How to maximize a ranger's companion

[hobbitkniver]

My DM has agreed to make it as powerful as a druid's because he feels rangers are underpowered. I figured someone would be able to give me some advice on animal companions that would help me and I have an extra feat to sink if it's worth it. I'd also like an animal with some special power besides fighting because my party is pretty unomptimized and I'm already pulled massive damage for our party.

Edit: I'm not looking for any dips or PrC

[Talya]

(1) Feat - Natural Bond. Even with a full-advancement companion, this is useful, because it raises your effective druid level up to your current hit dice. Higher level companions lower your effective druid level, so natural bond can offset that.
(2) If you don't mind playing a very good character, Celestial Companion is a nice feat. Especially for a ranger. A unicorn is a surprisingly good companion and superb mount.
(3) Just in case you change your mind on the dips, Beast master for a single level dip is pretty good, as it then boosts your druid level +3 and can exceed your hit dice.

If you prefer a mount that can fly, Celestial Dire Eagle (Races of Stone, -3 companion, becomes -4 with the celestial template) is great fun.

[Flickerdart]

There is an ACF for Kobold Rangers that gives a bonus to their Druid level for a Dire Weasel animal companion, but it's rather specific in that regard. The Planar Ranger ACF (UA) makes his animal companion Celestial or Fiendish, which gives it DR, magic natural attacks, energy resistance, spell resistance and Smite Evil.

[hobbitkniver]

I'm not big on the celestial Roleplay wise. My ranger is good aligned, but celestial feels a bit too holy.

[Flickerdart]

That could be a great dynamic! The gods have sent your ranger a holy companion to convince him to become a champion of good, but he resents it and tries to get rid of it.

[Talya]

Well, technically, Exalted Companion lets you select a unicorn if you're CG. Not a Celestial Unicorn, just a unicorn. It's a very good combat companion/mount, complete with healing spells!

But even without exalted companion, natural bond and a Dire Eagle gets you a flying mount companion without any penalty to your AC advancement.

[hobbitkniver]

What book is the dire eagle in? You usually have to prove things to people in this campaign because it's in a game shop and we have different people every time.

[Talya]

What book is the dire eagle in? You usually have to prove things to people in this campaign because it's in a game shop and we have different people every time.

Yeah...right here...


Races of Stone, -3 companion

[Fouredged Sword]

There is a Prc somewhere that open up magical animals. Halfling outrider stacks paladin mounts and animal companion. Arcane hierophant stacks animal companion and familier.

I have always wanted to do a gestault game with a paladin / ranger / cleric outrider // wizard / arcane hierophant.

Even if I had to give up half the casting of Hierophant it would still be nifty.

[Darrin]

There is a Prc somewhere that open up magical animals.

Beast Heart Adept (Dungeonscape). But the available magical beasts are rather limited and underpowered, and it doesn't stack well with any other animal-companion-based classes/PrCs.