johnbragg
2018-02-04, 10:02 AM
I want a "diet Druid" in my game. Themed to one animal, witch-doctor to a tribe.
I think I have a good idea for a progression from almost-at-will summoner to "pet class" to wilderness mech-rider/wildshaper. The class isn't the problem--the spirit companion / alternate form is the problem.
The Bear Brother is the problem. I think.
Level 1. Ability to summon Bear Brother. Full round action, effectively at will but not always-on.
Level 2. Bear Brother can be summoned and dismissed at will.
Level 4. At this point the class changes from "pet class" to "wilderness mech-rider". Shaman and Bear Brother can now join to form a gestalt or composite being.
Level 6. Capstone. Animal Growth is--too much.
That's all manageable-- Not sure exactly what ruleset to use for the level 4 ability--alternate form, gestalt rules (gestalt of shaman class with be-a-bear pseudo-class of same level), polymorph, wildshape. I kind of want the composite to use Bear Brother's hit points though, which I don't think there's a 3X off-the-shelf ruleset for.
The problem is progressing Bear Brother from level 1 to level 6. Using the SRD Monster Advancement rules, you can take a 3HD Medium Black Bear and make it Small (1-2 HD) and make it Large (5-6 HD). (I ran version 1.0 also converting it to MAgical Beast, because Brother Bear goes from a baby bear hanging out and fighting alongside a dude to a dude hiding inside an unnaturally large bear and casting buff spells on it. Dropping back to Animal progression would dial it back from full BAB d10 HP to 3/4 BAB, d8 HP, which is still better than the Shaman's 1/2 BAB d6 HP squishy-caster chassis.)
There's a massive jump in capability between 4HD (MEdium) and 5HD (Large) because of the +8 STR, +4 CON boosts. Brother Bear goes from 30 hp, 2 claws +8 (d4+4) bite +6 (d6+2) (Multiattack feat) to 47 hp, 2 claws +12 (d6+8), bite +10 (d8+4) (Claw attack +5 BAB +8 STR -1 size, bite -2 secondary).
This is way better than a wildshaped druid in E6, and better than any Animal Companion feature. But +12/+12/+10 for d6+8/d6+8/d8+4 is--up there with your basic 6th level raging 2HPA base 20 STR Barbarian, +7/+7 2d6 +22 / 2d6 +12.
So, are there ways to fix this?
I think I have a good idea for a progression from almost-at-will summoner to "pet class" to wilderness mech-rider/wildshaper. The class isn't the problem--the spirit companion / alternate form is the problem.
The Bear Brother is the problem. I think.
Level 1. Ability to summon Bear Brother. Full round action, effectively at will but not always-on.
Level 2. Bear Brother can be summoned and dismissed at will.
Level 4. At this point the class changes from "pet class" to "wilderness mech-rider". Shaman and Bear Brother can now join to form a gestalt or composite being.
Level 6. Capstone. Animal Growth is--too much.
That's all manageable-- Not sure exactly what ruleset to use for the level 4 ability--alternate form, gestalt rules (gestalt of shaman class with be-a-bear pseudo-class of same level), polymorph, wildshape. I kind of want the composite to use Bear Brother's hit points though, which I don't think there's a 3X off-the-shelf ruleset for.
The problem is progressing Bear Brother from level 1 to level 6. Using the SRD Monster Advancement rules, you can take a 3HD Medium Black Bear and make it Small (1-2 HD) and make it Large (5-6 HD). (I ran version 1.0 also converting it to MAgical Beast, because Brother Bear goes from a baby bear hanging out and fighting alongside a dude to a dude hiding inside an unnaturally large bear and casting buff spells on it. Dropping back to Animal progression would dial it back from full BAB d10 HP to 3/4 BAB, d8 HP, which is still better than the Shaman's 1/2 BAB d6 HP squishy-caster chassis.)
There's a massive jump in capability between 4HD (MEdium) and 5HD (Large) because of the +8 STR, +4 CON boosts. Brother Bear goes from 30 hp, 2 claws +8 (d4+4) bite +6 (d6+2) (Multiattack feat) to 47 hp, 2 claws +12 (d6+8), bite +10 (d8+4) (Claw attack +5 BAB +8 STR -1 size, bite -2 secondary).
This is way better than a wildshaped druid in E6, and better than any Animal Companion feature. But +12/+12/+10 for d6+8/d6+8/d8+4 is--up there with your basic 6th level raging 2HPA base 20 STR Barbarian, +7/+7 2d6 +22 / 2d6 +12.
So, are there ways to fix this?