An appropriate animal companion for belkar

[Professor Tanhauser]

Ok, some people have said that belkar doesn't have an animal companion, so I was wondering what would make a good one for belkar.

Any ideas? Since belkar spends his time on land I guess the shark from Jaws isn't right for him, maybe a tasmanian devil, a wolverine or a pitbull?

[Threeshades]

Halflings prefer big dogs as far as i know, so a Doberman might be the right choice there.
but fitting to his personality would be more something like a rabid weasel.

[Demented]

For Belkar, a hellwasp swarm would be appropriate.


Oh, you mean as an animal companion...

[Assassinfox]

Dire Deinonychus.

[Pantler]

Obviously a Fire-Breathing Phase Doppelganger Giant Space Hamster. They rock :smallsmile:

[Wooter]

Mister Scruffy.

[Kaerbek]

Well, since Halflings do actually prefer dogs as animal companions and given the fact that in Oots #140 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0140.html) Belkar gets a dog that makes him feel really enthusiastic about that (well, actually he feels great for getting a Hell Hound or something and not a ... how is it called? hot-dog-dog? xD) so... I think some kind of wild canine would fit his chaotic (wild) evil (may be a wolf or a worg) class (animal companion) and race (bond of dogs).

or... I don't know, may be a Parrot, to mach the color of his clothes... or a little and cute bunny that connects him with his inner belkar that we all know that is good and caring and... who am I kidding, give the halfling a Balor as an animal companion and that's it.

[Spiryt]

we all know that is good and caring and... who am I kidding.

You know, on the other hand he REALLY appears to like cute animals ( despite this rat he killed for XP :smallwink:)
So maybe lemming. They'r cute and their survival instinct is uite similar to Belkar's :smallwink:

[Angela Christine]

Mr. Scruffy!!!




Or not. He may not have a companion on purpose. Back in ranger school (?) he may have seen an older Ranger or Druid with a cool companion like bear, leopard, or megaraptor. Who wants a lousy badger or pony when you can have one of those? After a while he forgot about it, because he's not a delayed gratification kind of guy.



At 8th level he would have become eligible for:


Ape (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/ape.htm) (animal)
Bear, black (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/bearBlack.htm) (animal)
Bison (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/bison.htm) (animal)
Boar (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/boar.htm) (animal)
Cheetah (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/cheetah.htm) (animal)
Dire badger (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/direBadger.htm)
Dire bat (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/direBat.htm)
Dire weasel (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/direWeasel.htm)
Leopard (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/leopard.htm) (animal)
Lizard, monitor (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/lizardMonitor.htm) (animal)
Snake, constrictor (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/snake.htm#constrictorSnake) (animal)
Snake, Large viper (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/snake.htm#viperSnake) (animal)
Wolverine (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/wolverine.htm) (animal)

Not bad at all. But at 14th level he could get:


Bear, brown (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/bearBrown.htm) (animal)
Dire wolverine (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/direWolverine.htm)
Crocodile, giant (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/crocodileGiant.htm) (animal)
Deinonychus (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/dinosaur.htm#deinonychus) (dinosaur)
Dire ape (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/direApe.htm)
Dire boar (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/direBoar.htm)
Dire wolf (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/direWolf.htm)
Lion (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/lion.htm) (animal)
Rhinoceros (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/rhinoceros.htm) (animal)
Snake, Huge viper (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/snake.htm#viperSnake) (animal)
Tiger (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/tiger.htm) (animal)

He seems to like cats, so a Tiger might be a good fit. He's small enough he could probably even ride a Tiger without causing it any trouble.

An Ape or Dire Ape could work too. It's big, mean, scary, and it can carry stuff.

A Wolverine or Dire Wolverine might appeal to him, just on the basis of the reputation.

[mockingbyrd7]

Mr. Scruffy!!!




Or not. He may not have a companion on purpose. Back in ranger school (?) he may have seen an older Ranger or Druid with a cool companion like bear, leopard, or megaraptor. Who wants a lousy badger or pony when you can have one of those? After a while he forgot about it, because he's not a delayed gratification kind of guy.



