Whats the best Animal Companion?

[Sims]

I thought it was the Rex, but hes only got one attack. Then I thought it was the dire Bear.

I don't wanna count the giant squid since I'll never be in the water.

In your opinion, whats best? (Assume you're a level 40 Druid or somethin)

[Eldariel]

I thought it was the Rex, but hes only got one attack. Then I thought it was the dire Bear.

I don't wanna count the giant squid since I'll never be in the water.

In your opinion, whats best? (Assume you're a level 40 Druid or somethin)

Horrid Tiger [Eberron Campaign Settings] is a fine starting point; Dire Tiger with acid attacks and few other nice boosts. Probably the strongest straight-up animal companion option. Fleshraker scales alright, of course (if Venomfire [Serpent Kingdoms] is game, obviously a Poison-wielding AC is the best since Venomfire is uncapped). That said, if you're looking at Druid Billion, you may want to consider some of the Epic Companion Feats. Magical Beast Companion (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/epic/feats.htm#magicalBeastCompanion) list has some decent options, after all. Though frankly, when looking at levels that high, the companion really diminishes in value anyways.

Exalted Companion [BoED] could be worthwhile since it makes the companion intelligent; Int 3 for major win like Use Magic Device and all that.

[MeeposFire]

horrid, mage-bred, exalted companion fleshraker?

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

In the 1-20 range, an animal companion which can take Vow of Poverty will automatically be stronger than anything else. There's Epic Vow of Poverty (http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19530250/?pg=last) for when it gets high enough HD, which is also an exalted feat so it could take it as one of those bonus exalted feats for having VoP. Typically this requires something like Exalted Companion to give it the Celestial Creature template, which precludes animal-exclusive buffs.

The Warbeast template (MM2) can be added onto it via the Handle Animal skill, this can be accomplished at the very low levels.

The feat Natural Bond (CV) increases your effective Druid level by +3, but no higher than your character level, for your Animal Companion's benefits. If you get a 'Level -3' companion, since you can apply your own bonuses and penalties in the most beneficial order, you would count your full Druid level for its benefits with this feat.

Wild Cohort (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20031118a) specifically says that it is an ability which is tracked separately from an animal companion, but it does not say that the same creature cannot benefit from both. Note that if you have a companion from a higher level list, you are counted an additional three levels lower for the benefits of this feat. Also keep in mind that creatures from expanded animal companion lists, such as Exalted Companion, cannot benefit from also being a Wild Cohort. In the epic levels, this is going to add a lot of HD to your animal companion, and is probably going to end up being better than Exalted Companion for VoP.

Your animal companion will get quite a few additional feats due to its increased HD. Mage Slayer, Pierce Magical Concealment, and Pierce Magical Protection in Complete Arcane are all spectacular choices. Power Attack and Leap Attack and possibly also Shock Trooper are good to have. Large and In Charge from the Draconomicon is pretty good if it has decent reach. If it's a Magical Beast, such as from Exalted Companion, then Rapidstrike and Improved Rapidstrike in the Draconomicon will greatly improve its attacks/round, which is another good reason to go the VoP route.

A Fleshraker dinosuar (MM3) is generally considered one of the best choices for its number of attacks/round and how many of those attacks deliver poison. If you cast Venomfire on it from Serpent Kingdoms it will deal 1d6 per caster level acid damage every time it delivers poison, with no upper limit so at level 40 it would be 40d6. You can use metamagic like Consecrate Spell or Corrupt Spell so half of that damage is untyped divine power and ignores energy immunities, then there's Maximize and even Intensify Spell. Plus it doesn't matter if the target is immune to poison, the acid damage still occurs. Note that exalted creatures cannot use poison, so this precludes it from using VoP.

If your DM will let you use Wild Cohort with an Exalted Companion, then definitely do that. If he's willing to allow a creature's natural poison attacks to not count against it for an exalted status, then definitely use Venomfire as well. It all just depends on what the DM is willing to allow.

[Hiro Protagonest]

The best animal companion, IMO, is a tiger, lion, or rhino with the druid having max ranks in ride. Good combat skills (especially when charging), and they're a mount.