Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Darthjaye 03-08-06, 07:50 PM	I submit to you for your creative input one Halfling Druid (with eithera Dire Weasel Animal Companion or a Dire Ape. I'm mulling over the options and roleplaying fun I can have with either as a mount/ companion). Campaign world will be Greyhawk, and he will begin play in either the Axewood. As for anything else, I leave it up to you humble folks and your imagination.
Urlic_Long_Beard 03-08-06, 09:45 PM	Well it really depends what your Druid is going to do if your gonna be fighting take a Dire Ape..... But if your gonna be Sneaky take the Dire Weasel its smart and it fits into little holes......What lvl are you going to be?? [ Plus who else is in the Campaign]
Darthjaye 03-08-06, 09:58 PM	Well it really depends what your Druid is going to do if your gonna be fighting take a Dire Ape..... But if your gonna be Sneaky take the Dire Weasel its smart and it fits into little holes......What lvl are you going to be?? [ Plus who else is in the Campaign] 11th level There's a human ranger/deepwood sniper(pc), a half-elf sorceress/divine oracle(pc), a dwarven fighter/ dwarven defender(pc turned npc), human paladin (npc), a half-elf rogue/ thief acrobat(pc), a dwarven cleric (pc), and my guy when i join the cast........oh, all 11th level.
Urlic_Long_Beard 03-09-06, 05:21 AM	Well there is Three fighting classes dwarven fighter/ dwarven defender(pc turned npc), human paladin (npc) a dwarven cleric (pc) if used right there a great team ranger/deepwood sniper(pc), a half-elf sorceress/divine oracle(pc) a half-elf rogue/ thief acrobat(pc) so its a even team, But theres one problem whos gonna back the caster up and defend her.... You with a dire ape...... Take a good hide armour (wood is good) Then when you get a chance send your ape into combat. ( Im sure a cleric could but he might be to busy holding a team of Undead zombies so it must be you) ;) Thats all i have rigth now Later.
Darthjaye 03-09-06, 01:09 PM	Hmm, can a Dire Ape be used as a mount? Was thinking of using his animal companion as a mount since he has such a ridiculously high ride skill of 18. Also the substitution levels i'm taking allow him to ride without a saddle and take no penalties with his animal companion. As for armor I was considering using a Leafweave Studded Leather (with darkwood studs) or Wildwood armors from the Races of Wild book (gotta make sure the GM allows these armors though).
Urlic_Long_Beard 03-09-06, 10:45 PM	Well since its Dire Ape i think you can but you would have to get a Exotic saddle ( You have a ride of 18!!!! wicked.) And the armour issue i am sure he would allow it, he should anyway in any outher game another DM would ( i think.)
Darthjaye 03-09-06, 11:06 PM	Well since its Dire Ape i think you can but you would have to get a Exotic saddle ( You have a ride of 18!!!! wicked.) And the armour issue i am sure he would allow it, he should anyway in any outher game another DM would ( i think.) This is one the features that the sub levels grant: Enhanced Link: In addition to the normal benefits gained by a druid's link to his animal companion, a halfling druid gains a +4 circumstance bonus on all Ride checks made in conjunction with his animal companion. He takes no penalty for riding his animal companion without a saddle. In addition, as long as the halfling druid rides his animal companion, his animal companion shares the druid's woodland stride and trackless step class features. This substitution feature augments, but does not replace the druid's link class feature. So if I can use the Dire Ape to ride, wow would that be sweet. If not, I might just take the Dire Weasal just for flavor. BTW, I'm also working on a backstory, any cool ideas you wanna throw in the mix. Not much if anythng down yet so it's wide open for creative input.
Urlic_Long_Beard 03-10-06, 09:31 PM	Well then you can ride your die ape cause your halfling i would allow ( Check with your Dm.) BackGround: [ Insert name here] ( I was thinking maybe it could set the scene to be in a desolate ( Sp? ) village where he grew and mixed with the animals inculding a large Dire ape [ Insert name here] Over the years you grew closer and closer toguther until he would let you ride him. [ Insert Name here ] One day a advanture enterd you small Village called [ Insert Name here ] and he decided you were a good addition to his team [ insert team name here ] How does that sound??)
PrincessLauren 03-11-06, 03:31 AM	Gotta love the interesting mounts that halfling druids can have. Mine uses her animal companion as a mount -- her animal companion is a lynx.
Urlic_Long_Beard 03-12-06, 04:34 AM	To true.
zlatko 03-12-06, 07:56 AM	Erm, just on a side note :cool: Each time I see this thread i misread it. Bohdi LifeStealer. :eek: Too much BG2 ;)
Darthjaye 03-12-06, 03:30 PM	Erm, just on a side note :cool: Each time I see this thread i misread it. Bohdi LifeStealer. :eek: Too much BG2 ;) Only when I become a Vampire Halfling Druid, MWAHAHAHA!!!
Harrow Blade 03-13-06, 01:12 AM	The Races of the Wild have druid racial substitution levels. the first one gives a bonus to ride your animal companion. Also remember that your animal companion shares your spells it comes in very handy. My Halfling druid is getting around on his Boar animal companion named Baykin who has saved the day on several occasions now :)
Darthjaye 03-13-06, 03:11 AM	The Races of the Wild have druid racial substitution levels. the first one gives a bonus to ride your animal companion. Also remember that your animal companion shares your spells it comes in very handy. My Halfling druid is getting around on his Boar animal companion named Baykin who has saved the day on several occasions now :) I'm leaning towards the Dire Weasal as the animal companion of choice. Name is still in up in the air but I was considering something like "Snark" and making that the most common noise he makes. Might try to think of something a little more original (and entertaining) name wise, but we'll see. I put up another thread about Sub levels cause the middle one from RotW doesn't work with the Aspect of Nature thing i'm using from UA (pg 67-69). Was seeing if anyone knew of or could invent/think of a suitable alternative for it.
