Blink Dog Bard?? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Blink Dog Bard?? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Nessaj
06-06-05, 10:51 PM Yes, the title is quite correct...See, in the game a friend of mine runs, I generally play NPC's because I can't usually get there when the game starts. However one of the PC's came up with an idea that required some rule bending, but basically I get to be a Polymorphed PC, gnome turned blink dog who hasn't quite mastered the art of "blinkage." Yes, polymorph normally doesn't allow Supernatural abilities like Blink and Dimension Door, however again, there is some rule bending here for fun. This will help facilitate my extended in-game absences; seeing as there are no mages in the party (I am effectively cut off from the group when I "lose control" of my blinking powers).

Storyline:

Garrick Grimward Gaelic Gerbo was but a simple gnome traveling the world, seeking the answers to life's mysteries, and generally having a grand time, as all bards do. Apon visiting a far-off, as of yet unnamed city, Garrick got wind of talk of war, and a final storm on the castle of a wizard overlord. Hailing from peaceful lands, and having never seen the horrors of battle, Garrick got the idea that such an experience would be good for his carreer as a bard, and decided to watch from the outskirts of the plains as the seige began.

Long story short, the warriors attacked, fire and lightning rained from the sky, and they were destroyed. Horrified, Garrick rallied with the survivors and attempted to flee into the nearby woods, but got cut off by the mage and his followers, who out of twisted pleasure polymorphed the lot of them and drove them into the woods in a hail of magic missiles and acid arrows. The survivors, various animals such as hawks, wolves, pigs, and even a few more exotic animals like Garrick himself traversed back through the deep woods together towards what they hoped would be civilization, however a gang of mostly defenseless animals proved to be no match for the ever-hungry wild denzins of the woods. Many of those strong enough to survive eventually lost themselves in their animal forms. Garrick himself was the only survivor due to his form's intelligent nature and powerful teleportation abilities.

He attempted to return to civilization many times, each time becoming more and more discouraged. His remaining funds (of which there were little to begin with) were wasted on dispel attempts, the local mages stumped by the powerful polymorph variant employed, and any possibility of a normal social life was thwarted by shouts of "hey, a talking dog, lets capture and sell it to the circus!" or "hey, a talking dog, it's not of this world, destroy the beast before it dooms us all!" The occasional child took pleasure in his company but it was not long before one fo the above scenarios took place. After over a year of attempts at normality, feeling defeated and lost, Garrick returned to the woods that had become his home until a band of adventurers happened apon his lair...And so the story begins!

Despite having the mind of an intelligent PC, I plan on roleplaying him as suffering from "doggie cravings" every so often. He talks and carries himself like a self-respecting gnome, but can't help but chase after the stick a PC just threw or tap his foot when they scratch him in just the right spot. He resents being talked down to like a dog, naturally...He can speak in a human-like voice as well. Despite feeling all woe-is-me in regards to his situation secretly Garrick has gotten rather used to his canine form, it makes life even funner, and probably will reject any further attempt to turn him normal.

SO...I have an amazingly fun PC idea to toy with. ( Wait'll they see where he keeps his gold...I'll give you a hint: what happens when dogs eat grass clippings? Guess I'd better spend it fast :D Hey when you've been a dog for over a year, you get past your humanoid reservations lol) I decided to go Bard, which gives me a singing puppy with a few verbal-only spells and some spells I can implement with the help of feats to make him useful as a support caster.

Here's what I have so far:

Garrick Grimward Gaelic Gerbo
Level 7 Former Gnomish Bard
Chaotic Good

Str - 10
Dex - 17
Con - 10
(Formerly 11, 13, 16)
Int - 15
Wis - 15
Cha - 17

Base Saves: 2/5/5

Blink Dog stats (as per polymorph):

BAB: +5
Attack: Bite +5 (1d6)
Feats: Iron Will, Run, Track
Special Abilities: Blink, Dimension Door, Darkvision 60 feet, Low-Light Vision, Scent

Bard Feats: Still Spell, Sudden Still Spell, Metamagic Song

Level 0 Spells: Dancing Lights, Detect Magic, Light, Prestidigitation, Mage Hand, Resistance

Level 1: Healthful Rest (C. Adv.), Ventriloquism, Feather Fall, Charm Person

Level 2: Shatter, Suggestion, Cure Moderate Wounds, Crescendo (Song/Silence)

Level 3: Dispel Magic, Major Image

Basically the character is purely for A.) supporting the team, and B.) roleplaying fun on my part. I took the heals since I've seen how the PC's tend to get beat up severely in the average encounter (since I played many of the monsters :rolleyes: ). Feather Fall has somewhat limited usage, but hey, it's purely verbal, and who knows when I might Dimension Door up a tree only to have the limb break under me. But this character's going to be nearly all about roleplaying fun. For instance, in a tavern, I might use a mage hand to knock over a plate or cup of food/drink, and then run over and lap it up and let the other PC's take the blame since hey, I'm just a dog, not my fault...Just imagine the possibilities of a dog with Fascinate/Suggestion..."Hey look at me, I'm a cute puppy, watch me do a trick! See, wasn't that cool, I deserve a treat! I SUGGEST you get me some treats, and when you get back with those tell me what you know about that big castle over there." And Major Image allows me to take my original form for roleplaying purposes, among other things.

