D&D Bard

[Mandi423]

So im starting in a new game where i wanted to try something different. This is the first time im playing a Bard and i was wanting to know if anyone could help. Im trying to explain to a DM why my Bard needs 2 animal companions. Their is 1 other person playing as a rogue and a druid. A little odd i know but this is our off-campaign. My friend is a bit of a loner and their is a good chance that he will split. Its a sandbox game as well, so any ideas on how to explain?

 

[Dandu]

Sure

 

[Herobizkit]

What version of D&D are you playing, @Mandi423 ?

If it's 3.x, I'm not sure how you plan to start with ANY animal companions. I mean, you could take summon monster I and cast it a couple of times a day, but only Druids and Rangers get animal companions as such.

I have even less of an idea how to do this in 4e, but I suspect that multi-classing or hybrid-classing with Druid might work.

Why DO you need two animal companions? If you're worried about that other player leaving, you could always play a second character as well.

 

[Mandi423]

My DM lets us do whatever as long as we make up a backstory so anything is possible. But im having a hard time both with the explanation and the actual mechanics. Im mostly doing it because i want to control a squad instead of one character but my dm doesnt want me getting over my head either. I brought up having 2 animal companions cause they are more simplistic compared too actual characters.

We are using 3.5 and really the mechanics of this happening is the hard part, the backstory i need after i figure how to do it based loosely on 3.5 rules.

 

[Mark CMG]

Maybe you need four animals -

Town Musicians of Bremen - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3AQayAz02Ys[/ame]

 

[Scott DeWar]

dang, can't rep you yet. that was funny!

 

[Herobizkit]

Well, the best thing I can suggest is to possibly go digging around for the old 2nd edition Complete Bard's Handbook. There was a kits in there that had some animal-flavored inspiration, namely the Meistersinger. To a lesser extent, the Gypsy-Bard could fit that role as well.

Back to the original question. You want to direct a group of animals instead of 'people' because it's less complicated? Hm. From a tactical standpoint, most size Small or Tiny creatures only have a handful of hit points, and only a few of the medium ones are hardy enough to take more than a whack or two. You can't really protect them that well without magical spells.

If you're playing 3.x, there are a few variants from the Unearthed Arcana that may be of interest. These are simple additions and subtractions to the core Bard's abilities.

A rare bard might display a special link to nature and the mysterious world of the fey. Such characters tend to be more aloof and less inspiring than standard bards.

Gain: Animal companion (as druid), nature sense (as druid), resist nature's lure (as druid), wild empathy (as druid).

Lose: Bardic knowledge, inspire courage, inspire competence, inspire greatness, inspire heroics.

Also:

Bard Variant: Savage Bard

The savage bard is a warrior at heart, though his arcane powers strike fear into the enemies of his tribe. Savage bards often multi-class as barbarians to improve their combat prowess.

Alignment: A savage bard must be chaotic in alignment. A savage bard who becomes non-chaotic cannot progress in levels as a bard, though he retains all his bard abilities.

Base Save Bonuses: A savage bard has good Fortitude and Will saves, but has poor Reflex saves.

Class Skills: A savage bard loses Decipher Script and Speak Language as class skills. He adds Survival to his list of class skills.

Class Features: The savage bard has all the standard bard class features, except as noted below.

Illiteracy: A savage bard is illiterate, just as a barbarian is. An illiterate savage bard cannot use or scribe scrolls.

Spellcasting: Remove the following spells from the savage bard's class spell list: calm emotions, comprehend languages, detect secret doors, erase, prestidigitation, read magic, sepia snake sigil, summon monster (I through VI).

Add the following spells to the savage bard's class spell list:
1st: calm animals, detect snares and pits, endure elements, summon nature's ally I
2nd: bull's strength, pass without trace, summon nature's ally II
3rd: snare, summon nature's ally III
4th: insect plague, summon nature's ally IV
5th: commune with nature, summon nature's ally V
6th: creeping doom, reincarnate, summon nature's ally VI

Having animal companions kind of steps on the toes of your Druid, overlapping or duplicating powers that the Druid already brings to the table. Still...

This type of Bard forgoes the usual "book smarts" and "social grace" expected of her and instead takes on the persona of a person who was taught to become a protector by the fey folk. As such, the animals of the forest relate to him just as well as a Druid might, but for different reasons. Perhaps the animals are actually "fey/spirit' animals. Taking a level or three in barbarian down the road would make you a formidable warrior and very Tarzan-esque.

I like it.

 

[Mandi423]

Thanks Hero, again im just brainstorming and i have looked everywhere, thats actually how i found this site.

 

[S'mon]

I'm thinking Pied Piper here...

 

[TwoSix]

The unearthed arcana class feature swap will get you one.

Use this feat to gain a second.

Wild Cohort

Beastmaster PrC from Complete Adventurer will get you more. Or, for a different feel, try Beast Heart Adept from Dungeonscape (gets monsters as companions).