[4e] New DM + New Players

[Random NPC]

Hello.

I'm here to ask some questions. I'm trying to figure out how to DM proficiently, since this is my first time I enter the DM realm.

So far, I wanted to give the new players as most liberty as possible. They are really mature and I know I won't end up with petty problems. They are my two 16 year old nephews and my girlfriend (we be college studentz). As I said, they are new and on friday me and my girlfriend will go buy them three their first set of dice (since I only have my own).

They chose on their own to play a War Wizard, a Two-Weapon Ranger and a Battle Cleric. I helped them with the character creation and we are yet to meet for the first time together. It seems balanced, but I'm afraid it might lack some defense, so I wanted to throw in a couple of NPCs, a Rogue and a Wolf. The point of these NPCs is to introduce them to the many features of D&D and help them more. I also plan to kill off the Rogue (which will be my plot hook) by the end of the first IG day and give the Wolf to the party to use as a Tank, which it might be a plot device for later levels.

Now my full inquire is regarding the wolf. How do I create him? I wanted to mirror the animal companion in 3.5, since I really liked them. I was thinking of creating a level 1 gray wolf and adding the fighter template. In reality this is a way for me to have a character I can call my own on the adventure since I still can't fully separate myself from my PC gamer mentality

I have some plans for the wolf, turning him into a "living artifact" for the whole party that will depart from the party once all of the sketchy plans I have in mind come to fruition.

Any help and any kind of constructive criticism is most welcomed

[Myshlaevsky]

Hello.

I'm here to ask some questions. I'm trying to figure out how to DM proficiently, since this is my first time I enter the DM realm.

So far, I wanted to give the new players as most liberty as possible. They are really mature and I know I won't end up with petty problems. They are my two 16 year old nephews and my girlfriend (we be college studentz). As I said, they are new and on friday me and my girlfriend will go buy them three their first set of dice (since I only have my own).

They chose on their own to play a War Wizard, a Two-Weapon Ranger and a Battle Cleric. I helped them with the character creation and we are yet to meet for the first time together. It seems balanced, but I'm afraid it might lack some defense, so I wanted to throw in a couple of NPCs, a Rogue and a Wolf. The point of these NPCs is to introduce them to the many features of D&D and help them more. I also plan to kill off the Rogue (which will be my plot hook) by the end of the first IG day and give the Wolf to the party to use as a Tank, which it might be a plot device for later levels.

Now my full inquire is regarding the wolf. How do I create him? I wanted to mirror the animal companion in 3.5, since I really liked them. I was thinking of creating a level 1 gray wolf and adding the fighter template. In reality this is a way for me to have a character I can call my own on the adventure since I still can't fully separate myself from my PC gamer mentality

I have some plans for the wolf, turning him into a "living artifact" for the whole party that will depart from the party once all of the sketchy plans I have in mind come to fruition.

Any help and any kind of constructive criticism is most welcomed

There was a freakin' awesome Bear animal companion on these boards a little while ago.

[fendrin]

I was thinking of creating a level 1 gray wolf and adding the fighter template.

I'd say try that and see how the result compares to a standard NPC of the character's level. You may need to advance it or weaken it to match.

Just remember that unless it is a 'magical' wolf, it won't have lassie-esque intelligence. I don't just mean it will have a low stat, that won't matter much as a fighter, but just in the way you RP it.

[Holocron Coder]

What may be useful is to take the normal wolf for that level (if there is one.. if not, create one, easy enough). Then give it like... the fighter template. Or similar. One that lets it actually be a tank.

Alternately, there's the bodyguard template.

[Starsinger]

Now my full inquire is regarding the wolf. How do I create him? I wanted to mirror the animal companion in 3.5, since I really liked them. I was thinking of creating a level 1 gray wolf and adding the fighter template. In reality this is a way for me to have a character I can call my own on the adventure since I still can't fully separate myself from my PC gamer mentality

You could make him as a Fighter (what race to pick I dunno.) PC, since he'll be filling the Defender rolein the beginning right?

