Natural Bond [CAdv] and Alternative Animal Companions

[Infiniti2000]

Hyp, since someone else revived this thread -- any chance you could provide your thoughts on that cat swarm? I really am interested. I could make it up myself, of course, but I'm really curious about your ideas on it. My wife is a huge cat lover (so am I), and I was thinking of using it as an NPC, if she doesn't use the idea for her own druid.

Do you think a small druid could use Mounted Combat on a cat swarm?

 

[Klaus]

Only to jump from the Moon to Earth.




(a no-prize to the first one to name the origin of that.)

 

[Hypersmurf]

Hyp, since someone else revived this thread -- any chance you could provide your thoughts on that cat swarm? I really am interested. I could make it up myself, of course, but I'm really curious about your ideas on it. My wife is a huge cat lover (so am I), and I was thinking of using it as an NPC, if she doesn't use the idea for her own druid.

Do you think a small druid could use Mounted Combat on a cat swarm?

Well, it's in a PbP, so I've only seen it in action once so far

Fun, though - he always has a few cats hanging around him, but when trouble threatens, the rest all come pouring out of alleys and sewers, down off roofs, etc. (It's an urban campaign.)

Thoughts - a few of the companion improvements are nice for a swarm. Evasion (and extra Dex) is great, since they take all that extra damage from area effects. Extra hit dice directly affect the damage of their swarm attack and the DC of their Distraction ability.

Extra Str is a bit of a wash, since they can't grapple and it has no effect on their swarm attack - no attack rolls, not Str bonus to damage.

Multiattack - I've interpreted it as allowing them a second swarm attack, though that would be a DM call.

The big disadvantage is that all the standard buff spells for animal companions target a specific number of creatures, so the swarm is all but impossible to buff.

I think a swarm companion of Diminutive creatures, immune to weapon damage, would be severely nasty... but Tiny creatures aren't immune to weapons, so that's not an issue.

We're treating the cat swarm as a Druid Level - 3 companion, so these are the stats I'm using with a Druid 13 with Natural Bond:

