Awakened Animals as characters? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Awakened Animals as characters? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Gareshra
01-11-08, 10:37 PM The spell Awaken gives animals average intelligence, teaches them to speak languages, and gives them 2 bonus hit dice. Well, I was looking at the DMG explanation of monsters as races, and after you awaken an animal, it actually becomes fairly practical as a player race. So my question is can you see any problems with allowing such a character to be played? Also, how would you handle level adjustments? Particularly, how would this work with a Dire Weasel, and what level adjustment would a creature like this be?

A little background: I'm currently playing a 12th level tiefling wizard. He's a fairly bland character except for one quirk. He's absolutely devoted to his familiar. Due to level adjustments and an accepting DM, I currently have a Dire Weasel familiar, which my wizard would gladly give his life to protect. In fact, there was a time when, without outside interference, he had to choose between his own life and his familiar's life, and gladly sacrificed himself(thankfully, my party arrived just in time to save us both, but you get the idea...). I ask because in the event my wizard dies, or after this campaign, I kind of would like to play as that Dire Weasel character.
JackSnape
01-12-08, 12:04 AM So my question is can you see any problems with allowing such a character to be played?
I think a weasel is pretty safe, you have "hands" for most purposes and are still relativly human. I've never DMed an awakened animal character, but one of my players has an awakened cohort, and I don't think it would be too hard DM.
From an RP standpoint it might be a bit hard on the player sometimes.
Also, how would you handle level adjustments? Particularly, how would this work with a Dire Weasel, and what level adjustment would a creature like this be?
Usually a LA+1 or 2 is all an awakened animal needs. I think you could probably go with +1 for a Weasel. It has attach+blood drain, low light vision and scent. +4 to Str and +8 to Dex and 1 extra feat. I don't think Attach is that great an attack since it removes your Dex bonus, tho I haven't played with these creatures much. Scent is a good feature, and probably worth +1 by itself The +8 to Dex makes me go :eek: and think maybe this should be +2 LA. Then again +2 can be slightly crippling and I hate to suggest it :)

My question is this: The weasel is already a familiar, thus a magical beast, so it technically can't be affected by awaken. As a magical beast it has higher HP saves and some special abilities. How will you deal with these, if you keep that stuff you'll have to ask your DM to help decide what it's worth level-wise.
celestialkin
01-12-08, 12:08 AM They already have 2 racial HD. I don't see why a LA would be needed as well.

Also, remember that tiny (or smaller) casters are broken. If you have a more role-playing and/or fun oriented group it shouldn't be a problem, though.
Gareshra
01-12-08, 01:07 AM First of all, keep in mind the creature isn't an ordinary weasel, it's a Dire Weasel, which my DM allowed me to have at the cost of having it level adjusted a ton, so it's actually much lower than my wizard's level. Also, keep in mind that Dire Weasels advance by hit dice, eventually reaching large size. The wizard currently rides the weasel around using an exotic saddle.

Anyways, the rules for familiars basically say that when it is seperated from the master it reverts to a normal creature. I'm planning on ending this campaign by having my wizard become a lich, go crazy with desire for power, and eventually be killed by either the party itself or some paragon of virtue of some sort. This will probably happen after the end, purely for the sake of roleplaying. Anyways, after that happens, the Dire Weasel will return to an ordinary creature, at which point it will be eligible for awakening. I'm planning on just saying that some residual magic from the familiar bond caused it to happen, but I'd have to run it by the DM. Either way, some stuff to note, there.
Captain_Kobold
01-12-08, 11:13 AM First of all, keep in mind the creature isn't an ordinary weasel, it's a Dire Weasel, which my DM allowed me to have at the cost of having it level adjusted a ton, so it's actually much lower than my wizard's level. Also, keep in mind that Dire Weasels advance by hit dice, eventually reaching large size. The wizard currently rides the weasel around using an exotic saddle.

