Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Yorath_theWolf 12-26-06, 12:24 AM	ok, I haven't found any discussions that really answer any of the questions that have popped up so I figured I'd ask here. now as the Arcane Hierophant advances Wild Shape if you have it I feel comfortable with the assumption that if you took the Shapeshifting alternative persented in the PHBII that Arcane Hierophant will advance that as well. sooo here's the crux of my dilema, if you took the shapeshifting alternative, you sacrafice haveing an animal compainion, which is where my probs begin. being an Arcane Hierophant you dismiss yer familer and pretty much turn yer animal compainion into yer MUCH improved familer, only in this case I wouldn't have an animal compainion to do this with... sooo do I lose my familer and wind up SOL or pick up an animal compainion/familer now that it's giveing me one, or what? figured that asking for some feedback here would give me some fallback arguements to give my GM as opposed to just whineing to get my way ;) . so help is greatly appreciated, cause really I kinda want either a Dire Ape or a brown bear familer/compainion.
Fiean_Daeus 12-26-06, 12:48 AM	I'd say you'd lose your familiar and be SoL. Arcane Hierophant doesn't give you an animal companion, it enhances one that you already have. Shapeshifting is more powerful than the base wildshape ability, which is why it also replaces the animal companion. If Arcane Hierophant just advanced wild shape it would be unbalanced to rule it also advanced shapeshifting, since you're negating the cost of the enhanced ability. Since it advances both animal companion and wildshape ability, I see no problem with it boosting shapeshifting as long as your paying the full cost - loss of both base abilities.
knh0726 12-26-06, 05:11 AM	I agree with Fiean_Daeus. The Arcane Hierophant doesn't gain an animal companion, so if you give yours up then too bad. But I do think the variant ability should still improve. It is better than wildshaping, so combining that fact with the other improvements the Arcane Hierophant gets I think you'll make it.:D
Yorath_theWolf 12-26-06, 12:50 PM	*sigh* well I guess that I would wind up SOL :( . oooh well, nothing says that as I'd have no animal compainion I can't resummon a new familer if I so chose. and when in doubt I can spend a feat and pick up an animal cohort to helpout some. as to shapeshift vs wild shapeing, well I dn'na feel that shapeshifting is more powerful. after all I feel they dropped the ball in some places in the shapeshifting progression (that has more to do without being able to chose an aquatic shape or even if one did, there being a lack of oooh breathing underwater and that I really feel they fumbled with the Elemental shapes), but it IS a lot more streamlined and doesn't have the game breaking cheeze assosiated with it.
teshen 12-26-06, 01:10 PM	Well, it's not by the rules, but there are a couple of options you could pursue with your dm. 1) Ask if you can keep your familiar but lose the ability to channel touch spells and apply some of the animal companion benefits to it. As a familiar, it will have less hit points on average and less combat options than a companion. Work it out and see what fits for your game. 2) Allow for the loss of the familiar and the acquisition of an animal companion at a much higher level as if you were a ranger or a druid getting a stronger companion. -4 or -6 levels might be a good benchmark... Mileage on these ideas may vary. Again, just run it by your storyteller and see what he or she would be open to. With the ability to switch up a lot of basic things (unearthed arcana, substitution level, phb2) these things shouldn't be too big of a stretch. And don't whine to your storyteller. That's annoying. :p Happy gaming. :D
MaximumHavoc 12-26-06, 06:37 PM	Shapeshifting is more powerful than the base wildshape ability . . . this statement is so utterly untrue that i had to make a fortitude save so as not to be sickened for 1d4 rounds.