[3.5] But what about the TIGER?

[tuesdayscoming]

How exactly does one go about best equipping one's ferocious, pouncing cat?

I'm starting a game soon as a 3 druid/3 wizard/ 11 arcane hierophant (RotW). Yes, I know the class is only 10 levels long and that it requires a +4 BAB to get into, but my DM is being nice and has waived the requirement while extending the class to at least get me to 20.

Starting at 17, I have 350k to spend, IIRC, and was thinking of getting myself a Belt of Magnificence +6 (Miniatures) that's also a Monk's Belt. To this I will equip a Wilding Clasp. Havoc will ensue. This leaves me with around 140k to spend.

But I am just not sure what to do about the Dire Tiger I'm taking as my Companion Familiar (Natural Bond to make up for the level dip in Wizard). To play off of his 14 int (and for roleplaying purposes), I'm giving him an item of Tongues. Even if that's not strictly legal as per RAW (*shrug*), my DM is gonna allow it.

Thing's gonna have a bad-ass voice.

Aside from that, though, it's pretty much up in the air. Do you guys have any ideas as to what equipment might make him a more formidable opponent? It looks like I'm going to be the only party member, and I would like him to be a more than competent bodyguard.

Oh, also! I'm allowed to take multiple animal companions whose combined HD is no more than 17 (3 druid + 11 AH + 3 Natural Bond). Only one gets the Familiar bonuses, though. I was thinking of taking a Raven with my last free HD (Dire Tiger is 16) to serve as a scout and message bearer. Good idea, ya think, or should I really just bump the tiger?

[Eldan]

Well, I'm going more by fluff than by statistics first, to be honest, but:

Great cats are ambush hunters as opposed to cursory hunters like wolves. Which means they sneak up on their prey (which does not have to be the weakest of the herd, and quite often is even one of the largest) and try to pounce and kill it before it has a chance to fight back or run away. They tend to lack endurance for long chases.


Therefore: start by improving it's stealth and attacks, mostly. If you are allowed, redistribute it's feats, Darkstalker might be interesting.
After that: give it items which improve it's hide and move silently checks. An item which increases speed will look good, if you give it +30 ft. speed, it can charge up to 140ft. and pounce, which will make a great ambush.

Items which improve natural attacks will be absolutely necessary: not necessarily damage, but a way to go through damage reduction. Nonmagical claws don't do much to many beasties, but +2 cold iron claws are a lot better.

If your DM is nice, try to find something which increases size, a huge tiger will not only look cool, but it will also help with almost everything it does. Animal Growth is level 5, so expensive on an item, but consider casting it yourself often.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

First of all, you can cast Tongues and then Permanency on it rather than spending any cash. That will also work if you go with this next trick:

Your Tiger has an Int score higher than 2, therefore it does not have to be neutral aligned. Make it good aligned, and give it Sacred Vow and Vow of Poverty from BoED. That will give it way better bonuses than any items you'd be getting for it, and you can still use your spells to buff it as long as there's no costly material component.

[Heliomance]

To be honest, I don't think it matters even if it does have a costly material component. After all, a VoP character can't stop someone else spending money on them, and can't do anything about a spell in progress. I don't think there'd be any problem there at all.

Of course, the idea of a tiger taking VoP is cheesy as all hells.

[tuesdayscoming]

As amazing as a VoP tiger would be, I seriously doubt my DM would let it fly. He has argued that, despite its 14 int, it's still an animal, and subsequently doesn't understand the 'market economy' the way we do. It will wear items I give it only because it acknowledges its status as beta, and is aware that it is only intelligent through my grace.

It had completely slipped my mind that you could permanency tongues. Thanks for the reminder!

Does anyone know of a source for equipment designed specifically for animals, though? That would be just all too wonderful.

[Heliomance]

Time for economics lessons then! At 14 int, it's smarter than the average human. It's entirely capable of learning economics if you teach it.

As for your other question, Arms and Equipment Guide and Savage Species might have something.

[LtPowers]

Time for economics lessons then! At 14 int, it's smarter than the average human. It's entirely capable of learning economics if you teach it.

