Beastmaster questions [Archive] - Wizards Community

Beastmaster questions [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Starman IX
12-07-06, 09:18 PM Does the +3 count for all companions, or just the first? Say I went Druid 10/Beastmaster 10 with Natural Bond thrown in.

Wolf A would have effective druid level 23
Wolf B would have effective druid level 23 or 20
Wolf C would have effective druid level 20 or 17
Wolf D would have effective druid level 17 or 14

Also, do I have to stick with normal first level compaions for the three extra? Could I have four dire tigers at the end?
BlackTiger
12-07-06, 09:39 PM Ah, the bane of my existence, and likely yours, is this one little sentence.

"Other class levels in classes that offer an animal companion don't stack for the purposes of determining the power of a beastmaster's additional animal companions, nor do they allow her to choose additional animal companions from the alternative lists"

So, take your druid levels out of those extra companions, and yes they all have to be selected based on your limited effective druid level.

natural Bond is your only saving grace.. and, I have no idea if natural Companion would apply to all of them. If so, that'd be amazing, provided you could take it multiple times...

Druid 10 Beastmaster 10 with Natural Bond gives you:

Companion A: 23
Companion B: 10
Companion C: 7
Companion D: 4

EDIT: OW, the Errata on Natural Bond states:

"If a character has multiple animal companions, the
bonus granted by this feat applies to one of them."

Which makes the real values:

Companion A: 23
Companion B: 10 (where natural bond is applied since you are over HD on the first)
Companion C: 4
Companion D: 1

This is exactly why the Class is so hard to justify taking past 3rd level, the extra companions are flavor or utility, but so pitifully weak as to almost not have. :(
Darth Sephiroth
12-07-06, 09:57 PM Personally, I've always let all your Effective Druid Levels stack with it and make Natural Bond apply to all of them. It's not really that imballancing. I've also played one. In the games I've played in and run I also allow Natural Bond to be taken multiple times. The feat is rather pathetic compared to Wild Cohort if it doesn't apply to all of the Animal Companions.

I've got one character I play who's a Human Druid 8/Beastmaster 10 with Natural Bond taken a couple times and Wild Cohort and Natural Spell and Augment Summoning and Imbue Summoning. He's a group fighting specialist for the group and specializes in attacks with LARGE numbers of wolves. I think my current record for number of Wolves is past 50 due to things including Wildshaping into one.
BlackTiger
12-07-06, 10:00 PM See, I agree that the class is gimped in that regard and would houserule it, somehow. However, as a Living Greyhawk player with an advancing ranger, this kinda bugs me.
Starman IX
12-07-06, 10:19 PM This is exactly why the Class is so hard to justify taking past 3rd level, the extra companions are flavor or utility, but so pitifully weak as to almost not have. :(Seriously, why take it past first level? Free Alertness? :pbbbtt: Free Speak With Animals? :pbbbtt:
Kratch
12-08-06, 12:48 AM I see it as a better option for rangers rather then druids. If memory serves, a ranger can get his normal AnimC up higher then he could by just staying ranger, plus he gets some other pets that can be used for other tasks (scent animal trained for tracking to assist, spot/listen animals to scout, etc.). And again, if memory serves, they don't take a hit on BaB, though i don't have the books handy, so i can't check for certain.
FreAkOuTRG
12-08-06, 03:35 PM Note: Natural Bond can't increase your effective druid level past your character level.

So, it would look like:

20
10
7
4
Kratch
12-08-06, 05:10 PM Beastmaster increases your druid level by your beastmaster level +3. For a druid that would mean a max pet of 23. For a ranger?/BM10, that would be 13 plus half your ranger level (18 for a 10/10 build, which could then use natural bond to get it to 20, or get the second AC to 13.))

assuming i remember it correctly.

I've personally been thinking of going 4-6 ranger, 10 BM and taking one of those CV feats that let ranger and paladin/monk (i forget which class) levels to stack for the purpose of AC level.
FreAkOuTRG
12-08-06, 05:28 PM Oh, hehe. Whoopsies.
Darth Sephiroth
12-08-06, 07:11 PM Note: Natural Bond can't increase your effective druid level past your character level.

So, it would look like:

20
10
7
4

Natural Bond wouldn't effect the first companion if your a Druid/Beastmaster. The Beastmaster gains a +3 to his effective Druid Level for his first Animal Companion so a straight Druid/Beastmaster would be Level+3
The_Shaman
12-08-06, 07:19 PM I'm thinking of ranger/animal lord/beastmaster, maybe branching off around ranger lvl 6 to get the improved combat style. You should have an effective druid lvl of 20, iirc. Has anyone tried a similar build?

