[OOC] The Hatchery

[Sir Alex]

Cool, yep that would be good to know.

Now...let's get our last two people on board! I suppose it's Sunday and everyone's sleeping in, but still!

[Quince]

I'm here! Working on putting my character sheet together but I've never played Pathfinder before so it's taking me a little longer than usual.

[orangehatter]

Here as well! Drunk as a mug...

[jbear]

Alright, all done. My drake Echo took light armor prof feat and I've bought MW leather studded armor (700gp as we start with 1000gp right?) for him giving him a pretty handy AC of 21.
I've been building his stats as per Druids companion: BAB +1, FORT and REF +3, Will +0, HD 1d10 +CON = 12hp, 1 feat: Light Armor Prof, 1 Bonus trick: Attack; Attks Str +BAB = +4, dmg (STR) +3, 2 skill ranks: 1 rank in Fly (+6) and 1 rank in perception (+4).

My final question is about tricks. So to clarify: I have 1 rank (max) in Handle Animal but a bonus total of +4 (+8 with my Drake); so does my drake know:
a) No tricks (1/2 of 1 rounded is 0); if so does Drake still receive the 1 Bonus trick as per druid's companion?
b) 1 Trick (1/2 rounded down but MIN. 1 trick); if so does Drake also receive the 1 Bonus trick as per druid's companion on top of this?
c) 2 Tricks (1/2 of +4 rounded down is 2); if so does Drake also receive the 1 Bonus trick as per druid's companion on top of this?
d) 4 Tricks (1/2 of +8 rounded down is 4); if so does Drake also receive the 1 Bonus trick as per druid's companion on top of this?

Once this is clarified Able and Echo are complete and ready for DM inspection

[Sir Alex]

I guess I'm confused about this too. I thought Malchior said double skill points. So, looking at the animal companion progression, shouldn't that mean 4 skill points total at first level? Also, it looks like our drakes should have 2 HD at level 1 for a total of 24 hp.

And are the drakes already trained for mounted combat? To what extent do we really need to teach them tricks, since they have an Int of 10, understand draconic and are dedicated to us? Could we just ask them to haul a load, disengage, defend, etc?

[MalchiorTheForgotten]

Dove: MW is factored in after, making the cost 250.
jbear: b) 1 Trick (1/2 rounded down but MIN. 1 trick); if so does Drake also receive the 1 Bonus trick as per druid's companion on top of this? YES, for a total of 2 tricks (1 bonus + 1 learned)
Alex: I never said double skill points, drakes have the same HD as their riders (so 1) and the drakes have been trained for mounted combat only, forcing you to have to teach it tricks. They are loyal to you, but still need to know how to do things.

[Sir Alex]

Cool, sorry for my massive confusion.

I think we're asking all these questions because it's unusual to have a campaign with flying mounts. Just try to bear with us while we figure it all out.

[Quince]

If you didn't say double skill points can I get some explanation on this

Originally Posted by MalchiorTheForgotten

"Advancement:
As a druid's animal companion except: double skill ranks, +1 feat, breath weapon increases by 1 die and 5 feet at 5th, 10th, 15th, and 20th levels."

I guess I'm a little confused. I got the quote from the 'World of Sklaer' thread, the second post.

EDIT: And my character sheet is almost done. Can't wait to get started.

[jbear]

I had kind of understood that it applied when the drakes level up and they get a bonus feeat at lvl 5, 10 etc and breath damage increases at those levels as well. Is that right? Or does double skill ranks only apply at level 5, 10 etc?

Final Question about tricks: As mentioned above: "Drakes are already trained for mounted combat": Does this mean they already know the Attack trick and/or the Attack 2 trick (to attack wierd creatures like undead)? Or Do we need to select those as our tricks?

[MalchiorTheForgotten]

My apologies, it seems I did say that. Negate my previous statement. As for the leveling and feats, yes, you are correct, at 5th, 10th, 15th and 20th the drakes get a feat and up the breath weapon.

Originally Posted by jbear

Final Question about tricks: As mentioned above: "Drakes are already trained for mounted combat": Does this mean they already know the Attack trick and/or the Attack 2 trick (to attack wierd creatures like undead)? Or Do we need to select those as our tricks?

As in they can fly you into battle. Think of them like Warhorses. They can do things in battle, but can't attack by themselves.

[jbear]

Okay, gotcha.

Echo is going to know Attack 1 and Attack 2 in that case.

With all the spare gold after correcting the price of the barding down to 250 gp I got Able a MasterWork Shortbow (Str 1) and 3 Potions of CLW.

So, Able and Echo are ready for examination: Sheet complete.

[BloodyDove]

Last couple of questions (I hope):
1. The feats our drakes receive every five levels are in addition to the normal feats an animal companion would receive (per the chart, at lvl. 1, 2, 5, 8, and so on), correct?
2. Since my second class (Cavalier) grants me a mount per the druid animal companion chart (which mostly stacks with drakerider class and our drakes from that), does that mean my drake starts with 2 HD (which IS standard for a level 1 animal companion)?
3. Do we have to pay for our saddles and saddlebags out of our starting money, or was that supplied to us for free? I ask because I noticed from someone else's sheet this.

Apart from those last questions, Lyn and Skydancer are complete (barring DM's answer to my last question and his check of the sheet).

Also, Sir Alex, did you copy my drake's stats when making your own? You should be aware that I used the Eye for Talent human racial feature to boost its Dexterity to 16. So unless you choose that racial feature as well (which would require giving up the human bonus feat at 1st level), your drake's Dexterity should be 14. Also, Escape Artist would be a cross-class skill for your drake. Only a few skills are class skills for animal companions. So: Acrobatics, Climb, Fly, Perception, Stealth, Swim.

[Sir Alex]

Guilty as charged, and thanks so much for the correction. I'll reduce the Dex. And for the skills, I was looking at the pfsrd for animal companion skills and failed to note the asterisk for certain skills. I appreciate your going over my sheet, and let me know if you ever find other discrepancies. I'm no Pathfinder veteran myself.

While we're asking final questions, I don't suppose our drakes get the Shared Spells ability of an animal companion at 1st level? If not, that's totally fine. Just thought I'd ask anyway.

[Sir Alex]

Ok. I made those changes and bought some scrolls to add a couple spells to my spellbook.

Barring other corrections/rulings, I'm going to say: Sheet complete.

[orangehatter]

Will be updated soon