[b][u]Animal Companion[/u][/b] 
[sblock]
Adelle
Adon
Aida
Ajax
Alaghon
Alex
Alias
Alice
Alley
Almond
Alusair
Alustriel
Ambrosia
Amn
Amorette
Amy
Angelica
Angus
Arabel
Arilyn
Artus
Ash
Athkatla
Autumn
Avalanche
Aytan
Azoun
Bad
Badger
Baldrick
Baldy
Bandit
Barnaby
Bashful
Batty
Baxter
Beauty
Benson
Bessie
Blackberry
Blizzard
Blossom
Brenna
Bruanna
Bruiser
Bucky
Bug
Buzz
Caledan
Calia
Calimport 
Callie
Carissa
Cedarspoke
Cedric
Charcoal
Cheeky
Cheetah
Chestnut
Chewy
Chipper
Cirrus
Claw
Cloud
Cooper
Coral
Cormyr
Cotton
Crunch
Curly
Cyclone
Daerlun
Dandelion
Danica
Danilo
Dash
Diablo
Diamond
Digger
Dimswart
Dolly
Dot
Dotty
Dove
Duncan
Durnan
Dusty
Ears
Echo
Eclipse
Elminster
Elsa
Erin
Esmeltaran 
Eve
Eveningstar 
Eyebrow
Fang
Felicia
Fergus
Firefly
Flash
Fleece
Floppity
Flower
Fluffy
Flynn
Freckles
Frisky
Frog
Fyodor
Galvin
Garnet
Gideon
Gildenglade
Gobbles
Grisabella
Grunt
Halabar
Halia
Halo
Halruaa
Harmony
Hazel
Hector
Hillsfar 
Hissy
Hlath
Hlondeth
Hobnob
Hoot
Hoppity
Hugs
Ida
Iljak
Ivory
Ixinos
Jabber
Jewel
Jinx
Joy
Kagarr
Kesia
Khelben
Kirby
Laeral
Lhair 
Lheshayl
Lilith
Lotus
Lynx
Lyra
Lyta
Magnolia
Magnus
Magpie
Mahogany
Marbles
Meeko
Melody
Meredith
Mestral
Mia
Micestro
Mickey
Midnight
Milo
Mimph
Minx
Mischief
Mithel
Mitzy
Monkey
Mora
Mourngrym
Mouser
Moustache
Moxie
Mulmaster 
Muscles
Nathlekh
Nessie
Neverwinter 
Nigel
Nimpeth
Nina
Nip
Nonthal
Nova
Nugget
Nuts
Obarskyr
Olive
Onyx
Opal
Ordulin
Oreo
Ormath
Ormpetarr
Othello
Outlaw
Panda
Pandemonium
Pansy
Panther
Patch
Patrick
Paws
Peirgeiron
Pepper
Phantom
Piebald
Pinta
Pitch
Pounce
Prance
Pussamaccattus
Rainbow
Rambler
Ramzey
Rat
Ratbag
Raven
Reth
Rex
Ridge
Robyn
Rowdy
Royce
Ruffles
Sable
Salgaunt
Samra
Samson
Sapphire
Saul
Scratchy
Scruffy
Seaweed
Selina
Sembia
Shadow
Shadowdale 
Shaerl
Shaggy
Shakes
Shamph
Shandril
Shiner
Sigel 
Silky
Silver
Silverymoon 
Simbul
Simone
Skullport 
Sky
Sly
Sniff
Snort
Snowflake
Socks
Sophie
Sox
Spider
Splotch
Spot
Spotty
Squeak
Star
Storm
Stretch
Sunshine
Surkh
Suzail
Sylune
Sylvia
Tantris 
Tessa
Tippy
Topaz
Tristan
Trixie
Trouble
Tulip
Tummy
Twigs
Urmlaspyr 
Vangerdahast
Veladorn
Vilheim
Waterdeep 
Waves
Whiskers
Whisper
Willow
Winterwood
Xorhun
Zaranda
Zebra[/sblock]
    [b]CAT SWARM[/b]
    [b]Tiny Animal (Swarm)[/b]
     
    [b]Hit Dice            :[/b]    12d8+24 (78 hp)
    [b]Initiative          :[/b]    +4
    [b]Speed               :[/b]    30 ft. (6 squares)
    [b]Armor Class         :[/b]    25 (+2 size, +4 Dex, +8 natural armor, +1 Dodge feat house rule), 
                             touch 17, flat-footed 20
    [b]Base Attack/Grapple :[/b]    +9/—
    [b]Attack              :[/b]    Swarm (3d6)
    [b]Full Attack         :[/b]    Swarm (3d6/3d6)
    [b]Space/Reach         :[/b]    10 ft./0 ft.
    [b]Special Attacks     :[/b]    Distraction, Multiattack
    [b]Special Qualities   :[/b]    Half damage from slashing and piercing, 
                             low-light vision, scent, swarm traits, link, 
                             share spells, evasion, devotion           
    [b]Saves               :[/b]    Fort +9, Ref +12, Will +7
    [b]Abilities           :[/b]    Str 8, Dex 19, Con 12, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 7
    [b]Skills              :[/b]    Balance +12, Climb +15, Hide +16*, Jump +12, 
                             Listen +5, Move Silently +8, Spot +5
    [b]Feats               :[/b]    Dodge, Iron Will, Ability Focus (Distraction), 
                             Mobility, Improved Toughness, Weapon FinesseB
     
    [b]Combat[/b]
    [i]Distraction (Ex):[/i] Any living creature that begins its turn with the swarm in 
    its square must succeed on a DC 19 Fortitude save or be nauseated for 1 round. 
    
    [b]Skills:[/b] Cats have a +4 racial bonus on Climb, Hide, and Move Silently checks 
    and a +8 racial bonus on Jump checks. Cats have a +8 racial bonus on Balance 
    checks. They use their Dexterity modifier instead of their Strength modifier 
    for Climb and Jump checks. 
    *In areas of tall grass or heavy undergrowth, the Hide bonus rises to +8.

-Hyp.