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Newbie to 3.5, going to be playing in his first game, and had an awesome idea for a PC.
As the title states, I want a PC who can ride a shark. Looking at the rules, druids get medium sharks as animal companions, so I was thinking get one and learn to ride it. But medium sharks are ... well, medium. What would be a good druid PC able to ride one?
And the GM said something about getting a land-shark. Where are the rules for such a creature, and what level would I need to be to get one as a companion?
Oh, and any advice useful skills for my druid to have would be welcome (I know get Swim, Ride and Handle Animal, any others worth looking at?).
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"The laws have always been the tools of whoever happens to hold all the chips. ... But you can't deny that lives were saved because those bastards were put down. You'd rather tell those people, 'Sorry you have to die today. I promise we'll change things soon'?" - Yuri Lowell, Tales of Vesperia
"The advantage of fighting your clone is you know EXACTLY what will make him feel guilty. That's also how Catholicism beats up so many ninjas." - Christopher Hastings, Dr McNinja
A 'Landshark', as far as I know, is not a creature in 3.5. However, I'm pretty sure there is a template out there somewhere that can make a shark at least amphibious.
A 'Landshark', as far as I know, is not a creature in 3.5. However, I'm pretty sure there is a template out there somewhere that can make a shark at least amphibious.
As the title states, I want a PC who can ride a shark. Looking at the rules, druids get medium sharks as animal companions, so I was thinking get one and learn to ride it. But medium sharks are ... well, medium. What would be a good druid PC able to ride one?
Halfling druid has access to some good substitution levels. Halflings are Small and thus can ride a medium shark. Have a look at Races of the Wild, pp 154 and 157.
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And the GM said something about getting a land-shark. Where are the rules for such a creature, and what level would I need to be to get one as a companion?
Bulettes are sometimes called "land-sharks", but you won't be able to get a magical beast as an animal companion until you go epic (lv 21+). However, there's a spell called "fins to feet" in the Spell Compendium that lets you do exactly what the spell's name says. Have fun while riding your new "land-shark".
Halfling druid has access to some good substitution levels. Halflings are Small and thus can ride a medium shark. Have a look at Races of the Wild, pp 154 and 157.
Bulettes are sometimes called "land-sharks", but you won't be able to get a magical beast as an animal companion until you go epic (lv 21+). However, there's a spell called "fins to feet" in the Spell Compendium that lets you do exactly what the spell's name says. Have fun while riding your new "land-shark".
The Beast Heart Adept grants magical beast companions. Bullette is not on its list, but the Level -4 and Level -6 companions are in the CR7 range where the Bullette is, so a cooperative DM could slot it in there.
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Originally Posted by JaronK
Frankly, a Wizard can suck even more than a Fighter could ever dream of sucking. A Fighter can stab himself to death, but only a Wizard could Plane Shift to some horrible far realm to be tortured for an eternity of insanity.
Alternatively if you want to ride on something cool you could always go into the Ashworm Dragoon PrC from Sandstorm... because riding on giant sandworms are always awesome... but I digress if you want a medium shark to ride on, then look at smaller races eg: halfling, or you could always try a kobold... sans dragonwrought cheese lol
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Well, to start with, a landshark, or Bulette is by no means an animal, so I think your DM is customizing something for you.
As for the size issue: As MorbisMeh above me mentioned, medium creatures can be rode by small characters and while I wouldn't suggest being a halfling or gnome, those are your options for small characters with the core book. (there are better versions of each if the Forgotten Realms books are allowed)
You can also increase the size of your animal companion with certain spells, which will temporarily do what you want.
To be honest though, I think you shouldn't use a shark as your animal companion 24/7. Druids have the ability to spontaneously turn their spells to 'summon nature's ally' spells which includes the ability to summon sharks, so you can ride sharks when it's ideal and have something else for when it's not.
Skills for Druid: You will NEED Spellcraft and Concentration, especially if you're mounted and casting. Knowledge Nature, Survival and Diplomacy are all useful, and I would suggest having at least 1 rank in Knowledge Nature to have it 'unlocked'. Also, you shouldn't need more than 5-7 ranks in ride unless you plan on taking mounted combat feats. (maybe 10-12 if shark is considered a difficult mount)
Feats for Druid: Take Natural Spell. Once your Wildshape abilities are used more often you'll thank me.
Other: As your first Druid, I would suggest thinking about how to really utilize their terrain-changing spells. Entangle, Gust of Wind, Stoneshape, Plant Growth, these and similar spells do things that most other classes can't at the same level, so I suggest you explore the opportunity to use them.
Last edited by roguemetal : 10-30-2012 at 10:57 AM.
A summoned animal wouldn't be trained for riding, so you'd need to Push them, which is harder to do than if you could teach them the trick ahead of time.
Wild Cohort would be a good way to pick up a permanent secondary companion. The obvious difficulty here would be to set up a pokeball system for switching between the shark and your regular companion.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JaronK
Frankly, a Wizard can suck even more than a Fighter could ever dream of sucking. A Fighter can stab himself to death, but only a Wizard could Plane Shift to some horrible far realm to be tortured for an eternity of insanity.
Isn't there some spell that grants that ability? He could buy a wand of that spell as well as a fins to feet's one for those moments when enemies flee far away from the water.
A bullette is a "land shark" in the sense that it's a burrowing creature with a giant shark fin on it's back. In ADND (2nd ed) a druid could have this as an animal companion because of it's INT score, which is what it has always been.