Even if you were to do so, a sane DM would rule that Vow of Poverty is only relevant to creatures who come from a culture that values material objects. That is, you only get the benefits of VoP if you actually make a sacrifice.


Powers &8^]

[Heliomance]

Well teach it materialism and THEN let it take VoP :P

Why do the words "Prime Directive violation" spring to mind?

[Ranos]

As for the item of tongues, just get him a pearl of speech. It's cheap, it's not homebrewed, and it does the trick.

[Fizban]

If you want it to be your fighter, then equip it like a fighter. Mithril Chainshirt Barding, Belt of Giant Strength, Booties of Flying and such. Anklets of Translocation are great for setting up charges to pounce. Penetrating damage reduction has been mentioned and is important: there are various items and spells to do so in splatbooks, I'd check the Spell Compendium for druid spells then look for items that those don't cover. The Draconomicon has items for natural weapons that you can appropriate, the Magic Item Compendium probably has updated versions of whatever's useful.

[Riffington]

He has argued that, despite its 14 int, it's still an animal, and subsequently doesn't understand the 'market economy' the way we do.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/05/ma...FJH1LooxHYd5/g

[Prodan]

Time for economics lessons then! At 14 int, it's smarter than the average human. It's entirely capable of learning economics if you teach it.

The average human, however...

[balistafreak]

The average human, however...

Just look at today's fiscally irresponsible. You'd have a hard time convincing me they had an Intelligence of 14.

[Mongoose87]

Just look at today's fiscally irresponsible. You'd have a hard time convincing me they had an Intelligence of 14.

Perhaps because the average humna has 10?

[Another_Poet]

Does anyone know of a source for equipment designed specifically for animals, though? That would be just all too wonderful.

Barding can be purchased in any armour type for a modest fee (x2 base armour cost for a Medium animal; x4 for a Large). It can then be enchanted like any other armour. The enchantments and MW don't cost extra, only the base armour itself.

You can also give your tiger any wondrous items it can reasonably wear. That would pretty much be the same as a human, except presumably no vestments or boots, but mayne a couple extra ring slots. Items may have to be custom made to fit the tiger - for instance, goggles designed for humans would not line up with the tiger's eyes when put on his head.

If your DM gives you a hard time with wondrous items just put a bunch of use-activated or command-word-activated abilities on its barding.

I believe there is a way to enchant its natural weapons the way you would enchant swords and the like, but I am not sure how it works.

There is no special place for "equipment for animals" because it would just be redundant with the DMG - you can put any of the same abilities on them that any other adventurer would use, you just have to make the stuff fit them.

Good luck!

[balistafreak]

Perhaps because the average humna has 10?

Most of these people have less.

"Why yes I'll go take out a loan to get myself out of debt."

(While not the most egregious case of stupidity in this economy, mortaging your house to pay off a loan has been something I've seen more than once. Really? Economics doesn't work like that. Don't get me started on the "let's just pay off the interest" homeowners too... /economicsrant)

[true_shinken]

Cast light on his fangs and something that makes his claws on fire.

You'll have a tiger tiger burning bright.

[Heliomance]

Most of these people have less.

"Why yes I'll go take out a loan to get myself out of debt."

(While not the most egregious case of stupidity in this economy, mortaging your house to pay off a loan has been something I've seen more than once. Really?

Mortgages generally have lower interest rates than loans without collateral, so if you can't raise the capital to pay off the loan in time, it can be a good way of doing it.

[tuesdayscoming]

Well, talk of mortgages aside, let's see what we have here...

Fizban pointed out that there might be some animal (or maybe dragon) specific equipment in Draconomicon, but I can't find it anywhere. Anyone have page numbers?

And while I always appreciate a nice literary reference, true_shinken, I'm not so sure about the glowing teeth bit. Seems to get in the way of the whole hiding in tall grass, stealthy predator bit .

