A Pseudodragon Companion - Level One? [Archive] - Wizards Community

A Pseudodragon Companion - Level One? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
erendor the True
04-23-05, 12:12 PM Well, before I get into my queries and questions, a little background info:

Last session, the characters helped beat back an Orc attack on a small village. This session (three hours to go, wee!), they (3 PC's detailed soon) and three first level warriors from the village, are going to track down the group of remaining Orcs, to the small clearing they inhabit. Ramshackle huts, and whatnot. After they kill the Orcs in the village (There's about seven left, five of which are in the following hall), they'll be inside of a large hall constructed by the Orcs. Inside, they find some crates, treasure, yada yada yada.

PC's are:
Druid 1
Ranger 1
Bard 1

(On an offside note, their lack of any kind of specialist fighter/spellcaster kind of bothers me.)

Anyway, here's my problem/idea/query:
I've rolled up and detailed the treasure they're going to discover in the hall, and it all comes to a nice round number, appropriate for the total CR of the Orcs they've defeated (adding on the couple they killed in the town, since they acquired nothing from that), but it's otherwise pretty boring. As a sort of twist, and something that might lead to some interest, I wondered if perhaps the Orcs had mananged to capture a hatchling Pseudodragon. (I was reading through the monster manual, and I came across the 'Pseudodragon Companions' bit. Sounded interesting.) My thought was - after the PC's had unwittingly freed it in their search for treasure, perhaps have it observe them as candidates for it's companionship?

What do you all think? Since the 7 orcs will give them 1050 XP total (/Second level, yay!/ Edit: Not quite. I remembered the 1050XP is split between the three of them, and with previous encounters factored in, they'll be at 750xp each), a potential companion (and perhaps not even for another level) would probably even out the score for them a little bit. (Even if the pseudodragon isn't really a melee fighter, either. Poison is still pretty fun.) I'm looking for comments, suggestions, and possibly a reason how/why the Orcs would have come across/captured one of these, if at all. Take note, this village of Orcs was at something like 40+ residents before they attacked the village (which was defended with 30+ level one warriors, a level one fighter NPC, and the PC's.(Unwittingly. Being woken up at the crack of dawn,and having two Orcs bash through the tavern door is a pretty nice incentive to help out.) It also had a wooden palisade and gate. Needless to say, the Orcs did NOT have a fun time.)
Lxarth
04-23-05, 12:31 PM I don't think a Druid can even have a Psudodragon companion at all.

Are you just looking to introduce some NPC? Why do you want to put this Psudodragon in at all?

My level 8 wizard has a Psudodragon now...they have in the DMG that a level 6 wizard can optain one...I think it's little much for level 1 players.
erendor the True
04-23-05, 12:35 PM Not as a familar or animal companion, just as a 'fellow traveller' style of thing. They'd still have to look after it, and such, but they'd gain the benefit of having another party member, so to speak.
Jeremiah DeathFist
04-23-05, 04:12 PM Not as a familar or animal companion, just as a 'fellow traveller' style of thing. They'd still have to look after it, and such, but they'd gain the benefit of having another party member, so to speak.
Yup. I, as a DM, just gave my players a Pseudodragon. Just remember too that Pseudodragons want to be pampered so if the players are ever mean to it in any way or use it too much in battle it will fly away.
MageofMyth
04-23-05, 04:55 PM Seems like the Pseudodragon will pick one person to be best friends with, or one PC will like it and the others will ignore it. Either way you are giving someting great to only one character and gyping the others.

I played in a game one where the DM introduced a Pseudodragon for the mage character, who ignored it completely. My ranger treated it very well and ended up with it. Of course the mage would have gotten better things from it, as a familiar-2nd edition.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
erendor the True 04-23-05, 12:12 PM	Well, before I get into my queries and questions, a little background info: Last session, the characters helped beat back an Orc attack on a small village. This session (three hours to go, wee!), they (3 PC's detailed soon) and three first level warriors from the village, are going to track down the group of remaining Orcs, to the small clearing they inhabit. Ramshackle huts, and whatnot. After they kill the Orcs in the village (There's about seven left, five of which are in the following hall), they'll be inside of a large hall constructed by the Orcs. Inside, they find some crates, treasure, yada yada yada. PC's are: Druid 1 Ranger 1 Bard 1 (On an offside note, their lack of any kind of specialist fighter/spellcaster kind of bothers me.) Anyway, here's my problem/idea/query: I've rolled up and detailed the treasure they're going to discover in the hall, and it all comes to a nice round number, appropriate for the total CR of the Orcs they've defeated (adding on the couple they killed in the town, since they acquired nothing from that), but it's otherwise pretty boring. As a sort of twist, and something that might lead to some interest, I wondered if perhaps the Orcs had mananged to capture a hatchling Pseudodragon. (I was reading through the monster manual, and I came across the 'Pseudodragon Companions' bit. Sounded interesting.) My thought was - after the PC's had unwittingly freed it in their search for treasure, perhaps have it observe them as candidates for it's companionship? What do you all think? Since the 7 orcs will give them 1050 XP total (/Second level, yay!/ Edit: Not quite. I remembered the 1050XP is split between the three of them, and with previous encounters factored in, they'll be at 750xp each), a potential companion (and perhaps not even for another level) would probably even out the score for them a little bit. (Even if the pseudodragon isn't really a melee fighter, either. Poison is still pretty fun.) I'm looking for comments, suggestions, and possibly a reason how/why the Orcs would have come across/captured one of these, if at all. Take note, this village of Orcs was at something like 40+ residents before they attacked the village (which was defended with 30+ level one warriors, a level one fighter NPC, and the PC's.(Unwittingly. Being woken up at the crack of dawn,and having two Orcs bash through the tavern door is a pretty nice incentive to help out.) It also had a wooden palisade and gate. Needless to say, the Orcs did NOT have a fun time.)
Lxarth 04-23-05, 12:31 PM	I don't think a Druid can even have a Psudodragon companion at all. Are you just looking to introduce some NPC? Why do you want to put this Psudodragon in at all? My level 8 wizard has a Psudodragon now...they have in the DMG that a level 6 wizard can optain one...I think it's little much for level 1 players.
erendor the True 04-23-05, 12:35 PM	Not as a familar or animal companion, just as a 'fellow traveller' style of thing. They'd still have to look after it, and such, but they'd gain the benefit of having another party member, so to speak.
Jeremiah DeathFist 04-23-05, 04:12 PM	Not as a familar or animal companion, just as a 'fellow traveller' style of thing. They'd still have to look after it, and such, but they'd gain the benefit of having another party member, so to speak. Yup. I, as a DM, just gave my players a Pseudodragon. Just remember too that Pseudodragons want to be pampered so if the players are ever mean to it in any way or use it too much in battle it will fly away.
MageofMyth 04-23-05, 04:55 PM	Seems like the Pseudodragon will pick one person to be best friends with, or one PC will like it and the others will ignore it. Either way you are giving someting great to only one character and gyping the others. I played in a game one where the DM introduced a Pseudodragon for the mage character, who ignored it completely. My ranger treated it very well and ended up with it. Of course the mage would have gotten better things from it, as a familiar-2nd edition.