Inexperienced DM vs. MIN/MAX druid

[Olgar Shiverstone]

You didn't have to give it to him, you know.

 

[diaglo]

You didn't have to give it to him, you know.

the NPC handed it to him.

the look on his face, though, when he hit the spectre and it disappeared was priceless.

only problem remains....he is still moving too darn fast for his str and weight...he outdistanced us to the battle and he shouldn't have.

 

[the Jester]

- can his animal companion stats be rolled (so he can eventually get a really rocking animal companion from good rolls)?

Sure, but he has to take the rolls (no rerolls) on straight 3d6 (no best 3 of 4 dice).

- can his animal companion raise levels? (I'd like to implement this just to offset the first request, so I can "simulate" a bond of friendship between him and his animal.)

That's what the chart in the PH is for.

- can he make armor other than hide out of critter skins (like plate mail from monster x) (he could use the AC, but is there a reason other than flavor for this restriction)?

Does the critter in question have skin of iron? No? Well there ya go. Also, there's a whole section on druid armor restrictions... he can violate it but the consequences are spelled out quite clearly in the PH.

- can he have weapons outside of his druid weapon restrictions (he reasons that the current restrictions are just flavor, and I worry that some are meant to keep damage low)?

If he's proficient, yes he can in 3.5.

So tell me... would this throw him off-balance? Were the restrictions there for a good reason? Hopefully Masters of the Wild will be a help.

Thanks ahead.

Restrictions are always there for a reason.

 

[Norfleet]

I won't add anything to the specific points you've asked - the crowd have offered usful advice already. What I will say is that I know a player very similar to the one you describe. He always makes reasoned arguments about why things should be changed but they always happen to fall in his favour, i.e. they make his character stronger!

You know what? The other players deeply resent him, and it affects the game play. They are always trying the do him down, and block him, because they know he will be trying to squeeze out every last advantage he can from the situation (or rather his reinterpretation of the situation the way the DM should have done it!).

Heh, I'm kinda like that....except that my suggestions tend to make everyone more "powerful"....by making everything tend to get killed more easily. Besides, I'm the DM, so I don't have a character.

Besides, even fully statted henchmen don't progress in levels as fast the PCs, are rolled up by the GM--*not* the player, and will leave if mistreated (i.e. used as cannon fodder; not paid a share of the treasure, etc).

What is this "share of treasure" business you speak of? I've heard of this before, and seen it mentioned anecdotally in the books, but I've never actually been with any group that's actually DONE it like that.

If he's a spellcasting armored tank, slicing his enemies in two with a greatsword while sicking his ferocious animal sidekick on them, then he's not a druid--he's a munchkin.

That reminds me of my character from Diablo II.

However, it's true, a lot of the druid's weapons selection seems kinda...oddball. I mean, why the scimitar? Is he a Turk? I would think the axe or bow fits the more woodsy, natural flavor more than a scimitar.

 

[HellHound]

Don't animal companions basically level up already using the 3.5 rules?

As the druid gains levels, the animal gains extra Hit Dice (and all the comensurate bonuses that come with extra hit dice)and some stat bonuses...

If you allow leveling up AND additional hit dice based on druid level, things are going to get out of hand pretty quick...

Druid Level Bonus HD Natural Armor Adj. Str/Dex Adj. Bonus Tricks Special
1st–2nd +0 +0 +0 1 Link, share spells
3rd–5th +2 +2 +1 2 Evasion
6th–8th +4 +4 +2 3 Devotion
9th–11th +6 +6 +3 4 Multiattack
12th–14th +8 +8 +4 5
15th–17th +10 +10 +5 6 Improved evasion
18th–20th +12 +12 +6 7

 

[MeepoTheMighty]

Don't animal companions basically level up already using the 3.5 rules?

Yes, yes they do. Check the date on the original post. Someone's been casting Raise Dead on all the old threads lately.

 

[Terry Edwards]

Concerning animal companions...Some advancement coinciding with character advancement is fine but remember that animal companions should not be treated as combatants by their druid (or other) "master." If your player uses animal companions for this I would reconsider advancement and even have the animal abondon the druid. Remember that animals attack only when hurt, threatened, hungry, etc. Definitely do not allow rolling the animal's stats.

 

[HellHound]

Thanks Meepo, I wasn't keeping up properly it seems.

 

[Pbartender]

If this was my campaign:

- can his animal companion stats be rolled (so he can eventually get a really rocking animal companion from good rolls)?

No. Although I might consider allowing him to use the 'standard 25 point array'... 15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8.

- can his animal companion raise levels? (I'd like to implement this just to offset the first request, so I can "simulate" a bond of friendship between him and his animal.)

It kind of depends on whether you are playing 3.0 or 3.5...

3.0: Not really, but maybe later. The critter can advance in HD normally to keep up with the HD=druid level limit. If I was feeling magnanimous and house ruled it... At 6th level, if the druid wishes to take the Leadership feat, and have Awaken cast on the animal, then it could gain character levels, instead of HD. Be aware that Awaken increases the HD of the creature by 2. Also be aware that many special abilities, skills and feats from regular classes would be useless to the average awakened animal, due to the lack of opposable thumbs and humanoid body type.

3.5: Not really, but maybe later. The critter can advance normally in accordance with the Druid Animal Companion chart in the PHB. If I was feeling magnanimous and house ruled it... At 6th level, if the druid wishes to take the Leadership feat, and have Awaken cast on the animal, then it could gain character levels, instead of HD. I'd use the same optional guideline presented on p. 200 of the DMG for using Paladin's Mounts as Cohorts (+2 ECL for the creature's level, due to the special abilities granted as a Special Mount/Animal Companion). Be aware that Awaken increases the HD of the creature by 2. Also be aware that many special abilities, skills and feats from regular classes would be useless to the average awakened animal, due to the lack of opposable thumbs and humanoid body type.

- can he make armor other than hide out of critter skins (like plate mail from monster x) (he could use the AC, but is there a reason other than flavor for this restriction)?

Yes. In addition to Hide armor, I'd rule he could make Padded Armor, Leather Armor and Studded Leather Armor from animal hides. But no, he would not be able to replicate any metel-based armors without using special materials (dragon hide or iron wood).

- can he have weapons outside of his druid weapon restrictions (he reasons that the current restrictions are just flavor, and I worry that some are meant to keep damage low)?

Normally no. But, personally, I don't like the nature of the druid restrictions.

I'd rule that he could use whatever weapon he wants without losing his druid powers. The druid's weapon proficiencies would not change, however, and normal non-weapon proficiency penalties would apply for using non-proficient weapons. That is to say, if his druid wants to use a two-handed sword, he should take the Martial Weapon Proficiency as a feat, or multiclass with a class that gives it to him.

Hopefully Masters of the Wild will be a help.

Yes, it should.

 

[Saeviomagy]

He isnt a min/maxer, he is a munchkin. A min/max guy at least has the courtesy to stick to the rules.

Which rules would he be breaking here? Of the rules given, most of them are present in 3.5, and the one about rolling animal stats is simply not mentioned anywhere - exceptional creatures get rolled stats. It's entirely debatable whether an animal companion is exceptional or not.

The restrictions against other weapons for druids is not just for flavor; it's a balance issue. Still, I'd be willing to work with him on this one - most poeple think it's a silly restriction.

Yeah, balance issue. Which is why it was removed in 3.5. Or for that matter why two of the weapons on the list are martial ones...

I'd say no. People come in all shapes, sizes, and skills, but animals tend to be more around their genetic medium. The animal companion is not some sort of secondary character the player gets to control like a mindless henchmen.

You're just making this up. Animals vary as much if not more than humans do.