137beth
2011-06-09, 04:23 PM
UPDATE:Buffing a tier 1 class was not the intent of this. I really intended this rewrite for the ranger, as I assumed few people allowed druids in their games. I now realize that this may not be the case. I now propose the following alternative: apply these changes to the ranger, but leave the druid's animal companion RAW. This does mean the ranger will get a better animal companion, while the druid retains better spellcasting cheese.
I've always been dissatisfied with the animal companion class feature. It seems substantially inferior to the familiar. It has fewer HD, does not get to use its master's BAB or saves, gets a tiny bit more natural armor in return for no spell resistance, and gets substantially less of a boost to its ability score. The familiar gets improved evasion at level 1, while the animal companion has to wait until level 15. The biggest bonus it has over a familiar is...multiattack.
Even more bothersome to me was the arbitrary lists of "alternative animal companions". I would expect that animals with the same penalty to druid/ranger level would have similar power, but this is not always the case. On the "7th level or higher" list, for example, most of the animals are CR 3 or 4, but there is also the Elasmosaurus, at CR 7. But for the most part, each list has most animal companions in a 2 CR range.
Finally, while the animal companion is near-useless for the druid (doesn't matter, as the druid is already tier 1), it is even more useless for the ranger. My intent is for the animal companion to be usable by Rangers as well, and druids if they are not banned due to their tier 1 casting.
This rewrite is intended to make the animal companion more usable, to increase the potential variety of the animal companion, and to clear up discrepancies in the lists of alternative animal companions. The animal companion is made stronger in this re-write, but that is not a serious problem, as it isn't very good in RAW.
Animal Companion (Ex)
A ranger may begin play with an animal companion. The animal companion may be any animal with a Challenge Rating of 2 or less (if the animal you want is less that CR 2, it can be adjusted by adding HD or a template, so long as any templates added do not change the animal type). This animal is a loyal companion that accompanies the ranger on her adventures as appropriate for its kind.
A druid's animal companion still follows the rules given in the PHB. However, the druid's animal companion is instead called the "animal ally". A multiclass druid/ranger has both an animal companion and an animal ally.
Design Notes:
The trend for most of the alternative animal companion lists was that every three ranger levels amounted to a CR increase of 2. However, the animals available to a 1st level ranger were are CR 1 or less, while the animals that become available at 4th level are all CR 2. I decided to do some play-testing: I compared several low-CR animal companions of a 4th ranger with animals of the same kind given extra HD to increase their Challenge Rating by 2. I found that this trend established in the PHB is actually relatively reasonable. However, the first list of alternative animal companions only have a challenge rating one point higher than the basic animal companions, and so they should not come with the full 3 level penalty. Testing has confirmed this (a CR 1 animal with 3 extra hit dice is stronger than the same animal as a 4th level animal companion.) The change fixes this. Note that my version does allow slightly stronger animal companions to be obtained earlier, but this is okay.
A 1st-level ranger’s companion is completely typical for its kind except as noted below. As a ranger advances in level, the animal’s power increases as shown on the table. If a ranger releases her companion from service, she may gain a new one by performing a ceremony requiring 24 uninterrupted hours of prayer. This ceremony can also replace an animal companion that has perished.
A ranger of 4th level or higher may select a more powerful animal companion. Should she select an animal companion with a Challenge Rating higher than 2, the creature gains abilities as if the character’s ranger level were lower than it actually is. For every 3 effective ranger levels "lost", increase the animal companion's CR by 2. For example, an animal companion with starting CR 6 would be treated as if the ranger were 6 levels lower than he actually is.
Bonus HD:Extra eight-sided (d8) Hit Dice, each of which gains a Constitution modifier, as normal. Remember that extra Hit Dice improve the animal companion’s base attack and base save bonuses. An animal companion’s base attack bonus is the same as that of a ranger of a level equal to the animal’s HD. An animal companion has good Fortitude and Reflex saves (treat it as a character whose level equals the animal’s HD). An animal companion gains additional skill points and feats for bonus HD as normal for advancing a monster’s Hit Dice.
The Animal companion receives bonus HD equal to ranger level *2/3.
Natural Armor Adj.:The number noted here is an improvement to the animal companion’s existing natural armor bonus.
The Animal companion receives a bonus to Natural Armor equal to ranger level *2/3.
Design Notes:The bonus HD and Natural armor is almost identical to those given in the PHB. The difference is that at levels 2, 5, 8, ect., the bonus is slightly better.
Str/Dex Adj.:Add Ranger Level/3 to the animal companion’s Strength and Dexterity scores.
Bonus Tricks:The value given in this column is the total number of "bonus" tricks that the animal knows in addition to any that the ranger might choose to teach it (see the Handle Animal skill). These bonus tricks don’t require any training time or Handle Animal checks, and they don’t count against the normal limit of tricks known by the animal. The ranger selects these bonus tricks, and once selected, they can’t be changed.
