Building a Pseudodragon Familiar/Cohort

[faeryn]

Some time ago I was asking about options for giving my Pseudodragon familiar class levels, and the option of making my familiar into a cohort was suggested. My DM of course approved this provided that I appropriately take the Dragon Cohort feat given that my familiar was a Pseudodragon and thus considered a Dragon. This of course due to the wording of the feat negates the +3LA on the Pseudodragon from factoring into it's level as a cohort. We took a break from the campaign shortly after that. We just returned to the campaign today and I am now faced with the challenge of figuring out just what class/classes I should level my familiar/cohort in.

Initially I had considered Fighter/PsyWarrior to provide it with some reasonable martial ability and self-buff abilities, providing me with a familiar that can survive close range combat for the delivery of touch spells. However I'm not really to sure on this now.

I also considered Dragonfire Adept, I quite liked this idea but I'm not really sure how to proceed with it since there aren't any prCs that build off DFA nor many classes that share a synergy with it.

We just reached Level 19 at the end of the game, due to my LA I'm now Level 18, so my Pseudodragon is level 16, meaning I have 14 class levels to work with for it. I'm playing a Spellthief/Illusionist/Archivist, if that helps anyone with figuring out something that might be useful.

A few things I should mention: ToB is banned. I may not give my familiar levels in Wizard, Archivist, or any other spellcasting class that uses a spellbook of any kind. I would prefer not to manage a 3rd spell list, however I'm ok with caster classes that use limited spell lists, so lets just say no full caster classes. If the class gets a familiar I must replace it with an ACF, my familiar may not have a familiar.

[altpersona]

well, my initial thought was Divine Crusader but then you said no real casters... 

hows about Marshal for buffing? straight level 14 means you have most everything the class has to offer. then i looked at the Draconic Aura feats and thought that maybe just taking two feats (D. Aura and D.D. Aura nearly replaces the whole of the 14 levels of Marshal  )

so i got nothin...

[Keldar]

Dragon Shaman for splitting the difference between the above?  It has buffs, breath weapon, melee ability and thematic relevance.  And no spells to annoy.

[Captnq]

Did you check out the EVD's section: Familiarity?

I'd go with Clawlock and grafts. Pop off his wings for two extra attacks, replace front legs with warforged arms (technically you get to keep the claw attacks), and a feat for an extra slam attack. Maybe give him some strength boosting undead legs on the back end. Maug stone spikes and a stone thrower. Implant silver and cold iron in his paws. Necklace of natural weapondy with assassination so you can safely slather poison all over your buddy. Since he comes with poison, he can put poison on ALL his natural attacks at will.

Hit him with feeblemind. His int is now 1. He's animal intelligence. Teach him the Trick: Armor. Cure the feeblemind. Now he can wear armor.

Get a one handed weapon. Give it Skillful and opposable. Mount it on his head. Good Choices are, Flindbar, Tigerskull club, Whip, and a Kakita Katana.

Or go with a Solid Gold Fullblade with Hornblade on it so it's one handed and mount that on your familiar's forehead.

Also see my familiar guide on how to build a flying ballista for the pseudo-dragon to fire.


Finally, turn him into a dracolich.
Then turn him into a Demi-lich.
Now you have a demilich familiar.

Have him perch on your shoulder and freak people out.

[faeryn]

Dragon Shaman looks like a good option... Good Attack, High Fort & Will, Same breath progression as DFA (except with a 1d4 round recharge), and the aura buffs all look pretty good.

As for the grafts and all that... I'll pass on that... The feeblemind trick sounds interesting though, however since a Pseudodragon is intelligent to begin with I'm pretty sure this isn't necessary... And as for a weapon, I already acquired a pair of Beast Claws for my familiar. I also just finished playing in a campaign as a Clawlock... Clawlocks are quite possibly the strongest natural weapon attackers in the game...

[faeryn]

Follow up...