At 8th level he would have become eligible for:


Ape (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/ape.htm) (animal)
Bear, black (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/bearBlack.htm) (animal)
Bison (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/bison.htm) (animal)
Boar (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/boar.htm) (animal)
Cheetah (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/cheetah.htm) (animal)
Dire badger (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/direBadger.htm)
Dire bat (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/direBat.htm)
Dire weasel (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/direWeasel.htm)
Leopard (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/leopard.htm) (animal)
Lizard, monitor (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/lizardMonitor.htm) (animal)
Snake, constrictor (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/snake.htm#constrictorSnake) (animal)
Snake, Large viper (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/snake.htm#viperSnake) (animal)
Wolverine (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/wolverine.htm) (animal)

Not bad at all. But at 14th level he could get:


Bear, brown (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/bearBrown.htm) (animal)
Dire wolverine (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/direWolverine.htm)
Crocodile, giant (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/crocodileGiant.htm) (animal)
Deinonychus (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/dinosaur.htm#deinonychus) (dinosaur)
Dire ape (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/direApe.htm)
Dire boar (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/direBoar.htm)
Dire wolf (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/direWolf.htm)
Lion (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/lion.htm) (animal)
Rhinoceros (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/rhinoceros.htm) (animal)
Snake, Huge viper (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/snake.htm#viperSnake) (animal)
Tiger (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/tiger.htm) (animal)

He seems to like cats, so a Tiger might be a good fit. He's small enough he could probably even ride a Tiger without causing it any trouble.

An Ape or Dire Ape could work too. It's big, mean, scary, and it can carry stuff.

A Wolverine or Dire Wolverine might appeal to him, just on the basis of the reputation.

Assuming he's level 14 (I'm pretty sure he's not, though,) he would probably want a tiger, lion, dire wolverine, or Mr. Scruffy. As you said, maybe he could even ride a tiger or lion.

[GDwarf]

Obviously a Badger.

Seriously, they're mean. (And look like they've been hit by a steamroller, but that's mostly irrelevant.)

[Angela Christine]

Assuming he's level 14 (I'm pretty sure he's not, though,)

I don't think he's level 14, I meant that he might be waiting until he was level 14 so he could get a cool companion. Then he sort of forgot about that goal, and went and took a level of barbarian. Long term planning isn't his strong suit.

[SPoD]

Obviously a Badger.

Seriously, they're mean. (And look like they've been hit by a steamroller, but that's mostly irrelevant.)

Yeah, but Roy threw one in his face, so he may have a bad association with that.

The most likely answer is that if Belkar got one, it would be some sort of pathetic, pacifistic, weak-willed coward, in the same way as his riding dog was a dauschaund. Like, he'd get a wolverine, but it would end up being a old wolverine who suffered from severe arthritis and advanced dental disease, leaving it unable to hurt anyone.

[Hephaestus]

Halflings are supposed to like dogs but Belkar is no normal halfling so I'de say Mr. Scruffy, they've already bonded and everything.

[Sammi_Somara]

Obviously a Fire-Breathing Phase Doppelganger Giant Space Hamster. They rock :smallsmile:

XD That's definitely the best choice.

[Icewalker]

He's totally gotta get a Dire Weasel. It'd definitely work.

[zeratul]

a hellfire wyrm, only that can match belkars attitude

[Mewtarthio]

Yeah, but Roy threw one in his face, so he may have a bad association with that.

The most likely answer is that if Belkar got one, it would be some sort of pathetic, pacifistic, weak-willed coward, in the same way as his riding dog was a dauschaund. Like, he'd get a wolverine, but it would end up being a old wolverine who suffered from severe arthritis and advanced dental disease, leaving it unable to hurt anyone.

Solution: Unlike familiars, you have no penalty for the death of an animal companion, save having to spend twenty-four hours of meditation to get a new one.

[Pvednes]

Totally dire weasel.

Besides, Mr. Scruffy still has a city to run.

[Bor the Barbarian Monk]

Wannabe Writer Thearter Presents: Belkar's "Companion"

The following is an imagined cut scene before the battle for Azure City.

:belkar: Roy! Yo, Roy! We gotta talk.

:roy: I sense a great disturbance in the force. As though millions of innocent lives -

:belkar: Save it. No random slaughter at this moment.

:roy: Oh. Okay. What's up?

:belkar: Well, I've been talking to some of the paladins, and they've been asking why I don't have an animal companion.

:roy: Because you'd probably kill it the moment it seemed like it was going to leave.

:belkar: ... Probably. But I have a question.

:roy: I sense a great -

:belkar: Roy!

:roy: Right. Your question is...?

:belkar: What animal companion?

:roy: What do you mean, "What animal companion?"

:belkar: This whole animal companion thing. What are they talking about?

:roy: Well, you're a Ranger.

:belkar: Yeah? So?

:roy: A ranger gets access to an animal companion.

:belkar: I'm supposed to marry an animal?!? I'm into some wild stuff, Roy. But the Belkster don't play that way.

:roy: No, no, no. It's a friend. An animal you that takes your commands.