The number of bonus tricks the animal companion gets is Ranger Level/3
Design Notes:The bonus tricks and ability score increases are identical to those in the PHB.
The animal companion gains additional features at the following levels:
1st: Link,Share Spells
3rd: Evasion
6th: Devotion
9th: Multiattack
12th:Deliver Touch Spells
15th:Improved Evasion
18th:True Devotion
Link (Ex)
A ranger can handle her animal companion as a free action, or push it as a move action, even if she doesn’t have any ranks in the Handle Animal skill. The ranger gains a +4 circumstance bonus on all wild empathy checks and Handle Animal checks made regarding an animal companion.
Share Spells (Ex)
At the ranger’s option, she may have any spell (but not any spell-like ability) she casts upon herself also affect her animal companion. The animal companion must be within 5 feet of her at the time of casting to receive the benefit. If the spell or effect has a duration other than instantaneous, it stops affecting the animal companion if the companion moves farther than 5 feet away and will not affect the animal again, even if it returns to the ranger before the duration expires.
Additionally, the ranger may cast a spell with a target of "You" on her animal companion (as a touch range spell) instead of on herself. A ranger and her animal companion can share spells even if the spells normally do not affect creatures of the companion’s type (animal).
Evasion (Ex)
If an animal companion is subjected to an attack that normally allows a Reflex saving throw for half damage, it takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw.
Devotion (Ex)
If an animal companion is subjected to an attack that normally allows a Reflex saving throw for half damage, it takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw.
Additionally, the animal companion is especially resistant to compulsion effects. Any compulsion effects cast on the animal companion must make a dispel check (1d20+Caster Level against a DC of 11+your ranger level), or be negated. The ranger can withhold this effect, at her option.
MultiAttack
An animal companion gains Multiattack as a bonus feat if it has three or more natural attacks and does not already have that feat. If it does not have the requisite three or more natural attacks, the animal companion instead gains a second attack with its primary natural weapon, albeit at a -5 penalty.
Deliver Touch Spells (Su)
This is identical to the familiar power of the same name.
Improved Evasion (Ex)
When subjected to an attack that normally allows a Reflex saving throw for half damage, an animal companion takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw and only half damage if the saving throw fails.
True Devotion (Ex)
The link between the animal companion and ranger strengthen, as does the animal companion's devotion to its master. The ranger gains a +25 bonus on Wild Empathy and Handle Animal checks made on its animal companion. Additionally, Compulsion effects to not affect the animal companion unless the caster makes a caster level check (1d20+caster level) against a DC of 21+your ranger level.
Design Notes: Most of the special features are left unchanged. Devotion gives an extra bonus against compulsion. There were two "bare" rows in the table in the PHB, at which I decided to add two new powers.
I've always been dissatisfied with the animal companion class feature. It seems substantially inferior to the familiar. It has fewer HD, does not get to use its master's BAB or saves, gets a tiny bit more natural armor in return for no spell resistance, and gets substantially less of a boost to its ability score. The familiar gets improved evasion at level 1, while the animal companion has to wait until level 15. The biggest bonus it has over a familiar is...multiattack.
Even more bothersome to me was the arbitrary lists of "alternative animal companions". I would expect that animals with the same penalty to druid/ranger level would have similar power, but this is not always the case. On the "7th level or higher" list, for example, most of the animals are CR 3 or 4, but there is also the Elasmosaurus, at CR 7. But for the most part, each list has most animal companions in a 2 CR range.
Finally, while the animal companion is near-useless for the druid (doesn't matter, as the druid is already tier 1), it is even more useless for the ranger. My intent is for the animal companion to be usable by Rangers as well, and druids if they are not banned due to their tier 1 casting.
This rewrite is intended to make the animal companion more usable, to increase the potential variety of the animal companion, and to clear up discrepancies in the lists of alternative animal companions. The animal companion is made stronger in this re-write, but that is not a serious problem, as it isn't very good in RAW.
Animal Companion (Ex)
A ranger may begin play with an animal companion. The animal companion may be any animal with a Challenge Rating of 2 or less (if the animal you want is less that CR 2, it can be adjusted by adding HD or a template, so long as any templates added do not change the animal type). This animal is a loyal companion that accompanies the ranger on her adventures as appropriate for its kind.
A druid's animal companion still follows the rules given in the PHB. However, the druid's animal companion is instead called the "animal ally". A multiclass druid/ranger has both an animal companion and an animal ally.
Design Notes:
The trend for most of the alternative animal companion lists was that every three ranger levels amounted to a CR increase of 2. However, the animals available to a 1st level ranger were are CR 1 or less, while the animals that become available at 4th level are all CR 2. I decided to do some play-testing: I compared several low-CR animal companions of a 4th ranger with animals of the same kind given extra HD to increase their Challenge Rating by 2. I found that this trend established in the PHB is actually relatively reasonable. However, the first list of alternative animal companions only have a challenge rating one point higher than the basic animal companions, and so they should not come with the full 3 level penalty. Testing has confirmed this (a CR 1 animal with 3 extra hit dice is stronger than the same animal as a 4th level animal companion.) The change fixes this. Note that my version does allow slightly stronger animal companions to be obtained earlier, but this is okay.