Seconding Ashworm Dragoon. Ashworms aren't exactly landsharks, but given that they can basically swim through loose soil (and at high levels, the Dragoon can join them) and that you could potentially find an Aquatic Ashworm to act as your mount, it would probably fit the character best.
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take a 2 level totemist dip (if you're a druid, you can handle it) and enjoy shaping the riding bracers. +4 insight to ride and handle animal, with a +2 for every extra essentia you jam in there
you can handle the bullette (or shark) as a free action and push him as a move action even without ranks in handle animal (which as a druid you probably have some) your pet also gets evasion, which is awesome.
plus the rest of the totemist's melds, including the landshark boots, to express solidarity with your bullette buddy.
A Tiercel (sp?) from Fiend Folio is an extraplanar magical beast - basically it's a flying shark. It's not great in combat, but it's pretty good, and the right size. If you have a decent charisma score, and the leadership feat, you should be able to get it as a cohort.
Then negotiate with your DM for getting it as an animal companion, either instead of or in addition to the leadership feat.
Just give it a burrow speed equal to its swim speed (or replacing the swim speed), say A Wizard Druid did It and call it a day. Hand it the Amphibious template (Savage Species) too.
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Originally Posted by Emperor Tippy
By level 20 though, you aren't capturing a wizard. A character lives to level 20 by being the most ruthless, lucky, capable, and paranoid bastard around. A wizard is throwing around a 30+ Int score and has, entirely in character, planned contingencies for his contingencies. He may well be running around with flat out total immunity to harm, he does not walk outside without an entire bevy of defensive magics around him and enough magic items to buy himself a nation.
Last edited by Slipperychicken : 10-30-2012 at 02:31 PM.
Wizards need spellcraft, but Druids can survive quite happily without it.
The problem with summoned creatures is that unless you can talk to them then you can only use them for combat. So you just need some way of talking to animals, luckily you are a Druid and so there's a spell for that.
You can change your animal companion in 24 hours, so have a shark when you are at sea - and something else when you are on land. Endure elements and some means of breathing water might also be handy when you are all at sea, again you are a Druid and so you have spells for this also.
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As the title states, I want a PC who can ride a shark. Looking at the rules, druids get medium sharks as animal companions, so I was thinking get one and learn to ride it. But medium sharks are ... well, medium. What would be a good druid PC able to ride one?
Druids can get large shark at 4th level, huge shark at 10th level and Dire Shark at 16th level. There's Totem Druid in Dragon Magazine 335 that gets +2 to his effective Druid level for animal companions of his totem, but he is stuck with single animal type. You can also only wild shape to your totem animal.
I assume that you are playing aquatic campaign?
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That thing is no more terrible then I.
Hehe, I've heard of Iron Heart Surge, and I have no doubt the DM would kick my ass for trying that.
Thanks for all the useful advice. After talking to the DM, I realised how much trouble it wold be to always have a shark as my Companion, especially at low level (he mentioned something about a bag of holding full of water, constantly leaking behind me).
I'll probably wait till level 5 before getting my shark, since I can get a large one (not limiting me to Small races). I'll look into Ashworm Dragoon if I can get a copy of Sandstorm. And I'll also look into the Totemist build. I liked the Halfling Druid, but losing the ability to summon animals would make it harder to get a new one if I lose/dismiss my current shark.
__________________
"The laws have always been the tools of whoever happens to hold all the chips. ... But you can't deny that lives were saved because those bastards were put down. You'd rather tell those people, 'Sorry you have to die today. I promise we'll change things soon'?" - Yuri Lowell, Tales of Vesperia
"The advantage of fighting your clone is you know EXACTLY what will make him feel guilty. That's also how Catholicism beats up so many ninjas." - Christopher Hastings, Dr McNinja
And the GM said something about getting a land-shark. Where are the rules for such a creature, and what level would I need to be to get one as a companion?
Land shark? Those are lame. Get an air shark. And by that I mean mate a dire shark with a dragon to get a half dragon giant shark that breaths fire. Your welcome.
I can't. Not only would the GM veto it (doesn't like paladins) but the other members of the group will probably be the southern side of neutral.
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Originally Posted by Dr.Epic
Land shark? Those are lame. Get an air shark. And by that I mean mate a dire shark with a dragon to get a half dragon giant shark that breaths fire. Your welcome.
......... I must try this. Thank you, oh wise one.
Now, the question is what to do to get a dragon to mate with a dire shark. Probably involve some heavy booze and a Bard singing Barry White.
__________________
"The laws have always been the tools of whoever happens to hold all the chips. ... But you can't deny that lives were saved because those bastards were put down. You'd rather tell those people, 'Sorry you have to die today. I promise we'll change things soon'?" - Yuri Lowell, Tales of Vesperia
"The advantage of fighting your clone is you know EXACTLY what will make him feel guilty. That's also how Catholicism beats up so many ninjas." - Christopher Hastings, Dr McNinja
I'll stop being weird and say I'm the Co-GM here. I have nothing against paladins (besides sucking hardcore). I have issues with Miko-esque paladins. The Detect-Smite kind.
This is not an aquatic campaign. Thats why he wanted a landshark, so he could ride it on land.
I'll stop being weird and say I'm the Co-GM here. I have nothing against paladins (besides sucking hardcore). I have issues with Miko-esque paladins. The Detect-Smite kind.
This is not an aquatic campaign. Thats why he wanted a landshark, so he could ride it on land.
I approve of an Air Shark.
Keep in mind the AEG has rules for buying mounts by CR.
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