Initiate of Nature Fun

[Rasman]

ah...Initiate of Nature...how Evil Clerics envy thee

J/K. I've just recently taken the feat and, only being 7th level, was wondering what I should be looking to "command" since I can basically take on an army of squirrels and whatnot now.

Seems like most options come at level 8, since my effective level is only really 6, so 3HD creatures and below only at this point.

Shocker Lizards seem to be my "Top" choice if they count, which I sadly don't think they do. After that looks like Axe Beaks, Wolverines, Wolfs, Cats and the like. Any suggestions as to something more...exotic...I might be skipping over?

[Akal Saris]

If your party needs flying mounts, Dire Hawks/Eagles (Races of Stone) or Dire Bats (Or Desmodu bats from MMII) are all ~3-4 HD and could prove very useful.

If you want to dig your own mountain fortress, charm several dire badgers.

You could just spend 20g to do the same thing, but charm a dozen cows and then use the "auroch" rules to kill enemies via stampede!

Charm a variety of rats, mice, ferrets, and whatnot, then re-enact the Battle of Redwall or the Secret of Nimh :P

[Rasman]

If your party needs flying mounts, Dire Hawks/Eagles (Races of Stone) or Dire Bats (Or Desmodu bats from MMII) are all ~3-4 HD and could prove very useful.

If you want to dig your own mountain fortress, charm several dire badgers.

You could just spend 20g to do the same thing, but charm a dozen cows and then use the "auroch" rules to kill enemies via stampede!

Charm a variety of rats, mice, ferrets, and whatnot, then re-enact the Battle of Redwall or the Secret of Nimh :P

I'm not familiar with the "auroch" rules. Though the idea of murder by crow sounds...amusing...and punny...but mostly amusing...

[Coidzor]

Stampede description can be found here, though you can't control a single bison yet without any kind of turn boosters. I'm guessing that Aurochs were printed somewhere like Frostburn and also have stampede.

If you have a friend who likes using poison, you can have a pet snake. There's also the smaller version of the constrictor snake you can grab.

You can get a black bear or a swarm of baboons/dogs/riding dogs

But I think your best bets for now are something like 2 black bears, 2 crocodiles, 2 leopards, or acquiring 2 free wild horses, training them to be warhorses, and then being able to control them without needing them occupying cleric commanded animal HD. But that's only if you have downtime available and are feeling a bit stingy. If you've got a grappler, dire weasels would be a good compliment to that tactic by joining in on the grapple and bleeding the grapplee dry.

Dinowise, I believe Swindlespitters are the only half decent one available (2 HD, MM3), though next level you can get 2 fleshrakers which have both dex poison and pounce.

[Rasman]

Stampede description can be found here, though you can't control a single bison yet without any kind of turn boosters. I'm guessing that Aurochs were printed somewhere like Frostburn and also have stampede.

If you have a friend who likes using poison, you can have a pet snake. There's also the smaller version of the constrictor snake you can grab.

You can get a black bear or a swarm of baboons/dogs/riding dogs

But I think your best bets for now are something like 2 black bears, 2 crocodiles, 2 leopards, or acquiring 2 free wild horses, training them to be warhorses, and then being able to control them without needing them occupying cleric commanded animal HD. But that's only if you have downtime available and are feeling a bit stingy. If you've got a grappler, dire weasels would be a good compliment to that tactic by joining in on the grapple and bleeding the grapplee dry.

Dinowise, I believe Swindlespitters are the only half decent one available (2 HD, MM3), though next level you can get 2 fleshrakers which have both dex poison and pounce.

I've actually been transforming into both of the Dinos, so Swindlespitters might be worth looking for.

The Croc will be a bit hard due to our location, but I might get lucky, you never know. Dire Weasels on the other hand, I'm TERRIBLY tempted since we have a Half-Dragon Minotaur Fighter that is focusing on Grappling (don't ask me, I didn't plant the idea).

The leopards tempt me the most since I already have a Large Cat as an animal companion, so they could work as an attack force and EVENTUALLY, I could probably just train them though Wild Empathy.

Sadly though, I only have about 2 weeks worth of time to collect any kind of animal I could find, so the Warhorse idea is a little scrapped at the moment.

[Coidzor]

Might wanna take a look at this, as it's the most thought I've seen so far on the matter of bridging the gap from wild empathizing to animal handling.

Depending upon how things go, you might want to keep the Warbeast template in mind as it's 2 months to give an extra HD, stat boosts, armor proficiency, and combat mount training, so any extended hiatuses could be used to make 'em and the training necessary would make it so you didn't *have* to use your cleric command pool on 'em.

[Rasman]

Might wanna take a look at this, as it's the most thought I've seen so far on the matter of bridging the gap from wild empathizing to animal handling.

Depending upon how things go, you might want to keep the Warbeast template in mind as it's 2 months to give an extra HD, stat boosts, armor proficiency, and combat mount training, so any extended hiatuses could be used to make 'em and the training necessary would make it so you didn't *have* to use your cleric command pool on 'em.

oh yeah, I've been ALL over that handbook...it's pure gold for anyone wanting to handle animal, I'm actually in the process of Wartraining my Animal Companion, but I didn't get 2 months prior to The Event in our campaign.