Unless your DM allowed you to start play with an already-advanced 7HD dire weasel, it will not get any larger than Medium.
It does not advance in any way whilst being a familiar: while it is treated as having the same level as its master for some effects, it dies not actually gain any hit dice, skills or feats beyond being able to use its master's.

Once its master dies, it will revert to a 3HD Animal. The +2 HD from the awaken spell, and the class levels it takes to make up the ECL to the rest of the party will not cause it to increase in size.
Gareshra
01-12-08, 07:13 PM Unless your DM allowed you to start play with an already-advanced 7HD dire weasel, it will not get any larger than Medium.
It does not advance in any way whilst being a familiar: while it is treated as having the same level as its master for some effects, it dies not actually gain any hit dice, skills or feats beyond being able to use its master's.

Once its master dies, it will revert to a 3HD Animal. The +2 HD from the awaken spell, and the class levels it takes to make up the ECL to the rest of the party will not cause it to increase in size.

CRAP CRAP CRAP!!! I've been riding around on that thing for over a month real time, now. I might have to do the permanency reduce person trick I mentioned in another thread and keep riding it that way...gah. Ignorance is bliss.
Raynx
01-12-08, 07:56 PM Due to level adjustments and an accepting DM, I currently have a Dire Weasel familiar, which my wizard would gladly give his life to protect. In fact, there was a time when, without outside interference, he had to choose between his own life and his familiar's life, and gladly sacrificed himself(thankfully, my party arrived just in time to save us both, but you get the idea...). I ask because in the event my wizard dies, or after this campaign, I kind of would like to play as that Dire Weasel character.
Interestingly enough, there is a race built specifically for this purpose. It's from a third-party publisher's 3.0 book called "Mercenaries Handbook". The race is a Magirn. Basically, it's the former familiar of a deceased spellcaster, given a new, temporary body similar in appearance to it's deceased master, to avenge his death. If the "Awaken, Dire Weasel!" trick doesn't work, I highly recommend this. It's a fun concept to play out.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Gareshra 01-11-08, 10:37 PM	The spell Awaken gives animals average intelligence, teaches them to speak languages, and gives them 2 bonus hit dice. Well, I was looking at the DMG explanation of monsters as races, and after you awaken an animal, it actually becomes fairly practical as a player race. So my question is can you see any problems with allowing such a character to be played? Also, how would you handle level adjustments? Particularly, how would this work with a Dire Weasel, and what level adjustment would a creature like this be? A little background: I'm currently playing a 12th level tiefling wizard. He's a fairly bland character except for one quirk. He's absolutely devoted to his familiar. Due to level adjustments and an accepting DM, I currently have a Dire Weasel familiar, which my wizard would gladly give his life to protect. In fact, there was a time when, without outside interference, he had to choose between his own life and his familiar's life, and gladly sacrificed himself(thankfully, my party arrived just in time to save us both, but you get the idea...). I ask because in the event my wizard dies, or after this campaign, I kind of would like to play as that Dire Weasel character.
JackSnape 01-12-08, 12:04 AM	So my question is can you see any problems with allowing such a character to be played? I think a weasel is pretty safe, you have "hands" for most purposes and are still relativly human. I've never DMed an awakened animal character, but one of my players has an awakened cohort, and I don't think it would be too hard DM. From an RP standpoint it might be a bit hard on the player sometimes. Also, how would you handle level adjustments? Particularly, how would this work with a Dire Weasel, and what level adjustment would a creature like this be? Usually a LA+1 or 2 is all an awakened animal needs. I think you could probably go with +1 for a Weasel. It has attach+blood drain, low light vision and scent. +4 to Str and +8 to Dex and 1 extra feat. I don't think Attach is that great an attack since it removes your Dex bonus, tho I haven't played with these creatures much. Scent is a good feature, and probably worth +1 by itself The +8 to Dex makes me go :eek: and think maybe this should be +2 LA. Then again +2 can be slightly crippling and I hate to suggest it :) My question is this: The weasel is already a familiar, thus a magical beast, so it technically can't be affected by awaken. As a magical beast it has higher HP saves and some special abilities. How will you deal with these, if you keep that stuff you'll have to ask your DM to help decide what it's worth level-wise.