Harrow Blade 03-13-06, 03:29 AM	You don't have to take all the racial substitution levels if you don't want to. You can just take the first. I did with mine and have no intention of taking any others. I do however like the idea of riding the dire weasel, the visual of you snaking through the under brush to burst out on unsuspecting badie types is hard to pass up. Mind you, I was just flicking through the dire animals and Dire Bat looked like fun. The bonus of flight and blind sense is handy and the ability to swoop out of the darkness like some caped avenger is too much to pass up. *why didn't I think of this?* You could call you dire bat Robin, just to let him know that he is the animal companion not the other way around. It would be amusing for the pair of you to sleep hanging from the trees or some such.
Darthjaye 03-13-06, 03:55 AM	You don't have to take all the racial substitution levels if you don't want to. You can just take the first. I did with mine and have no intention of taking any others. I do however like the idea of riding the dire weasel, the visual of you snaking through the under brush to burst out on unsuspecting badie types is hard to pass up. Mind you, I was just flicking through the dire animals and Dire Bat looked like fun. The bonus of flight and blind sense is handy and the ability to swoop out of the darkness like some caped avenger is too much to pass up. *why didn't I think of this?* You could call you dire bat Robin, just to let him know that he is the animal companion not the other way around. It would be amusing for the pair of you to sleep hanging from the trees or some such. Dag nabbit, now I have a dilemma!! Comedic value/ roleplaying elements and visuals for both are too much to pass up. I might just have to develop both and see which the GM would enjoy me taking a shot at. I was picturing an animal growthed-bullstrengthed-stone skinned dire weasel leaping on someone's back (possibly pinning them to the ground with his weight or strength alone) and then draining CON for at least a couple of rounds. But yeah the dark avenger of the night leads to some new areas of role-playing visual and comedic delight. :D P.S. I mentioned to Urlic a few entries back in this thread that I had something like an 18 ride skill cause of the enhanced link from the sub levels. The thin is I forgot to add the normal link bonus to that......so it's 4 from Dex+8 from ranks in skill+2 from synergy+8 from link and enhanced=22 Ride skill........I'm thinking of taking some skill points back out and stick with an 18.
Harrow Blade 03-13-06, 11:00 PM	A story idea that came to me while I reread this thread was this: You and or your party were dealing with some orcs (or any other subteranean threat) when you were attacked by something big and nasty, it killed your current animal companion before you were able to flee. You made it away but you were seperated from your group, lost, alone and filled with sorrow you wandered blindly in the underdark and only the gods know how you avoided being eaten. Finally after many days, hungry and weak, you came to your senses. Reaching out with your affinity for the natural you cried out for help. For what seemed an eternity in the darkness you waited, fearfull of the terrible monsters that lurked beneath the earth but hopeful still. Your straining ears heard a rush of wind and the rustle of leathery skin then stillness. From above something wet dribbled on your face, water, opening your parched lips you drank. For two days the dire bat nursed you back to health as it would a young bat. Then when you were strong enough to climb onto it's back it carried you on silent wing back to the surface. In the pitch black the two of you formed a bond that would not easily be broken. hope this helps.
Darthjaye 03-14-06, 01:42 AM	That's good. I'll let you know what, if not all of it, I end up using. I like it, it's a sweet intro and good hook. Could always say I lost a good friend as well as the companion. Make him hateful of Orcs (or whatever I chose to slip in as the creatures that attacked.), and giving my dark avenger someone to punish.......or at least a good hook for going on and having a new high level animal companion.
Urlic_Long_Beard 03-14-06, 03:08 AM	Yeah thats a pretty good story but mines better ;) ( Stupid orcs)
Harrow Blade 03-14-06, 03:38 AM	Yeah thats a pretty good story but mines better ;) ( Stupid orcs) Them thar is fightin' words. :fight!: But Orcs are stupid, thier one saving grace is that thier name is short to write. Much more than Illithid, or Umberhulk, or Drow, or .....um Elf. well you get the point.
Urlic_Long_Beard 03-14-06, 10:15 PM	Lol, to true. :)
Darthjaye 03-16-06, 01:29 AM	What, no more story hooks? Ok, I need one really good one for why a halfling would become a druid. :D
Darthjaye 03-20-06, 10:31 PM	Thanks to Urlic, Harrow and anyone else who chimed in and provided me with a hook, info, or anything else of use. Harrow, thanks for the story, I ended up using it as part of my overall background for him. Man is his riding skill insane. It's 22 and riding a Dire bat with a 25 AC makes it sweet. First adventure out, had some trouble with Wyverns, but nothing being immune to poisons and using my own poison couldn't handle. Ok, that and a Call Lightning Storm :) P.S. For anybody allowing/using the "Giant's Wrath" spell, you may want to nerf it a bit. A halfling throwing these pebbles at 11th level with an 18 dex gets an insane +10 to hit and damage. I think I had something like a +24 to hit (with an equally insane 120 ft. range increment) with them and then they do something like 2d6+Str+10 each!! We (the GM and I) decided that after seeing what it does we're going with +1 per every 2 levels to hit and damage.