[Totally Guy]

I have some plans for the wolf, turning him into a "living artifact" for the whole party that will depart from the party once all of the sketchy plans I have in mind come to fruition.

That's what I've done with a party mascot except the players have no idea it's an artifact. Basically it gains concordance once a day when they mention that it exists (it's listening with hungry ego) and a few other ways. But that's the funny one. Because not knowing it's an artefact they never mention it.

Next level or so I might just write it out leaving a gift. Then they'll figure it out.

I think it's a good idea.

[Yakk]

Here is an attempt at making a Bear companion:
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=87828

If you are doing something quick, you only really need level 1 to 10. In the Bear case, past level 10 it probably needs to be rebalanced anyhow. :-)

There is a wolf in the MM on page 264. This is a Skirmisher, and you want your Wolf to be a Defender. However, the Wolf standing there getting beat on seems to be the wrong image?

[fractic]

You could make him as a Fighter (what race to pick I dunno.)

Homebrewing a wolf race isn't hard. Going of the statblock:

Gray Wolf
Ability Scores:+2 Con, +2 Dex
Size: Medium
Speed: 8 squares
Vision: Low-light

Languages: None
Skill bonuses: +2 Endurance, +2 Perception
Pull Down: A gray wolf can use Pull Down as an encounter power

Pull Down:
Str vs Reflex
Hit: 1d6+str damage and the target is knocked prone
Increase damage to 2d6+str at 21st level

[Myshlaevsky]

Here is an attempt at making a Bear companion:
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=87828

If you are doing something quick, you only really need level 1 to 10. In the Bear case, past level 10 it probably needs to be rebalanced anyhow. :-)

There is a wolf in the MM on page 264. This is a Skirmisher, and you want your Wolf to be a Defender. However, the Wolf standing there getting beat on seems to be the wrong image?

Ah, I love that. Thanks, Yakk.

[Random NPC]

I'd say try that and see how the result compares to a standard NPC of the character's level. You may need to advance it or weaken it to match.

Just remember that unless it is a 'magical' wolf, it won't have lassie-esque intelligence. I don't just mean it will have a low stat, that won't matter much as a fighter, but just in the way you RP it.

Alrighty. And it will be a magical wolf. I want him to turn into a creature similar to the Wild Hunt Hound. Some ideas are still floating and they do not need to be ready until later (or when the PCs get all their first magical items)

What may be useful is to take the normal wolf for that level (if there is one.. if not, create one, easy enough). Then give it like... the fighter template. Or similar. One that lets it actually be a tank.

Alternately, there's the bodyguard template.

the normal wolf is the gray wolf. I'm still wondering if I should keep it level 2 or turn it into a level 1

You could make him as a Fighter (what race to pick I dunno.) PC, since he'll be filling the Defender rolein the beginning right?

I thought of creating a Warforged Figther, but I don't want to involve myself in much since I wanted to have them figure it all out, so I went with the mascot route.

That's what I've done with a party mascot except the players have no idea it's an artifact. Basically it gains concordance once a day when they mention that it exists (it's listening with hungry ego) and a few other ways. But that's the funny one. Because not knowing it's an artefact they never mention it.

Next level or so I might just write it out leaving a gift. Then they'll figure it out.

I think it's a good idea.

They will not know it's an artifact. My plan is when they get stronger, they will learn more. The original owner knew a lot of the information, but he'll die before he can tell.

What I'm thinking of is that the Wolf will have a daily once they reach a higher level, and they would activate it by spending a Healing surge. It will then turn the wolf into a Super Saiyan monster wolf. But this is all for later

Here is an attempt at making a Bear companion:
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=87828

If you are doing something quick, you only really need level 1 to 10. In the Bear case, past level 10 it probably needs to be rebalanced anyhow. :-)

There is a wolf in the MM on page 264. This is a Skirmisher, and you want your Wolf to be a Defender. However, the Wolf standing there getting beat on seems to be the wrong image?