:belkar: Great. A submissive "companion."

:roy: Mind out of the gutter, Belkar. Try to follow along.

:belkar: My mind isn't in the gutter. It's in the bedroom, and this whole thing still isn't working for me.

:roy: Belkar, as a ranger, you are allowed to choose an animal to be your ally in combat, not your ally in deviant sexual acts.

:belkar: Ohhhh. Why didn't you say so?

:roy: *sigh* I did say so. You just...Oh, never mind.

:belkar: Okay, so I can have an animal companion. Can I have a -

:roy: No.

:belkar: I didn't even get to finish. I want a -

:roy: No.

:belkar: But I -

:roy: No.

:belkar: Okay, then. How about a -

:roy: No.

:belkar: Dude, you have to at least let me finish before you reject my ideas.

:roy: No, I don't. You'll want a dinosaur, or a dire dinosaur, or the tarrasque, or some other creature that will be impossible to keep and/or command. Keeping you in check is enough to drive me insane. I'm not about to start keeping an eye on some creature you want to keep that could probably eat the entire party in one gulp when no one is looking.

:belkar: Man, a dire dinosaur would be so cool.

:roy: No. That's it. The end.

*Roy walks away*

:belkar: This sucks. I was gonna ask if a fallen paladin counts as an animal.

:roach: I'll be your animal companion.

:belkar: Hmmm...A pocket-sized companion. Roy will never know, so...Tell you what. Have your people call my people and hammer out the details.

:roach: I can eat the entire party in one gulp when no one is looking.

:belkar: It's a done deal. Let's go.

Remember: Shooting the Wannabe Writer is inappropriate, as he is just having a little fun. If you smiled or got a laugh from the above goofiness, then all is well. If not...Wait...Put that gun down! I... *BLAM!*

[NeonRonin]

I'd say Dire Wolverine. With rabies. That's wired on PCP.

Psycho halfling and feral death machine- a match made in hell. :smallbiggrin:

[Psychokin]

here are some ideas

:belkar: and :mitd:

:belkar: and :roach:

:belkar: and :miko: (kinky!)

:belkar: and mr scruffy

:belkar: and the tarrasque

:belkar: and a t-rex

:belkar: and pals! :smallbiggrin:

[TempusCCK]

Dire badgers are listed in the SRD as being medium animals. Not only is the badger a vicious animal, it gets rage and he could ride it, what with it being 5-7 feet long, which is bigger than most dogs.

Oh man, I want to make a halfling ranger/druid and ride around on a dire badger! This is the best idea ever.

[Thomar_of_Uointer]

Mmm... Mr. Scruffy seems like the best animal companion for Belkar. Shojo fell on his Lust List... I mean he idolized Shojo, and choosing the cat would be a very sentimental gesture for him. Not to mention it would advance Mr. Scruffy by about eight Hit Dice, making him more than a match for any one member of the Azure City army.

[Generic PC]

Mmm... Mr. Scruffy seems like the best animal companion for Belkar. Shojo fell on his Lust List... I mean he idolized Shojo, and choosing the cat would be a very sentimental gesture for him. Not to mention it would advance Mr. Scruffy by about eight Hit Dice, making him more than a match for any one member of the Azure City army.
Agree with this. if A Halflings mind only has 2 catagories, he lusted shojo, and as such, lusted the cat. the problem with this would be finding it...

[JetTheOne]

Belkar should adopt mr. scruffy... after all in the scenes where Roy and Shojo are talking it is obvious mr. sruffy likes belkar.

[MReav]

Belkar should get an Animal companion, if only to have someone capable of tracking

[Lizard Lord]

I vote for Dire Weasal

[J_Muller]

The Snarl.

[Angela Christine]

Belkar should get an Animal companion, if only to have someone capable of tracking


And spot checks! Most animals appear to get a few ranks in spot.

[dragoncmd]

Obviously a Fire-Breathing Phase Doppelganger Giant Space Hamster. They rock :smallsmile:
Quit play bauldurs gate and find a real game.

I say an ice-breathing phase doppelganger giant space hamster.

[MReav]

I say a Radioactive Hamster From A Planet Near Mars.

[Pantler]

Quit play bauldurs gate and find a real game.

I say an ice-breathing phase doppelganger giant space hamster.

I suppose you want XP for originality?
A FBPDGSH is a legitimate AD&D Spelljammer monster. If you don't have access to the Monstrous Compendium, check the wiki (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_Space_Hamster).
Plus, I've never play bauldurs gate.

