Alynx awakened companions

[Shiningbrow]

56 minutes ago, French Desperate WindChild said:

(a 2cm snail charging a band of ogres should be at least... impressive ?)

You know, that's almost enough for me to create an Eurmali** who can get their hands on Berserker.... just for the fun of it (with a couple of points of Extension, of course) 😄

 

58 minutes ago, French Desperate WindChild said:

so I would prefer to build the awakened companion (as any other companion)with the pc, defining what is her behaviour in case of XXX, why the companion is a companion (did the character save her life ? buy her ? etc...)  etc.. The point is to have an agreement between GM and player, to see the limit, to have some balance with other players (here I see balance as fun and share of voice on the table, not % and roll. each player should be able to have the first role, etc...)

I think there should be a Love/Loyalty passion for both...

 

 

(**Hmmm, an Eurmali/Issaries combo.....🤔 )

[Scotty]

On 8/13/2022 at 5:03 PM, PhilHibbs said:

Slightly better than Clawsharp, and affects both claws. Interesting question: does the Rip attack just need one casting of Clawsharp to get bonus to hit and damage, or should it need to cast it twice?

Or should one casting of Clawsharp affect all of an animal's claws?

On 8/13/2022 at 9:31 PM, Akhôrahil said:

This was a real question in a recent game where the players played their shadowcats instead. My ruling was that each fore claw had to be buffed separately, but that you only needed one for the Rake (despite technically both rear claws being involved).

There is no Clawsharp (except in Griffin Mountain where it appears erroneously)...

Ironclaw aka Ironhand is the only attack and damage boosting spell that affects the whole body with a single casting. The others, Bladesharp and Bludgeon affect the separate weapon, so if multiple weapons are used, it has to be cast for each weapon.

[Scotty]

On 8/14/2022 at 1:10 AM, Bill the barbarian said:

Can not recall who told me this or if a saw here in a thread (betcha @Scottyhad a hand in it) but I have been running the pre-gens for about 5 years for demoes and cons online and Cousin Monkey’s status came up as a boon companion (may even be in one of the bios). 

It's in Vishi Dunn's stats on page 90 of the Core rules (and in the Quickstart optional adventurer): 

Quote

Follower (Boon Companion): An intelligent baboon called Cousin Monkey

[PhilHibbs]

Quote

Follower (Boon Companion): An intelligent baboon called Cousin Monkey

Careful, they don't like being called "boons".

[Scotty]

1 hour ago, Shiningbrow said:

I think there should be a Love/Loyalty passion for both...

Awakened animals and boon companions are covered by the followers rules in the Core Rules (page 404):

Quote

A follower is a non-player character and may be used by a player in addition to their adventurer.

Quote

A follower may start with a Loyalty (patron) Passion of 60%, which can be increased through generous gifts from the patron.

 

[svensson]

@Shiningbrow and @French Desperate WindChild I agree with both of you in the sense that the player ought to have agency and input in designing the animal companion. I just think that referees need to set firm limits on what that companion will and will not do. Will the animal companion take a turn as a sentry? Well, if the animal is, say, a dog or other protective-by-nature animal, sure they would. If the animal is a snake, probably not. Sartar is a cold place most of the year and Mr. Snake will probably want to be next to the warm bodies rather slithering on patrol [which is an image all by itself...].

If one of my PCs had this heirloom boon, here's how I'd adjudicate it:

a] What species is it? This will determine the the instinctual 'go-to' behavior.

b] Now roll the stats three important stats, CHA, INT, and POW. The smarter and more confident the animal is, the easier it will be for it to behave rationally over instinctively.

c] Now let's make up the story. How did you meet? How did they become your friend? Why are they traveling with you?

Once all this is done, then I'd work with the player to define the relationship and behaviors of their animal friend, setting limits on the more outlandish stuff and being flexible about the rest.

Edited August 15, 2022 by svensson

[French Desperate WindChild]

23 minutes ago, svensson said:

I just think that referees need to set firm limits on what that companion will and will not do

I agree, no problem.

I'm just saying that a companion is like a "part of the pc's gear"

you cannot do what you want with a weapon, you cannot open a door silently with a maul for example

same for any companion. you cannot say "hey my snake will silently move in the snow, it will please the king" except if the pc is able to demonstrate that this specific snake loves the snow (so during the creation phase) or because a passion roll (loyalty to the pc - penalty due to the snow aversion) is successful.

