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General Tabletop Discussion
*Dungeons & Dragons
Awakened Animals as Player Characters
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<blockquote data-quote="Greenfield" data-source="post: 7530859" data-attributes="member: 6669384"><p>In theory the awakened bear could have taken those two extra hit dice as character levels. Not sure how forgoing extra hit dice is power gaming, but to each his own I suppose.</p><p></p><p>He's been playing the party weakling though, since he's currently 9 hit dice in a 16th level game. His AC says "Power attack me, please!", and his to-hit is relatively pitiful at +15 (BAB of 7 plus 8 for Strength.) Saves are relatively poor as well. The 19 CON isn't bad, and helps his hit points stay above the one-punch stage, but he's a long way from power gaming in the regular setting.</p><p></p><p>Our DM has recently decided to run an adventure for him and some similarly leveled characters, and in that setting he's the big-bang of melee combat. Still relatively easy to hit. He's magic light, and gear light in general (Bears don't come with starting money, after all), and a cohort's treasure share is supposed to be a fraction of a full share, but in practice the party doesn't count him in the splits, so he gets whatever his "master" can spare.</p><p></p><p>Finding weapons and armor appropriate for him in loot is essentially impossible, and items like gloves or boots won't fit. Rings are arguable.</p><p></p><p>By DM fiat this particular bear has opposable thumbs (he's from a dream realm), but his claws are smaller and do less damage.</p><p></p><p>Improved Grab is nice once in a while, but not as nice as Improved Grapple. (Bear hits and does damage with claws, then gets a free grapple attempt. Improved grapple calls for a touch-attack hit that does no damage, and gives a plus four on the grapple check. Easier to hit, easier to win the grapple check.)</p><p></p><p>But I see your point about the ECL. Plus two character adjustment seems fair.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Greenfield, post: 7530859, member: 6669384"] In theory the awakened bear could have taken those two extra hit dice as character levels. Not sure how forgoing extra hit dice is power gaming, but to each his own I suppose. He's been playing the party weakling though, since he's currently 9 hit dice in a 16th level game. His AC says "Power attack me, please!", and his to-hit is relatively pitiful at +15 (BAB of 7 plus 8 for Strength.) Saves are relatively poor as well. The 19 CON isn't bad, and helps his hit points stay above the one-punch stage, but he's a long way from power gaming in the regular setting. Our DM has recently decided to run an adventure for him and some similarly leveled characters, and in that setting he's the big-bang of melee combat. Still relatively easy to hit. He's magic light, and gear light in general (Bears don't come with starting money, after all), and a cohort's treasure share is supposed to be a fraction of a full share, but in practice the party doesn't count him in the splits, so he gets whatever his "master" can spare. Finding weapons and armor appropriate for him in loot is essentially impossible, and items like gloves or boots won't fit. Rings are arguable. By DM fiat this particular bear has opposable thumbs (he's from a dream realm), but his claws are smaller and do less damage. Improved Grab is nice once in a while, but not as nice as Improved Grapple. (Bear hits and does damage with claws, then gets a free grapple attempt. Improved grapple calls for a touch-attack hit that does no damage, and gives a plus four on the grapple check. Easier to hit, easier to win the grapple check.) But I see your point about the ECL. Plus two character adjustment seems fair. [/QUOTE]
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