celestialkin 01-12-08, 12:08 AM	They already have 2 racial HD. I don't see why a LA would be needed as well. Also, remember that tiny (or smaller) casters are broken. If you have a more role-playing and/or fun oriented group it shouldn't be a problem, though.
Gareshra 01-12-08, 01:07 AM	First of all, keep in mind the creature isn't an ordinary weasel, it's a Dire Weasel, which my DM allowed me to have at the cost of having it level adjusted a ton, so it's actually much lower than my wizard's level. Also, keep in mind that Dire Weasels advance by hit dice, eventually reaching large size. The wizard currently rides the weasel around using an exotic saddle. Anyways, the rules for familiars basically say that when it is seperated from the master it reverts to a normal creature. I'm planning on ending this campaign by having my wizard become a lich, go crazy with desire for power, and eventually be killed by either the party itself or some paragon of virtue of some sort. This will probably happen after the end, purely for the sake of roleplaying. Anyways, after that happens, the Dire Weasel will return to an ordinary creature, at which point it will be eligible for awakening. I'm planning on just saying that some residual magic from the familiar bond caused it to happen, but I'd have to run it by the DM. Either way, some stuff to note, there.
Captain_Kobold 01-12-08, 11:13 AM	First of all, keep in mind the creature isn't an ordinary weasel, it's a Dire Weasel, which my DM allowed me to have at the cost of having it level adjusted a ton, so it's actually much lower than my wizard's level. Also, keep in mind that Dire Weasels advance by hit dice, eventually reaching large size. The wizard currently rides the weasel around using an exotic saddle. Unless your DM allowed you to start play with an already-advanced 7HD dire weasel, it will not get any larger than Medium. It does not advance in any way whilst being a familiar: while it is treated as having the same level as its master for some effects, it dies not actually gain any hit dice, skills or feats beyond being able to use its master's. Once its master dies, it will revert to a 3HD Animal. The +2 HD from the awaken spell, and the class levels it takes to make up the ECL to the rest of the party will not cause it to increase in size.
Gareshra 01-12-08, 07:13 PM	Unless your DM allowed you to start play with an already-advanced 7HD dire weasel, it will not get any larger than Medium. It does not advance in any way whilst being a familiar: while it is treated as having the same level as its master for some effects, it dies not actually gain any hit dice, skills or feats beyond being able to use its master's. Once its master dies, it will revert to a 3HD Animal. The +2 HD from the awaken spell, and the class levels it takes to make up the ECL to the rest of the party will not cause it to increase in size. CRAP CRAP CRAP!!! I've been riding around on that thing for over a month real time, now. I might have to do the permanency reduce person trick I mentioned in another thread and keep riding it that way...gah. Ignorance is bliss.
Raynx 01-12-08, 07:56 PM	Due to level adjustments and an accepting DM, I currently have a Dire Weasel familiar, which my wizard would gladly give his life to protect. In fact, there was a time when, without outside interference, he had to choose between his own life and his familiar's life, and gladly sacrificed himself(thankfully, my party arrived just in time to save us both, but you get the idea...). I ask because in the event my wizard dies, or after this campaign, I kind of would like to play as that Dire Weasel character. Interestingly enough, there is a race built specifically for this purpose. It's from a third-party publisher's 3.0 book called "Mercenaries Handbook". The race is a Magirn. Basically, it's the former familiar of a deceased spellcaster, given a new, temporary body similar in appearance to it's deceased master, to avenge his death. If the "Awaken, Dire Weasel!" trick doesn't work, I highly recommend this. It's a fun concept to play out.