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View Full Version : A Druidic Dillema in need of a Sharktastic Solution



BRC
2009-10-12, 02:08 PM
So, I'm running a Nautical campaign. One of my players is playing a Sea Elf Druid, and took a shark as an animal companion.

At first I thought Okay, that works. It's an aquatic campaign after all, and it'd be tricky to have a wolf or bear or something onboard a ship, while the shark can swim alongside.

Now I'm running into a problem. We're only 2nd level, so nobody else has a reliable way of breathing underwater, and one of the characters (The ranger) will be more or less useless underwater until he can pick up Aquatic Shot. So, this means I can't really do underwater stuff yet, which means the shark is more or less useless, since the party will be running around on land, while the shark is just swimming around in the water.

So, the million dollar question is what do I did with this shark. Do I throw some airy water at the party and send them into the deeps, do I just tell the druid "Sorry, you're going to have to leave the shark at home". Do I give the shark wings and let it fly around?

subject42
2009-10-12, 02:14 PM
How long do you plan to let the campaign run? If it's long enough for them to hit the water eventually, talk with your Druid player and give the shark a suitably dramatic entrance when they reach that point.

If you're not going to reach that point or the player isn't that patient talk to him about selecting a new animal companion.

Nohwl
2009-10-12, 02:15 PM
i vote for giving it wings. who doesn't want a flying shark?

chiasaur11
2009-10-12, 02:20 PM
i vote for giving it wings. who doesn't want a flying shark?

No.

A jetpack!

BRC
2009-10-12, 02:21 PM
No.

A jetpack!

...Rocketshark...

Cespenar
2009-10-12, 02:24 PM
-Defending a shore.

-Naval warfare. If the boats are small enough, the shark can deal good structural damage to the opponent's vessels, as well as bolting out of the water for a wayward bite. Players may also bull rush enemies off the boat to make them shark-bait.

-Naval warfare II: Amphibious enemies. Let's say sea trolls. While some of them can climb up to fight with the group, the shark can deal with another one or two underwater.

Tackyhillbillu
2009-10-12, 02:29 PM
Have it go around knocking at people's doors, delivering flowers.

"You're that clever Shark aren't you?"

Set
2009-10-12, 02:49 PM
Tell the Druid, "Gosh, that shark isn't really turning out too useful, and I hate seeing one of your classes most fun abilities going to waste. Ever consider sending him home to hook up with missus shark and make little shark babies, taking 24 hours and calling up an osprey (Eagle stats) or something?"

You can 'aquaticize' a few other animal choices as well, such as introducing saltwater crocodiles (which can function on land or sea) or 'giant marine iguanas' (Monitor Lizard stats, like a sea-going komodo dragon) or 'sea serpent' (use Viper or Constrictor stats, but make it salt-water-friendly, kinda like the sea snakes of Stormwrack).

jiriku
2009-10-12, 02:59 PM
Tell the Druid, "Gosh, that shark isn't really turning out too useful, and I hate seeing one of your classes most fun abilities going to waste. Ever consider sending him home to hook up with missus shark and make little shark babies, taking 24 hours and calling up an osprey (Eagle stats) or something?"

You can 'aquaticize' a few other animal choices as well, such as introducing saltwater crocodiles (which can function on land or sea) or 'giant marine iguanas' (Monitor Lizard stats, like a sea-going komodo dragon) or 'sea serpent' (use Viper or Constrictor stats, but make it salt-water-friendly, kinda like the sea snakes of Stormwrack).

Nah, this is a pansy solution. It would probably be effective and stuff. Put a laser on the shark!

BRC
2009-10-12, 03:03 PM
She's rather attached to the shark is the thing. I'll explain that Kitty (as she named it) may be only occasionally useful, but I think it's a shame to waste. Maybe I'll give her a treasure that makes Kitty amphibious, and lets him swap his fins for legs and swim speed for land speed, turning into a sort of wolf-thing, with a full round action to switch between Legs and Fins.

Random832
2009-10-12, 03:13 PM
Did somebody say... flying shark (http://xkcd.com/585/)? :smallcool::smallcool::smallcool:

Doc Roc
2009-10-12, 03:18 PM
So, basically, a bulette? ;)

So, here's my take:
Rule of cool away some of the problems and send them into the depths.

Tiki Snakes
2009-10-12, 03:21 PM
We're talking about a 3.5 druid, right? By reputation I'd say that simply put that she can live with the other 2 entire classes worth of class features she retains, yeah? :)

Also;
http://img193.imageshack.us/img193/47/rocketshark.jpg
http://i34.tinypic.com/2wbtcvt.jpg
Had these sat around for a long while now, actually.

PinkysBrain
2009-10-12, 03:25 PM
Just monte haul a bit with magic items, a couple of items of water breathing and one underwater bow and they are ready to go.

Lapak
2009-10-12, 03:27 PM
Alternatively: you don't have to be underwater to be in it. The shark would be a useful combatant in:
A. ship-to-ship raids (attack longboats, have people bullrushed off the ship and attacked by the shark)
B. adventures in tidal caverns: they make excellent hideouts, plus it allows you to play with water levels and terrorize the group since they cannot breathe water but must explore
C. camp guardian: when the players need to stash something or camp out, they can do so in/near a body of water and have an unexpected edge
D. Venice-style canal cities, saltwater-delta towns where all the huts are on stilts, and similar settlements
E. one-off adventures where the players are provided with a means to breathe water for a specific purpose - diving after treasure, defeating a particular menace, or so on. This one obviously can be overused, but as a one-shot it'll work.

Any of those can be made to fit in a nautical campaign without throwing what you're trying to do out the window, especially A, B, and D.

