Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 tos_shai_hulud Jun 07, 2009 4:35:28	Ok, I'm playing a gestalt campaign. We're using level adjustment buyback, and I chose to play a pixie. I just hit 20th level. Here is my character breakdown: 1 Druid / Sorcerer DodgeB, Weapon FinesseB, Eschew Materials 2 Druid / Sorcerer 3 Druid / Sorcerer Earth Sense 4 Druid / Sorcerer 5 Druid / Geomancer 6 Druid / Geomancer Natural Spell 7 Druid / Geomancer 8 Druid / Geomancer 9 Druid / Geomancer Power Attack 10 Druid / Geomancer 11 Druid / Geomancer 12 Druid / Geomancer Improved Bull Rush 13 Druid / Geomancer 14 Druid / Geomancer 15 Druid / Earth Dreamer Shocktrooper 16 Druid / Earth Dreamer 17 Druid / Earth Dreamer 18 Druid / Earth Dreamer Natural Bond 19 Druid / Earth Dreamer 20 Arcane Hierophant This gives me an effective 23rd level animal companion, 20th level familiar (arcane spellcaster class levels stack, and all of my prestige classes advance arcane spellcasting. The DM has ruled it this way, whether others agree or not) combined into one. What happens if I dismiss my animal companion and call a new animal companion? Let's say I call a Fleshraker Dinosaur as my new companion... It is going to have a bonus 12 hit dice. The rules say that it is a magical beast (augmented animal) and that Hit Dice, hit points, attack bonus, saving throws, feats, and skills of the familiar companion are determined as normal for an animal companion. Due to the familiar companion's unusual Intelligence score, it may very well have more skill points than other animals of its kind. So, clearly, after its initial hit dice, all of its bonus hit dice are going to be getting 4 skill points per level (15 intelligence). But, what hit dice will it be getting? Usually animal companions are animals. This one is a magical beast. Does it gain d10 for bonus hit dice?? Moreover, what if half of my pixie's hp is more than the companion familiar's rolled hp? Does its hp default to that, per the familiar ability? What about feats with skill prerequisites like Mageslayer? Does my pixie's ranks in spellcraft transfer to my companion familiar (per the familiar ability)? If so, would they count for the prerequisite? When my pixie uses the familiar to deliver a touch spell, would the mageslayer feat affect that spell (-4 caster level)? I'm sure there are more questions I have, but I cannot think of them right now. Any advice would be appreciated.
#2 tos_shai_hulud Jun 07, 2009 5:06:06	This could be an issue for many other types of arcane hierophants. For instance, a non-gestalt druid 3/wizard 3/mystic theurge 4/arcane hierophant 10 could have a companion familiar as an effective 16th level druid and 17th level arcane caster (the same fleshraker dinosaur would have 8 bonus hit dice and an intelligence of 14).
#3 tos_shai_hulud Jun 07, 2009 7:01:36	Ok, reading through it more, I've come to some realizations... 1st, the Augmented subtype says: SRD[/url]"]Augmented Subtype A creature receives this subtype whenever something happens to change its original type. Some creatures (those with an inherited template) are born with this subtype; others acquire it when they take on an acquired template. The augmented subtype is always paired with the creature’s original type. A creature with the augmented subtype usually has the traits of its current type, but the features of its original type. Emphasis mine Next, a look at the different types reveals the answer to some of my questions: SRD[/url]"]Features An animal has the following features (unless otherwise noted in a creature’s entry). 8-sided Hit Dice. Base attack bonus equal to ¾ total Hit Dice (as cleric). Good Fortitude and Reflex saves (certain animals have different good saves, for instance dire animals have good Fortitude, Reflex, and Will saves). Skill points equal to (2 + Int modifier, minimum 1) per Hit Die, with quadruple skill points for the first Hit Die. SRD[/url]"]Traits A magical beast possesses the following traits (unless otherwise noted in a creature’s entry). Darkvision out to 60 feet and low-light vision. Proficient with its natural weapons only. Proficient with no armor. Magical beasts eat, sleep, and breathe. This shows the companion familiar keeps animal hit dice when advancing, but has darkvision, as well as its normal abilities. Next, for skill points, hit points, etc., the rules are actually more clear than I realized. SRD[/url]"]Familiar Ability Descriptions All familiars have special abilities (or impart abilities to their masters) depending on the master’s combined level in classes that grant familiars, as shown on the table below. The abilities given on the table are cumulative. Natural Armor Adj. The number noted here is an improvement to the familiar’s existing natural armor bonus. Int The familiar’s Intelligence score. Alertness (Ex) While a familiar is within arm’s reach, the master gains the Alertness feat. Improved