude save DC (10 plus Damage Dealt) or die from a coup-de-grace (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/combat.html#coup-de-grace). If successful, your pet is exhausted for two full rounds; if it fails, your pet is exhausted for four full rounds. This ability may only be used on targets of equal or lesser HD.

If your Pet's BaB is at least +9, he may use this ability on targets with HD up to 3 higher than his own.

Monster Stomp (Ex): If multiple targets (which your pet has Tested by any other ability this combat) are within his reach, he may strike them as if using the Great Cleave (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/feats.html#great-cleave) feat. These targets do not have to be adjacent to one another, they simply need to be within his reach.

If your pet's BaB is at least +9, he may make two attacks against each target providing he has a second natural attack, but suffers a -2 penalty to each attack. Only one of these attacks needs to land in order to continue the cleave.

If his BaB is at least +12, he may make up to three attacks per target providing he has a third natural attack, but suffers a -4 penalty to each attack. Only one of these attacks needs to land in order to continue the cleave.

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Humvee:

Each ability will list the number of times it can be used per day. Activation is a Standard Action unless otherwise noted. All effects last for a number of rounds equal to your pet's Wisdom modifier plus HD, unless otherwise noted. All spell-like abilities have a CL equal to your pets HD

Humvee Instincts

Head Trauma (Ex): If your pet has a Slam or Gore attack, a successful strike causes the target to become Confused (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/glossary.html#confused) for 1 Round. The target gets no save against this effect.

Will Breaker (Ex): As a Swift Action, Whistle at your pet to break the target's Will. Partly from instilling terror, partly from skillfully manipulating the fight-or-flight mechanisms of your target, your pet can Command (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/spells/command.html#command) them (as per the spell). The subject must make a Will save DC (10 plus ½ pet's HD plus Wisdom Mod) [Fear, Mind-affecting], or follow the Command. Your pet will always command them in the way most beneficial to his master.

Preternatural Premonition (Ex): Your pet's sense for danger is acute. A number of times per day equal to your pet's Wisdom modifier, he gets a strong feeling of Danger or Confidence as if affected by an Augury (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/spells/augury.html#augury). This feeling randomly triggers (GM's discretion when it happens), though its result is obvious (snarling and raised shackles, or long-tongued prancing, etc).

If the pet's BaB is at least +7, gain Commune with Nature (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/spells/communeWithNature.html#commune-with-nature) as an always-active, automatic ability.

Tremor Starter (Ex): As a full-round action, if the pet succeeds at a Jump Check DC 20, he can leap into the air, and slam forcefully into the ground causing an Earthquake (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/spells/earthquake.html#earthquake) (as per the spell). The effect is centered on the pet and the radius of the effect is only Close (25' plus 5' per 2 HD), though he automatically avoids the negative effects that he causes, moving immediately to the nearest safe and advantageous location.

The Shere Khan Effect (Ex): As Dominate Animal (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/spells/dominateAnimal.html#dominate-animal), Will DC (10 plus ½ HD plus Wisdom Mod).

If your pet's BaB is at least +8, he expands this to humanoids as per Dominate Person (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/spells/dominatePerson.html#dominate-person).

If your pet's BaB is at least +12, he may dominate any monster, as per Dominate Monster (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/spells/dominateMonster.html#dominate-monster).

Must be Something He Ate... (Ex): Your pet begins to reek horribly, and periodically breaks a foul wind causing all those at Close range to become Nauseated (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/glossary.html#nauseated) (as per the Stinking Cloud (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/spells/stinkingCloud.html#stinking-cloud) spell). Victims get no save against this effect, they must move out of the radius and suffer the lingering duration before losing the Nauseated condition.

Pallid Limp (Ex): Your pet's claw or bite attack lacerates one of the target's major arteries, causing them to lose vital plasma. Targets who fail a Fortitude save DC (10 plus Damage Dealt) suffer blood loss (as if affected by the Slow (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/spells/slow.html#slow) spell). This effect can only be removed by healing the victim to full health.

Paulcynic
2011-10-05, 01:59 AM
Developer Comments:

The most useful pet would be a caster-like pet. The next most useful would be an OT, and then the least among options is a striker.

The most useful type of ability is one that is reactive-situational. I think that any Pet PrC should be focused on this concept.

Lets start with the Humvee pet (supportive, light engagement caster-like pet). They won't be a true caster of course. Instead, the pet mimics a spell-like ability as an (Ex) rather than (Su). This limits the spell-like options to thematically appropriate abilities.

Tardigrade Pets (Tanks) should be interveners, not full on Meat Shields. This makes them supplemental tanks rather than a replacement for a Classed Tank.

This finally brings us to Rathbone pets. These pets should have abilities which extend the shelf-life of their raw DPR. As is, straight damage takes a back seat to Save or Die Spells, and suffers against DR mechanics and immunities. These pets should should gain circumstantial save or die abilities as well.

Paulcynic
2011-11-04, 10:20 AM
After some extensive playtesting we've revamped the following abilities:

1. Fixate no longer has a daily use cap. The AC penalty adequately discourages its use as an 'always active' stance.

2. Test is now an Attack action rather than a Standard action and no longer deals damage. This allows the pet to use the first round as a Test stage for some serious pwnage in the subsequent rounds. Mobs at these levels are pretty clever and don't just stand around waiting to be minced either :P so this change was necessary to keep the Rathbone relevant and useful.

3. Added Pallid Limp to the Humvee's list: Pallid Limp (Ex): Your pet's claw or bite attack lacerates one of the target's major arteries, causing them to lose vital plasma. Targets who fail a Fortitude save DC (10 plus Damage Dealt) suffer blood loss (as if affected by the Slow spell). This effect can only be removed by healing the victim to full health.

4. We're probably going to toss the Rathbone's Totemic ability, but we like the idea enough that its undergoing some heavy experimentation and revamping :)

--PC

motionmatrix
2011-11-19, 12:27 AM
I really like the concept of PrC for pets.

I feel you are missing the back up healer/buffer.

At first he shares damage (as shield other), but he has a good fast healing.

He eventually grants fast healing, some single target healing, perhaps some status removal. No aoe healing, that's dedicated healer.

He is not soo good to replace a dedicated healer, but a solo caster with him would feel a lot safer.

Ilorin Lorati
2011-11-19, 11:37 AM
How does this mechanic work? As far as I'm aware, there's no mechanic in Pathfinder that by default allows an animal companion to take class levels. Without making it clear how that works, all you really have is a nice idea.

Edit: As a suggestion, I would recommend this costing a player feat or an archetype.

motionmatrix
2011-11-19, 01:31 PM
yea, it should cost a feat at minimum.