Thanks for the link. And it will not just stay there. He'll defend someone (probably the wizard) and the wolf has the speed to move around in battle. The unnatural intelligence and the will to fight will be a clue to the strange origin.

[Random NPC]

Homebrewing a wolf race isn't hard. Going of the statblock:

Gray Wolf
Ability Scores:+2 Con, +2 Dex
Size: Medium
Speed: 8 squares
Vision: Low-light

Languages: None
Skill bonuses: +2 Endurance, +2 Perception
Pull Down: A gray wolf can use Pull Down as an encounter power

Pull Down:
Str vs Reflex
Hit: 1d6+str damage and the target is knocked prone
Increase damage to 2d6+str at 21st level

I thought it was +2 Str/Con/Dex/Wis, -8 Int

It will need more AC if I want him a Defender, though

[fractic]

I thought it was +2 Str/Con/Dex/Wis, -8 Int

Well yeah that's basically what the gray wolf monster gets. But I was turning it into a kind of player race which always get +2 to two scores. Of course if you would use it you would also be the one to choose the ability scores.

[Yakk]

Here is an attempt to do the same kind of treatment with a Ghost Wolf Companion that I did with the Bear Companion.

As you can see, starting at level 13, there are gaps. It is also a first-run attempt.

This creature is based off a mixture of Ranger and Paladin powers. It uses a pseudo-Paladin style marking.

As an idea for how to fix it into your game, have the wolf die, and come back as a Ghost Wolf. :-)

Spoiler

Show

Ghost Wolf Companion (Defender)

Str: 12+L/2
Con: 13+L/2
Dex: 16+L/2
Int: 5+L/3
Wis: 15+L/2
Cha: 12+L/3

Initiative: Level*.8+4
Senses: Perception: Level*.8+10, Insight Level*3/4+2, Low-light vision
Move: 8 at Heroic, 9 at Paragon, 10 at Epic

Trained Skills: Nature(Wis), Perception(Wis), Athletics(Str), Endurance(Con), Stealth(Dex)

Defenses:
AC: 15+Level
Fortitude: 11+Level
Reflex: 14+Level
Will: 13+Level
HP: 20+8*Level

Features:
Mark of the Hunted + Ghost Wolf Companion Feature
At-Will + Minor Action
Burst 10
Target: 1 creature in burst
Effect: Target creature is Marked. The first time the creature makes an attack that does not include the Ghost Wolf, he takes 1d6+Ghost Wolf's Wis modifier necrotic damage. This damage increases to 2d6+Wis at level 11, and 3d6+Wis at level 21. At the end of any of the Ghost Wolf's turns, if the Ghost Wolf has not attacked the marked creature or moved into a square adjacent to the target (the Ghost Wolf could have left that square), then the mark fades. If the Ghost Wolf uses this power on a different target, then the mark fades on all other targets.

Harry: The Ghost Wolf is considered to have combat advantage on any attack of opportunity.

Companion Vigor: The Ghost Wolf has 5+Con modifier healing surges per day.

Powers:
Basic Melee Attack: Bite, Standard action, at-will. Level+5 vs AC, 1d6+Dex damage. Increase to 1d8 at level 6, 1d10 at level 16, 2d6 at level 26.

Basic Melee Attack: Trip, Standard action, at-will. This ability may only be used if you have combat advantage over the target. Level+4 vs Reflex, 1d4 damage, and target is knocked prone. Damage increases to 1d6 at level 11 and 2d6 at level 21.

Gained at Level 2:
Melee Attack: Passing Attack, Standard action, at-will. Move your full movement and make a basic attack at any point during the movement. The target of your basic attack cannot make opportunity attacks against you during this action after they have been attacked.

Gained at Level 3:
Close Burst 3 Attack: Howl, Standard action, Level+3 vs Will, Daily. Hit enemies grant combat advantage to all of your allies until the end of the Ghost Wolf's next turn. Increases to Close Burst 4 at level 12 and Close Burst 5 at level 22.

