Animal Companion vs Animal domain and other discussions.

[Space]

Which one do you take on character creation?

Also. Druid 15 Bard 5 (For rank 2 inspire) vs 20 Druid?

[HeLLfire]

Animal Domain for the extra spell slot unless i'm going for a feat starved build, or just need AnC immediatly from lv1.

Sure it's not that great in this game due to lack of spells, and you have to take the Boon Companion feat to compensate for the level loss.
So it's not really that big of a deal either way in my eyes.

[anxrev]

Питакс академия бардов баг, нет возможности продолжить компанию!

[Lord_WC]

If you want to splash anything into druid make it monk for AC and flurry.

[Space]

Originally posted by anxrev:

Питакс академия бардов баг, нет возможности продолжить компанию!

Thanks for the warning.

[Space]

Originally posted by Lord_WC:

If you want to splash anything into druid make it monk for AC and flurry.

If anything I need bab so I can hit with a bow, AC isnt a concern.

[Myrtillo]

As HeLLfire mentionned, animal domain gives you extra spell slots at the cost of one feat and a slightly harder early game.
Just take Boon Companion at level 5 (also from what I understood you are ranged oriented so no shapeshift and it wont compete with Natural Spellcasting at level 5).
That is, IF you go pure druid. If you multiclass, your compensated levels of boon companions will be needed elsewhere so take Companion instead of Animal domain.

5 level Bard dip is a very bad idea imo. You loose access to lvl 9 spells, you kind of have to pick the Feyspeaker archetype which is bad (and even worse without full caster progression) to have CHA as your primary stat. Lvl 2 inspiration will be outclassed by mid game, and spells (heroism comes to mind) can give you that +2 morale bonus on hit.
Plus Bard isn't full BAB.


If you envision your character as a very skilled bowman druid and don't mind taking a 5 levels multiclass, I suggest to multiclass as a fighter.
That will give you:
- 5 levels of a full BAB class
- Longbow proficiency
- Weapon training bows
- Weapon Specialization (and two other extra bonus feats to take archery related combat feats)
- Armor training

Compared to sticking to pure Druid that's longbow over shortbow, +3 BAB, another +1 to hit, +3 damage, more armor options without capping your Dex modifier, and two free combat feats.
You give up on lvl 9 spells, some spells/day, and your animal companion will end at lvl 19. Good tradeoff if you like shooting your bow.

[Space]

Yeah I dont understand the requirements for different level of spells, how do you knowwhat level you need to be unlock a new spell level. I wish this was explained..

I actually decided to play a Cleric (Crusader) to pair up with Val, who will go Freebooter. And I'm currently trying to decide if I want to multi class my cleric (his role is to always be close for healing range and not die as soon as the wind picks up). I'm so sick of Tristian, who doesn't even have Healing Domain (Or even a second domain for that matter). And don't even get me started on that damn dwarf.

So, in order to fully understand what I'm doing, specifically, multiclassing.. It'd really help if I knew what level I need to be for various levels of spells. I want to Multiclass my cleric, maybe one level of vivisectionist for extra damage and 2 levels of Paladin for the CHA save bonus.. But I have no idea what that does to my spells.

Another example.. I was going to swap Linzi over to a druid after Bard 5, because I dont see the point in going beyond bard 5, giving me access to some druid buffs/cc since there really are NO good druid options unless you play one yourself. Again, I dont know what that limits me to spellwise... Because nothing explains to you the requirement for each spell level. (That I know of).

People keep telling me to make Amiri the druid, but I fail to see how that does not suck.

[Myrtillo]

That's a lot of things to comment on :D

Casters in general gain access to a new spell level every two levels. So in the cleric case lvl3= Level 2 spells, level 5: level 3 spells ... Lvl 17=lvl 9 spells.
For "spontaneous casters", like sorcerers, the level is pushed back (they gain a new level of spells at class lvl 4, then 6, 8 etc.).

Tristian doesn't really need healing domain to be great at healing. His Channelling positive enery is very strong, and he can prepare healing spells as an Ecclesitheurge of Sarenrae. (I have not dug too dip into this class yet, mind you). He can make an excellent backline healer.
Dhirrim is actually ok in the role of frontline tank healer if you give him decent+ cha gear

There are a lot of reasons to progress bard beyond 5. All the performances continue scaling in the higher levels, and you get access to more spells/higher DC.

Amiri can make a good shapeshift druid with her stats+Barb dip
Dhirrim can make a decent caster druid.
I personally hate changing the intended classes of companions, though. But the reason why we get two clerics and no pally/druids/sorc is beyond me :D

[lordlorac]

Take animal domain (and later companion boob) will grant you a new slot for spell. Granted it will be mostly convocation and only druid spell but it's the point. No need for spontaneus spell because you will have your domain spell slot for it.
I roll a merc druid for test and after level 12 I didn't know what feat I could take for him... so companion boon will not be wasted.
My druid needed animal incantation, invocation school and the better invocation (+4 str and con, +1 creature...), evocation school and robustess.

[lordlorac]

But the first part of the adventure will be harder.

[corisai]

Don't forget that currently game will end with 16-17 lvl. This will remove question about dip into bard completely, huh.

[corisai]

Originally posted by Space:

I'm so sick of Tristian, who doesn't even have Healing Domain (Or even a second domain for that matter).

He's best possible healer in game (including player-made chars).

He will game OP healing ability during his questline. But quite late, yean :P

[Space]

Originally posted by corisai:

Originally posted by Space:

I'm so sick of Tristian, who doesn't even have Healing Domain (Or even a second domain for that matter).

He's best possible healer in game (including player-made chars).

He will game OP healing ability during his questline. But quite late, yean :P

Yeah, he's the best healer in the game.. Doesn't say much when his competition is a dwarf "Cleric" with no charisma.

[corisai]

Originally posted by Space:

Yeah, he's the best healer in the game.. Doesn't say much when his competition is a dwarf "Cleric" with no charisma.

He will get ability to cast any healing spell as maximized. For free :)

[Wasylus]

Originally posted by Space:

Originally posted by corisai:

He's best possible healer in game (including player-made chars).

He will game OP healing ability during his questline. But quite late, yean :P

Yeah, he's the best healer in the game.. Doesn't say much when his competition is a dwarf "Cleric" with no charisma.

The main reason for a cleric to get 13+ charisma is selective channeling. People get too fixated on that feat. It's nice to have early game, relatively less so later on but either way - hardly an absolute necessity for a good cleric. Harrim has some weaknesses but Charisma isn't the one I would worry too much. Negative dexterity modifier or not that great domain selection are in my opinion worse. In addition, +1CHA at level 4 and any +2 CHA item and you can get selevtive channeling as the level 5 feat for Harrim if you really must have it.
In short, Harrim is not a "cleric" but a proper C-L-E-R-I-C.