How can I..... [Archive] - Wizards Community

How can I..... [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
WarlockDa
03-25-06, 01:39 PM ....make a 1st level PC (looking strongly at Druid currently) that can have a wolf of large size as an animal companion capable of riding?

Basically think of a Wolfrider from Elfquest,...but this was also partially inspired by one of the images in the Pact Magic section of Tome of Magic.

My group's currently approaching high levels (just got to 11th) and concidering retiring our PCs before long and starting with a new group of 1st level PCs and above is the concept I'm attempting to work out. I know playing a halfling or gnome would work with a standard wolf,...but I'd really prefer to use a medium sized race.

I'm more looking at a standard Wolf with higher HD and large size than a Worg or Dire Wolf, since I think balance wise just a plain wolf that's larger would make alot more since.

Any ideas?
Kinger
03-25-06, 01:48 PM Honestly? You can't, unless your DM is up for house-ruling it. The animals on the list of possible Animal Companions for a 1st level druid are all of roughly the same power/usefulness. They seem to be either mounts, effective at combat, or possess good perception. What you're asking for does two of the above (which none of the others do) AND would do them better.

Anything bigger than that what is there is going to be a problem. A Dire Wolf, for example, isn't actually available until your Druid is 7th level or higher, since it's just so powerful in comparison to, oh, a badger or camel.

The only "mount" companions available to a medium-sized druid appear to be the light and heavy horse and the camel, none of which are particularly effective at combat themselves.
WarlockDa
03-25-06, 01:58 PM *sigh* Yea I kinna figured as much but thought I'd post in case I'd over looked something.

The only other option I can think of would be merely buying the animal trained, which would be of course out of the price range of a 1st level PC and not truely be the same concept (no bonding between the PC and wolf).

Well thanks for replying all the same :)
Rechan
03-25-06, 02:46 PM Damn. There's a feat in Complete Adventurer called Nature's Bond, that adds +3 to your druid level for the purposes of accessing companion HD, tricks, etc; but it can't exceed your character level. Sorry man. :/
Just another user
03-25-06, 02:59 PM Other possibilities could be a item of reduce person or, if your DM allow it, enlarge animal, permanent or with a long enough duration. I could be wrong but I think a ring of Reduce Person would be around 10.000 GPs.

Of course you can't have that kind of money at 1st level, but maybe you could buy it before the 7th level necessary for a dire wolf. Maybe you could persude your DM to make it a saddle of reduce person, less expensive because more specific.
Rechan
03-25-06, 05:54 PM You could just play a gnome or halfling and ride a medium wolf?
WarlockDa
03-25-06, 08:00 PM I guess I may just have to do that. Or perhaps check out the weight of a smaller elf vs the Str of a medium wolf and "fudge" it until the PC is a high enough level to obtain a large wolf.

The irony of it is Elfquest was the first RPG I played that lead into me getting into D&D 2nd Ed,....now by 3.5 I can't remake a PC along the same concepts as the original PCs I started gaming with lol.

Guess I could always bribe my group if all else fails :D Maybe take a Dire Wolf or Worg and remove all their extras except of the base wolf stats and size,..then work it out ALA Savage Species and have the wolf gain it's normal abilities as the bonues it gets when the Druid advances. Just a thought.
Neochronic
03-26-06, 04:45 AM well, if you think about it, the elfquest wolfriders were actually small humanoids.
WarlockDa
03-26-06, 08:19 AM True,...but at the same time their wolves were large, comparing to images of the woldriders attacking humans and pinning them down, plus capable of carrying 3 or 4 elfs at a time. Though I'm quite sure carrying more than two gave the wolf major penalties for heavy loads.
Rechan
03-26-06, 02:47 PM True,...but at the same time their wolves were large, comparing to images of the woldriders attacking humans and pinning them down, plus capable of carrying 3 or 4 elfs at a time. Though I'm quite sure carrying more than two gave the wolf major penalties for heavy loads.

