Fun with Awakened Animal Characters

[CrazyYanmega]

Okay, Giants. Time for more CrazyYanmega craziness that you've come to love or hate.

Because my characters have been going through the meat-grinder lately, my DM is allowing more flexibility in my character creation. He's decided to allow me to use Awakened animals and Magical Beasts as characters.

So far he has approved Deinonychus, Phase Wasp, Dire Wolf, and Dire Weasel. We are currently debating the merits of a Purple Worm Paladin.

Assuming that the DM has removed the Animal and Magical Beast Hitdice, and all the benefits from such, what classes do you think I should choose?

I know Phase Wasp is going to be a Warlock, and I am considering Paladin for the Dire Wolf. I don't know what to do with the Deinonychus, and the Dire Weasel will likely be a rogue-type.

Tome of Battle is banned.

[SamaelOfChaos]

If you can manage, by all means, make the Dire Wolf hold a large sword in their teeth if you're going for paladin!

This was the first thing that plopped to mind:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVOBoMzcl0Q

[CrazyYanmega]

I already argued that point and won. I do take a -2 penalty, even if I am proficient.

EDIT: Would Vow of Poverty be good on the Phase Wasp? I mean, it's not like I'm gonna find a whole lot of equipment for him, his class doesn't use equipment, and the primary problem of lacking flight is already taken care of.

[Inuzuka]

If you can manage, by all means, make the Dire Wolf hold a large sword in their teeth if you're going for paladin!


You'd need a sword with the mouthpick enchantment.

[Urpriest]

You'd need a sword with the mouthpick enchantment.

If you're doing that, go with a Spiked Chain instead. Mouthpick auto-grants you proficiency.

What sort of LA is your DM assigning these beasties?

[CrazyYanmega]

If you're doing that, go with a Spiked Chain instead. Mouthpick auto-grants you proficiency.

What sort of LA is your DM assigning these beasties?

Here's the best part: NONE.

Where is the Mouthpick from?

[Urpriest]

Here's the best part: NONE.

Where is the Mouthpick from?

Lords of Madness, Beholder section.

[Coidzor]

Deinonychus? Totemist and capitalizing on those natural attacks and pounce, I'd say. The bite takes off some pressure for a totemist and the talons are a difficult thing for a totemist to replicate. Maybe some City Brawler variant Barbarian for IUS so you don't have to take Monk, maybe some Whirling Frenzy Barbarian for some extra fun. Maybe throw in something like Dragontouched and pick up Dragon Tail with a flaw. Some Rogue or Sneak Attack Thug Fighter or Rokugan Ninja or what have you + Craven for more damage on all of those natural attacks might be nice as well.

As for the Mouthpick weapon, you should go ahead and pick up either a Kaorti Resin(ribbon) or Heavy weapon for a better critical modifier or dealing damage as if the weapon were a size category larger, since those things make it exotic and you've got auto-proficiency. A Kaorti Resin Falchion would be pretty nasty with an 18-20/x4 Crit, though I know there's other weapons that are already exotic which would have even more fun but would require a bit more digging, I believe.

[Dante Leos]

There is another way to go about it, as I have created a intelligent Jellyfish Bard before as my Wizard's cohort. The secret ingredient is a permanent anthropomorphic animal spell from Pathfinder.

[Tohsaka Rin]

Maximized, Empowered, Awaken. Can be (less painfully) done with a pair of metamagic rods.

Then Psion.

Then Control body.

On yourself.

Then laugh.

On a less ridiculous note, if you're going to use a caster, you definitely want to go psion, as they have no somatic, or verbal, or material requirements to cast. That's a huge boon to any race without hands, proper lips, or what I think is the most important discovery of any sentient species... Pocket technology.

EDIT: I JUST remembered. If online SRDs are allowed, use the Soulknife from the Dreamscarred Press SRD. They made the thing actually playable. Nothing like having a weapon you don't need to carry around. I wouldn't see anything wrong with a sentient wolf having its fangs enhanced by soul-stuff.

...Well, from a DM's perspective. As a person, I think screaming and running would be my normal reaction upon encountering that, normally.

[CrazyYanmega]

So it turns out Tome of Battle IS allowed, since one of the other players is using Tome of Magic. I think the Dire Wolf will be a Crusader, but what can I do with the dinonychus? Tiger Claw Warblade?

[otakumick]

deinonychus factotum. Make a philosoraptor.

[Coidzor]

So it turns out Tome of Battle IS allowed, since one of the other players is using Tome of Magic. I think the Dire Wolf will be a Crusader, but what can I do with the dinonychus? Tiger Claw Warblade?

...What, was the ban just on the Tome of X series rather than Tome of Battle specifically? :smallconfused:

Tiger Claw Warblade mixed with Totemist (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=287304).

[John Longarrow]

Awaken a Hummingbird...
Go Warlock and wait for anything to figure out WHERE you are while you flit around! IIRC, massive dex + size tiny and you get invocations!

[CrazyYanmega]

What are the stats for a hummingbird?

[Coidzor]

What are the stats for a hummingbird?

I can find the source, but offhand I can't recall any particulars beyond lacking natural weapons and being quite tiny. Dragon #323 p98

Edit: I seem to recall that they actually reference Thrushes though, actually. Those are apparently on page 203 of the DMG.