Minions!

[chorolus]

Ok, so I've been working on a ranged-combat character who has 3 'pets' to use as blockers, and can move them around as a defensive, mobile wall of sorts. A Hybrid Shaman/Ranger who Multiclasses as an arcane class to gain a Familiar as well. The MC class is probably going to be a Swordmage for the swordbond ability and a couple other utility Powers...but I'm still looking at the other classes to see if another would fit better.

So my question is if there are any classes other then Shaman/Ranger and Arcane(Familiar) who can gain a pet/other minion?

The Shaman actually has arguably the best pet for this character as it can be resummoned every round in any square nearby, and once she gets the Nimble Spirit feat she can re-summon it as a minor action. Familiars have a similar ability with the Active Familiar feat, which lets you move them around whenever you move yourself. The Ranger pet seems to be the most limited...go figure seeing as how it's the only 'real' pet, the others are summoned...but there are some Ranger powers that let you shift them around too.

 

[fba827]

well the wizard, druid, and invoker can summon creatures (as daily powers).

Or if you wanted to look at magic items, there are Figurines of Wondrous Power as well as Bag of Tricks, both of those items have several varieties to conjure a creature as a daily power.

 

[chorolus]

Thanks for the suggestions, I knew a few classes had daily-type Powers that summon things but was wondering if any other classes had sustainable, dependable ones other then the 3 mentioned.

For the character I'm building, 3 will probably be more then enough...but out of curiosity, and a nagging urge to make a likeness of my old Diablo 2 necromancer with his army of skeletons, I was wondering if I was missing any other classes that feature 'pets'

 

[blargney the second]

While the Vadalis Griffonmaster doesn't add a new pet, it does increase your animal companion to size large.... = 3 more squares of blocking.

 

[Pelenor]

I'd be really careful with this. Granted I'd have to go and look at the specifics of the options mentioned to build it. But, it seems to me that you may put so much of your resources (feats, power, items, etc...) that if something could neutralize it you may not have enough to defend yourself with out your minions. Granted in a good party under most circumstances this won't be an issue but... stuff happens. So I'd say it sounds like an interesting idea just be mindful of the downside.

 

[Obryn]

Ok, so I've been working on a ranged-combat character who has 3 'pets' to use as blockers, and can move them around as a defensive, mobile wall of sorts.

There are going to be some issues with this, partly related to the specific class features and partly related to the action economy... Starting out as a Beastmaster Ranger is a good start, though - those are the longest-lasting, most-capable of the bunch.

But - that will probably take your Hybrid Talent feat right there, if it's even an option. (I honestly don't know.)

A shaman's spirit companion doesn't block anything. It can be moved through, around, etc. I think the hybrid talent for Shaman might give you an option to let them make OA's. But still, it's not a good blocker; it's mostly an extension of yourself for some powers.

Active familiars.... I'd need to look up, honestly. But I don't know if they occupy a square, and I'm pretty sure they don't make OA's. They get killed pretty easily, though, so I wouldn't count on them lasting.

I think you might be better off hybriding Ranger with a Controller class - probably Wizard - and get a bunch of Daily Wall powers.

-O

 

[firesnakearies]

A shaman's spirit companion doesn't block anything. It can be moved through, around, etc. I think the hybrid talent for Shaman might give you an option to let them make OA's. But still, it's not a good blocker; it's mostly an extension of yourself for some powers.

http://www.wizards.com/dndinsider/compendium/power.aspx?id=6515

"Enemies cannot move through its space, but allies can."

 

[Obryn]

No kiddin! Shows how often I've worked with shamans!

Still, as a hybrid or MC feature, they're minimally sticky. Blocking 1 square is only useful on rare battlefields.

-O

 

[chorolus]

I'm not looking for OA's from the pets, the only source of OA's this character might have is from the Beast Protector feat, which was decided in another thread I posted about OA's, that you have to be in melee range to use--even with the Sharpshooter(or Seeker) PP...that thread is here:

http://www.enworld.org/forum/4e-discussion/276093-ranged-opportunity-attacks.html#post5170756

The goal is to keep stuff away from her, or at the least to provide cover for her by being in front of her. Her AC is probably going to be abysmal, so the point of the pets is to block things from going around them...and if they try to without shifting she can then make OA's as they come into her polearm range.

That griffonmaster thing is interesting though...it's an actual pet choice right? The Vadalis-bred Griffon? I don't see where it says it's a large sized pet, but that would be a bonus. It can fly too, so I could take off and land behind an enemy to pin it between the other 2 pets and a wall on occasion...the pet may have to absorb an OA from the enemy, but could be nice for pinning down mobile foes.

---

And I realize that having too many 'pets' would be a great tax on my dnd group itself, waiting for me to finish moving them all around, rolling/tracking their initiative/HP/etc. Three of them is probably already more than enough, I was just wondering if there were other options out there.

--edit--

Just noticed the note on the Vadalis-bred griffon that states you have to have the Vadalis Griffonmaster PP to take them as a pet...that's a bummer, but still an option I suppose...would make for a pretty cool mount if I take the Beast Rider feat ^^

 

[Obryn]

And I realize that having too many 'pets' would be a great tax on my dnd group itself, waiting for me to finish moving them all around, rolling/tracking their initiative/HP/etc. Three of them is probably already more than enough, I was just wondering if there were other options out there.

(1) They all use your initiative, always.
(2) The action economy is still a problem. With one exception - which I'll get to in a sec - they all use your actions. You need to spend actions to get them to do anything, including move. So among all of you, you share 1 Standard, 1 Move, and 1 Minor action. Some of them will let you move them with a Minor action (especially summons), but you will not have four turns per round.

That exception is only sorta. With your Ranger Companion, it can move when you move. You don't need to spend two move actions for both of you to move.

-O