TAXI! FOLLOW THAT CLOUD! ~Or~ Winged Animal Companion Possibilities requested!

[AnonymousD&Der]

I was going to try to continue to ask this specific question in the Q&A thread, but I don't wanna spam it up too bad...

So I'll just make a new thread over it.

Our Arcane Spell Caster is a Battle Sorc. He's got enough issues with spells known, and intends to be a Blaster. So I don't see him being the type to add Teleport to his spell list, even if it would help. With that said, we're gonna need transportation. So I want to take the Wild Cohort Feat to gain a Flying Animal Companion.

The thing is, I'm not completely sure when I'd be able to take half of the companions available, since I'd get them even later than I would as a Druid... I wanted to know if there were any rules for specifically takig an Animal of any kind, not just from specific lists, and making it a companion. I thought there was like a pseudo equation of sorts for the level you'd have to be to have a specific companion, with the result being your class compared to the animal's challenge rating with additional factors added in... If it didn't seem so unlikely, the Steelwing from the 5th Monster Manual looks -awesome-... reminds me of Skarmory.

I suppose an alternative would be to just take an Eagle (or another Winged Animal Companion that anyone is capable of getting rather easily), and find a way to Super Size it...

Any suggestions for either way would be cool..

[Urpriest]

Animal companions have to be from a preset list. It's the only thing that makes the ability even sort of balanced. That sort of generalized toolbox on a class that also gets wildshape...shudder.

[The Glyphstone]

Dire Bats are Large and available at Effective Level -3. That's the only flying companion on the druid list, oddly.

[aquaticrna]

you could put a bunch of ranks in handle animal and buy/capture and tame the thing you want

[FishAreWet]

When selecting an alternative animal cohort, use the list of alternative animal companions on page 36 of the Player's Handbook, but treat yourself as a druid three levels lower than your character level. For example, once you reach 7th level, you can choose an animal cohort off the list of animal companions available to a 4th-level druid.Want to know every possible animal companion? Check it out here. (https://dl.dropbox.com/u/3276051/DnD3.5Index-Creatures.pdf) Link straight to PDF, Animal Companions start on page 6. Note that it lists Druid level required, don't forget to subtract three.

[AnonymousD&Der]

Animal companions have to be from a preset list. It's the only thing that makes the ability even sort of balanced. That sort of generalized toolbox on a class that also gets wildshape...shudder.

You think that's bad? Our DM doesn't have an issue with Druids having Multiple Animal Companions, so long as the total number of hit dice isn't double the Druids.


Dire Bats are Large and available at Effective Level -3. That's the only flying companion on the druid list, oddly.

I heard you could supersize an Eagle..... can you not do so? I forgot where I heard how to advance an animal, unfortunately....


you could put a bunch of ranks in handle animal and buy/capture and tame the thing you want

Not sure how high my handle animal would need to be to allow me to tame whatever I wanted....


Want to know every possible animal companion? Check it out here. (https://dl.dropbox.com/u/3276051/DnD3.5Index-Creatures.pdf) Link straight to PDF, Animal Companions start on page 6. Note that it lists Druid level required, don't forget to subtract three.

I -love- you. This -is- -awesome-. Just gotta look up some of these creatures....

What is the difference between a Dire Animal and a Regular Animal? Is the Dire Animal simply stronger?

And I'll reask it down here again. How do you advance an animal? I've seen it in creature descriptions, increased hit dice and a bigger size... how does that work?

[Urpriest]

I heard you could supersize an Eagle..... can you not do so? I forgot where I heard how to advance an animal, unfortunately....


Animal companions are typical for their kind and as such don't advance. That said, there's a Dire Eagle somewhere. Might be on the list.

[Vknight]

Dire things are bigger, badder, stronger, meaner, and all around more deadly.

[AnonymousD&Der]

Animal companions are typical for their kind and as such don't advance. That said, there's a Dire Eagle somewhere. Might be on the list.

I think I see what I am referencing... what does it mean in the description of the animal (in book or on the d20 srd) about the Monster's advancement?



Advancement: 5-8 HD (Large); 9-12 HD (Huge)




Dire things are bigger, badder, stronger, meaner, and all around more deadly.

Do they look or behave any more differently? Or is it just a title for a slightly stronger and different subspecies (example fail).

What's the difference between Unusual Trainable Creatures and an Animal Companion, and can I use UTCs for the Wild Cohort Feat?

[Vknight]

Spikes, they often have strange bone growths but they do not need to.

Unusual is things like a Pegasus I believe

[FishAreWet]

UTC can be boughten and handled with a Handle Animal check.

Dire animals are just bigger versions of animals. They might be more aggressive but that's because they're carnivorous. Remember that if it's your Wild Cohort you most likely raised it and it can have any attitude you like.

"Advancement: 5-8 HD (Large); 9-12 HD (Huge)" means that you can add HD to a creature to make it larger. This is something only the DM can do and in no circumstance can be done by someone with the Wild Cohort feat. You can only pick creatures as they appear in the books.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

The Dire Eagle is in Races of Stone, it's only a 'level -3' companion and one of the top choices.

You could convince the Sorcerer to get a Belt of the Wide Earth in MIC, possibly along with the rest of the Raiment of the Four set. There's also Runestaffs in MIC which will allow him to cast spells he hasn't chosen to learn.

[Jack_Simth]

What is the difference between a Dire Animal and a Regular Animal? Is the Dire Animal simply stronger?
Mechanically speaking, a Dire Badger is a different creature from a regular Badger. They have completely different entries in the monster manual, and aren't really related to each other very closely at all, although they share a chunk of name, some of the more flavorful stuff, and the Animal type. It is the same way with all the other Dire animals - Dire is not a template.

That said, there is one very important distinction between a Dire Wolf and an Advanced (to large) Wolf with some stat boosts:

The Dire Wolf has a better will save. All the Dire animals have all good saves, where as most regular animals are good Fort and Reflex, but not will.

And I'll reask it down here again. How do you advance an animal? I've seen it in creature descriptions, increased hit dice and a bigger size... how does that work?
That is an entire section of the SRD (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/improvingMonsters.htm#increasingHitDice).

Basically, though, most monster entries have an Advancement line: After a point of adding type hit dice, the size changes. That brings with it certain bonuses and penalties (mostly bonuses). There is some debate on whether or not the bonus hit dice from a Druid's advancement increases the size of the animal companion, or not (I will not engage in the debate here, you really don't have any need to see it - really).

[AnonymousD&Der]

Stupid Adobe.... ruined my post by making me have to turn my computer off..

Animal Companions... do they need to be trained, or do I just add it period once I take the feat?

Am I capable of having an NPC (storyline ally of deus ex machina: dwarf fighter and personal teacher) train an animal (companion or UTC) and then come back for it (or for the item needed to call it)?

Since the Wild Cohorts are typical animals, they can't start off advanced... I'm not gonna start a flame bait thread with the dispute, so I'll just have to pick stronger companions then...

Doesn't being a non bipedal animal make the carrying capacity easier? As does the larger sized animals? I'm seeing maybe 500-700 lbs required for a party of 5....

Random Resource Related Note: HOLY FREAKING CRAP! PALADINS CAN HAVE TYRANOSAURUS MOUNTS!?! ... thank god Miko only got a dang horse...

Am I allowed to Train / Companion Magical Creatures and other beings beside Animals?