Evasion (Ex) When subjected to an attack that normally allows a Reflex saving throw for half damage, a familiar takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw and half damage even if the saving throw fails. Share Spells At the master’s option, he may have any spell (but not any spell-like ability) he casts on himself also affect his familiar. The familiar must be within 5 feet at the time of casting to receive the benefit. If the spell or effect has a duration other than instantaneous, it stops affecting the familiar if it moves farther than 5 feet away and will not affect the familiar again even if it returns to the master before the duration expires. Additionally, the master may cast a spell with a target of "You" on his familiar (as a touch range spell) instead of on himself. A master and his familiar can share spells even if the spells normally do not affect creatures of the familiar’s type (magical beast). Empathic Link (Su) The master has an empathic link with his familiar out to a distance of up to 1 mile. The master cannot see through the familiar’s eyes, but they can communicate empathically. Because of the limited nature of the link, only general emotional content can be communicated. Because of this empathic link, the master has the same connection to an item or place that his familiar does. Deliver Touch Spells (Su) If the master is 3rd level or higher, a familiar can deliver touch spells for him. If the master and the familiar are in contact at the time the master casts a touch spell, he can designate his familiar as the "toucher." The familiar can then deliver the touch spell just as the master could. As usual, if the master casts another spell before the touch is delivered, the touch spell dissipates. Speak with Master (Ex) If the master is 5th level or higher, a familiar and the master can communicate verbally as if they were using a common language. Other creatures do not understand the communication without magical help. Speak with Animals of Its Kind (Ex) If the master is 7th level or higher, a familiar can communicate with animals of approximately the same kind as itself (including dire varieties): bats with bats, rats with rodents, cats with felines, hawks and owls and ravens with birds, lizards and snakes with reptiles, toads with amphibians, weasels with similar creatures (weasels, minks, polecats, ermines, skunks, wolverines, and badgers). Such communication is limited by the intelligence of the conversing creatures. Spell Resistance (Ex) If the master is 11th level or higher, a familiar gains spell resistance equal to the master’s level + 5. To affect the familiar with a spell, another spellcaster must get a result on a caster level check (1d20 + caster level) that equals or exceeds the familiar’s spell resistance. Scry on Familiar (Sp) If the master is 13th level or higher, he may scry on his familiar (as if casting the scrying spell) once per day. This indicates that none of the familiar basics are considered special abilities, and the Companion Familiar description says that only special abilities are gained. This does, however, bring up one distinct issue... what happens with the Natural Armor Adj.? It is listed under familiar special abilities, so theoretically it would be gained by the companion familiar. But, the companion familiar is ALSO gaining a natural armor adjustment from druid. They are both unnamed, and they both improve the "existing" natural armor. So, what is meant by existing? Is existing the state before either improvement? Or does one improve upon the other's improvement? Are they considered bonuses? Do they "stack"? I suppose that is really my only remaining question.
#4 tos_shai_hulud Jun 07, 2009 7:36:34	Aha! I have an interpretation that seems to solve this conundrum. Since both armor adjustments are granted by the Companion Familiar ability, they certainly have the same source, and therefore, only the better of the two applies. That seems the most balanced, also. Ok, I think I am done with my questions! I hope no one minds my rambling to help me come up with my own answers :P.
#5 tos_shai_hulud Jun 07, 2009 8:02:10	Ok, thought of another one... What happens if the companion familiar receives at least four bonus hit dice and I decide to place its ability score advancement into Intelligence? What happens? Or is that strictly prohibited? Edit: A better discription of the issue: a familiar ordinarily cannot gain ability score increases, so its intelligence increases never affect ability score increases. On the other hand, if an ability score increase is put into Intelligence for a Companion Familiar, what happens when in two levels, its Intelligence changes? Does its ability score increase remain, or is it overridden by the new intelligence score?
#6 tos_shai_hulud Jun 07, 2009 15:10:31	Well, regardless of that one, which animal companion would make a good Companion Familiar?