[Threeshades]

I suppose you want XP for originality?
A FBPDGSH is a legitimate AD&D Spelljammer monster. If you don't have access to the Monstrous Compendium, check the wiki (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_Space_Hamster).
Plus, I've never play bauldurs gate.

but its not the spelljammer campaign setting. It's OOTS-world

[Pantler]

...And?
If a dracolisk (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0055.html), being 2nd ed, is cool enough to be in OotS, then so is the Giant Space Hamster, which is so much cooler :smallbiggrin:

[Threeshades]

...And?
If a dracolisk (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0055.html), being 2nd ed, is cool enough to be in OotS, then so is the Giant Space Hamster, which is so much cooler :smallbiggrin:

it's not all about the coolness. If it was, Thog would be sitting on the throne of Azure City.

[V Junior]

Duh. Looking at Belkar, he'd choose Mr. Scruffy. I mean, I can SEE Hinjo/Roy talking. The scene of a lifetime!

Hinjo: Hey, Roy! I found my uncle's will.
Roy: Cool! Let's look!
Hinjo: Hmm... mostly to me, but.. huh? What's this... WHAT?
Roy: No way!
Hinjo: Mr. Scruffy? Belkar? NO!
Belkar: Hey, guys, don't think I didn't hear you. Mr. Scruffy, eh? Cool!

[Pantler]

Hmm...

Paladin1: Run for your lives! Lord Thog's underwear has turned purple again!
Paladin2: Why? What happened?
Paladin1: Out of fudge ripple!!

That's cool? :smalleek:
But back to the point, name one reason why a Giant Space Hamster couldn't appear in Oots. Because by your rationality I could say that a Moogle (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0388.html) could never appear in OotS - it's not Final Fantasy :smallamused:

[Threeshades]

Duh. Looking at Belkar, he'd choose Mr. Scruffy. I mean, I can SEE Hinjo/Roy talking. The scene of a lifetime!

Hinjo: Hey, Roy! I found my uncle's will.
Roy: Cool! Let's look!
Hinjo: Hmm... mostly to me, but.. huh? What's this... WHAT?
Roy: No way!
Hinjo: Mr. Scruffy? Belkar? NO!
Belkar: Hey, guys, don't think I didn't hear you. Mr. Scruffy, eh? Cool!

I dont think neither hinjo nor roy care much about mr scruffy. He's just a cat, especially since Shojo is dead.

[Pantler]

Don't be ridiculous. Everyone knows that Mr. Scruffy is in fact...

...a portion of the Snarl which has been Baleful Polymorphed by the Order of the Scribble, but has fled them, but since then it has grown self-concious independently from the Snarl and learned that the world is such a beautiful place that you can't just destroy it and because of its love for Good it has sought its way to Lord Shojo's side to discretely influence him and aid him in opposing the Snarl without him even knowing, until the final battle when it will reveal its true form and fight the Snarl side by side with the forces of Good with its formidable arcane power.
I mean, I thought that the Giant has dropped enough hints already that it's obvious.

[Bilgore]

Halflings prefer big dogs as far as i know, so a Doberman might be the right choice there.
but fitting to his personality would be more something like a rabid weasel.

You mean this weasel (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0144.html)?
It does have a grudge (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0144.html).

And think--Belkar could use it to strike at Roy or V without attacking anyone himself.

[Deuce]

Whatever it is, it should have good Stealth skills, that way when the Belkster decides he needs some XP, or a swanky new hat, it can just hide from him.

[ShiningTed]

Definitely Mr Scruffy.

Belkar may be approaching 'level 14', but not all those levels are in Ranger, he cross-classed. So he won't be getting a level 14 companion anytime soon, if I understand cross-classing (which I very well may not :smallwink: )

[vbushido]

I'm still trying to wrap my brain around Belkar doing a day of prayful meditation and then going out to gain the trust and friendship of an animal.

-----
"Bother", said Pooh. "Eeyore, ready two photon torpedos and lock phasers with the Heffalump. Piglet, meet me in transporter room three."

[Celisasu]

A platypus. Somehow I can just see that as Belkar's animal companion.

[Warder]

Solution: Unlike familiars, you have no penalty for the death of an animal companion, save having to spend twenty-four hours of meditation to get a new one.

Cause Belkar could totally sit still and meditate for 24 hours. ;)

[The Extinguisher]

I don't think that Belkar has sat still for 24 combined hours in his entire life.

[Tundar]

I think he should have tracked those 2 displacer beasts and tamed one of them.
Now that would be cool!

[kerberos]

Cause Belkar could totally sit still and meditate for 24 hours. ;)

Sure, I mean it would count if he was tied up and/or unconcious, right?

