I’m tossing the idea around about working with my DM about making an animal sidekick for my character. Would it be possible to workshop it using one of the tables in the new Sidekick rules, such as Warrior, along with the other new sidekick rules, but instead of a typical race, make it an animal? Or would this even be something that’s feasible? Has anyone else tried this, especially using the new Sidekick rules?
Sidekicks don't have races like PCs do; you just apply sidekick levels to any stat block of CR 1/2 or lower. It would be up to the dm if you're allowed to use a sidekick but the rules seem balanced enough. A Warrior or Expert animal sidekick is allowed, but you need to speak at least 1 language to be a spellcaster, which you can remedy by putting the effects of the Awaken spell on your pet (minus the charm bit) at your DM's discretion.
Did they errata out the fact that your side kick needs to speak one language somewhere? I have been looking for it, as I am wanting to build an Expert Side Kick Ambush Drake for an upcoming ToD game. I have spoken to the DM and he is fine with it, but I was curious as to why that was in the rules for an expert at all. It totally makes sense for a spell caster.
I’m tossing the idea around about working with my DM about making an animal sidekick for my character. Would it be possible to workshop it using one of the tables in the new Sidekick rules, such as Warrior, along with the other new sidekick rules, but instead of a typical race, make it an animal? Or would this even be something that’s feasible? Has anyone else tried this, especially using the new Sidekick rules?
One of the example Warriors is a wolf, so yes.
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Canto alla vita alla sua bellezza ad ogni sua ferita ogni sua carezza!
I sing to life and to its tragic beauty To pain and to strife, but all that dances through me The rise and the fall, I've lived through it all!
Did they errata out the fact that your side kick needs to speak one language somewhere? I have been looking for it, as I am wanting to build an Expert Side Kick Ambush Drake for an upcoming ToD game. I have spoken to the DM and he is fine with it, but I was curious as to why that was in the rules for an expert at all. It totally makes sense for a spell caster.
Thanks
Warrior sidekicks are the only ones without the language restriction. The other two require a language to be spoken by the creature. So for an Ambush Drake, warrior sidekick is the only option. (Per the rules) But if your DM already said OK to Expert, go with it.
Experts get skills and expertise which can help round out the player or party's skill selections. A creature that can't speak is pretty limited by what skills it can choose. Plus, it just wouldn't make sense...sure, per the Expert rules your drake can have expertise in Religion, but in play that won't work.
Did they errata out the fact that your side kick needs to speak one language somewhere? I have been looking for it, as I am wanting to build an Expert Side Kick Ambush Drake for an upcoming ToD game. I have spoken to the DM and he is fine with it, but I was curious as to why that was in the rules for an expert at all. It totally makes sense for a spell caster.
Thanks
I think the idea is that things generally go smoother when the party can communicate with your sidekick. It limits the kind of players who have their sidekick do annoying or harmful things and saying, "He doesn't understand you so he keeps doing it."
I like going the Awakened animal route for such things but I still restrict the skill selection a bit as thumbs are required for tool use and the like.
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She/Her Player and Dungeon Master
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I’m tossing the idea around about working with my DM about making an animal sidekick for my character. Would it be possible to workshop it using one of the tables in the new Sidekick rules, such as Warrior, along with the other new sidekick rules, but instead of a typical race, make it an animal? Or would this even be something that’s feasible? Has anyone else tried this, especially using the new Sidekick rules?
Sidekicks don't have races like PCs do; you just apply sidekick levels to any stat block of CR 1/2 or lower. It would be up to the dm if you're allowed to use a sidekick but the rules seem balanced enough. A Warrior or Expert animal sidekick is allowed, but you need to speak at least 1 language to be a spellcaster, which you can remedy by putting the effects of the Awaken spell on your pet (minus the charm bit) at your DM's discretion.
Did they errata out the fact that your side kick needs to speak one language somewhere? I have been looking for it, as I am wanting to build an Expert Side Kick Ambush Drake for an upcoming ToD game.
I have spoken to the DM and he is fine with it, but I was curious as to why that was in the rules for an expert at all. It totally makes sense for a spell caster.
Thanks
One of the example Warriors is a wolf, so yes.
Canto alla vita
alla sua bellezza
ad ogni sua ferita
ogni sua carezza!
I sing to life and to its tragic beauty
To pain and to strife, but all that dances through me
The rise and the fall, I've lived through it all!
Warrior sidekicks are the only ones without the language restriction. The other two require a language to be spoken by the creature. So for an Ambush Drake, warrior sidekick is the only option. (Per the rules) But if your DM already said OK to Expert, go with it.
Experts get skills and expertise which can help round out the player or party's skill selections. A creature that can't speak is pretty limited by what skills it can choose. Plus, it just wouldn't make sense...sure, per the Expert rules your drake can have expertise in Religion, but in play that won't work.
I think the idea is that things generally go smoother when the party can communicate with your sidekick. It limits the kind of players who have their sidekick do annoying or harmful things and saying, "He doesn't understand you so he keeps doing it."
My homebrew subclasses (full list here)
(Artificer) Swordmage | Glasswright | (Barbarian) Path of the Savage Embrace
(Bard) College of Dance | (Fighter) Warlord | Cannoneer
(Monk) Way of the Elements | (Ranger) Blade Dancer
(Rogue) DaggerMaster | Inquisitor | (Sorcerer) Riftwalker | Spellfist
(Warlock) The Swarm
Normally if my players want a talking animal sidekick, I just make them roll for the animal's mental stats and give it a language or two.
I like going the Awakened animal route for such things but I still restrict the skill selection a bit as thumbs are required for tool use and the like.
She/Her Player and Dungeon Master