Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Alodar_Advo 09-26-07, 06:47 PM	Eberron Setting Making a 1st level character for a roleplaying heavy campaign 0-level gore-brute Shifter, living wild and mostly solitary lifestyle (not anti-social). Eventually wonders upon a bear being attacked by two humanoids (haven't decided race), Bear loses and the hunters walk off... this angers this shifter greatly because he realizes that they are 'Sport' hunters. He becomes so angered that he rages (becomes Barbarian) and attacks and kills the two hunters. After examining the body of the bear and grieving for the waste of life in the name of sport, he realizes that the animals stomach is moving... it was a pregnant mother (likely why it was unable to defend itself). Unable to allow another life to be ruined, he removes the cub from the mother's body, with the intent to raise the cub. He skins the mother bear so he would have the same scent as the mother (bear hide armor) and begins a life of taking care of this cub... Those he encounters in his travels (mostly rangers and druids) take note of this shifter raising a bear cub and begin to help him and educate him on what a cub would need. They name him (my character) Kuruk (Native American for "bear hunter" or 'hunts like a bear'). He continues to travel with the bear cub in a backpack.... More concepts 2nd level Kuruk is going to pick up a level in druid (to be able to communicate more efficiently with this bear cub, and to gain a greater appreciate of nature) In character terms the bear cub would be my animal companion (bears are not 1st level druid companions, more like 4th level, so I can use wolf stats since the bear is only a cub) In general the bear cub is not going to be willingly in combat, unless I fall. Since neither druid or barbarian are favored classes for shifters (ranger is) I will need to keep the two classes no greater than one level apart. I'm completely okay with that, as I'd like to play a druid, but a druid with the ability to do some decent damage in melee that isn't tied to my animal companion. I won't be as strong as a full strength barb, or druid, but I think this would be a good mix. For combat I intend on doing raged shifted into gore brute for the Str +6, using the charging head butt then followed by two handed axe melee. Eventually when the bear is old enough, I'll let it go free and find another animal companion for my druid level. My character is going to act as a mother to this bear, not truly as a druid, so upon maturation, it's got to go like a normal mother would. Flavor considerations.... The personality of this character is going to be simple, however not unintelligent. Wears bear hide armor Two handed Axe has cuts in the blade so it damages enemies like a bear's claw (no difference in damage or type) Has a bear cub peaking out of a backpack I'm completely open to your suggestions, questions and general comments. Thanks in advance
Terjon of the Blue Rose 09-28-07, 12:18 AM	Have you seen the bear warrior prestige class?:P You have a pretty nice write-up for a background but it could use just a bit more pre-amble. Something about your character to explain why he chooses to travel alone for the most part and how why he would take such a strong reaction to something most people know of and do nothing about (regardless of their feeling about such).
Terjon of the Blue Rose 09-28-07, 12:20 AM	Oh yeah almost forgotI'd like to play a druid, but a druid with the ability to do some decent damage in melee that isn't tied to my animal companion. :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:
Alodar_Advo 09-28-07, 01:11 AM	Have you seen the bear warrior prestige class?:P You have a pretty nice write-up for a background but it could use just a bit more pre-amble. Something about your character to explain why he chooses to travel alone for the most part and how why he would take such a strong reaction to something most people know of and do nothing about (regardless of their feeling about such). Yes I have, however thanks for bringing that up. I am certainly looking for a prestige class, however I'm not sure that is what I"m looking for... looks like a barbarian with wild shape into bear... I was thinking eventually to become more druidey and less barbarian as my character develops... and yeah I know that's not a word. Thanks! Open to any other suggestions
Uberwoot 09-28-07, 11:25 AM	One thing to keep in mind is that the druid's oaths prevent him from using metal of any kind, so your two-handed axe will have to go to the wayside by the time you pick up the druid level. Perhaps you could use a greatclub instead? Wolf stats also might be problematic, especially since bears are not nearly as agile as wolves and don't have trip as an ability. You might not think your cub might get into combat, but you'll be level seven before you can have a fully-grown black bear as an animal companion, and that's a lot of encounters in which to count on never being knocked unconscious, among other possibilities such as your companion having to make a skill check. I would suggest working on a set of modified bear stats instead, probably with reduced strength, speed, and hit dice (and thus attack bonus and saves). I like the character, though. /woot
Terjon of the Blue Rose 09-28-07, 10:42 PM	Actually I was thinking bear warrior more as a fluff changed type class. The mechanics don't seem so problematic if I remember them right though the fluff is all wrong. Most DMs don't have any problem with reflavoring a class if the balance of the mechanics is unchanged. Then again I may have lost all sense of the mechanics since I haven't looked at it in a while. As far as the bear cub goes I'd just use the brown bear stats and monster progression to strip off 2HD. It would lose 2BA, 1 from all saves, and 4 (2?) skill points as well as appropriate hit points. Char OP would be better able to put something like that together but that's the basic look of it. If your worried about its growth in game bear cubs grow fairly quickly but within the course of an adventure you may well grow faster. Fix that through druidic connections and ritual magic that will allow it to age to the right strength at the right time.
Alodar_Advo 09-30-07, 04:15 PM	One thing to keep in mind is that the druid's oaths prevent him from using metal of any kind, so your two-handed axe will have to go to the wayside by the time you pick up the druid level. Perhaps you could use a greatclub instead? Unless there is something I've missed, or released later than PHB, I don't see anything that prevents a Druid from using an Axe. From PHB "A druid who wears prohibited armor or carries a prohibited shield is unable to cast druid spells...." "Druids are proficient with...Scimitar..." Great idea about the Bear cub.. I'll talk to my DM about lowering the stats to fit.
Uberwoot 09-30-07, 04:30 PM	Once again, I've been defeated by an insufficiently-careful reading of the rules. You're right, the rules don't prohibit the use of metal weapons. Anyway, I think you'll want to note that stripping a size category off your bear cub (along with the removal of two hit dice) would be a substantial reduction in power, and not inconsistent with your concept. /woot
Terjon of the Blue Rose 10-03-07, 11:18 PM	I don't think he plans on using the bear cub until he can use it at full strength. Having an underpowered companion is rarely a problem for balance. Also I'm not sure you would need to strip a size catagory. Bears get big damn fast. As in within a year or two it could probably qualify as size large (really it would be closer to medium still but treat it as large for conveniences sake.)
Alodar_Advo 10-04-07, 12:04 AM	I don't think he plans on using the bear cub until he can use it at full strength. Having an underpowered companion is rarely a problem for balance. Also I'm not sure you would need to strip a size catagory. Bears get big damn fast. As in within a year or two it could probably qualify as size large (really it would be closer to medium still but treat it as large for conveniences sake.) Yeah you're right Terjon. My character is going to act like a parent to this cub, and being such, plans on doing the best job it can to defend it... of course that is a bit of an oxymoron because he'll be carrying into danger regularly... fortunate enough there isn't a D&D version of 'Family Services'. I have had plans to release the bear into the wild once it reaches maturity... mostly because this is going to be a very large group already... but also because of the 'parent' aspect... but I'll reserve judgment until later in the campaign. Thanks