Question regarding Urban Druids in 3.5e

[Ooze]

So regarding the Animated Object that the urban druid can gain as a companion, if i were to make it a human like statue would it be able to wear armor and weapons?

Assuming that they had the feats for proficiency with the items

[Thurbane]

So regarding the Animated Object that the urban druid can gain as a companion, if i were to make it a human like statue would it be able to wear armor and weapons?

Assuming that they had the feats for proficiency with the items

The main issue is that animated objects have Int -, so they won't normally be able to take feats or gain proficiencies. You could get around this by selecting armor with no armor check penalty, and a weapon with the Skillful property can be used with no penalty by anyone; although the DM may still have an issue with a mindless creature being able to wield a weapon at all. Still, a skeleton can wield weapons, so...

Bear in mind you need to be 4th level or higher to select a medium animated object.

[Ooze]

Alright thanks thats what i needed to know!


follow up question that maybe in the realm of shenanigans. are there any rule preventing someone from riding a Huge size Construct that is also shaped like a human

my googlefu couldn't find it

[Luccan]

Alright thanks thats what i needed to know!


follow up question that maybe in the realm of shenanigans. are there any rule preventing someone from riding a Huge size Construct that is also shaped like a human

my googlefu couldn't find it

Like, on its shoulder? I don't think there are any rules against being carried by a bipedal creature large and strong enough to do so. Can't imagine why there would be, though obviously where you could sit would vary based on body structure.

[The Glyphstone]

Hollow out the torso and ride inside it.

[Thurbane]

Here's a couple of threads that explore this issue:


Riding Humanoids? (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?191523)
human mount/companion? (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?289277)
[3.5] PC riding another PC (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?150335)
[3.5] What is a mount? (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?167102)

[Ooze]

Hollow out the torso and ride inside it.

Is that something you could do? cause that sounds awesome!

[Malphegor]

Is that something you could do? cause that sounds awesome!

Rules-wise, there's not much letting you do this (as far as I know) beyond pre-existing monsters that let you ride them like they're a megazord (Siege Crab: For when the Apparatus of the Crab is too mechanical for you and you want a biological behemoth arachnid of the sea!).

In theory though it shouldn't be too much different from having a piggyback ride mechanically- Ride checks and Climb checks, creature you're inside would have a small penalty to attack rolls while you're inside it as it avoids harming you.

[Remuko]

even without a humanoid shape the animated object should be able to wear armor or barding. theres rules for unusually shaped armor for creatures that arent humanoid.

as for riding? I think as long as its one size larger than you, you can ride it (if it can also support your weight). You might need an "exotic saddle" though.

[DrMotives]

even without a humanoid shape the animated object should be able to wear armor or barding. theres rules for unusually shaped armor for creatures that arent humanoid.

as for riding? I think as long as its one size larger than you, you can ride it (if it can also support your weight). You might need an "exotic saddle" though.

Pretty much this. You should be able to rig up a harness / howdah, and ride on the shoulders. You'll look a bit like Master Blaster from Mad Max, or maybe the "halfling battle harness" that's been going around as a meme. You could try for a front carry instead, if you prefer "Oscar & Sully" from Sesame Street. That fits more as an "urban druid" option than Mad Max at least.

Without getting into silliness, the best archetype models for an urban druid are either from Grant Morrison's The Invisibles or Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere, both excellent reads. Unfortunately, neither of these feature any mounted or carried characters that I can recall.

[liquidformat]

arms and equipment manual actually has rules about riding humanoid shaped creatures....

[Crake]

Alright thanks thats what i needed to know!


follow up question that maybe in the realm of shenanigans. are there any rule preventing someone from riding a Huge size Construct that is also shaped like a human

my googlefu couldn't find it

The rules for this are actually right at the start of the ride skill rules, everyone seems to miss it. Literally the second line "If you attempt to ride a creature that is ill suited as a mount (such as most bipedal creatures), you take a –5 penalty on your Ride checks." Just a -5 penalty, that's it. Note you take another -5 penalty if you are riding bareback (no saddle), so if you try and ride a bipedal creature without a saddle into combat, that's a -10 penalty on your ride check, which begins to make even basic checks quite difficult unless you're highly trained at riding.

[Tvtyrant]

The rules for this are actually right at the start of the ride skill rules, everyone seems to miss it. Literally the second line "If you attempt to ride a creature that is ill suited as a mount (such as most bipedal creatures), you take a –5 penalty on your Ride checks." Just a -5 penalty, that's it. Note you take another -5 penalty if you are riding bareback (no saddle), so if you try and ride a bipedal creature without a saddle into combat, that's a -10 penalty on your ride check, which begins to make even basic checks quite difficult unless you're highly trained at riding.

I am in a public library and caught myself just before looking up what a human saddle would look like. :smallyuk:

[Thurbane]

I am in a public library and caught myself just before looking up what a human saddle would look like. :smallyuk:

https://www.madmaxmovies.com/mad-max-model-kits/character-kits/gung-ho-sci-fi-master-blaster/gung-ho-sci-fi-master-blaser-left-side.jpg

[Tvtyrant]

https://www.madmaxmovies.com/mad-max-model-kits/character-kits/gung-ho-sci-fi-master-blaster/gung-ho-sci-fi-master-blaser-left-side.jpg

I bet his name is tiny or little john.

[DrMotives]

I bet his name is tiny or little john.

No, that's Master Blaster that I mentioned earlier.