Hexblade with Improved Familiar.

[Adumbration]

I'll be relatively soon participating in a dungeon crawl for level 8. I'm planning on playing straight Hexblade 8 with the Improved familiar (Winter Wolf) feat, and I'll see if I can convince the DM to allow me to use the Hexblade fix by the original maker. (Could someone post me the link, by the way? I couldn't find it with google.)

Anyway, how strong is this, in terms of power? We're all a bit new to the game, but a complete newbie will also be joining in. Any feats that are worth taking? What race would be good? What abilities should I prioritize?

I think it should be fun to play.

EDIT:
What's new: the ECL is now 7, no templates. The drop from 8 to 7 hurts me a little, due to the loss of 2nd level spells, but in the other hand, I get only one 1-2 spells per day, unfortunately. The DM approved of the fix, however. There's also going to be one player using the renaissance weapons from DMG, guns to be exact.

[Ganurath]

Hmm... It depends:

1. Is your race Medium or Small?
2. How many ranks of Ride do you have?

[Adumbration]

That's the question, and you can affect it. The most probable race is a medium humanoid, preferably with either Charisma or physical stat booster. Charisma especially if I get to use the Hexblade fix.

And yes, riding the winter wolf would be very nice. I think you can do it even if you're medium, since the wolf is Large?

[Temp.]

Do you get to choose its feats? If not, you'll have a source of free trip attempts, but no real damage output. Power Attack and Leap Attack would change that.

I would highly recommend taking Mounted Combat, just for the sake of keeping the thing alive--It'll be pretty fragile for quite a while. And Practiced Spellcaster's needed to boost your caster level for Improved Familiar, right? That'll leave you pretty strapped for feats. This makes me support Strongheart Halfling or Human as your race choice.

Goad (CAd) might be a good option--it will attract attacks to you, both defending your party and your beastie.

[Adumbration]

Actually, the Improved familiar is counted by the arcane spellcaster levels, which helps a lot. We will also probably be able to get flaws, which will also help.

[Keld Denar]

Depending on how many HD its gonna have, a great chain for a wolf type creature is the Dodge>Mobility>SpringAttack>BoundingAssault>RapidB litz combo. Normally, a wolf only gets 1 attack, it doesn't get iteratives. This chain gives it 3 attacks, all at full AB. You can make all 3 attacks against the same target, or divide them up to trip 3 people. Its fairly good, since his trip check scales decently, and there is no chance for countertrip.

Of course, that is a ton of feats....

[Temp.]

Actually, the Improved familiar is counted by the arcane spellcaster levels

Handy, I missed that.

I'm always nervous to use a Familiar in melee unless I have access to high-level buffs like Greater Invisibility, Bite of the Weretiger and Draconic Polymorph. Otherwise, it feels like too much of a risk. Bonded Familiar from the PHB2 might be a nice fail-safe here.

Going down the Mounted Combat line might be a good idea--Ride-by Attack should get you out of reach from the Baddies and Mounted Combat might block your Wolf from their charges.

[Adumbration]

It's not going to have that little hitpoints, although I'll probably take Bonded Familiar. Unlike most casters, I'll have d10 hitdice and most likely a good constitution. By my calculations it's going to come only slightly below the usual hitpoints for a winter wolf.

I need to read up on the whole riding thing before I make that decision. From what I've seen on play the riding rules are at least as complex as the grapple rules, and it could be an extra bother for the dm. But I'll look into it.

[Keld Denar]

Well, other than the fact that ride-by attack is broke, they aren't too hard. Ride-by is retarded because it messes up the rules for charging (go to the closest square) and continuing movement (move past your opponent, but not through them). With the exception of a couple of vectors, almost every charge that leads you to the closest square possible to the target doesn't allow you to continue charging, since you'd have to move through their square. Its dumb, but easily house ruled to be that you charge by them, and attack at some point. Really, Hexblade > Halfling Outrider would be kind of cool though. Just a thought.

[Adumbration]

I'm afraid the Rapid Blitz feat line is a bit too intensive - only three free feats for the familiar, I think. But I'll look into the Halfling Outrider.

On a different note, does anyone know a feat that allows your familiar to move farther away than 5 feet and still keep the buffs you've shared with it? Although if I ride it, it won't matter much...

[Asbestos]

I'll be relatively soon participating in a dungeon crawl for level 8. I'm planning on playing straight Hexblade 8 with the Improved familiar (Winter Wolf) feat, and I'll see if I can convince the DM to allow me to use the Hexblade fix by the original maker. (Could someone post me the link, by the way? I couldn't find it with google.)

Anyway, how strong is this, in terms of power? We're all a bit new to the game, but a complete newbie will also be joining in. Any feats that are worth taking? What race would be good? What abilities should I prioritize?

I think it should be fun to play.

Wait, which fix? The one for the dead levels?

[Adumbration]

Wait, which fix? The one for the dead levels?

I think it was the one that turned Curses into swift actions? 1+Cha per day, if the enemy succeeds in a will save, use not expended. It also had some other stuff that I can't remember, which is why I could use the link.

EDIT: I actually found it quoted on these forums, but it would still be good to see the original link.

Here's the quote:
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showp...74&postcount=2

[Asbestos]

I think it was the one that turned Curses into swift actions? 1+Cha per day, if the enemy succeeds in a will save, use not expended. It also had some other stuff that I can't remember, which is why I could use the link.

EDIT: I actually found it quoted on these forums, but it would still be good to see the original link.

