Leadership, Barbarian, and a Shaman who found some Plants.

[Xalestra]

Hello everyone!

My group is moving deep into the second book of Way of the Wicked and in it there are some things that go on. Leadership is partially changed so the followers are instead organizations. I have a player who would like to take this feat (like most of the party is so they can contribute to organizations) but I'm just not sure a flavorful cohort for an Orc Barbarian! I was looking for any suggestions on that.

Secondly, another player in my group has stumbled upon the tiny assassin vines and would like to feed them of course but also try and "train" them so they follow her command. I don't know if this is possible under only using Speak with Plants which is what she wants to do. Thoughts on this?

Thanks for replies if any!

[Kelb_Panthera]

Assassin vines are mindless and, consequently, untrainable. Sorry, no thoughts on the other thing.

[ATHATH]

He could take the Plant Control feat, though.

[Coidzor]

Standardly they're untrainable.

Then again, vermin are standardly mindless and untrainable, but various ways of getting around that have been found in various settings.

So, if you want to play ball, you work with them to come up with a way to figure that out and an appropriate cost for doing so. If you don't want to play ball, then default to the RAW.

As for Orky McOrcenstein... What kind of Barbarian is he?

[Eisfalken]

For an orc barbarian, he should have some kind of spiritual adviser. How about an orc druid, who takes wild shape forms that the barbarian can ride into battle? And with Natural Spell, the druid can keep casting spells as needed.

If you want less cheese, spirit shaman is very nifty from an RP standpoint. Druid spell list, abilities to fight "spirits" (defined in the same book).

For more cheese, go with a cleric of some orc diety and go full CoDzilla on it, DMM and everything.

[Xalestra]

The barbarian is pretty much as core as you can make it. He really didn't branch off much at all. He's a heavy RPer too, so it doesn't have to be an OP cohort. :smallredface::smallredface:

I should also add this is purely pathfinder

[Coidzor]

Ok, so what kind of RPing is he doing?

[Gildedragon]

A bard, another orc or half orc somehow bound to barbarian (by blood, debt, spirit, or affection/awe) that sings fierce battle songs that raise spirits and inspire dread in their foes.
Or a rogue or scout that scouts out further terrain. Bow and poison-arrow oriented.

[ATHATH]

He's a heavy RPer too, so it doesn't have to be an OP cohort.
My Stormwind Fallacy senses are tingling.

[Xalestra]

My Stormwind Fallacy senses are tingling.

Ahh yes, I'm familiar with this. So you believe that most power gamers, optimizers, and theory crafters actually allow excellent flavor and roleplaying into their character development? Very much so when viewing the plethora of handbooks that are available? :smallconfused:

This topic is neither the time nor place to debate the fallacy, though I find it's premise skewed, I will leave it by saying a character created by a great optimizer can still be played with much joy by a roleplayer, but I seriously doubt many optimizer could play or want to play with a character created by a strong roleplayer. A strong roleplayer who puts more value in flavor over function. :smallwink:

My statement was merely pointing out, that we have a game here where leadership is allowed but the players themselves are not interested in breaking the feat and are perfectly alright with the GM (myself) working with them to come to a mutual agreement. If it helps anyone, we are playing Way of the Wicked. :mitd:

I had considered a Nilbog, knifemaster, dark lurker // monster cohort from the defined list // a ratfolk gunslinger (don't ask me why lol) :smallredface:

[Coidzor]

My statement was merely pointing out, that we have a game here where leadership is allowed but the players themselves are not interested in breaking the feat and are perfectly alright with the GM (myself) working with them to come to a mutual agreement. If it helps anyone, we are playing Way of the Wicked. :mitd:

So what's he roleplaying, then? Smashing for Gorum? Just straight up killing for the fun of it? Power Hungry? Actual Cannibal Shia LaBeorc?

Straight Outta Belkzen? Wants to conquer the surface for his people to truly manifest that destiny?

[Xalestra]

So what's he roleplaying, then? Smashing for Gorum? Just straight up killing for the fun of it? Power Hungry? Actual Cannibal Shia LaBeorc?

Straight Outta Belkzen? Wants to conquer the surface for his people to truly manifest that destiny?

He used to be a mercenary before getting thrown in jail for murder. He's a N/E orc barbarian, very ruthless, very little care for mercy. He of course has sworn his life to uphold the cause of Asmodeus and his new master Thorn. The typical leaving tribe to make a name for himself and instead got wrapped up in the riches of easy killing and slaughter. Both made this orc quite happy.

That's just my own run down. He's still building his character a bit. (background and fluff)

[daremetoidareyo]

Assassin vines are mindless and, consequently, untrainable. Sorry, no thoughts on the other thing.

You would think that, but there is the [creature type] trainer feat from the A&EG


Prerequisites: Handle Animal 8

Benefit: When you take this feat, choose a type of creature other than animal or beast. You may rear and train creatures of that type, using the Handle Animal skill, as if they were beasts, provided their Intelligence score is 4 or lower.

Special: You can gain this feat multiple times. Its effects do not stack. Each time you take the feat, it applies to a new creature type. Exceptions: This feat does not increase the DCs for training creatures presented in the Monster Manual, such as the pegasus. However, it lowers them when appropriate. 

Normal: Handle Animal does not apply to training creatures other than animals or beasts.

The vermin trainer feat from DOTU sheds some light on how to be a plant trainer:



Benefit
You can use the Handle Animal skill to handle and train vermin as if they were animals with Intelligence scores of 1.
Special
The size of vermin directly affects the ability of the trainer to instruct them (see page 46).
Normal
Without this feat, only animals and magical beasts with Intelligence scores of 1 or 2 can be handled and trained with the Handle Animal skill, and using Handle Animal on a magical beast is done with a —4 penalty on the check.

[ATHATH]

Is null less than or equal to 4?

[daremetoidareyo]

Is null less than or equal to 4?

Yeah, I see what you're driving at, but if it works for vermin it doesn't take a whole lot to imagine it working for plants.

Unless you're a kingdomist bigot, taxonomically speaking... I see your type all the time in 3.5, spewing your anti cell-wall rhetoric, supporting vacuole internment camps, and just generally mistreating chlorophyles. It makes me sick. Viva la plants!