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Starman IX 12-07-06, 09:18 PM	Does the +3 count for all companions, or just the first? Say I went Druid 10/Beastmaster 10 with Natural Bond thrown in. Wolf A would have effective druid level 23 Wolf B would have effective druid level 23 or 20 Wolf C would have effective druid level 20 or 17 Wolf D would have effective druid level 17 or 14 Also, do I have to stick with normal first level compaions for the three extra? Could I have four dire tigers at the end?
BlackTiger 12-07-06, 09:39 PM	Ah, the bane of my existence, and likely yours, is this one little sentence. "Other class levels in classes that offer an animal companion don't stack for the purposes of determining the power of a beastmaster's additional animal companions, nor do they allow her to choose additional animal companions from the alternative lists" So, take your druid levels out of those extra companions, and yes they all have to be selected based on your limited effective druid level. natural Bond is your only saving grace.. and, I have no idea if natural Companion would apply to all of them. If so, that'd be amazing, provided you could take it multiple times... Druid 10 Beastmaster 10 with Natural Bond gives you: Companion A: 23 Companion B: 10 Companion C: 7 Companion D: 4 EDIT: OW, the Errata on Natural Bond states: "If a character has multiple animal companions, the bonus granted by this feat applies to one of them." Which makes the real values: Companion A: 23 Companion B: 10 (where natural bond is applied since you are over HD on the first) Companion C: 4 Companion D: 1 This is exactly why the Class is so hard to justify taking past 3rd level, the extra companions are flavor or utility, but so pitifully weak as to almost not have. :(
Darth Sephiroth 12-07-06, 09:57 PM	Personally, I've always let all your Effective Druid Levels stack with it and make Natural Bond apply to all of them. It's not really that imballancing. I've also played one. In the games I've played in and run I also allow Natural Bond to be taken multiple times. The feat is rather pathetic compared to Wild Cohort if it doesn't apply to all of the Animal Companions. I've got one character I play who's a Human Druid 8/Beastmaster 10 with Natural Bond taken a couple times and Wild Cohort and Natural Spell and Augment Summoning and Imbue Summoning. He's a group fighting specialist for the group and specializes in attacks with LARGE numbers of wolves. I think my current record for number of Wolves is past 50 due to things including Wildshaping into one.
BlackTiger 12-07-06, 10:00 PM	See, I agree that the class is gimped in that regard and would houserule it, somehow. However, as a Living Greyhawk player with an advancing ranger, this kinda bugs me.
Starman IX 12-07-06, 10:19 PM	This is exactly why the Class is so hard to justify taking past 3rd level, the extra companions are flavor or utility, but so pitifully weak as to almost not have. :(Seriously, why take it past first level? Free Alertness? :pbbbtt: Free Speak With Animals? :pbbbtt:
Kratch 12-08-06, 12:48 AM	I see it as a better option for rangers rather then druids. If memory serves, a ranger can get his normal AnimC up higher then he could by just staying ranger, plus he gets some other pets that can be used for other tasks (scent animal trained for tracking to assist, spot/listen animals to scout, etc.). And again, if memory serves, they don't take a hit on BaB, though i don't have the books handy, so i can't check for certain.
FreAkOuTRG 12-08-06, 03:35 PM	Note: Natural Bond can't increase your effective druid level past your character level. So, it would look like: 20 10 7 4
Kratch 12-08-06, 05:10 PM	Beastmaster increases your druid level by your beastmaster level +3. For a druid that would mean a max pet of 23. For a ranger?/BM10, that would be 13 plus half your ranger level (18 for a 10/10 build, which could then use natural bond to get it to 20, or get the second AC to 13.)) assuming i remember it correctly. I've personally been thinking of going 4-6 ranger, 10 BM and taking one of those CV feats that let ranger and paladin/monk (i forget which class) levels to stack for the purpose of AC level.
FreAkOuTRG 12-08-06, 05:28 PM	Oh, hehe. Whoopsies.
Darth Sephiroth 12-08-06, 07:11 PM	Note: Natural Bond can't increase your effective druid level past your character level. So, it would look like: 20 10 7 4 Natural Bond wouldn't effect the first companion if your a Druid/Beastmaster. The Beastmaster gains a +3 to his effective Druid Level for his first Animal Companion so a straight Druid/Beastmaster would be Level+3
The_Shaman 12-08-06, 07:19 PM	I'm thinking of ranger/animal lord/beastmaster, maybe branching off around ranger lvl 6 to get the improved combat style. You should have an effective druid lvl of 20, iirc. Has anyone tried a similar build?