Animal Companion & Equip

[Loki Eremes]

Hi there fellow playgrounders.
It's been a while since my last visit....and since i played D&D too.

Never got an animal companion, or been a Druid.
What i want to know is....

1- What types of items could an animal companion carry/be equipped with?
(ex: armors, magic items, etc)

2- Share spells, which are its limits?
(ex: may I, for example, use enlarge person on myself, then permanency...
you get where im going...)




Important: i replaced him with a Fire Elemental companion (pure flavourfull purposes)

[Loki Eremes]

5 hours.....20 visits.....not a simple answer? :smallfrown:

[Malak'ai]

Now don't take this as gospel, but I think AC's my be equipped with the usual things like rings, cloaks and what not. Not sure about armour.

Also not sure about the Share Spell, have never had a Druid try it in that way, normally only the normal buffs (Bulls Strength, Cats Grace, Bears Endurance).

[TuggyNE]

You may want to request a move to the 3.5 subforum.


1- What types of items could an animal companion carry/be equipped with?
(ex: armors, magic items, etc)

There isn't necessarily any hard restriction; barding might serve as a useful guideline for the additional costs to adapt armor, and a certain amount of common sense is likely necessary. OTOH, there are mundane fireproofing methods for clothing printed ... somewhere, so your fire elemental can probably wear special armor, slightly modified amulets, and so forth. You might not be able to stick bracers or rings on, however, due to the somewhat unstable shape.


2- Share spells, which are its limits?
(ex: may I, for example, use enlarge person on myself, then permanency...
you get where im going...)

You'd still have to deal with the usual restriction:

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 druid before the duration expires.

[Khedrac]

You appear to be talking D&D version 3 or 3.5 or Pathfinder - so you will get more responses in that forum than this general one.

First thing is to remember that the Animal Companion is still an animal - and has only animal intelligence.
Animals don't wield weapons, but you can get barding (which at low levels can make they nigh unhittable fairly cheaply).
As you level you can put some magic items on them, e.g. neck slot on a collar, but remember, it's an animal - it might get scared off or otherwise seperated from you and die costing you the items.

Now Share Spells:
At the druid’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 druid before the duration expires.

Additionally, the druid may cast a spell with a target of "You" on her animal companion (as a touch range spell) instead of on herself. A druid and her animal companion can share spells even if the spells normally do not affect creatures of the companion’s type (animal).First - you have to cast the spell, it cannot be one cast by an ally.
Second, as pointed out the distance limit (there's a feat somewhere which raises it to 30').
Third, as you go up levels you get access to better companions. Yes, your companion improves, but you will want to change companion sometimes just for different terrain. E.g. for an overland trip have an eagle (or other flyer) as "top cover" or an rhino or horse to ride. When you reach the underground complex you discover it was build by kobolds and swap to something much smaller (e.g. dire weasel or snake) for the confined spaces.
Fourth: you cannot actually cast permanancy on a shared spell on the companion - as the spell has only been cast on the druid and the companion is getting the effects. You could cast a spell on the companion and get the sorceror/wizard with permanency to make it permanent.

[dsmiles]

An ape wearing full plate and swinging a greatsword is a mid-level druid's best friend.

[Loki Eremes]

Sorry for the comment so many days later, but i wanted to thank the answers....specially that last one that convinced my DM in an instant :smallbiggrin:

The huge elemental was a success, thx folks!
this thread may be closed :elan: