How To Store Druid Pets

[DaTexican]

I have a 10th lv Druid in a party of 9. We are constantly going in and out of different terrain as we travel and many times within cities where my pet isn't particularly welcome. I have done a feat tree and approved with my dm having a hydra for a pet and you can probably see my problem. I remember from a campaign i played awhile back a item I used that functioned similarly to a poke ball for use with pets/familiars:smallsmile: but I cant find it anywhere, so Im turning to the pros. I have read up on a few things like the portable hole/bottle of air and a few other tricks. Any advice?

[Slipperychicken]

I'd ask the GM about the setting. A hydra is the CR of an elephant (8) +/- 3, and those are sometimes used as pets, so one of the weaker ones should reasonably be allowed into the city if you have the proper restraints and such on it. Maybe you could pay for some documentation which allows you to ride it?

If you can get Alter Self onto the hydra to last all day, you should be able to turn it into some form of acceptable Large magical beast like a unicorn or something.

If you have a Wizard, you could cast Baleful Polymorph (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/balefulPolymorph.htm) (Sorc/Wiz 5) on the hydra, politely ask it to fail its fort save, and carry it around in lizard form or something (ideally an adorable bite-sized mini-hydra). Duration is Permanent, so just cast Dispel Magic or Remove Curse or something when you need your hydra to kill stuff.

There are spells spell called Familiar Refuge and Familiar Pocket, but IIRC those store familiars, not animal companions.

[ellindsey]

Flesh To Stone + Shrink Item. When you need your pet back, toss the shrunken item on the ground and then cast Dispel Magic on it.

[Slipperychicken]

Flesh To Stone + Shrink Item. When you need your pet back, toss the shrunken item on the ground and then cast Dispel Magic on it.

Also, store it carefully -damage to the statue will cause similar injury to your pet. You might want your Hydra to curl up into a ball before you cast Flesh to Stone so the statue is more durable (i.e. no thin extending bits to be broken off).

[hymer]

Flesh To Stone + Shrink Item. When you need your pet back, toss the shrunken item on the ground and then cast Dispel Magic on it.

I 3.5, returning to flesh from being petrified requires more than a Dispel Magic, and it can kill the one returning.

[Another_Poet]

Bag of holding is the way to go.

A Bottle of Air could potentially be problematic, because doesn't it keep spewing air nonstop? I would worry about pressure change etc. Plus, expensive.

Instead, turn the inside of the bag into a terrarium. Go inside and set it up with lots of plants. Add a few sources of magical light so the plants don't die, and once every 2-3 days make sure to go in and water them.

The plants will balance out the hydra's breathing needs, and the natural environment will also make it happier. Having a greenhouse sanctuary in your pocket also seems like a Druidy thing to do.

Note: the artificial light may not be as good for plants as sunlight, but they should survive if it's at least as good as office lights :smallamused:

You could add a water feature for your hydra, too :smallcool:




Maybe you could pay for some documentation which allows you to ride it?

This cracks me up. I'm not saying it's a bad idea, I'm just saying it is hilarious.

[eggynack]

A shrink collar (A&EG, 80) costs 10,000 GP and can be placed on your hydra to make it small. Could work reasonably well.

[Slipperychicken]

This cracks me up. I'm not saying it's a bad idea, I'm just saying it is hilarious.

I would laugh so hard if the PCs were riding a giant fire-breathing hydra through town, then a horse-mounted guard pulls them over to ask for their license and registration.