SO basically I'm just asking you guys what you think, can you think of any tweaks to the spell/feat build, and anything else you can think of. Specifically items...The only item I have at the moment is a Choker of Eloquence (+5 to Bluff, Diplomacy, and Perform checks) and a Ioun Stone that can store 6 levels of spells. I'm planning on going through some of the other books to find out what kind of items a beast can wear (pretty sure Draconomicon or Savage Species had that info).

3.0 Game BTW. 3.5 Suggestions will be considered however. Thanks!
Neo_Leviathan
06-07-05, 07:30 AM I would suggest that the DM would let you take something like Natural Spell (masters of the wild or complete divine), letting you make somatic motions for spells while polymorphed, technically it only works with Wild Shape, but if you've been a blink dog that long you darned well should be used to it.
Nessaj
06-07-05, 03:19 PM Hmm...I'll run it by them, that could prove useful. I hadn't even considered that ability. Anyone else care to throw suggestions at me?
BlackHeart973
06-07-05, 10:40 PM im not sure if a bard can use it, but i remember a feat from tome and blood i belive that turned a spell of your choice into a spell like ability, spell like abilitys dont need any material/somatic/verbal components right?
Nessaj
06-08-05, 12:58 AM Hm...I did not see a feat like that in Tome and Blood...However I do know of one that makes it similar...Innate Spell from Complete Arcane? Prereqs. Quicken Spell, Silent Spell, AND Still Spell, to make a spell a spell-like ability that uses a slot 8 levels higher? Meh...Not too helpful for a 7th level Bard.

One feat I DID find that looks much better is Metamagic Spell, from Races of Stone...I think I'll take that spell over Lyric Spell, as it makes better use of my bardic music and silent spell (burn one use of bardic music to make a silent spell use it's own level slot). Nice...

