Monster Buddies

[RUMBLETiGER]

I was flipping through Forgotten Realms: Magic of Faerun and stumbled across the Beholderkin Spectator. I read the entry of this LN monster and thought this would be a great housemate for a PC's personal mansion fortress, should a PC ever have one.

I started imagining a Griffon aviary upon a high tower, a psudodragon stalking hallways for mice, (and of course domesticated Rust Monsters) and began wondering what other creatures from the Monster Manuals and such a PC might be able to befriend through diplomacy or other simple means and bring home.

What other monsters could you see passing by peacefully as you wondered the halls of your mansion home?

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

Also, what methods might one use to accomplish befriending a monster or gaining it's loyalty in a way that was genuine (non-magical domination/charming, so no one can dispel the effect & you're suddenly screwed)?
I'm thinking Diplomacy checks, Wild Empathy ability, Handle Animal checks, Amulet of Aberration Empathy from Complete Adventurer p.132, Tongues spell for communication purposes, perhaps sparing the life of a strictly Lawful creature in exchange for it's services, raising the creature from infancy, planting Plant types in strategic locations, providing simple-minded creatures with plenty of food... what else might you suggest?

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

The list I've started so far:

Monster Housemates:


Beholderkin Spectator (LN)- Magic of Faerun p.182 Diplomacy or Handle Animal w/ Amulet of Aberrant Empathy.


Griffon (NN)- MMI p.139 Training, raising from infancy.


Water Mephit (NN) MMI p.185 Diplomacy, offer a water environment to settle into.


Mimic (NN) MMI p.186 Offer food, treasure.


Psudodragon (NG) MMI p.210 Befriend as per entry information.


Blink Dog (LG) MMI p.28 Training, raising from infancy.


Krenshar (NN) MMI p.163 Training, raising from infancy.

 

[marcielle]

If you want more monsters, Ebberon and Magic of Ebberon have symbiont creatures. They are little pet things (sometimes literally) attached to your hip and although always LE, they will stay and help any willing host since they can't live without one. Easiest way to obtain one is to find someone who already has one and kill him. Symbiont will automatically try to befriend you if you don't attack it. Watch out for ego scores though. Shadow siblings and throw scarabs are the most inconspicuous.

Naga. If you are or know a high enough level priest/wizard, you can have one bound directly to your home. In fact, this should work for a lot of magical guardian types.

Baenshrae. A bit iffy on this one but they apparently LOVE wind instruments. If your really good with one and have some affinity for fey, you might get one to follow you around. How much do they love wind instruments? Hearing one played well will instantly switch them from murderous intent to friendly pranker. Just never eat anything she gives you.

Dryads if you are a druid/ranger . Though if you are one, you probably live up a tree anyway.

Elemental stewards(CP) if you are psionic. They automaticaly WORSHIP you just for being a full psionic.

Most undead will be relatively friendly to you of you have a certain feat from HoH.

Nightmares automatically submit to any Evil alligned creature that bests it in combat. They are intelligent so no tricks allowed.

I think Displacer beasts can be trained.

According to Eberron you can train basilisks. Also, remember that most innate abilities can be suppressed at will.

Finally, savage beast master and... DINOSAURS MWAHAHAHAHA

 

[marcielle]

Druid :The Druid Handbook
Search dino and keep going down til you find them.

Ranger: Beast master alt class feature that gives up the Prime Shot class feature to get a RAPTOR.

Apparently, halflings have a natural bond with all dinosaurs: Dinosaur Wrangler - Feat - D&D Toolshop
With some optimizing and luck, you could have AS MANY DINOSAURS AS YOU WANT.

 

[Visigani]

Otyugh. All you need a is a pit that they can't get out of, they become a defacto waste (prisoner) disposal service. Don't need to train them, or even keep them happy. Just have to make sure they don't get out of that thar pit. =)


Anthropomorphic bats make great spies, or even guards.


With enough ranks in Wild Empathy I suspect you could train a whole gorilla army to do your bidding. Gorilla gorilla. Give them armor and weapons suitable to their forms, train them how to use them. Profit.

 

[Binho]

Xorn!!! All you need is Diplomacy and give it food.
He can not digest meat, so if you are small enough it can "eat" you and take you through earth chambers using Earth Glide. That's your subway!!!

 

[Binho]

You could use a Treant to be your gardener! It could take care of your garden for you for free!
You could train a shocker lizard to take care of the rats and alike.

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

You could use a Treant to be your gardener! It could take care of your garden for you for free!
You could train a shocker lizard to take care of the rats and alike.

I've seriously considered an Awakened tree of medium or small size (More a bush really) as a gardenkeeper companion.

Never considered Shocker Lizard, is there any RAW material about training one? Sounds like something that would be in a "Races of..." book.

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

Drow of the Underdark p.143 has a Monstrous Spider called the Widowmaker. It says in the monster entry that these spiders are easy to train as mounts, and dispite having an INT of - like all vermin, the text entry says, "Widowmakers take instruction well and are easy to train. Treat a widowmaker as a magical beast with Intelligence 3 for the purpose of Handle Animal checks."
A Large CR 10 poisonous spider as a pet? Yes Please!