AVB - Skeletal Companions

[hustlertwo]

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Honestly, no, I haven't. Hasn't come up.

ACs are nice to have around, but ultimately not a major element in any fight. Even Bennett here is better, at least until you get access to the way higher companion lists. I call them squishier because between the metal thing impacting their higher AC options for shields and armor, and their lack of weapon proficiencies, they aren't as feasible as frontliners as clerics.

Against really tough enemies, summoning usually just means you're throwing more meat into the grinder. And if the enemies aren't really tough, you probably won't need to do a whole lot of spontaneous casting in the first place.

Turn undead checks can be used to fuel metamagic feats, however. I don't remember the hows on that (certainly wasn't SRD), but it seems to be effective at turning an otherwise very specialized class feature into something of significant general value.

I will say, though, that if you start throwing multiclassing into the mix, I might give the edge to druid. They gel very, very nicely with Monk. Especially when you use that tried and true combo of Flurry of Blows and Shillelagh on a Quarterstaff. Now you're talking frontliner damage even at very early levels. And Rage can improve that even more, if you're willing to give up the companion to get it.

Wilstaff grows concerned as the beasts close in on Bennett.

No heroics, Ben-10. You getting injured is one thing, killed quite another. Bug out.

Bennett runs away from the bears, 120 feet. Wilstaff fires again at the bear previously hurt.

(1d20+4)[8] (1d8+2)[7]

[planswalker]

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I can tell you from experience that animal companions are in fact a significant part of gameplay all throughout a character's development. As early as 4th level, you can get yourself a bear with three attacks a round, good str and hp, and a good speed.

and the druid weapon selection is irrelevant. They frontline while wildshaped, not with a weapon. Their wildshape ability is like a free and automatic weapon buff, ac booster, and combat impact. Also, check your stats again. Clerics only get simple weapon proficiency. Druids are proficient with a martial weapon. scimitars. a good martial weapon.

and the armor restriction really is a meaningless thing. Woodshape and ironwood completely negate that, as well as dragonscale armors, chitin armors (which, incidentally, are basically the same cost as regular armor), and a plethora of other options allows druids to get around their "weakness"

using turn to fuel metamagic is done through a feat, a very poorly written feat called divine metamagic. If you want to start talking bout poorly written feats, though, greenbound summoning absolutely DOMINATES the low-level game, and it's strongest on a druid who can do the summoning spontaneously.

as for DMM cheese, it takes a worthless classs feature and makes it about as good as wildshape already was. without using feats to boost it up.

oh, and no, you're actually wrong about who multiclassing favors. Druids gain more class features than most prestige classes and anything that detracts from wildshape, animal companions, and spellcasting is a BAD choice. Flurry is one extra attack at a -2. Just use the shillelagh and have your animal companion flank for you. He's an extra attack that actually ADDS a +2 to your attacks. and gives another pool of hp for the monster to have to attack. and trading that meat shield for an ability that doesn't allow you to cast spells while you use it? Every druid1/monk1 who gives up an animal companion for rage will be laughed out of the place by any druid2.

clerics, on the other hand, benefit immensely from taking prc's as they have NO class features after first except spellcasting.

however, "dipping" a non-spellcasting progression class on a full caster at all is generally a loss in power, not a bonus.

When danger reared its ugly head Bennet turned his tail and fled. Brave, brave, brave Sir Bennet.

Your arrow misses, but Bennet once more widens the gap between himself and the bears. Who, upon seeing him run, run after him and close the gap.

[hustlertwo]

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If I concede the point, will you stop textbombing me?

And I guess I forgot they don't get MWP because when I make a cleric I invariably go for War Domain.

Wilstaff pitches his voice in a high falsetto.

Runnnnn Bennett! Runnnn!

He takes a full round to steady himself, in case more firing becomes needed.

Bennett, as ordered, runs some more.

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Wildshape gains HP as if having just slept? That's handy.

[planswalker]

Each bear gets a swipe, but only one of them connects for (d6+3)[5] slashing damage.

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I was not meaning to "textbomb" you, but I have a tendency to respond to each line with one or more of my own, so my arguments tend to get progressively longer.

The bears give chase just as a half-dozen bugbears show up to fight them.

[hustlertwo]

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Don't worry, I was kidding around. I know that's not as noticeable without emoticons, but I loathe using those unless absolutely necessary. I'm conceding because it's increasingly clear I don't know enough about druids to make a judgment on their utility.

Perusing the Druid spell list, I found one that intrigued muchly: Call Lightning. If I didn't already have my next character concept in mind for this game once Wil gets bumped off through my incompetence or his ever-growing list of nemeses, that one alone might give me pause. Toss it on a floater or flier and can chuck no-attack-roll bolts at your leisure for a full minute. Tie in an Offensive Prescience tattoo for a bit more fun.