Here's the quote:
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showp...74&postcount=2

I think the 2nd post in this thread is quoting it.

Edit: Ninja'd! (by the OP!)

[Ponce]

Forget it! Grab that Dark Companion variant! Much more useful.

[JaxGaret]

EDIT: I actually found it quoted on these forums, but it would still be good to see the original link.

Here you go:

http://forums.gleemax.com/showpost.p...3&postcount=11

[Scaboroth]

Just out of curiosity, did you track down the link or did you just already have it? Which is to say, was it something you considered important and continued to want to pay attention to? Which of course is just a roundabout way of askin if you liked/trusted the fix?

[Darrin]

Handy, I missed that.
I'm always nervous to use a Familiar in melee unless I have access to high-level buffs like Greater Invisibility, Bite of the Weretiger and Draconic Polymorph. Otherwise, it feels like too much of a risk. Bonded Familiar from the PHB2 might be a nice fail-safe here.

I was going to suggest if you want to use your familiar as a mount, consider the Wild Cohort feat (from the WotC website), but that won't work for a winter wolf. Savage Empathy and Monstrous Animal Companion might work (Dragon #326), but that's three feats, and you'd have to dip Ranger for the wild empathy class feature.

Something else from Dragon might help, though:

Token Familiar (Dragon #280), on command you can turn your familiar into a diminuative stone figurine. The description isn't clear about what kind of action the command would be, usually giving a command to an animal is a move action, but a familiar is a lot smarter. See if the DM will treat it as an immediate or free action.

Enspell Familiar (same issue) is also quite handy, allows you and your familiar to share buffs so long as the familiar stays within 1 mile of you.

[Sinfire Titan]

Forget it! Grab that Dark Companion variant! Much more useful.

Forget that too! There is a better fix that works like the Duskblade.

[JaxGaret]

Just out of curiosity, did you track down the link or did you just already have it?

I re-tracked down the link, since I had seen it about two years ago when it was first created, and since then have linked to it or seen it linked to many times in Hexblade threads over on the Wizards boards. I knew that it was Mike Mearls who made it, so I just googled "mearls hexblade fix".

Which is to say, was it something you considered important and continued to want to pay attention to? Which of course is just a roundabout way of askin if you liked/trusted the fix?

Yes, I think that it is a good fix for the Hexblade.

[Fax Celestis]

Token Familiar (Dragon #280), on command you can turn your familiar into a diminuative stone figurine. The description isn't clear about what kind of action the command would be, usually giving a command to an animal is a move action, but a familiar is a lot smarter. See if the DM will treat it as an immediate or free action.

Command words are usually standard actions.

On an aside, check out the D'hin'ni from Dragon 350. They're pretty rox for any mounted or Cha-based character.

Spoiler

Show

+2 Dex, -2 Wis, +2 Cha
Small, 20' move
Counts as a halfling
Darkvision 60'
+1 racial on saves
+2 racial on attacks with thrown weapons and slings
+2 racial on Climb, Jump, Listen, Move Silently
Airborne creatures attacking you take a -1 penalty
SLA: Prestidigitation at will
SLA: Gust of wind or wind wall or whispering wind 1/day (CL=HD)
Languages: Common, Halfling, Auran automatic
Favored Class: Sorceror
LA: +1

[Adumbration]

What's new: the ECL is now 7, no templates. The drop from 8 to 7 hurts me a little, due to the loss of 2nd level spells, but in the other hand, I get only one 1-2 spells per day, unfortunately. The DM approved of the fix, however. There's also going to be one player using the renaissance weapons from DMG, guns to be exact.

The D'hin'ni would appear to be very nice, but for two things. It has LA, and it's from a magazine - of which I have none. The feats look very nice as well, but again, I don't have the magazines.

@Sinfire Titan: The link isn't working for me.

EDIT: I am also seriously considering the alternate class feature from PHB II, since the DM has revealed that it will be a dungeon crawl, and he had a funny face when he wondered out loud about how my pet will do down there. But we'll see, I may go with it just becouse of rule of the cool.

[RagnaroksChosen]

What's new: the ECL is now 7, no templates. The drop from 8 to 7 hurts me a little, due to the loss of 2nd level spells, but in the other hand, I get only one 1-2 spells per day, unfortunately. The DM approved of the fix, however. There's also going to be one player using the renaissance weapons from DMG, guns to be exact.

The D'hin'ni would appear to be very nice, but for two things. It has LA, and it's from a magazine - of which I have none. The feats look very nice as well, but again, I don't have the magazines.

@Sinfire Titan: The link isn't working for me.

EDIT: I am also seriously considering the alternate class feature from PHB II, since the DM has revealed that it will be a dungeon crawl, and he had a funny face when he wondered out loud about how my pet will do down there. But we'll see, I may go with it just becouse of rule of the cool.

Ya most gms wonder about the pet then you take improved Familar with a winterwolf. and play a Halfling( or other small critter) and ride your familar.. which is always awesome.. Get your self a wand of spider climb. It applies to your familar also so you can charge people from the walls or ceiling.

[Darrin]

Command words are usually standard actions.

The MIC is full of command-activated items that only require a swift or immediate action. Not entirely sure what the criteria was there, though... the MIC is full of head-scratchers.

Giving a command to a trained animal or animal companion (Int 2 or 3) is a move action via handle animal. Giving a command to a hireling, NPC, cohort, or whatnot would usually be a free action. I'm not sure where a familiar falls in there, but given their typical Int scores I'd lean over towards the cohort side of things.