 

As a GM, I play the gods (or any mundane or spiritual entity) even when pc cast rune spells,  but I don't play companion  that's player roles (in my opinion of course)

 

[PhilHibbs]

37 minutes ago, svensson said:

b] Now roll the stats two important stats, INT and POW. The smarter and more confident the animal is, the easier it will be for it to behave rationally over instinctively.

And CHA. I was going to ask this, but I checked in The Well and it's already been asked and clarified that they also get CHA 3D6. Just in case anyone else was wondering.

[French Desperate WindChild]

1 hour ago, PhilHibbs said:

And CHA. I was going to ask this, but I checked in The Well and it's already been asked and clarified that they also get CHA 3D6. Just in case anyone else was wondering.

roll everything, i think it is a bigger pleasure for the player, even if it is not useful a lot

[svensson]

For those interested, I checked with @Scotty on the RQ Q&A thread about the Ironhand spell [or as I have named it, 'Snabs', for Spirit Magic Natural Attack Buff Spell 😉] in reference to how many natural attacks the spell effects.

His answer, referencing the RQG Core Rules and Red Book of Magic, is that the spell effects entire body of the effected creature for the duration of the spell. So, your human gets the buff on Fist, Kick, Bite, and Grapple attempts and your Alynx gets the buff on Bite, Claw, and Rake attempts, etc.

Bladesharp [etc.] does not effect natural attack modes.

[svensson]

6 hours ago, PhilHibbs said:

And CHA. I was going to ask this, but I checked in The Well and it's already been asked and clarified that they also get CHA 3D6. Just in case anyone else was wondering.

Good point. I'll correct that in my comment for clarity's sake.

[FlamingCatOfDeath]

8 hours ago, svensson said:

c] Now let's make up the story. How did you meet? How did they become your friend? Why are they traveling with you?

The Awakened animals used as companions are almost always created via ritual (as described in W&E) and as such the answer to this is not really all that variable. The primary question is whether the animal was a preexisting companion, the ritual was the start of the relationship, or the awakened animals original companion died and they chose you as their new companion (they must be bonded to someone or they will gradually die) (Dragon passes peculiarities around shadowcats make preexisting companion or adoption the only viable answers to this question for awakened shadowcats)

[Rodney Dangerduck]

Our player with an awakened Alynx made up the excellent back story that it was the subject of strange sorcerous experiments at the City of Wonders, and his PC freed it there.

[Akhôrahil]

On 8/14/2022 at 6:21 AM, Shiningbrow said:

Except... on the Heirlooms table, it states very clearly not only the max of SIZ 2, but also the POW of 3D6... i.e., not the typical alynx POW...

I would sort this out in the following way:

First, roll up the POW with the 3d6 as stated. If you roll well enough (14+), fine it can be an alynx, as you at least meet the racial minimum. This supports an alynx (sometimes), without being gamey.

Edited August 15, 2022 by Akhôrahil

[Nozbat]

On 8/13/2022 at 6:11 PM, Bill the barbarian said:

Yep, exactly what we did for our shaman who got an heirloom pet and wanted an alynx. Any stats outside of the range of the heirloom table got capped or negotiated. Do I remember this right @Nozbat?

Yes there is a size limit for awakened heirloom animals.. and I wanted a cute little Alynx rather than a crow… so it had to be a much smaller SIZ (in Germany at the moment so I don’t have access to my character notes but from memory it was SIZ 2)

I think Bill was being nice when he allowed me an Alynx… maybe not though as the Alynx had a very definite mind of it’s own and tended to attach itself to more doughty fighters in the party. But speaking of parties.. she did set up lines of Catnip for all the other clan Alynx’s during celebrations 

[Bill the barbarian]

3 hours ago, Nozbat said:

But speaking of parties.. she did set up lines of Catnip for all the other clan Alynx’s during celebrations 

Umm, in fairness this happened in Casino Town and as we know... What happens in Casino Town...
this never happened, I have witnesses, lies, flagrant lies... all o' them!

[Beoferret]

An Alynx with SIZ 2 and 3d6 POW? It's a kitten! Come on folks, it's obvious! It stays a kitten for awhile and after a few seasons it's a full-on shadowcat friend who's awakened. All while sticking to the rules. And creating fun possible issues for the PC: "Where did Mr. Purrypants wander off to?! We can't leave the Caves of Chaos until we find him!" 

