Permanent Elemental minion?

[tadkins]

Just more idle thinking. I'm wondering if this is possible for a sorc or wiz character, whether the archetype or class option exist to walk around with a permanent elemental companion by your side, as is the case with casters in some MMO games. I'm looking at both Pathfinder and 3.5 for such an option. Is it possible?

[Gruftzwerg]

Elemental Familiar Spell (http://www.wizards.com/dnd/article.asp?x=dnd/sb/sb20011109a) is what you are looking for I guess. A 3rd lvl spell.

Other option is to burn a feat on "Improved Familiar" feat and get a small (insert-type)-elemental.

[tadkins]

Elemental Familiar Spell (http://www.wizards.com/dnd/article.asp?x=dnd/sb/sb20011109a) is what you are looking for I guess. A 3rd lvl spell.

Other option is to burn a feat on "Improved Familiar" feat and get a small (insert-type)-elemental.

I thought about the familiar route, but I was thinking something a little bigger, a little more tanky...something that can guard and take hits for the wizard or sorcerer while he or she weaves their spells.

[Nifft]

ACF chaining maybe?

Animal Companion ACF (UA) => Elemental Companion ACF (CM)


Or, a [Reserve] feat, like the Summon Elemental feat.


Or, and this is the best answer, planar binding and then bargain for the big dumb thing to walk around serving you for X days.

[gorfnab]

The High Elemental Binder (PGtE) prestige class has an elemental companion ability

[ATHATH]

ACF chaining maybe?

Animal Companion ACF (UA) => Elemental Companion ACF (CM)


Or, a [Reserve] feat, like the Summon Elemental feat.


Or, and this is the best answer, planar binding and then bargain for the big dumb thing to walk around serving you for X days.
Do note that, as far as I can tell, ACF-chaining is neither RAW nor RAI (do correct me if I'm wrong, here (preferably with a rules quote)).

Would playing a Summoner (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/summoner/) instead of a Sorcerer or a Wizard be acceptable to you?

[tadkins]

The High Elemental Binder (PGtE) prestige class has an elemental companion ability

Just looked at that PrC, looks to be pretty much what I was looking for. That works on the 3.5 end. Thanks. :)


Would playing a Summoner (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/summoner/) instead of a Sorcerer or a Wizard be acceptable to you?

Summoner is pretty close, but I would prefer a Sorcerer or Wizard if possible, mainly for their spell versatility. If not though I can consider grudgingly going with Summoner.

[Yanisa]

Pahtfinder, Sorcerer with the Wild Blooded (Sylvan) (http://www.archivesofnethys.com/WildbloodedDisplay.aspx?FixedName=Sylvan) archetype gains a animal companion.
Or a wizard with the Animal Ally (http://www.archivesofnethys.com/FeatDisplay.aspx?ItemName=Animal%20Ally) feat.

Then the feat Genie-Touched Companion (http://www.archivesofnethys.com/FeatDisplay.aspx?ItemName=Genie-Touched%20Companion) for "Your animal companion is descended from creatures from one of the Elemental Planes."

It's not an actual elemental being, but it as close as I can come up with, without being a druid or summoner.

[Thurbane]

Not a great PrC, but Bonded Summoner (Miniatures Handbook p.16) does pretty much exactly this. Maybe you can get the DM to house-rule it being 10/10 casting, instead of 5/10 casting?

http://archive.wizards.com/dnd/images/mhbk_gallery/76950_CN.jpg

[Zaq]

Bonded Summoner (Miniatures Handbook pg. 16) exists, and its main class feature is basically this. You get a permanent elemental companion that grows from a Medium one to an Elder one over the course of 9 levels.

It's also a godawful class that loses 5 caster levels, so it's completely impractical for basically anything. Maybe a one-level dip just to get a Medium companion? Not really the greatest use of your resources, but I guess it's something.

EDIT: Slick timing, Thurbane.

[Thurbane]

Bonded Summoner (Miniatures Handbook pg. 16) exists, and its main class feature is basically this. You get a permanent elemental companion that grows from a Medium one to an Elder one over the course of 9 levels.

It's also a godawful class that loses 5 caster levels, so it's completely impractical for basically anything. Maybe a one-level dip just to get a Medium companion? Not really the greatest use of your resources, but I guess it's something.

EDIT: Slick timing, Thurbane.

If you play the class as written with pure Wizard entry, you can afford 5 levels (for a huge elemental) and still get 9ths by 20.

[tadkins]

Not a great PrC, but Bonded Summoner (Miniatures Handbook p.16) does pretty much exactly this. Maybe you can get the DM to house-rule it being 10/10 casting, instead of 5/10 casting?


For the 3.5 end I think I like the look of the High Elemental Binder (http://dnd.arkalseif.info/classes/high-elemental-binder/index.html). Would probably end up giving that a go in a 3.5 game. It's just the Pathfinder route I'm questioning now.


Pahtfinder, Sorcerer with the Wild Blooded (Sylvan) (http://www.archivesofnethys.com/WildbloodedDisplay.aspx?FixedName=Sylvan) archetype gains a animal companion.
Or a wizard with the Animal Ally (http://www.archivesofnethys.com/FeatDisplay.aspx?ItemName=Animal%20Ally) feat.

Then the feat Genie-Touched Companion (http://www.archivesofnethys.com/FeatDisplay.aspx?ItemName=Genie-Touched%20Companion) for "Your animal companion is descended from creatures from one of the Elemental Planes."

It's not an actual elemental being, but it as close as I can come up with, without being a druid or summoner.

This looks interesting though! The only downside seems to be that my elemental would have to look like a horse. xD

[ShurikVch]

How about the Thaumaturgist (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/prestigeClasses/thaumaturgist.htm) with the Planar Cohort?

Windrider from the Masters of the Wild may choose Elemental as Chosen Mount

Finally, rather obscure option: Apprentice (Entertainer) feat from Dungeon Master's Guide II gives you a groupie who sometimes may serve you as a Cohort; the admirer is of any race and class, but no higher than ½ of your character level, and must be within "one step" from you on "alignment grid"; you may use the admirer for Cha mod. days 1/level

[Fouredged Sword]

Another, more cheesy but solid, option for getting an elemental companion is to take the planer touchstone feat for the earth, fire, air, or cold domain to get rebuke earth/fire/air/cold creature. The you can planer bind and negative level down to 1 hd a creature up to your hd and rebuke it into your control.

Once in your control you can heal the negative levels and have a single creature of that subtype up to your Hd under your control.

You can use permanent level loss to scuplt a creature into your hd limit, allowing elder elementals to be controlled.

[weckar]

If you play the class as written with pure Wizard entry, you can afford 5 levels (for a huge elemental) and still get 9ths by 20.

Which is great if you make it to 20, but if you don't you're forever behind the curve.
I mean, I know it's standard, but 20 is always such a weird justification benchmark...

[The Viscount]

A wizard that dips into binder and then enters anima mage would be able to bind Agares, who summons an earth elemental that scales with effective binder level.

[Thurbane]

For the 3.5 end I think I like the look of the High Elemental Binder. Would probably end up giving that a go in a 3.5 game.

Hmm, not being a huge Eberron fan I wasn't aware of that one. Seems like an entirely superior version of Bonded Summoner.

[Quertus]

Since no-one else had mentioned it, I'll point out that this is a great fit for a Legacy Item.

Also, slave pricing might work here. CR^2*100GP. Doubled for being exotic.

Lastly, consider the utility of hiring a Mauug (sp?) to guard you for a few years.