Gained at Level 4: Melee Attack, Hamstring, Standard action, recharge 56. Can only be used when you have combat advantage over a target. Level+5 vs AC, 1d8+Dex damage, target is slowed (save ends). Increase damage to 2d8+Dex at level 14, and 3d8+Dex at level 24.

Gained at Level 5: Blur of Fur, Move action, per-encounter. Shift up to 4 squares. You may choose to shift through an enemy square. If you do so, you provoke an opportunity attack, but you also gain combat advantage over the target until the end of this turn. At level 15 and 25, increase the number of squares shifted by 2.

6: Previous powers are upgraded

Gained at Level 7: Second Wind, Standard action, per-encounter. As the PC ability.

Gained at level 8: Ghost Step, Immediate Interrupt, per-day. Trigger: someone attacks one of your allies within 10 squares. Effect: teleport up to 10 squares, and make a basic attack against the enemy. If successful, the attack takes a penalty equal to the Ghost Wolf's wis modifier.

Gained at level 9: Blood Hunt: Deal +1d6 damage against a target who is bloodied, once per turn, and gain that many temporary HP. This bonus damage is increased to 2d6 at level 17 and 3d6 at level 27.

Gained at level 10: Ranged Attack Stare of Mortality: Standard Action, Fear, Necrotic, Daily, Range 5, +5 vs Will, target takes 1d10+Wis modifier necrotic damage and is Stunned until the end of the Ghost Wolf's next turn. Deals 2d10+Wis damage at level 19, and 3d10+Wis damage at level 29.

11/12: Upgrades

13: ???

14/15/16/17: Upgrades

18: Damage dealt by Mark of the Hunted grants the Ghost Wolf temporary HP.

19: Upgrades

20: ???

21/22: Upgrades

23: ???

24/25/26/27: Upgrades

28: ???

29: Upgrades

30: ???

I think as written above, the Ghost Wolf is too good. Need to pare him back a bit. And finish levels 13 to 30.

[Shadow_Elf]

Here's my thoughts. Make your Gray Wolf as a PC fighter level 1. With racial traits. YOu can make it intelligent as if its an artifact. As in, make it understand all languages, but speak none. Then, make its concordance-o-meter mega huge. Like 0-100. Have it start at like 10. Make it so that as they warm up to it and show it affection, it grows in levels (10-13 = level 1, +3 for every level so that 100 = level 30.) If they get it below ten, it gets pissed and will fight with the stats of a grey wolf. If it goes below 0 concordance, it ditches them.

Make a concordance cap of 10 +3*(their level) so that they don't end up with a level 30 defender when they're level 10 cause they were super mega nice to it.

Maybe this would be hard to manage. Just a thought...

[RTGoodman]

If you're just looking to add the Wolf as another party member to help the PCs out, there's not a lot of reason to add a Template as of yet. If a party has an accompanying animal like a mount, the DM compensates by just adding additional enemies with XP total equal to the XP of the companion. If you wanted it to be super-tough you could add the Bodyguard or Soldier template (or something more exotic), but note that one template makes the Wolf into an Elite monster and a second makes it into a Solo monster and you'll need to take that change into consideration when you do your encounter XP budget.

For now, I'd say just throw in a regular Grey Wolf (level 2, I think?) and just make encounters based on 3 1st-level PCs and a 2nd level monster with them. As the PCs grow in level, as long as they keep it happy and the concordance goes up, you can increase the level of the Wolf companion as per the rules on DMG 174.


Alternatively, not to toot my own horn, but I've been working on some 4E Expanded Mount Options for a while if you want to look over that. (And you don't even have to worry about the "mount" stuff - check out some of the stuff I've been thinking about for advancing mounts, along with Yakk's suggestion here.) I haven't updated it in a long time, but I swear I'm gonna get back to it soon.