Not to mention cause serious back problems. :)
John Q. Mayhem
03-26-06, 06:45 PM There's a feat in the Dragonlance book Bestiary of Krynn that allows a creature with it to act as a mount for creatures of its size or smaller, instead of just smaller.
Dragom
03-26-06, 06:55 PM Did anyone point out Worgs are medium size?
Kinger
03-26-06, 07:37 PM Did anyone point out Worgs are medium size?
Yes, funnily enough: You. :)
darkness ninja of light
03-27-06, 08:43 AM Well, there are mounts on the 1st level druid list. If you want a wolf mount then perhaps ask your DM to give up the wolf's excellent combat abilities in favor of making him large enough to ride (at least until 7th level which is when you fully "train" him). Essentially it's a horse, but it looks like a large wolf.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
WarlockDa 03-25-06, 01:39 PM	....make a 1st level PC (looking strongly at Druid currently) that can have a wolf of large size as an animal companion capable of riding? Basically think of a Wolfrider from Elfquest,...but this was also partially inspired by one of the images in the Pact Magic section of Tome of Magic. My group's currently approaching high levels (just got to 11th) and concidering retiring our PCs before long and starting with a new group of 1st level PCs and above is the concept I'm attempting to work out. I know playing a halfling or gnome would work with a standard wolf,...but I'd really prefer to use a medium sized race. I'm more looking at a standard Wolf with higher HD and large size than a Worg or Dire Wolf, since I think balance wise just a plain wolf that's larger would make alot more since. Any ideas?
Kinger 03-25-06, 01:48 PM	Honestly? You can't, unless your DM is up for house-ruling it. The animals on the list of possible Animal Companions for a 1st level druid are all of roughly the same power/usefulness. They seem to be either mounts, effective at combat, or possess good perception. What you're asking for does two of the above (which none of the others do) AND would do them better. Anything bigger than that what is there is going to be a problem. A Dire Wolf, for example, isn't actually available until your Druid is 7th level or higher, since it's just so powerful in comparison to, oh, a badger or camel. The only "mount" companions available to a medium-sized druid appear to be the light and heavy horse and the camel, none of which are particularly effective at combat themselves.
WarlockDa 03-25-06, 01:58 PM	sigh Yea I kinna figured as much but thought I'd post in case I'd over looked something. The only other option I can think of would be merely buying the animal trained, which would be of course out of the price range of a 1st level PC and not truely be the same concept (no bonding between the PC and wolf). Well thanks for replying all the same :)
Rechan 03-25-06, 02:46 PM	Damn. There's a feat in Complete Adventurer called Nature's Bond, that adds +3 to your druid level for the purposes of accessing companion HD, tricks, etc; but it can't exceed your character level. Sorry man. :/
Just another user 03-25-06, 02:59 PM	Other possibilities could be a item of reduce person or, if your DM allow it, enlarge animal, permanent or with a long enough duration. I could be wrong but I think a ring of Reduce Person would be around 10.000 GPs. Of course you can't have that kind of money at 1st level, but maybe you could buy it before the 7th level necessary for a dire wolf. Maybe you could persude your DM to make it a saddle of reduce person, less expensive because more specific.
Rechan 03-25-06, 05:54 PM	You could just play a gnome or halfling and ride a medium wolf?
WarlockDa 03-25-06, 08:00 PM	I guess I may just have to do that. Or perhaps check out the weight of a smaller elf vs the Str of a medium wolf and "fudge" it until the PC is a high enough level to obtain a large wolf. The irony of it is Elfquest was the first RPG I played that lead into me getting into D&D 2nd Ed,....now by 3.5 I can't remake a PC along the same concepts as the original PCs I started gaming with lol. Guess I could always bribe my group if all else fails :D Maybe take a Dire Wolf or Worg and remove all their extras except of the base wolf stats and size,..then work it out ALA Savage Species and have the wolf gain it's normal abilities as the bonues it gets when the Druid advances. Just a thought.
Neochronic 03-26-06, 04:45 AM	well, if you think about it, the elfquest wolfriders were actually small humanoids.
WarlockDa 03-26-06, 08:19 AM	True,...but at the same time their wolves were large, comparing to images of the woldriders attacking humans and pinning them down, plus capable of carrying 3 or 4 elfs at a time. Though I'm quite sure carrying more than two gave the wolf major penalties for heavy loads.
Rechan 03-26-06, 02:47 PM	True,...but at the same time their wolves were large, comparing to images of the woldriders attacking humans and pinning them down, plus capable of carrying 3 or 4 elfs at a time. Though I'm quite sure carrying more than two gave the wolf major penalties for heavy loads. Not to mention cause serious back problems. :)
John Q. Mayhem 03-26-06, 06:45 PM	There's a feat in the Dragonlance book Bestiary of Krynn that allows a creature with it to act as a mount for creatures of its size or smaller, instead of just smaller.
Dragom 03-26-06, 06:55 PM	Did anyone point out Worgs are medium size?
Kinger 03-26-06, 07:37 PM	Did anyone point out Worgs are medium size? Yes, funnily enough: You. :)
darkness ninja of light 03-27-06, 08:43 AM	Well, there are mounts on the 1st level druid list. If you want a wolf mount then perhaps ask your DM to give up the wolf's excellent combat abilities in favor of making him large enough to ride (at least until 7th level which is when you fully "train" him). Essentially it's a horse, but it looks like a large wolf.