Also, thinking back, is the Monk's Belt/Wilding Clasp/Belt of Magnificence combo really worth it at 225k? Still leaves me with 115k to spend on other stuff, but I donno. I haven't played a pure spellcaster in 3.5 yet, and I'm sure there's some much better optimization I could do with this amount of cash. Nonetheless, the belt would insure that I remain a baller in (especially) and out of wild shape.

Any thoughts? Would I be better off spending the money on metamagic rods or something?

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Take the feat Exalted Companion and apply the Celestial Creature template to your tiger. It becomes good aligned, and can therefore take exalted feats.

You can cast (Greater) Mage Armor on it every day, or better yet (Greater) Luminous Armor from BoED. Greater Magic Fang to give all its natural weapons a +1 Enhancement bonus would also be useful. You can cast Superior Resistance on it for a +6 to saving throws. Beyond that, it doesn't really need any sort of gear, but definitely get it a Ring of Sustenance. Be sure to take the feat Companion Spellbond from PH2 so you can share spells from much further away.

Get a standard Rod of Extend and a 6th level Pearl of Power. Every other day use the rod to cast Energy Immunity twice and Superior Resistance on yourself, using the pearl to recover an Energy Immunity so you only use two spell slots. Each will last 48 hours, hence only casting it every other day. On the days in between, use the rod to cast Energy Immunity three times on yourself, again using the pearl to save a spell slot. For the cost of those two items and two 6th level spell slots per day you'll be continually immune to all 5 energy types and get a +6 Resistance bonus on all saving throws. Use Share Spells so your tiger also benefits from those without having to cast them again, but it has to stay within the range of your share spells ability to keep the effect.

[Fizban]

The Belt of Magnificence "combo" is definitely not worth it, mostly because it's not a combo. The Belt is crazy overpriced because it's providing six different bonuses at once, and the kicker is that no one needs more than two or three of those bonuses. It is best used as a bluff, for someone who cares so little for their WBL must obviously be a great and powerful wizard that doesn't need the cash. While dumping all your cash into a couple big items is easy and sounds cool for a second, it's really just about the worst thing you can do with your money.

The big exceptions are the tomes/manuals of inherent bonus to stats. Standard gear for high level characters usually starts with a +5 tome and +6 enhancement item for their main stat, or wisdom in your case. If you tiger can read, you could actually buy him a tome as well if you've got the spare cash, but it's better to diversify.

[Heliomance]

The Belt of Magnificence "combo" is definitely not worth it, mostly because it's not a combo. The Belt is crazy overpriced because it's providing six different bonuses at once, and the kicker is that no one needs more than two or three of those bonuses. It is best used as a bluff, for someone who cares so little for their WBL must obviously be a great and powerful wizard that doesn't need the cash.

Or a monk that actually does need all six stats. The belt is actually crazy underpriced - it's cheaper than getting all 6 individual stat-boosting items.

The big exceptions are the tomes/manuals of inherent bonus to stats. Standard gear for high level characters usually starts with a +5 tome and +6 enhancement item for their main stat, or wisdom in your case. If you tiger can read, you could actually buy him a tome as well if you've got the spare cash, but it's better to diversify.

Use the rules for paying NPC spellcasters instead. Buying five castings of Wish is cheaper than buying a +5 tome.

[sofawall]

Or a monk that actually does need all six stats. The belt is actually crazy underpriced - it's cheaper than getting all 6 individual stat-boosting items.

Unless you're a Giacomonk using UMD, cha is kind of useless.

[Prodan]

Unless you're a Giacomonk using UMD, cha is kind of useless.

Diplomacy monk?

[Fizban]

Or a monk that actually does need all six stats. The belt is actually crazy underpriced - it's cheaper than getting all 6 individual stat-boosting items.

Good point. Still isn't needed for a druid in my opinion, since you only need a couple stats. I suppose it's pretty good if you need 4 or 5 stats then, since it only takes up one slot.

Use the rules for paying NPC spellcasters instead. Buying five castings of Wish is cheaper than buying a +5 tome.

True, but the tomes are right there in the DMG, while I'm betting that most DM's won't allow that many wholesale wishes at once on general principle, even if they normally allow everything else. Nevermind that no caster would ever craft a tome...