I went with Pseudodragon:2(+3)/Fighter:2/PsyWarrior:2/Dragon Shaman:10 for levels... with 2 flaws, so that gives me I believe 12 feat on my familiar... though at least 1 of those is already used by the Pseudodragon's base stat block...

Anyone have any recommendations for feats I should take?


Additionally... anyone know of some good Feats/Spells(≤5th)/Items I could pick up to boost Charisma for Dragon Shaman's 'Touch of Vitality' ability? I currently have 20 Charisma on her from 10 base +6Enhance (Item) & +4Sacred (Inner Beauty). Can't use a tome or wish granting item unless we find one as loot, but most other items can be bought.

[Keldar]

Double Draconic Aura is probably a good feet.  I'd also trade out an Aura known for Least Invocation -Endure Exposure.  So the little guy can breathe on everything with no worries of friendly fire. 

[altpersona]

Follow up...

I went with Pseudodragon:2(+3)/Fighter:2/PsyWarrior:2/Dragon Shaman:10 for levels... with 2 flaws, so that gives me I believe 12 feat on my familiar... though at least 1 of those is already used by the Pseudodragon's base stat block...

Anyone have any recommendations for feats I should take?


Additionally... anyone know of some good Feats/Spells(≤5th)/Items I could pick up to boost Charisma for Dragon Shaman's 'Touch of Vitality' ability? I currently have 20 Charisma on her from 10 base +6Enhance (Item) & +4Sacred (Inner Beauty). Can't use a tome or wish granting item unless we find one as loot, but most other items can be bought.

drop a couple levels of Shaman, use the Draconic Aura Feat to make up lost auras.

replace those levels w/ Soul Eater Spell fire Wielder   

[faeryn]

Double Draconic Aura is probably a good feet.  I'd also trade out an Aura known for Least Invocation -Endure Exposure.  So the little guy can breathe on everything with no worries of friendly fire.

Rather than trading an aura known, I could take a 1 level dip into DFA for that Least Invocation along with a weaker but spammable breath weapon... add Practiced Invoker and it'll be bumped up to a spammable 3d6 breath weapon.

So...

Pseudodragon:2(+3)/Fighter:2/PsyWarrior:2/DFA:1/Dragon Shaman:9+

Feats: Double Draconic Aura, Practiced Invoker, Entangling Exhalation, Exhaled Barrier, Exhaled Immunity, [+6 More Feats]



As for adding level of Soul Eater... I don't really feel the class fits... I do however like the Spellfire Wielder feat, and it seems appropriate that my familiar might possess some ability for redirecting spells, since I myself am playing as a spellthief (mostly Mystic Theurge[Wizard/Archivist], but I still play as a spellthief since thats what I started out as)...

So I'll add Spellfire Wielder as a maybe. It's worth noting right now... that my DM is only allowing me to add up to 2 1st Lv only feats (via the 2 flaws).. so if I include Spellfire Wielder, then that will take up 1 of those 2.



Edit: I'm pretty sure I actually won't need Endure Exposure or Exhaled Immunity though... since I'm taking Gold Dragon as her totem, and the entire party is immune to fire damage... however, the invocation might still be useful... of I could take Magic Insight instead of Endure Exposure, and use Exhaled Immunity to grant any temporary allies we may have immunity to her breath... I'm honestly leaning more towards that, since having a free unlimited use ability to identify magic items would aid the party greatly... we've been paying for identifies 90% of the time since none of our casters want to become intoxicated for a whole day while they identify stuff...

[Captnq]

As for the grafts and all that... I'll pass on that... The feeblemind trick sounds interesting though, however since a Pseudodragon is intelligent to begin with I'm pretty sure this isn't necessary...

From a RAW point of view, it is. Technically speaking, you need feats to wear armor, so if you want the booger to wear any sort of armor, you need to take a level in a class that will give him good armor, or you need to make him stupid, teach him the armor trick, then make him smart again.