[kerberos]

Obviously a Fire-Breathing Phase Doppelganger Giant Space Hamster. They rock :smallsmile:
Go for the eyes, Boo! Go for the eyes!






(someone had to say it)

[Albion]

maybe a tasmanian devil

Well ain't I predictable, what I thought of was mentioned in the OP. :smallredface:

BTW has anyone of us sat still for 24 hours btw? Doesn't that give you... "cramps"?

Well... some kind of were-pony.

[Xerxos]

You mean this weasel (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0144.html)?
It does have a grudge (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0144.html).

And think--Belkar could use it to strike at Roy or V without attacking anyone himself.

That's why it's so dire! :smallbiggrin:
Dire Weasel (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/direWeasel.htm) FTW!

[Elliot Kane]

A Stirge - a vicious, evil, little bloodsucker. Suits Belkar perfectly :D

[RowlieBowlie]

I'd say a skunk :-)

[PePe QuiCoSE]

i thought it was already clear that V is Belkar 'animal companion' :P

[R.O.A.]

Whatever it is, it should have good Stealth skills, that way when the Belkster decides he needs some XP, or a swanky new hat, it can just hide from him.

VERY good point - Belkar could get bored and try to kill it really quickly.

I think it should be something really small and cute, like the lemming, or a rat maybe, so no one takes it seriously, but it kills people savagely with its huge teeth!:smallfurious:


ummm, maybe I've benn watching too much monty python (&tqfthg)

alternativly the demon roach, but only to get it more involved in the storyline.

:smallsmile:

[Illiander]

Beethoven.

[Tundar]

Ahh here they are: Displacer beasts (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0210.html)

[Indon]

Whatever it is, I hope it's one of the 1'st level animal companions, so that it just instantly gains a bunch of HD when Belkar's done meditating, and a humorous comment will result.

Belkar: "Man, this cat isn't going to be worth anything, but I need to humor Roy..."
Cat: "MAN I ROCK!" *gains HD's*
Roy: "I took 'hybrid familiarization' as an elective."

[DarkEternal]

Only a badger's evil could ever be strong enough to quench the thirst that lies in Belkar's twisted heart.

[turn.self.off]

or a little and cute bunny that connects him with his inner belkar that we all know that is good and caring and...

hmm, bunny? make that a vorpal bunny in that case...

[ahriman]

As an aside, Belkar can't get Lvl 14 animal companions. He switched over to Barbarian, and the levels don't stack for purpose of the animal companion.

I believe that Belkar is a level 13 characters, I think he's a level 11 Ranger/Level 2 Barbarian. Also, he can choose a weaker animal companion--like, say a normal dog--and the animal would get bonuses due to Belkar's levels. I like the idea of him having an uber weiner dog companion.

[twerk_face]

Ok, in all serious now. What i can totaly see happening is, when Belkar leaves Azure city with the OotS (which i think he will, undoubtably), mr. scruffy will just follow him. He may protest, but he will end up just accepting it. I mean, how many jokes would the giant be able to make out of that? And i mean, it fits. It just seems like it would be cool to see it kind of naturealy happen. I know it's not exactly like the rules, but hey, this is the Giant's world, he can do wuh he wan's! Wuteva! Tell me what you think.

[WingedCheetah]

I agree on the Mr. Scruffy front, but I had this to add for dogs;

Something like a Dogo Argentino, Cane Corso, or any of the Mastiffs. They are big, strong, and originally boar hunters/war hounds; large enough to comfortable accomodate Belkar, AND feirce (of course, the only Dogos, Corsos, and Mastiffs I have met have been total loves and just want to slobber you to death).

[NeonRonin]

I can't say for certain what will eventually happen, but I know for a fact Belkar would never put up with a muskrat animal companion.

Mainly because one already wigged him out after Vaarsuvius charmed it into humping his foot.

:belkar: What the- Arrgh! Get off! Wild Empathy check! WILD EMPATHY CHECK!!!

[Jaguira]

A succumbus xD (Did I spell that right, by the way? I hate that word...)

[Innis Cabal]

you didn't but thats ok, and its going to be a dire weasel....1d4 con drain....its belkar through and through

[Rat_Summoner]

My vote goes for Mr. Scruffy. And then Mr. Scruffy reveals that he's really Hinjo from the future and dies seconds later! That should launch us into another long tangled story arc! :smallbiggrin:

[Zephra]

I would love for it to be Mr Scruffy, but the sad truth is
(dun, dun DUN!)
It's the wiener dog. remember when he gets the riding dog, and he's all like "woo! yeah! more beast than mount! unleash the fury!!! an then, see today's comic