With the arrival of reinforcements, Bennett withdraws further back still. Wilstaff fires his bow at his same target.

(1d20+6)[14] (1d8+2)[5]

[planswalker]

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tie in the fact that a wildshaped druid who wildshapes into a flier can fly at will for hours and you've got yourself a fun build.

You hit your target, and the six warriors are joined by two bugbear mages and ten goblin archers.

"I think we have this handled" the lead mage calls out to you. "Save your strength for the fight!"

[hustlertwo]

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Depending on the race I pick, I may not need shapeshifting for unlimited flight.

Wilstaff shouts over the distance between him and the current brouhaha. Sure, we can do that.

He then looks at the workers.

Thus concludes our floor show for the day. The cowardly little elf is gone, problem solved. No one died, go us. You see him again, send someone for me right away. We'll just call that a free break, and you may resume your construction program already in progress.

When Bennett returns to Wilstaff, he uses the wand for (1d8+1)[7] restored HP.

[hustlertwo]

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With this presumably concluded, you think you can give me an ETA for the big event? And I'm curious as to who the other two are involved in this (although I suspect you can't or shouldn't tell me); I know the Aussie, and presumably Lokio still is, although I'm not 100% sure since an ecalypse doesn't seem like the sort of thing one acquires while scoping out slum clans.

[planswalker]

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well, chances are, you won't actually interact with the other two. The big event is actually a chain reaction of several different events that will be going off all at once. I am hoping by Wednesday to be ready to do this.

oh, 250 xp for the bear encounter.

[hustlertwo]

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Hmmm, decent chunk of time. Hate to sit here and stagnate whilst my potential foes grow stronger. Definitely regretting that day I spent training now. But I think I have another idea if you're game. Wilstaff doesn't really know any professions, but he does know a pile of languages. Assuming you're still OK with the timeframe fudgery.

Wil disguises up him and B and go into the city, and addresses the crier.

I don't suppose anyone needs any translating work, eh?

(1d20-1)[13] Gather information.

[planswalker]

"Actually, last I heard, the university's linguist just hired someone for that position."

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another pc beat you to that idea, unfortunately...

[hustlertwo]

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Crapspackle. I was thinking that I could either play it straight to make money, or completely make up the stuff I said to whoever I was translating for. If it was a diplomat, I might even inadvertently start a war or something fun like that.

Well, I'll throw it back to idle for now, that was my last idea.

[planswalker]

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perhaps set up a stage show where you "impale" Bennet? get a gob who's good at lying to speak for you.

[hustlertwo]

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Eh, why not? Probably won't make too much, but money's money. And it's something easily broken off once the stars align and the event(s) begins.

Wilstaff and Bennett, their legs becoming quite muscular from all their commuting (well, Wilstaff's legs at least), return to HQ once more to seek out assistance. They go into the first common room or large group of non-fire hobs they see to share the idea handed down to them from on high.

Salutations, my brothers in blood and thunder. Bennett and Friends, Inc. have another dynamite money-making endeavor, and we'd like to enlist the aid of a hob who is skilled in...stretching the truth beyond its natural limitations. Qualification for this task is easy: come up to us, and tell us you are a dainty ballerina. If we feel we believe you, you get the job. If you turn out to actually be a dainty ballerina, then we'll still have a show, I suppose. You'll get 10% of our take to do nothing more strenuous than bark at crowds; what a deal!

[planswalker]

One quite charming little goblin lass walks up and says, "Well, I am a ballerina, and quite the dainty one at that."

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and, bending the rules here, make a sense motive check.

[hustlertwo]

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I thought you made them all. But then, I guess I am the rare case of someone who deliberately asked to be lied to.

(1d20-1)[10]

[planswalker]

You think she's telling the truth.

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yeah, normally yes, but in this case it doesn't matter, so I thought we'd put the rules on their heads and do it that way.

[hustlertwo]

Wilstaff motions for her to follow.

You're hired, sweetheart. I'll try to keep Bennett from getting too fresh with you as the day progresses. Now come on, and I'll explain the scam along the way.

He then disguises himself as an young human magician, complete with top hat and 'cane' (his club), and Bennett as a wizened old human monk, bald save for the knotted ponytail toward the base of his skull. He also goes to his room to retrieve the 10 daggers acquired from their herowork that morning.

As they walk, he talks rapidly to their newfound professional liar.

I'm sure your father told you about the birds and the bees and such. Differences between the genders, all that fun stuff. Of course, some bees die, have their skin slough off and are reborn anew as undead 'abominations' as the squares in Aldhaven would call them. The curious case of Bennett allows him to endure certain things you and I might find uncomfortable, like extreme cold. Or a blade to the belly. We're going to exploit that to put on a little magic show for the plebes. We need you because I lack Bennett's natural stage presence, and already once today I failed to convince someone of the nature of the trick in order to sell a sword at a greater profit. So you're there to play the crowd, and insure that they don't ascertain how all this is actually taking place. Otherwise we'll be collecting our earnings in a rush as we dodge the Watch on our way back to the slums. Oh, and if your penmanship is any good, we need a nice placard to advertise the show. "The Amazing Rando and Muk-Tuk the Wise" ought to do as a billing.

