Here is the idea:
I am a Jermlaine (tiny fey from MM2 with a +0 LA and pretty cleric-friendly stat modifiers). I was allowed to choose two flaws, which were necessary to make the build plausible. With that in mind, I rolled my stats: 8, 12, 14, 14, 16, 18. Applying the modifiers from Jermlaine, the character had the following starting stats:
Str 6, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 12, Wis 24, Cha 10
I chose the Fire and Air domains. For flaws I chose Murky-eyed and Vulnerable. For feats, I chose Improved Turning, Aberration Blood (Bulging Eyes), and Inhuman Reach. I asked the DM if I could begin play having commanded a skeleton. The DM said sure! She actually rolled up a character, applied the skeleton template, and gave me the character sheet! Then, I used most of my starting gold on crafting a house for my character inside the skeleton. My character lives inside the skeleton. It is cramped, but he fits. No armor needed.
I also asked if I could have a dire rat companion. Not an animal companion or anything, and my character has no ranks of Handle Animal (and in fact, turns most animals away because of the two aberrant feats), but this one rat is my friend (since Jermlaines have a racial ability to speak with rats). At this point, my character appears to be a medium character. He conceals his skeleton in a deep cloak. Roleplaying, he is extremely creepy. When someone talks to him, he begins responding immediately, but it takes several seconds for him to face the speaker. He appears very stiff at all times. This is because the mental command requires a standard action for each and every small action he gives the skeleton. Everything is delayed. It is tremendous fun, because he is trying his best to fit in, but it just isn't really possible for him. Then, when he wants to heal someone, tiny hands shoot out from his eye sockets! So far, he has concealed this by avoiding allowing the party seeing how he heals (making hide checks if anyone is looking to avoid them seeing how he heals). When he had to ride a steed, he put the reins under his armor in order to handle the horse better.
As soon as he can, he will command a second skeleton and dress it up. He only prepares healing spells. The idea is, he knows that most people don't like Jermlaines. He has been considered "evil" all his life. He has a strong desire to be seen as good. So, he commands undead creatures, fire creatures, and air creatures to do his bidding in order to prove just how good he is!
Also, applying the Monster of Legends template can give the templated creature the Cold or Fire subtype without changing HD.
That is one of the most hilarious characters I've ever heard of. :D
I had a similar idea for the "Are Melee Characters Better Than Casters?" gauntlet -- a dragonborn jermlaine that would sit inside a cage (carried by unseen servants), breathing on anyone who comes near. A skeleton is pretty snazzy, too, although a skeleton is much easier to smash through than a metal cage.
EDIT: Oops -- I missed that there's a "house" inside the skeleton. Cage, house, same difference.
I had a similar idea for the "Are Melee Characters Better Than Casters?" gauntlet -- a dragonborn jermlaine that would sit inside a cage (carried by unseen servants), breathing on anyone who comes near. A skeleton is pretty snazzy, too, although a skeleton is much easier to smash through than a metal cage.
:heehee I'd considered having my low level casters show up inside a covered wagon for arena fights, just so the opposition would have to waste a round hacking through it to get to me, but I've never actually tried it. :D I did construct a "war wagon" in one campaign I played in, though.
Ash Rat from MM2 should fit for a 1 HD fire creature. The Minor Flame Snake from Fiend Folio should be another candidate. Both are quite nasty for low levels.
Also, applying the Monster of Legends template can give the templated creature the Cold or Fire subtype without changing HD.
That is awesome! The Ash Rat falls in line with the character's proclivities towards rats, as well!
The rest of the party is laughing throughout all of my shenanigans, as they have now discovered the truth about my character. As time goes on, the DM is lessening the penalties to certain abilities, such as keeping my horse happy and riding it rapidly. Since the party is beginning to understand my character's true nature, I occasionally have him pass the reins inside the skeleton and use his enhanced reach to guide the horse. I self-assessed a -1 penalty (same as the penalty to all melee attacks) to the ride check because of my character's ungainly arms.
Anyway, I told the DM about my desire for Ash rats, so she has put in an encounter specifically for me to be able to get my followers. Unfortunately, the rest of the party has been taking up our game sessions with other tasks of importance in place of my character's search for additional minions to command. My character has just reached 3rd level (I chose Corpsecrafter for my feat in anticipation of crafting corpses). I have worked it out with the party that any onyx we discover is mine. So far, though, I have only discovered 35gp worth of onyx. When I do hit 5th level and have the ability to animate dead, I am going to need a great deal more, obviously. Unfortunately, our current enemies favor red gems as opposed to black ones, making onyx difficult to obtain in this locale. Talking with the DM, she has indicated that onyx will be more available elsewhere as my character continues researching its whereabouts.
Anyway, now that I am level 3, and since I have Improved Turning, I am looking for 2 HD minions now. For fire creatures, this means that I am looking for Azers, which I have no clue where they would be on the material plane. The DM says that I might need to call for one from the plane of fire rather than finding one on the material plane. I asked about near to volcanos or other sources of immense heat, and the DM said maybe. But, our current adventure will not take us near any volcanos, and it is a time-sensitive adventure, so I am SoL on that point. Since my character is a cloistered cleric, I have him make checks each level to see if he has discovered any lore that might lead him to the location of some more powerful creatures to command. So far, he has not discovered anything new. He is also going to be increasing his ranks of Knowledge (the Planes) and Knowledge (Geography) to gain additional insight to locations where creatures he would like to command may be located. Aside from a small air elemental, does anyone have any suggestions for a 2 HD air creature that I might be looking for?
What would make some good 2HD air and fire creatures suitable for commanding?
This link should have lists of fire and air creatures for you too command. It is by no means comprehensive (no RoD, for instance), but it should do well. I am not sure if the same site www.crystalkeep.com/d20/ has a list of undead creatures, but it does have a list of templates, including one for giving creatures subtypes and making undead.
Feats: profane vigor, to heal your riding skeleton, nothing more for the time.
All I can think of is grues, and they're not low enough in this edition. Even mephits are too high!
You are likely to be killed by a grue.
Too long a post? Lol. I'll cut it down:
What would make some good 2HD air and fire creatures suitable for commanding?
There are some templates from the Manual of the Planes that give the air/fire subtype: half air/fire elemental and air/fire elemental creature. That should open up your options a bit.
You'll have to wait a while before you can get wyrmling dragons (some of the better low HD [Air] and [Fire] creatures out there).
Agreed, fun character idea. I also agree that the jermlaine's ability score adjustments are nice, and have been contemplating using one myself.
However, I can't find the LA for them anywhere. Is this simply a widely accepted houserule? or is there some WotC documentation?
Thanks in advance,
Liam