A 1st-level ranger’s companion is completely typical for its kind except as noted below. As a ranger advances in level, the animal’s power increases as shown on the table. If a ranger releases her companion from service, she may gain a new one by performing a ceremony requiring 24 uninterrupted hours of prayer. This ceremony can also replace an animal companion that has perished.
A ranger of 4th level or higher may select a more powerful animal companion. Should she select an animal companion with a Challenge Rating higher than 2, the creature gains abilities as if the character’s ranger level were lower than it actually is. For every 3 effective ranger levels "lost", increase the animal companion's CR by 2. For example, an animal companion with starting CR 6 would be treated as if the ranger were 6 levels lower than he actually is.
Bonus HD:Extra eight-sided (d8) Hit Dice, each of which gains a Constitution modifier, as normal. Remember that extra Hit Dice improve the animal companion’s base attack and base save bonuses. An animal companion’s base attack bonus is the same as that of a ranger of a level equal to the animal’s HD. An animal companion has good Fortitude and Reflex saves (treat it as a character whose level equals the animal’s HD). An animal companion gains additional skill points and feats for bonus HD as normal for advancing a monster’s Hit Dice.
The Animal companion receives bonus HD equal to ranger level *2/3.
Natural Armor Adj.:The number noted here is an improvement to the animal companion’s existing natural armor bonus.
The Animal companion receives a bonus to Natural Armor equal to ranger level *2/3.
Design Notes:The bonus HD and Natural armor is almost identical to those given in the PHB. The difference is that at levels 2, 5, 8, ect., the bonus is slightly better.
Str/Dex Adj.:Add Ranger Level/3 to the animal companion’s Strength and Dexterity scores.
Bonus Tricks:The value given in this column is the total number of "bonus" tricks that the animal knows in addition to any that the ranger might choose to teach it (see the Handle Animal skill). These bonus tricks don’t require any training time or Handle Animal checks, and they don’t count against the normal limit of tricks known by the animal. The ranger selects these bonus tricks, and once selected, they can’t be changed.
The number of bonus tricks the animal companion gets is Ranger Level/3
Design Notes:The bonus tricks and ability score increases are identical to those in the PHB.
The animal companion gains additional features at the following levels:
1st: Link,Share Spells
3rd: Evasion
6th: Devotion
9th: Multiattack
12th:Deliver Touch Spells
15th:Improved Evasion
18th:True Devotion
Link (Ex)
A ranger can handle her animal companion as a free action, or push it as a move action, even if she doesn’t have any ranks in the Handle Animal skill. The ranger gains a +4 circumstance bonus on all wild empathy checks and Handle Animal checks made regarding an animal companion.
Share Spells (Ex)
At the ranger’s option, she may have any spell (but not any spell-like ability) she casts upon herself also affect her animal companion. The animal companion must be within 5 feet of her at the time of casting to receive the benefit. If the spell or effect has a duration other than instantaneous, it stops affecting the animal companion if the companion moves farther than 5 feet away and will not affect the animal again, even if it returns to the ranger before the duration expires.
Additionally, the ranger may cast a spell with a target of "You" on her animal companion (as a touch range spell) instead of on herself. A ranger and her animal companion can share spells even if the spells normally do not affect creatures of the companion’s type (animal).
Evasion (Ex)
If an animal companion is subjected to an attack that normally allows a Reflex saving throw for half damage, it takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw.
Devotion (Ex)
If an animal companion is subjected to an attack that normally allows a Reflex saving throw for half damage, it takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw.
Additionally, the animal companion is especially resistant to compulsion effects. Any compulsion effects cast on the animal companion must make a dispel check (1d20+Caster Level against a DC of 11+your ranger level), or be negated. The ranger can withhold this effect, at her option.
MultiAttack
An animal companion gains Multiattack as a bonus feat if it has three or more natural attacks and does not already have that feat. If it does not have the requisite three or more natural attacks, the animal companion instead gains a second attack with its primary natural weapon, albeit at a -5 penalty.
Deliver Touch Spells (Su)
This is identical to the familiar power of the same name.
Improved Evasion (Ex)
When subjected to an attack that normally allows a Reflex saving throw for half damage, an animal companion takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw and only half damage if the saving throw fails.
True Devotion (Ex)
The link between the animal companion and ranger strengthen, as does the animal companion's devotion to its master. The ranger gains a +25 bonus on Wild Empathy and Handle Animal checks made on its animal companion. Additionally, Compulsion effects to not affect the animal companion unless the caster makes a caster level check (1d20+caster level) against a DC of 21+your ranger level.
Design Notes: Most of the special features are left unchanged. Devotion gives an extra bonus against compulsion. There were two "bare" rows in the table in the PHB, at which I decided to add two new powers.