Artwork-based optimization: help me have fun with a concept

[ILM]

The door slammed open and all heads in the busy tavern turned as one in curiosity. Immediately, the usual bustle quieted down to a wary silence; games were halted, banter interrupted mid-sentence, and even the maids stopped in their tracks, frothy mugs of poor ale suspended as they watched. The armored beast padded in heavily, rider astride, and sniffed twice, gingerly tasting the alcohol-heavy air of the tavern. Its claws clicked noisily in the stunned silence against floorboards burnished by passage. The rider managed the doorway easily, spear scraping the top of the frame as they passed it, and looked back at the assembly with cool detachment. “Your largest mug of ale!” she called out to the barkeep in a voice used to being obeyed, “And some water for my companion.” The barkeep knew better than to argue; he recognized that particular one.

http://fc09.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2013/055/5/e/corgi_and_fairy_by_sandara-d5vh6by.jpg

Yeah, so with an image like that, of course I have to build a character! (kudos to the good people in Dungeons and Dreamboats for featuring it, and to sandara for drawing it)

I'm thinking ECL 6 Druid chassis. I'd like to keep the full spellcasting progression (or as close to as possible) but will be ditching Wild Shape for flavour. Be advised that heavy houserules are in play regarding the Polymorph spells, and you may assume I'll be avoiding them.

Race: small and elf-like probably means some kind of Gnome sub-race, probably. Whisper Gnomes are my usual go-to but I'm happy to grab another that makes sense.

Classes: Druid (duh), and any prestige class that works though I'm really happy to stick with straight Druid. I'm considering a Beastmaster dip.

Feats: assuming 2 flaws, that's 5 feats at level 6. I expect to mostly try and optimize the mount (it's not like the casting needs much help to be good, and I really want that fuzzy furball of a corgi to be the cutest world-destroying spawn of the Tarrasque the world has ever seen). Some options are Mounted Combat, Ride-By Attack, Saddleback (?), Mounted Spellcasting (I think there's an item that gives the same benefit?), Spirited Charge (with Valorous spear?).

Puppy: As far as I can tell RAW doesn't allow funky templates on companions that are riding dogs, so we're out of luck here.

Sources are all official 3.5 books, no 3.0, no Pathfinder, no Dragon Magazine.

Assorted questions:
- Any other ways to make Puppy more efficient? I'm aware of the Druid Handbook (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=1354.0) and the Mount Handbook (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=25.0).
- Spell, feat, skill tricks suggestions for the druid and the dog?
- Any ideas if we're talking ECL 8 or 9 instead of 6?

[Gildedragon]

Magebred riding dog
The breastplate seems metal, so probably not druid
But it might be darkleaf breastplate

[ILM]

Magebred riding dog
The part where it says that "rangers and druids may never acquire a magebred animal as a companion" (ECS p.36) seems problematic.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Glimmerskin Halfling from Dragon Magic, "Glimmerskin halflings typically have a warm, golden sheen to their complexion, and their eyes inevitably hold metallic flecks of gold. They commonly display traits of nobility and bravery, standing up against threats of any nature." Possibly combine it with Strongheart Halfling, which gets no racial bonus on saving throws but has a bonus feat at 1st level.

The Deadly Hunter (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#druid) variant of Druid gets quite a few benefits in exchange for Wild Shape. She should wear a Forestwarden Shroud in RotW.

Take Exalted Companion for a Celestial Riding Dog, and give it two flaws (Bestial Instinct and No Time For Book Learning (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?258440-The-quot-Best-quot-Flaws#30)) for Sacred Vow and Vow of Poverty. Use Handle Animal to make it a Warbeast, and make one of its extra feats Mage Slayer.

The character's feats can be just about anything you want. I'd include Versatile Spellcaster to get the Summon Elemental reserve feat at 6th, along with Mounted Combat, Exalted Companion, and possibly other exalted feats. Ashbound and Greenbound Summoning are always strong choices, of course.

[Mithril Leaf]

Are you absolutely positive you can't buy your DM a beer to get Dragon Magazine allowed? It has the Ranger Knight Class which would give you a level 6 Paladin's Mount for Devoted Tracker. Alternatively consider taking Otherworldly, which changes you to technically an Outsider, qualifying you for Fangshields Ranger, which gets you an animal companion that's only 1 level behind a druid, while giving you full BAB (although less casting). Choosing a druid just seems like the easy way out.

EDIT: No Dragon Mag Biff.

EDIT2: Natural Bond just so happens to coincide nicely with the levels of Ranger one would take in E6.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

EDIT: No Dragon Mag Biff.

Dragon Magic, the book that contains the Dragonfire Adept class and a bunch of other dragon-themed game elements. It's a WotC 3.5 hardback book completely unrelated to Dragon magazine.
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51YBVB15T2L.jpg

[ILM]

You'll find us terribly boring and conservative, but alas VoP isn't allowed on companions.