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Nessaj 06-06-05, 10:51 PM	Yes, the title is quite correct...See, in the game a friend of mine runs, I generally play NPC's because I can't usually get there when the game starts. However one of the PC's came up with an idea that required some rule bending, but basically I get to be a Polymorphed PC, gnome turned blink dog who hasn't quite mastered the art of "blinkage." Yes, polymorph normally doesn't allow Supernatural abilities like Blink and Dimension Door, however again, there is some rule bending here for fun. This will help facilitate my extended in-game absences; seeing as there are no mages in the party (I am effectively cut off from the group when I "lose control" of my blinking powers). Storyline: Garrick Grimward Gaelic Gerbo was but a simple gnome traveling the world, seeking the answers to life's mysteries, and generally having a grand time, as all bards do. Apon visiting a far-off, as of yet unnamed city, Garrick got wind of talk of war, and a final storm on the castle of a wizard overlord. Hailing from peaceful lands, and having never seen the horrors of battle, Garrick got the idea that such an experience would be good for his carreer as a bard, and decided to watch from the outskirts of the plains as the seige began. Long story short, the warriors attacked, fire and lightning rained from the sky, and they were destroyed. Horrified, Garrick rallied with the survivors and attempted to flee into the nearby woods, but got cut off by the mage and his followers, who out of twisted pleasure polymorphed the lot of them and drove them into the woods in a hail of magic missiles and acid arrows. The survivors, various animals such as hawks, wolves, pigs, and even a few more exotic animals like Garrick himself traversed back through the deep woods together towards what they hoped would be civilization, however a gang of mostly defenseless animals proved to be no match for the ever-hungry wild denzins of the woods. Many of those strong enough to survive eventually lost themselves in their animal forms. Garrick himself was the only survivor due to his form's intelligent nature and powerful teleportation abilities. He attempted to return to civilization many times, each time becoming more and more discouraged. His remaining funds (of which there were little to begin with) were wasted on dispel attempts, the local mages stumped by the powerful polymorph variant employed, and any possibility of a normal social life was thwarted by shouts of "hey, a talking dog, lets capture and sell it to the circus!" or "hey, a talking dog, it's not of this world, destroy the beast before it dooms us all!" The occasional child took pleasure in his company but it was not long before one fo the above scenarios took place. After over a year of attempts at normality, feeling defeated and lost, Garrick returned to the woods that had become his home until a band of adventurers happened apon his lair...And so the story begins! Despite having the mind of an intelligent PC, I plan on roleplaying him as suffering from "doggie cravings" every so often. He talks and carries himself like a self-respecting gnome, but can't help but chase after the stick a PC just threw or tap his foot when they scratch him in just the right spot. He resents being talked down to like a dog, naturally...He can speak in a human-like voice as well. Despite feeling all woe-is-me in regards to his situation secretly Garrick has gotten rather used to his canine form, it makes life even funner, and probably will reject any further attempt to turn him normal. SO...I have an amazingly fun PC idea to toy with. ( Wait'll they see where he keeps his gold...I'll give you a hint: what happens when dogs eat grass clippings? Guess I'd better spend it fast :D Hey when you've been a dog for over a year, you get past your humanoid reservations lol) I decided to go Bard, which gives me a singing puppy with a few verbal-only spells and some spells I can implement with the help of feats to make him useful as a support caster. Here's what I have so far: Garrick Grimward Gaelic Gerbo Level 7 Former Gnomish Bard Chaotic Good Str - 10 Dex - 17 Con - 10 (Formerly 11, 13, 16) Int - 15 Wis - 15 Cha - 17 Base Saves: 2/5/5 Blink Dog stats (as per polymorph): BAB: +5 Attack: Bite +5 (1d6) Feats: Iron Will, Run, Track Special Abilities: Blink, Dimension Door, Darkvision 60 feet, Low-Light Vision, Scent Bard Feats: Still Spell, Sudden Still Spell, Metamagic Song Level 0 Spells: Dancing Lights, Detect Magic, Light, Prestidigitation, Mage Hand, Resistance Level 1: Healthful Rest (C. Adv.), Ventriloquism, Feather Fall, Charm Person Level 2: Shatter, Suggestion, Cure Moderate Wounds, Crescendo (Song/Silence) Level 3: Dispel Magic, Major Image Basically the character is purely for A.) supporting the team, and B.) roleplaying fun on my part. I took the heals since I've seen how the PC's tend to get beat up severely in the average encounter (since I played many of the monsters :rolleyes: ). Feather Fall has somewhat limited usage, but hey, it's purely verbal, and who knows when I might Dimension Door up a tree only to have the limb break under me. But this character's going to be nearly all about roleplaying fun. For instance, in a tavern, I might use a mage hand to knock over a plate or cup of food/drink, and then run over and lap it up and let the other PC's take the blame since hey, I'm just a dog, not my fault...Just imagine the possibilities of a dog with Fascinate/Suggestion..."Hey look at me, I'm a cute puppy, watch me do a trick! See, wasn't that cool, I deserve a treat! I SUGGEST you get me some treats, and when you get back with those tell me what you know about that big castle over there." And Major Image allows me to take my original form for roleplaying purposes, among other things. SO basically I'm just asking you guys what you think, can you think of any tweaks to the spell/feat build, and anything else you can think of. Specifically items...The only item I have at the moment is a Choker of Eloquence (+5 to Bluff, Diplomacy, and Perform checks) and a Ioun Stone that can store 6 levels of spells. I'm planning on going through some of the other books to find out what kind of items a beast can wear (pretty sure Draconomicon or Savage Species had that info). 3.0 Game BTW. 3.5 Suggestions will be considered however. Thanks!
Neo_Leviathan 06-07-05, 07:30 AM	I would suggest that the DM would let you take something like Natural Spell (masters of the wild or complete divine), letting you make somatic motions for spells while polymorphed, technically it only works with Wild Shape, but if you've been a blink dog that long you darned well should be used to it.
Nessaj 06-07-05, 03:19 PM	Hmm...I'll run it by them, that could prove useful. I hadn't even considered that ability. Anyone else care to throw suggestions at me?
BlackHeart973 06-07-05, 10:40 PM	im not sure if a bard can use it, but i remember a feat from tome and blood i belive that turned a spell of your choice into a spell like ability, spell like abilitys dont need any material/somatic/verbal components right?
Nessaj 06-08-05, 12:58 AM	Hm...I did not see a feat like that in Tome and Blood...However I do know of one that makes it similar...Innate Spell from Complete Arcane? Prereqs. Quicken Spell, Silent Spell, AND Still Spell, to make a spell a spell-like ability that uses a slot 8 levels higher? Meh...Not too helpful for a 7th level Bard. One feat I DID find that looks much better is Metamagic Spell, from Races of Stone...I think I'll take that spell over Lyric Spell, as it makes better use of my bardic music and silent spell (burn one use of bardic music to make a silent spell use it's own level slot). Nice...