Divine Companion?

[Xey42]

I dont know if this has been covered before, but I'm making a sorc/swiftblade gish for an upcoming campaign, and I'm really interested in the Divine Companion option from C. Champion. However, while the description of the Companions abilities to channel magic into beneficial abilities is great, it doesn't really say anything about what the Companion actually is or can do outside of that roll. It simply states that its invisible and intangible.. (though, it has to exist in some form because you have to cast spells on it to activate its abilities) Was hoping for rulings anyone's already made on this or would make on this for what it can and can't do, as well as any fluff that could be applied to it (does it show up like an obi-wan like apparition if it wants? is it just a floating ball of energy that you can distinguish sometimes? some fragmented, magical, part of the masters mind? etc).

Thanks for any help, here's a link to the WotC site that has the ability on it bout midway down if you want to read it through in its entirety.
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/iw/20070503a

[Jack_Simth]

Personally?

It can't do anything other than what the description explicitly says it can do. Otherwise, it'd be way too powerful (an invisible, indestructible scout that can walk through walls unimpeded? Overpowered, ESPECIALLY with everything else it can do). Very useful for a Sorcerer that doesn't expect to have a healer handy (and can't convince the DM that "primarily from" in the Sorcerer spell entry means the Sorcerer can get spells from anywhere), often more useful than a familiar (a familiar is very useful for a Sorcerer or Wizard who doesn't expect to have anyone with a good Spot/Listen check in the party), but not overly overpowered.

If you don't make such a ruling, then you've got a lot of things to cover:
1) What's it's speed?
2) How does it communicate?
3) How does it choose to act?
and so on.

[Xey42]

Don't get me wrong, i completely understand the whole cheesiness in a near invincible scout and wouldn't take that even if it was the case. I guess i asked my origional question badly, in retrospect i guess i'm more asking about whether the companion is some sort of sentient being, or if its just a glowing cloud the size of a beach ball that i can make float next to me (and whatever either might entail); basically anything more than the description in the text of an amorphous cloud that only you can see and know where it is that you shoot spells at.. because, honestly, in a RP heavy game that could get kinda weird

just imagine how a group would react to a sorcerer who wakes up in the morning and starts casting like crazy at a random spot, insisting that doing so was charging his invisible friend that would in turn protect or heal him, that no one can see, touch, or benefit from but him.. he'd wake up the next morning alone with all his stuff missing.

[ChaosDefender24]

When the party's in a tight spot and the sorcerer (if level 20) suddenly gets the same benefits that Dispater gets from standing in the Iron Tower (a major artifact), they certainly won't think about doing such a thing

[Jack_Simth]

Don't get me wrong, i completely understand the whole cheesiness in a near invincible scout and wouldn't take that even if it was the case. I guess i asked my origional question badly, in retrospect i guess i'm more asking about whether the companion is some sort of sentient being, or if its just a glowing cloud the size of a beach ball that i can make float next to me (and whatever either might entail); basically anything more than the description in the text of an amorphous cloud that only you can see and know where it is that you shoot spells at.. because, honestly, in a RP heavy game that could get kinda weird

just imagine how a group would react to a sorcerer who wakes up in the morning and starts casting like crazy at a random spot, insisting that doing so was charging his invisible friend that would in turn protect or heal him, that no one can see, touch, or benefit from but him.. he'd wake up the next morning alone with all his stuff missing.

Form is not specified. It's a divine critter Summoned from the Sorcerer's deity/cause. Theoretically, it'll look (to the Sorcerer, and possibly anyone with See Invisible) like whatever the DM says (and most DM's will make it either flavorful - an archon, a small angel, an imp, a quasit, a Spider (for a drow Sorcerer), whatever, or just ignore it). Is it intellignet? Can it talk? Again, not specified, so up to the DM (or possibly the player, if the player keeps it within the mechanics). It can follow a small set of commands, but so can a trained animal.

As for the reaction? The Sorcerer can demonstrate, easily enough. Cut his finger for a point of damage, have the Divine Companion heal him. Should be enough to convince most that, while it may not be exactly what the Sorcerer says, there's a very real benefit for the Sorcerer to do so.