Darrin
2009-10-12, 03:41 PM
As I think someone already mentioned, druids can dismiss their companion at any time, and there's a 24-hour ritual to pick a new one.

If you want to keep the shark...

Take a Handy Haversack, fill it with water, and put the shark inside. By RAW, it can't drown. (However, realistically... the water would eventually go stagnant/anoxic. To remedy this, uh... toss in some kelp/algae, and maybe a continual flame torch for photosynthesis... and heck, why not Pauly Shore and Stephen Baldwin? They'll probably drown, but they might make good shark-snacks.)

Pull the shark out whenever combat starts (or perhaps have the shark jump out with maybe a swim check). Aquatic creatures can hold their breath for 2 rounds per point of Constitution, which for an average shark would be 26 rounds. So it's extremely unlikely the combat would last long enough for the shark to suffocate.

There's a 2nd level Druid spell in Stormwrack/Spell Compendium called Fins to Feet. This transforms the sharks fins into feet, giving it a land speed. It could then walk around and attack. The duration is 1 hour per level, so at 3rd level, which is only one caster level away, 3 hours might last a few combats. If the druid can't wait until another level, a few scrolls, potions or a wand of Fins to Feet could hold them over until they get access to 2nd level spells. Also at 3rd level, the Druid could take Craft Wondrous Item and create a continuous use item of Fins to Feet for only 3000 GP (6000 GP base price).

For another possible solution to the suffocation thing... there's a 1st level Druid spell called Deep Breath that fills a creature's lungs with air as an immediate action. A forgiving DM might allow this to work on aquatic animals (they may not have lungs per se, but uh... fill "respiratory organs" with air?). You could also create a continuous use "Deep Breath" item for... 4000 GP? (8000 GP base cost, 2000 x 4 due to duration in rounds). A command-word item that the Druid could use every 26 rounds or so would only be 900 GP (1800 GP base cost).

There's also an amulet or talisman somewhere, much cheaper than a necklace of adaptation... can't recall what book it's in, but it allows aquatic characters to breath air for a few days or a week before it burns out? Anyone remember where that is?

To add a laser... Circlet of Blasting (minor), Searing Light 1/day. 6480 GP.

sonofzeal
2009-10-12, 03:42 PM
Did somebody say... flying shark (http://xkcd.com/585/)? :smallcool::smallcool::smallcool:
Did someone say.... land shark (http://www.onemanga.com/Gyo/10/06/)?

Random832
2009-10-12, 04:04 PM
As I think someone already mentioned, druids can dismiss their companion at any time, and there's a 24-hour ritual to pick a new one.

If you want to keep the shark...

Take a Handy Haversack, fill it with water, and put the shark inside. By RAW, it can't drown. (However, realistically... the water would eventually go stagnant/anoxic. To remedy this, uh... toss in some kelp/algae, and maybe a continual flame torch for photosynthesis... and heck, why not Pauly Shore and Stephen Baldwin? They'll probably drown, but they might make good shark-snacks.)

A handy haversack can only hold 80 pounds of material in the main compartment. Even excluding the shark itself, that's only 10 gallons (1.33 cubic feet) of water. You probably really need a Bag of Holding IV.

Cieyrin
2009-10-12, 06:28 PM
She's rather attached to the shark is the thing. I'll explain that Kitty (as she named it) may be only occasionally useful, but I think it's a shame to waste. Maybe I'll give her a treasure that makes Kitty amphibious, and lets him swap his fins for legs and swim speed for land speed, turning into a sort of wolf-thing, with a full round action to switch between Legs and Fins.

Did somebody say...Reverse Scuba Suit?

http://theinfosphere.org/images/thumb/0/06/Reversescubasuit.png/225px-Reversescubasuit.png

Kylarra
2009-10-12, 07:10 PM
Needs a pokeball!

Fizban
2009-10-12, 07:39 PM
sort of wolf-thing
This. By doing:


Take a Handy Haversack, fill it with water, and put the shark inside. By RAW, it can't drown. (However, realistically... the water would eventually go stagnant/anoxic. To remedy this, uh... toss in some kelp/algae, and maybe a continual flame torch for photosynthesis... and heck, why not Pauly Shore and Stephen Baldwin? They'll probably drown, but they might make good shark-snacks.)

Pull the shark out whenever combat starts (or perhaps have the shark jump out with maybe a swim check). Aquatic creatures can hold their breath for 2 rounds per point of Constitution, which for an average shark would be 26 rounds. So it's extremely unlikely the combat would last long enough for the shark to suffocate.

There's a 2nd level Druid spell in Stormwrack/Spell Compendium called Fins to Feet. This transforms the sharks fins into feet, giving it a land speed. It could then walk around and attack. The duration is 1 hour per level, so at 3rd level, which is only one caster level away, 3 hours might last a few combats. If the druid can't wait until another level, a few scrolls, potions or a wand of Fins to Feet could hold them over until they get access to 2nd level spells. Also at 3rd level, the Druid could take Craft Wondrous Item and create a continuous use item of Fins to Feet for only 3000 GP (6000 GP base price).

Shark with legs being possibly the most frightening thing on the planet next to a shark with wings, and opening combat by turning a bag of holding inside out to produce a wave full of shark. Made of Win.

Actually, looking at the stats for wolf and medium shark, they're just about equal, aside from their land and water only abilities (trip and super sense). That gives me an idea: if you magic'd the shark into a wolf it'd probably be quite comfortable, and there's a 1st level druid spell in the spell compendium that turns you into a wolf for 10 min/level. Share spells+trick and you're good. (Technically it doesn't say you lose your subtypes, but it says "your type changes to animal", and come on, it's cool).