I assumed that to become a Sidekick and take levels in a Sidekick class the creature would have to be intelligent but I don't see anything about that actually in the rules. I see Expert and Spellcaster classes have "must be able to speak a language" as a requirement but Warrior doesn't. RAW, could I have a Crab as a Sidekick? Could I have an super stabby Animated Knife because it had 20 levels of Warrior? Could I teach a Juvenile Mimic to cast spells?
Now that I look at it again, one of the pictures is a Wolf so I guess that's a yes? Looks like Sebastian and I headed into a dungeon to kick some butt.
As a DM don't think I would say no, but I'd have a hard time justifying any significant HP for a crab even using sidekick rules. The narrative could be fun and cute, but I'd see something that small run into the same problem with the familiars from Find Familiar spell, as they are pretty much One-Shot targets.
Sidekicks are supplemental PCs that are meant to support a party of primary PCs, so it's generally safe to be pretty relaxed with them. Adventurer's power and durability are abstractions of their training, luck, and inherent abilities, so a warrior knife can be reinterpreted as a "_very_ animated knife" and a mimic that casts spells is just a more magical version of the standard mimic. Anything can be exceptional.
Treat it more like "monster levels" than "class levels".
Just keep in mind that if you choose a Wolf to be a Wizard-based caster, it will have a -4 penalty to its spell DC and spell attacks.
According to Tasha's, a Sidekick must be a creature with a CR of 1/2 or lower. There do not seem to be any other restrictions. Even one of the Warrior examples they give is a wolf.
That said, I'm not sure an animated knife would work for me -- it would have to have some level of intelligence. And although I buy a wolf as a warrior, I would not buy it as a spellcaster.
I am toying around with doing a solo D&D game right now, a PC and 3 sidekicks (one of each type).. and I was thinking of an Eladrin Wizard from the Feywild with a Pixie (invisible heal-bot spellcaster), wolf (warrior), and satyr (expert) as companions. I mean yeah I could just make up 4 PCs but the SK rules make things a little simpler.
Not sure I'm even going to do this but in terms of SKs... I don't think there is any need for them to be humanoids.
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The "language" restriction would keep you from having a Wolf (or Animated Knife) Spellcaster but I a Warrior Animated Knife would be a fun touch for an ancient Wizard's lair, though narratively it probably wouldn't be much different from a Sentient Artifact.
As for my friend Sebastian, I suppose his big brother the Giant Crab would also fit the rules for being a Sidekick so perhaps that would be a better idea. Or maybe a Sea Elf or Triton PC is just friends with a lot of crabs...
Honestly, the more I think about the Juvenile Mimic the cooler that idea sounds. Maybe you find it after you kill it's parent and take pity and raise it so it becomes part of your party. With the exception of Strength it has passable attributes and it can speak so training it as either an Expert or a Spellcaster would be totally possible. A Mimic disguised as the carpet using Helpful and Coordinated Strike? A Mimic disguised as a spellbook that casts its own spells? This seems like it could be a lot of fun.
For a bit more flexibility, the Awaken spell can be used to grant a beast or plant an intelligence of 10 and gain the ability to speak one language. A generous DM might allow that to be adapted to a more broad selection for the sake of sidekicks.
A sidekick just is a bundle of mechanics with a purpose. As long as you can figure out a compelling description that fits with the campaign world and serves that intended purpose, it can look however you want it to in my games.
A wolf could be an avatar of nature. An animated knife could be a powerful enchantment that was cast on a PC, the protection manifesting as a floating knife.
This is D&D, no one except the DM can tell you that you can't have a crab sidekick. Just put some effort into justifying how and why it behaves the way it does mechanically.
For a bit more flexibility, the Awaken spell can be used to grant a beast or plant an intelligence of 10 and gain the ability to speak one language. A generous DM might allow that to be adapted to a more broad selection for the sake of sidekicks.
That is quite interesting, both because it could make things that would not normally be eligible (like a Druid's favorite tree) into Sidekick options but it would also allow Beasts or Plants that could only take Warrior because they couldn't speak to become Experts or Spellcasters. Since the effect of Awaken appears to be permanent from what I can tell, I would certainly allow it. I'm sure there are other ways to achieve the same effect but this is a fun option to have.