That way, he gets the armor prof feat for free. Then you can outfit him in any single suit of armor you wish. Note, SINGLE suit. Not all light, medium, or heavy. You have to pick a single suit to train him in. I like tentacle armor myself if you combine it with various tripping builds. But you can go with Chain Shirt/Dastana/Chan-Ania( sp?)/Bracers of Armor/Head mounted [Weapon of choice] with opposable and  Diplomat. That's five different Armor Crystals you can have.

if you are pressed for space, you can animate a shield, stick diplomat on the bashing part of the shield. Yes, the Bracers of armor and Diplomat don't stack, but you only buy them a AC 1 one anyways so you can stack ASAs and Armor Crystals on them in the cheapest fashion possible by spreading them out over five different types of wearable "armor".

Don't forget the 30% cost reduction for "usable only by Psuedo-Dragons".

[faeryn]

Fair enough... but since I actually am giving my familiar class levels, then the trick still isn't needed in this case... Also, i'm quite partial to mage armor... gain a decent armor bonus and retain my full dex bonus to AC? yes please.


Part of me is tempted to pick up the Wild Cohort feat later to bump my familiar's hitdie & natAC up another +11 and her str/dex another +5.. not quite sure my DM would approve though since that would technically make my familiar 8 levels higher than the party... increasing by 1 more every 2 levels... so by the time we reach the end of the campaign around level 40 I would have a familiar that's technically level 60 >.<

[faeryn]

Are Lingering & Clinging Breath worth picking up on a Dragon Shaman?

Also... I'm considering switching to Copper Dragon Totem and picking up Shape Breath allowing me to turn that Line of Acid into a Cone of Acid when needed... and with my DM cones tend to be far more useful... If I pick up any of the Metabreath feats I'll be taking Recover breath as well to return the wait back to 1d4 rounds...

Having looked through the auras again as well losing 1 or 2 for an invocation doesn't seem like a bad idea... still going to take a 1 level dip into DFA w/Practiced Invoker though... but I'll also drop an aura for an extra invocation, granting me 2 invocations and a secondary breath weapon.

so now I'm looking at something along the lines of:

Pseudodragon:2(+3)/Fighter:2/PsyWarrior:2/DFA:1/Dragon Shaman:9+

Feats: Double Draconic Aura, Practiced Invoker, Entangling Exhalation, Exhaled Barrier, Exhaled Immunity, Shape Breath, Clinging Breath, Lingering breath, Recover Breath, Darkstalker, [+1 More Feat]
Invocations: Magic Insight(DFA), Endure Exposure(Shaman)

Darkstalker mostly is there due to the fact that my character also has Darkstalker and since I plan to flank enemies with my familiar it would be helpful to not lose the benefit of flanking creatures with all-around vision as well as not have my familiars position given away by any extra senses an opponent might have. The Darkstalker feat has already annoyed the DM on a few occasions as he keeps failing his spot and listen checks to locate me... I've basically taken on the role of the parties Scout... The funny thing is we have a Ninja & a Scout in the party and I'm stealthier than them...

[KellKheraptis]

If he gets poison on natural attacks, you're an archivist - slap Venomfire on those natural attacks!  Not to mention, there's always Giant Size to make him REALLY scary in melee.  Cute little shoulder dragon into Great Wyrm Poisonous Ball of Death

[faeryn]

If he gets poison on natural attacks, you're an archivist - slap Venomfire on those natural attacks!  Not to mention, there's always Giant Size to make him REALLY scary in melee.  Cute little shoulder dragon into Great Wyrm Poisonous Ball of Death

Way ahead of you on the venomfire. That spell finds itself being cast in the first round or two of combat alongside divine power... I ony get to apply it to her sting and bite though... don`t have (or know of) a way to give her natural poison to her claws. Ive given her the poison fangs graft for the poisonous bite.

Can`t cast giant size yet but i`ll keep it in mind for when i get my 7th level spells, until then i`ve picked up expansion and compression as her 2 psionic powers from 2nd level psi warrior.