Oriental Adventures Shaman 3.5 Update in Dragon 318

[Coidzor]

So I was able to briefly get access to Dragon 318 to look over the 3.5 update to the 3.0 Shaman class from Oriental Adventures. On one point I'm a bit confused though. I couldn't see any reference to nixing or updating their animal companion class feature.

Does this mean that their animal companion class feature is supposed to be assumed to be updated to the same 3.5 version as the druid, their animal companion class feature is broken as it refers to a spell which no longer exists, their class feature grandfathers in the spell despite it normally no longer existing, or did I just manage to miss it in Dragon 318, or was it covered elsewhere?

[VariSami]

As it happens to be, I googled for the same thing yesterday when making a Shaman NPC and the answer is:
It is complicated.

Really. That is it. Nothing beyond what you have already found was to be found in earlier threads about this. Some omitted the Companion completely; some grandfathered the original 3.0 version and some went with the 3.5 Druid version.

Personally, I went with the 3.5 Druid version. If it had been equal earlier, it should be equal in the updated version. I went with the details being "reminder text" in the same way classes with sneak attack always refer back to the Rogue class ability. Instead of referring back, it "reminded" by repeating the text, as some cards in Magic the Gathering do for keywords.

[dysprosium]

I have that issue of Dragon and just read the update for the class in the article.

I would go with using the 3.5 animal companion for the druid.

The animal companion reference in Oriental Adventures is the same as it was in the 3.0 PHB for the Druid.

Since that's how the Druid's animal companion was updated for 3.5, that is how I would use it for the Shaman.


Or alternatively just play a Spirit Shaman from Complete Divine.

[Blackjackg]

I have that issue of Dragon and just read the update for the class in the article.

I would go with using the 3.5 animal companion for the druid.

The animal companion reference in Oriental Adventures is the same as it was in the 3.0 PHB for the Druid.

Since that's how the Druid's animal companion was updated for 3.5, that is how I would use it for the Shaman.


Or alternatively just play a Spirit Shaman from Complete Divine.

This. I've always ruled that the shaman's animal companion was identical to the druid's. Of course, I also houserule that the ranger's animal companion is identical to the druid's.

[Pluto!]

Does this mean that their animal companion class feature is supposed to be assumed to be updated to the same 3.5 version as the druid, their animal companion class feature is broken as it refers to a spell which no longer exists, their class feature grandfathers in the spell despite it normally no longer existing, or did I just manage to miss it in Dragon 318, or was it covered elsewhere?
It means that a D&D writer made an oversight. (gasp! :smalltongue:)

Really, the 3.0 Shaman class feature and spell are identical to the 3.0 Druid class feature and spell, so the most reasonable adaptation would just be keeping the 3.5ed Shaman identical to the 3.5 Druid.

[Coidzor]

Thank you. I mostly just thought that I'd missed some other bit of text on the subject somewhere. Seems like I didn't though.

I'll double-check spirit shaman, but Improved Unarmed Strike as a bonus feat and the potential to trade out an animal companion for an urban companion and still get 2 domains is for a 1-3 level dip is pretty attractive to my totemist-focused character.