I assumed that to become a Sidekick and take levels in a Sidekick class the creature would have to be intelligent but I don't see anything about that actually in the rules. I see Expert and Spellcaster classes have "must be able to speak a language" as a requirement but Warrior doesn't. RAW, could I have a Crab as a Sidekick? Could I have an super stabby Animated Knife because it had 20 levels of Warrior? Could I teach a Juvenile Mimic to cast spells?
Now that I look at it again, one of the pictures is a Wolf so I guess that's a yes? Looks like Sebastian and I headed into a dungeon to kick some butt.
As a DM don't think I would say no, but I'd have a hard time justifying any significant HP for a crab even using sidekick rules. The narrative could be fun and cute, but I'd see something that small run into the same problem with the familiars from Find Familiar spell, as they are pretty much One-Shot targets.
Sidekicks are supplemental PCs that are meant to support a party of primary PCs, so it's generally safe to be pretty relaxed with them. Adventurer's power and durability are abstractions of their training, luck, and inherent abilities, so a warrior knife can be reinterpreted as a "_very_ animated knife" and a mimic that casts spells is just a more magical version of the standard mimic. Anything can be exceptional.
Treat it more like "monster levels" than "class levels".
Just keep in mind that if you choose a Wolf to be a Wizard-based caster, it will have a -4 penalty to its spell DC and spell attacks.
According to Tasha's, a Sidekick must be a creature with a CR of 1/2 or lower. There do not seem to be any other restrictions. Even one of the Warrior examples they give is a wolf.
That said, I'm not sure an animated knife would work for me -- it would have to have some level of intelligence. And although I buy a wolf as a warrior, I would not buy it as a spellcaster.
I am toying around with doing a solo D&D game right now, a PC and 3 sidekicks (one of each type).. and I was thinking of an Eladrin Wizard from the Feywild with a Pixie (invisible heal-bot spellcaster), wolf (warrior), and satyr (expert) as companions. I mean yeah I could just make up 4 PCs but the SK rules make things a little simpler.
Not sure I'm even going to do this but in terms of SKs... I don't think there is any need for them to be humanoids.
WOTC lies. We know that WOTC lies. WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. We know that WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. And still they lie.
Because of the above (a paraphrase from Orwell) I no longer post to the forums -- PM me if you need help or anything.
The "language" restriction would keep you from having a Wolf (or Animated Knife) Spellcaster but I a Warrior Animated Knife would be a fun touch for an ancient Wizard's lair, though narratively it probably wouldn't be much different from a Sentient Artifact.
As for my friend Sebastian, I suppose his big brother the Giant Crab would also fit the rules for being a Sidekick so perhaps that would be a better idea. Or maybe a Sea Elf or Triton PC is just friends with a lot of crabs...
Honestly, the more I think about the Juvenile Mimic the cooler that idea sounds. Maybe you find it after you kill it's parent and take pity and raise it so it becomes part of your party. With the exception of Strength it has passable attributes and it can speak so training it as either an Expert or a Spellcaster would be totally possible. A Mimic disguised as the carpet using Helpful and Coordinated Strike? A Mimic disguised as a spellbook that casts its own spells? This seems like it could be a lot of fun.
For a bit more flexibility, the Awaken spell can be used to grant a beast or plant an intelligence of 10 and gain the ability to speak one language. A generous DM might allow that to be adapted to a more broad selection for the sake of sidekicks.
A sidekick just is a bundle of mechanics with a purpose. As long as you can figure out a compelling description that fits with the campaign world and serves that intended purpose, it can look however you want it to in my games.
A wolf could be an avatar of nature. An animated knife could be a powerful enchantment that was cast on a PC, the protection manifesting as a floating knife.
This is D&D, no one except the DM can tell you that you can't have a crab sidekick. Just put some effort into justifying how and why it behaves the way it does mechanically.
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
That is quite interesting, both because it could make things that would not normally be eligible (like a Druid's favorite tree) into Sidekick options but it would also allow Beasts or Plants that could only take Warrior because they couldn't speak to become Experts or Spellcasters. Since the effect of Awaken appears to be permanent from what I can tell, I would certainly allow it. I'm sure there are other ways to achieve the same effect but this is a fun option to have.
I would allow it, but only if they cast their spells using a paintbrush.
And if nobody gets that reference, then for shame...
Okami?