[Bill the barbarian]

22 minutes ago, Beoferret said:

An Alynx with SIZ 2 and 3d6 POW? It's a kitten! Come on folks, it's obvious! It stays a kitten for awhile and after a few seasons it's a full-on shadowcat friend who's awakened. All while sticking to the rules. And creating fun possible issues for the PC: "Where did Mr. Purrypants wander off to?! We can't leave the Caves of Chaos until we find him!" 

May I quote you on that comment about fun... well, I will anyway! Isn't that the point. @Nozbat, I believe that yer pal did not chum with the warriors but with the bad boy wood-cutter that liked to sleep outdoors and work in the woods... cats! Whatchagonnado!

[Alex]

On 8/15/2022 at 9:27 PM, FlamingCatOfDeath said:

The Awakened animals used as companions are almost always created via ritual (as described in W&E) and as such the answer to this is not really all that variable.

That's not a huge constraint, the nature of Glorantha being as it is!  Or really, even the RW bronze age as it's often seen, to the point to archaeological cliché.  "It appears to be a ritual site!  Containing various ritual objects!!"  "No foolin'."  The W&E statement is odd as it gives a schedule of POW costs and SiZ limits, but not a procedure or an availability.  And is also contradicted by the two (I think! correct me if I'm missing any!!) preexisting examples!  I assume the implication is, there's low-availability rune magic which is either one-use, or requires a separate POW sac (by the caster or the recipient, that's not entirely clear), and perhaps more often, similar procedures available to shamans.

I'd caveat it with the slight quibble that we had earlier statements -- perhaps now post-canonical -- that some of every species were spontaneously awakened, but the two might blur together.  It might be that human magical antics have a collateral effect, for example.

[Dragon]

On 8/13/2022 at 2:31 PM, Akhôrahil said:

This was a real question in a recent game where the players played their shadowcats instead. My ruling was that each fore claw had to be buffed separately, but that you only needed one for the Rake (despite technically both rear claws being involved).

The problem is that Clawsharp should not be a different name for Bladesharp. The spell description makes it clear that cannot be cast on claws. It must be cast on "any cutting, stabbing, or hacking weapon". Claws are natural weapons.

Clawsharp would actually be another name for Ironhand. That specifically works on natural weapons and unarmed combat. It specifically works on the entire body as it says "affects the whole body including maneuvers like head-butting and kicking." Also "Various nonhuman creatures have Ironclaw, Ironbeak, Ironhoof spells..." So Clawsharp=Ironclaw=Ironhand.

So, the SIZ 2 alynx may come with Ironclaw, which it casts on itself to take on...rats and rubble runners. And according to the spell description it works on both claws, the bite, and the rip with one spell cast. The kitty may choose to call that Clawsharp or Ironclaw.

Now, if the cat keeps getting money and spending it on increasing its Clawsharp until it learns e.g. Clawsharp 8 it could do some real damage. But it would still need loads of Protection cast by its human friend to keep itself alive.

Because it affects every attack, it is close to being as effective at 2 points as Strength. And Ironclaw can affect Telmori, Strength cannot.

 

Edited the misspelled Ironhood to Ironhoof.

Edited September 12 by Dragon

[Alex]

On 8/13/2022 at 5:03 PM, PhilHibbs said:

1D6 is a rather unrealistic size range for a creature, unless you see alynxes as like modern dogs that have separated into multiple breeds with wildly different traits. I don't see why not, some clans might have small striped alynxes and others might have big spotted ones or medium black ones. 

In Soviet Sartar, cat have you!  For me not really comparable to the dog sitch as IMG they're very much only hemi-semi-demi-domesticated.  Partly as cats gonna cat, and partly as it's (a wacky gonzo version of) the Bronze Age.  But yes, it is.  Terrestrial lynxes vary considerably in SIZ -- ahem, size -- but not that much, and that's an entire genus, not a single species.  Of course the RW definition of 'species' is almost as drunk as the lozenge's ones, so perhaps best not to angst about either too much.  They need only be somewhat self-selecting according to habitat and lifestyle, albeit presumably they're all still interfertile.  Think a bit like ring species, or even the raptor trick of having two different sizes of bird (by sex in this case) with different hunting strategies.

The sources also seem to in places imply that alynx fill the 'housecat' niche, and elsewhere that the two are entirely distinct.  Your gustibus will disputandum.