[PF] Pack Lord Is Not So Awful

[Dr. Yes]

Pack Lord (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/druid/archetypes/paizo---druid-archetypes/pack-lord) is a Druid archetype that allows you to split your Nature Bond progression between two or more animals. This is generally considered to be terrible, because by splitting your companion levels you end up with a menagerie of useless animal redshirts who are made of paper and can't hit anything to save their lives. On closer inspection, however, I think a few steps can make for a viable—nay, even good—Pack Lord Druid.

Step 1: Be a half-orc or a human. If human, trade your bonus feat for Eye for Talent.
Step 2: Take Boon Companion (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/general-feats/boon-companion) as your first feat. Spend your actual level-up advancements on the companion to whom the feat does not apply.
Step 3: Take Boon Companion as your second feat. Apply it to the companion you've been leveling normally. Start leveling the companion you booned first.
Step 4: At level 9, take Beast Rider (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/arg-feats/beast-rider-orc-half-orc). If you are human, you will need to take Racial Heritage (Orc) as your 7th level feat first. Suddenly, your companions are elephants. They will now keep pace with you up to level 12. Recommend taking Mobility for them and having them trample back and forth across the battlefield whenever possible.

At 13th level and above, your companions will slowly start falling behind. Alternating levels from here on out, your animals will end up 3 HD behind their solo counterparts. In terms of actual stats, this means:

-3 BAB
-2 Fort
-2 Ref
-1 Will
-2 Natural Armor
-1 Str/Dex
3 fewer skill points
1 less feat
1 less trick (but you get Improved Empathic Link, so who cares?)

All things considered, this is not a bad trade-off for doubling your attacks (or trample damage) per round and increasing your companions' total hit points by 62.5%.

The disadvantages of such a build are the additional action and spell cost of buffing both companions, additional cost of itemization (depending on whether or not your DM even allows animals to wear magical gear), and the tax of 3-4 feats to keep your animals viable.

Thoughts?

[JusticeZero]

To me it looks more like a way to get a few utility 1 CR companions alongside the combat one. I don't know that there is any restrictions on which one gets levels. I suspect that in practice they would be doing more companion swaps to fit the situation.

[grarrrg]

Assuming that your DM even allows such shenanigans in the first place...

You forgot the level of Mammoth Rider (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/prestige-classes/other-paizo/i-m/mammoth-rider).

[Dr. Yes]

Assuming that your DM even allows such shenanigans in the first place...

You forgot the level of Mammoth Rider (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/prestige-classes/other-paizo/i-m/mammoth-rider).

Yeah, I was on the fence about that. It only affects one companion, which would actually make it better for a stock Druid than a Pack Lord, and losing a caster level is always a tough sell. Getting huge damage dice with 10 ft. reach is really nice. Ultimately I considered it a wash and left it out for simplicity's sake.

[Hruken]

I've been kicking around a way to make this archetype work, but I have to warn you, it relies on some major shenanigans.

Play a Halfling Aasimar. This makes you small, but does not change your stats. Take two levels of Pack Lord, use each one to grab a wolf. From there on, go Nature Oracle (make this favored class), choosing the Bonded Mount revelation, and using the favored class bonus for this revelation. This will net you an extra 9 levels to split between your wolves. Combine with two takings of Boon Companion, and you should be able to net one level 18 wolf and a level 19 wolf at level 20.

Even more shenanigans can net you a level 19 and a level 20 companion. Take Scion of Humanity trait (as a halfling aasimar...) and the Huntmaster feat. Choose dog, and after level 4, swap the wolves for dogs.

Requires a very, very open DM to work, as it flies in the face of RAW in a couple of places.

Edit: stupid me, math oversight

[grarrrg]

Yeah, I was on the fence about that. It only affects one companion, which would actually make it better for a stock Druid than a Pack Lord, and losing a caster level is always a tough sell. Getting huge damage dice with 10 ft. reach is really nice. Ultimately I considered it a wash and left it out for simplicity's sake.

With the way you are interpreting things, I don't see why it wouldn't apply to any/all of your Companions.


Aasimar....using the favored class bonus for this revelation. This will net you an extra 8 levels to split between your wolves.
You'd gain 9 levels.
Druid 2 => 2
Oracle 18 + (18/2 favored) => 27
29 total levels.



Requires a very, very open DM to work, as it flies in the face of RAW in a couple of places.

Yes.
Yes it does.

[JusticeZero]

What's wrong with using Boon Companion to give you a couple of levels to work with, then using them on things like a bird, a mole, etc.? "And this is Dewey. Dewey has wings to scout with and deliver messages or whatever. Dewey doesn't fight. Neither does Lissy the mole. Lissy digs holes in walls. Lissy doesn't fight either. Joe the dire tyrannosaurus here is for fighting."

[grarrrg]

What's wrong with using Boon Companion to give you a couple of levels to work with, then using them on things like a bird, a mole, etc.?

The problem is that it doesn't work.
The 'as written' might be a little fuzzy, but the 'intent' is quite clear.
A Druid, or any class with a Companion/Mount, has an "effective" level for their friends.
The intent of Boon Companion is to 'catch up' to your effective level, which is why it caps at your HD. This makes it useful for things like Multiclass, Rangers, Animal Domain, etc...
A Pack Lord still has effective level equal to HD so Boon Companion should do nothing. The fuzzy part is the exact wording used, about how it targets "an Animal Companion". But the end result would still be getting a higher effective level than your HD, which is not allowed.

Another problem, is that a Pack Lord is freely allowed to change his mix of companions (give or take the time invested to 'find' a new one).
So assuming you're allowed your 2+ Boon Companions, what happens if you decide that you want to sink all your levels into only 1 Companion for a while?

[Ansem]

Where is this racial heritage feat?

[Hruken]

Racial Heritage (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/arg-feats/racial-heritage)

From Advanced Race Guide. Allows humans to qualify as any other race for feats, spells, archetypes, and whatever.

[Dr. Yes]

The problem is that it doesn't work.
The 'as written' might be a little fuzzy, but the 'intent' is quite clear.
A Druid, or any class with a Companion/Mount, has an "effective" level for their friends.
The intent of Boon Companion is to 'catch up' to your effective level, which is why it caps at your HD. This makes it useful for things like Multiclass, Rangers, Animal Domain, etc...
A Pack Lord still has effective level equal to HD so Boon Companion should do nothing. The fuzzy part is the exact wording used, about how it targets "an Animal Companion". But the end result would still be getting a higher effective level than your HD, which is not allowed.

EDIT: Crap, you're completely right. Raising effective druid level doesn't do a thing. The build is invalid.