He then looks to the 'monk' walking along with them.

Yes, I get top billing this time. What? How can my ego be growing unchecked? You're the one who fronts our legitimate...ish business. Besides, I picked whose name went first alphabetically.

Errr...yes, I know Muk-Tuk comes before Rando. But Amazing is actually his first name.

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I just realized I may or may not stretch the bounds of what the disguise hat can do. It doesn't say in the spell description that it allows you to change your race. However, it also doesn't say you can't; it only specifies you can't alter your body type (which I read as the same way we would use that phrase, meaning whether you were skinny, chunky, obese, and so on). Is the racial altering accepted, or have I blown the whistle on my own unwitting chicanery?

[planswalker]

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I've allowed others to do so, just keep it humanoid.

oh, and for AVB purposes, body type is humanoid, monstrous humanoid, animal, slime, etc.

basically, you need to keep it pretty human-shaped.

"And what will I be, the goblin slave-girl clad in scanty clothing who does all the talking and gets none of the credit?"

[hustlertwo]

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No real reason not to; a non-humanoid would stick out too much in the city.

Well....yeah. Unless you'd prefer to be the one stuck with pointy things and frozen to the point of crystallization?

Wilstaff gives a hearty laugh and then ruffles Bennett's 'hair'.

I like this one, wants attention as much as coin. How about a subtitle under the one we mentioned that says 'Featuring Phelicia the Pulchritudinous'. And I'll let you help when we do the big showstopper trick, the Hellraiser. And we bump your cut up to 15%.

[planswalker]

"Give me a 20% cut and I don't care what you call me or how you dress me. Or if you don't mention me at all."

[hustlertwo]

Wilstaff's nostrils flare in momentary anger.

Oh, a mercenary. We already had one of those stick the knife in our back recently. So we're less enthused about working with someone so easily influenced by the almighty coin. How about 15% or we turn back around and find someone with a bit more love for the clan, and less love for her own purse?

He looks to Bennett.

What would I care whether the purse in question went well with her shoes? You worry me sometimes, pal. I think all your womanizing might just be a cover.

[planswalker]

"Well, if you can find another good liar in there who'll keep your whole show from falling apart for only 15% go right ahead. Whatever deep-seated issues you have with mercenaries, this little venture of yours has nothing to do with the clan and everything to do with you earning your own money. Why, I bet that there's someone in the cabal who would take things the wrong way if I told them the necromancer is looking to make a mockery of true magic with cheap tricks. Alas, it would be a shame if they were to find out."

[hustlertwo]

Wilstaff grins once more, experiencing another mercurial mood swing.

Blackmail! I'm back to liking you again. Of course, your telling them doesn't scare me in the slightest; I've mocked magic more to their face, after all. But I'll tell you what; 15%, and the extra 5 if we get through the first show without the crowd catching on. Performance bonus, yes? We'll take it out of what we kick back to the clan; I was going to toss them 15% as well, but they can live with 10, I'm sure.

[planswalker]

"Okay, that's 20% then, for they will never know it isn't true when I'm done with them. I once convinced an elven eunich that I was his natural-born daughter. Took him a week to realize that he hadn't had the parts to do that in a century. "

[hustlertwo]

Wilstaff looks on at the goblin with newfound respect.

I don't know what I like more, your copious amounts of wit or your noticeable lack of a conscience. I think Phelicia the Pulchritudinous will be a dynamite addition to our act, Muk-Tuk.

As they arrive in the city, Wilstaff looks for a good, high-traffic area to set up their show.

[planswalker]

The Plaza is quite busy...

[hustlertwo]

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Do I post it there, or here?

And I thought of that, I just have to hope no PC decides to metagame a bit and blow the lid off.

[planswalker]

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would you rather post it here and me transcribe it, leave it only in your thread and not post it in the city streets at all, or have you rp it out there in the Streets.

[hustlertwo]

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Eh, you got enough crap going on. I guess I'll do it in the streets thread myself and take my chances.

With their crude displays set up, Wilstaff uses his shirt to alter himself into exactly what he appears to be with the hat on: a young male human.

Can't be too careful, don't want any potential blowback from this to hit the clan. Not to mention that traitorous, friendly merc buddy of mine. Me and him might have to go out for a beer after I kill him.

He then goes to meet his adoring public.

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I will let you make the initial post to introduce 'viewers' to the overall setting and everything, and after that I'll take it from there with the performance. Feel free to throw in lines from the chick as the mood strikes, although don't consider it an obligation. She can function just as well as pretty window dressing.