Thanks for the other suggestions though. I like the summoning enhancements and the Druid variant (had thought of it but was stumped by the unarmored thing which you solved nicely).

@Biff: why the Glimmerskin Halfling? Did you have something in mind with the Dragonblood subtype?

@Leaf: I have nothing against rangers, it's just that I'd like to keep the Druid casting :).

Assuming Puppy advances 6 HD, he'd gain 2 feats, right? So an extra 4 if I stick flaws on him (which may or may not be approved). Since VoP is out, any other fun ideas besides boring vanilla combat feats?

[Mithril Leaf]

Dragon Magic, the book that contains the Dragonfire Adept class and a bunch of other dragon-themed game elements. It's a WotC 3.5 hardback book completely unrelated to Dragon magazine.
*snip*

I forgot that Dragon Magic had included a pair of Dragon Magazine flaws, silly me :smalltongue:

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

@Biff: why the Glimmerskin Halfling? Did you have something in mind with the Dragonblood subtype?

Assuming Puppy advances 6 HD, he'd gain 2 feats, right? So an extra 4 if I stick flaws on him (which may or may not be approved). Since VoP is out, any other fun ideas besides boring vanilla combat feats?

Nothing specific, I just thought it was fitting for the character. Practical Metamagic is quite good though if you do go that route.

For the animal companion's feats, Power Attack and Leap Attack (especially with Armbands of Might, apply Leap Attack after its bonus) are quite good. The entire Mage Slayer line of feats in CA is also extremely useful on a creature that will never suffer from the caster level penalty.


I forgot that Dragon Magic had included a pair of Dragon Magazine flaws, silly me :smalltongue:

It could have any two flaws, those are just the best ones to pick if available.

[Mithril Leaf]

It could have any two flaws, those are just the best ones to pick if available.

I was just busting your chops there.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

I was just busting your chops there.

Those flaws are a little bit too good for an animal companion :smallbiggrin:

[ILM]

For the animal companion's feats, Power Attack and Leap Attack (especially with Armbands of Might, apply Leap Attack after its bonus) are quite good. The entire Mage Slayer line of feats in CA is also extremely useful on a creature that will never suffer from the caster level penalty.
Myeah, already did the PA thing once on a pet; maybe I'll do Mage Slayer for a change :).

[sideswipe]

tallfellow (half halfling half elf) halfling outrider. using a lance and with a few levels in ranger, fighter (with a bunch of animal and nature based feats), or paladin (very nature oriented).

using a riding dog, probably an animal companion, but you could probably ask for one as a paladin special mount.
for some power, paladins are good chargers. rangers are not bad archers, and fighter is a fighter.

you get a move and full attack option (though not a charge).

[Qwertystop]

I'm not sure a halfling or gnome works for that - while the default riding dog is Medium, that thing in the picture is probably Small. Is there some sufficiently small Fey that's playable and doesn't have wings? It seems they always pile too many extra things on them for playability, but you might see if you can use the Petal statblock minus wings and SLAs, and make it a Paladin (that really looks more like Paladin or Ranger than Druid to me).

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

She looks like an elf, but one of Santa's elves, not a D&D elf. I found this (http://www.wizards.com/dnd/files/santa.pdf), but it doesn't help at all. This actually came up last night, I was at my sister's playing Ticket to Ride with her family, and my niece questioned whether Santa himself is an elf due to his size. I explained it as thus: You know how in The Hobbit when they go into the goblin tunnels, the Goblin King is ten times bigger than any of the other goblins and soooo fat? That's kind of how Santa is.

Anyway, this illustration would best be represented by a North Pole Elf or barring that maybe a Keebler Elf. Sadly, you'll probably just need to house rule something to implement this in D&D.

[ILM]

That's a fair point; alas, since there's no elf-like playable LA +0 tiny race without any weird quirks, I've just settled on fluffing a riding dog as a somewhat oversized corgi, and a gnome as its matching rider - even though in D&D terms they'd be about a size bigger. Can't win them all!

I'm intrigued by the comment about how they look more ranger/paladin-y... But I'm kind of set on Druid levels by now :/.

[Mitchellnotes]

Seems like a prime candidate for s supermount build! Go with a forest gnome with a dire corgi mount (just a riding dog) and use either noble heart substitution levels or shadowgnome refluffed for hiding in forests.

If you want to keep the druid feel, you could go with an arcane hierophant with either a duskblade or sorcerer entry.

[BaronDoctor]

First thought when I saw it was a possible fey rework of the halfling outrider with some cavalier. Which is really honestly most of the way to supermount already, just need the paladin and/or druid for the mount feature to get advanced.

I thought the fey everybody loved was Pixie. LA buyoff would be a good thing to use, I imagine.