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recolector
2014-07-05, 09:22 PM
Hi, im a new player/ DM /member of the website.


Getting ready for my first session as a DM and checking the rule as a player I came across with the Druid Animal companion and the wizard familiar and I have some doubts about them:

the table for the companions reads something like this

-I armor- -st/dex- - bonus tricks -
3-5 2HD - +2 - - +1 - - +2 -


so is 2HD per level from 3 to 5 (+2Hd each level) or +2HD if the druid is in the range or what, I can't tell since other tables display different (ie. spells known)
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Also there is a player that I just know is going to pick a wizard (or maybe a paladin) and I thought giving him a familiar cat with the raven bonus language perk since he has a cat and we are accustom to talking familiars from every other fantasy story talking,it makes sense. My questions is related to the familiar actual personality

since is going to speak shouldnt have a personality or traits?, maybe a speech pattern or likes/dislikes? if so who should take care of the personality, the player or me?

in one side if the player chooses the himself, he could choose something acording to his character backstory quirks and way of live, maybe both of them having british accent or one finishing each other sentences you know letting the player explore his relationship with it.

on the other hand if I choose the personality the could have opposite personalities or better yet, something completely original like they having diferent personalities you know not same not opposite heck not even complementing just different.

I recall the book saying something along the line of the familiar and wizard being almost the same person which can be read as the familiar either having the same personality as the wizard or them being more a tool than an actual sentient being.

anyway i got carried away with the post, all sugestions welcome except jumping overboard

eggynack
2014-07-05, 09:27 PM
For the animal companion, you get the relevant set of bonuses when you are in that level range, with your effective druid level adjusted by the particular companion. So, a fourth level druid would have the second tier of perks for a riding dog, but only the first tier for a dire badger, because he would have an effective druid level of one. As for the familiar, it's really up to you and the player, but my understanding is that the DM customarily controls the familiar's personality stuff.