A new feat - Improving Ally

[Inconsequenti-AL]

This is particularly aimed at multiclass Paladins, particularly those who have entered prestige classes. It keeps their mount useful to them... and as many of them build their character around them, I thought this might help:

Improving Ally
Preq: An ally as a class feature - Animal companion, Paladin Mount, Familiar or similar.
Special: Choose one of your allies. It's abilities are based on your character level instead of class level. For example, the Mount of Paladin 5:Fighter 5 would be calculated as the Mount of a 10th level Paladin. This feat may only be taken once.

Figured I would extend it to wizards, sorcerors, druids and rangers as well... But not combinations!

I realise it will increase the power of a Rangers companion to be equal to their class level - a boost over the class level -3 that we house ruled, but still no different to the companion of a druid.

Sound OK?

 

[Tessarael]

Sounds fine. I wish there was a feat like this in core rules, so that my character could take it.

The only power balance issue would be if the ally's progression is worth more than a feat - i.e. an uber-powerful animal companion or something like that. However, as I don't think that is the case for the core classes, it is fine. For non-core classes, I'd want to double-check that their companions were not overly powerful first.

 

[RuminDange]

I've already allowed this kind of thing IMC, however, it takes 1 feat per class that you want to stack into your companion/familier/mount. So that a Wizard/Fighter/Arcane Archer would need 2 feats in order to boost his familiar equal to his character level. Add another class and it doesn't stack until you take the feat again.
Keeps it a little more balanced with the way some companions/familiar/mounts increase over time.

Of course I allow classes/prestige classes that grant the same companion/familiar/mount abilites to stack already. So a Ranger/Druid animal companion would be equal to the Druid Level + Ranger Level -3.

RD

 

[Inconsequenti-AL]

I've already allowed this kind of thing IMC, however, it takes 1 feat per class that you want to stack into your companion/familier/mount. So that a Wizard/Fighter/Arcane Archer would need 2 feats in order to boost his familiar equal to his character level. Add another class and it doesn't stack until you take the feat again.
Keeps it a little more balanced with the way some companions/familiar/mounts increase over time.

Of course I allow classes/prestige classes that grant the same companion/familiar/mount abilites to stack already. So a Ranger/Druid animal companion would be equal to the Druid Level + Ranger Level -3.

RD

An interesting idea there...

Was considering something like the 'Practiced Spellcaster' feat, but 1 feat/4 levels seemed a little too harsh...

I like yours better. Think I'm going to playtest it and see how it goes. If it needs a tweak, I'd use that 1 feat per class.

I do the same thing with the Ranger/Druid and we already houseruled the ranger to Druid - 3 instead of Druid / 2 - seemed much fairer.


Tessarael - A very good point! I'm sure there are a few this can cause problems with. I normally vet them on a case by case basis,


It seems most prestige classes don't seem to offer any advancement for these allies. Only one I can think of is the Cavalier. It's a shame for paladins - there's plenty of PrCs that look good - just require you to stop advancing the mount. For a mounted specialist paladin that seems quite crippling...

Thanks!