Minions!

Ah, yeah. I forgot about the shared initiative thing. So far as having enough actions to move them all around, it could get cumbersome moving them all around...but it's still an experimental character. The spirit/familiar will probably have to alternate which one gets to move per turn, and as you said the Ranger pet can move if I do, and if not there are Powers that let them move when I attack. I know the pets can't attack on their own, unless I give up my attack action to let them, but as I said...they are mostly blockers.
 

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I'll definitely post updates about the characters' game-play viability, I'm hoping to try her out next week. I think her biggest flaw will be a shortage of feats, as quite a few of them are devoted to efficiently using her pets.

IMHO, it's kind of annoying that pets can't attack when you do. Realistically they definitely would attack on their own, but I realize that this would usher in numerous balancing issues...just seems like a waste that all pets can really do is block, flank (Ranger pet only, I believe), and occasional OA-fishing...owell... /rant
 
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IMHO, it's kind of annoying that pets can't attack when you do. Realistically they definitely would attack on their own, but I realize that this would usher in numerous balancing issues...just seems like a waste that all pets can really do is block, flank (Ranger pet only, I believe), and occasional OA-fishing...owell... /rant

Yes that limits their utility a lot, I would agree, and would like to have a better way of handling it in 4E. I understand he balance issues, but summoning, especially for wizards, hardly seems worth the effort for me.

At least with spirits and companions, they might suck up some hits.
 

IMHO, it's kind of annoying that pets can't attack when you do. Realistically they definitely would attack on their own, but I realize that this would usher in numerous balancing issues...just seems like a waste that all pets can really do is block, flank (Ranger pet only, I believe), and occasional OA-fishing...owell... /rant

If you did go the summon route, the druid summons are the only ones (so far) that have instinctive actions, allowing them to attack on their own if they aren't given any directions. Though some of these instinctive actions are at a gamble (i.e. attacking the nearest 'creature' not always the nearest 'enemy' type thing).

That fact aside, don't underestimate the power of blocking/flanking/taking up space in general. Taking up space on the battle field helps add the 'wall' or gauntlet that enemies would have to get past to get to some squishy allies that are trying to hang even further back.

But, yeah, shared actions - so pick powers and stuff that can get good use out of those creatures to add some variety in what you can do with them
 

Yep, I'm planning on picking her feats/Powers carefully. I haven't really looked at the Druid summons yet, it probably should have been one of the first to look up, given the history of the class...but owell. From the sounds of it, they have limited uses, and no direct control.

In my group, we probably have a few too many squishy characters...so 3 additional blockers goes a long way.
 

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