Please double-Check these stats.

[Acanous]

The folowing stats are for Bear companions in Pathfinder, for a lv 17 Druid. I had to hunt long and hard for the proper Dire template to apply to a Grizzly, and finding bear stats in particular is pretty silly.

Anyhow, I *Believe* A Dire Grizzly is Druid level -15. Can't find much to back me here, would appreciate it double-checked.
(Since Dire Bear is -12 and Grizzly should be one step up from that)

Dire Grizzly
Senses: Low light Vision, Scent
Size: Huge
Hit Points: 137 13D8+78
Speed: 40'
AC: 22 (Natural Armor +12, Size -2 Dex +2)
Space: 15 ft Reach 10 ft
Initiative: +6
CMB: 22 (+26 to Grapple)
CMD: 34 (+38 VS Trip)
STR 33
DEX 15
CON 23
INT 2
WIS 12
CHA 10

BAB: +9/+4
Saves:
Fort: 16
Ref: 12
Will: 7

Attacks: 2 claws +20 (1d8+11 plus Grab) and a bite +20 (1d8+11)

Skills: Perception 8, Survival 9, Swim 21
(Pick 2 bonus skill points)
Feats: Endurance, Run, Skill focus: Survival, Improved Initiative, Iron Will
(Pick 2 bonus feats)
Racial: +4 Swim
Special: Link, Share Spells
Bonus Tricks: 1

This includes 2 levels of animal companion bonuses.

To compare and contrast, here's a Dire Bear (With the appropiate 5 levels of animal companion bonuses)

Senses: low-light vision, scent; Perception +12
Size: Large
Hit Points: 143 (15d8+75)
Speed: 40'
AC 21 (+2 Dex, +10 natural, –1 size)
Space 10 ft. Reach 5 ft.
Initiative +7
CMB +19 (+23 grapple)
CMD 31 (35 vs. trip)
STR 26
DEX 14
CON 21
INT 2
WIS 12
CHA 10

BAB +10/+5
Fort +16
Ref +13
Will +5

Attacks: 2 claws +16 (1d6+7 plus grab), bite +16 (1d8+7)

Skills: Perception +12, Swim +19
(Pick 5 bonus skill points)
Feats Endurance, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Run, Skill Focus (Perception)
(Pick 3 bonus feats)
Special: Link, Share Spells, Evasion
Racial: +4 Swim
Bonus Tricks: 2


Am I missing anything? Does the math all add up? Doing these things by myself, I know I can miss things, so submitting this to the forum for a double-check.

Oh, and suggestions on what to blow bonus feats/skills on is appreciated.

[Urpriest]

From my brief perusal of the PF rules, I don't think animal companions work that way. It looks like you level up from a base companion, rather than picking up higher level animals at higher levels.

[SowZ]

From my brief perusal of the PF rules, I don't think animal companions work that way. It looks like you level up from a base companion, rather than picking up higher level animals at higher levels.

You couldn't dismiss them or replace dead animals with higher level versions?

[Baka Nikujaga]

http://i52.tinypic.com/qn1lqa.jpg
Unlike in 3.5, Animal Companion (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/druid/animal-companions) choices in Pathfinder are closer to templates applied to a scaling base rather than referencing the normal entry of a particular animal. As an example, despite a Brown Bear (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/animals/bear/brown-grizzly-bear) (Grizzly) being a large animal normally, a Druid's Bear (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/druid/animal-companions#bear) companion will be stuck at Medium size after level four.

However, to address the original query, a 17th level Bear should look like this rather than the one presented (as Dire Bears do not appear to be a legal option in Pathfinder).

Bear Companion
N Medium Animal
Init +4; Senses Low-Light Vision, Scent
Defenses
AC 24, Touch 14, Flat-Footed 20 (+4 Dex, +10 Natural)
HP 91 (63 + 28) ~ Assuming 4.5 HP per HD
Fort +11, Ref +13, Will +5
Offense
Speed 40 ft.
Melee 2 Claws +17 (1d4+7), Bite +17 (1d6+7)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Statistics
Str 24, Dex 18, Con 15, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6 ~ 3 Available Increases
Base Atk +10; CMB +17; CMD 31 (35 vs. trip)
Feats Multiattack + 7 Available
Skills Default 14 Ranks
SQ Devotion, Improved Evasion, Link, Share Spells

Granted, my numbers may be a bit off...

[Edit]
Let's throw in some links!

[docnessuno]

Bear Companion
N Medium Animal
Init +4; Senses Low-Light Vision, Scent
Defenses
AC 26, Touch 14, Flat-Footed 22 (+4 Dex, +12 Natural)
HP 91 (63 + 28) ~ Assuming 4.5 HP per HD
Fort +11, Ref +13, Will +5
Offense
Speed 40 ft.
Melee 2 Claws +17 (1d4+7), Bite +17 (1d6+7)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Statistics
Str 24, Dex 18, Con 15, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6 ~ 3 Available Increases
Base Atk +10; CMB +17; CMD 31 (35 vs. trip)
Feats: Multiattack + 7 Available
Skills: Default 14 Ranks
SQs: Devotion, Improved Evasion, Link, Share Spells

Only natural armor was off.
That said, i would suggest a large cat as a companion. Large size (from level 7 onwards), higher strenght, more HPs, better stats, better CM, pounce, grab and rake are really too good to pass off:

Big Cat Companion
N Large Animal
Init +5; Senses Low-Light Vision, Scent
Defenses
AC 26, Touch 14, Flat-Footed 21 (+5 Dex, +12 Natural, -1 Size)
HP 105 (63 + 42) ~ Assuming 4.5 HP per HD
Fort +12, Ref +14, Will +6
Offense
Speed 40 ft.
Melee 2 Claws +17 (1d6+8), Bite +17 (1d8+8 plus grab).
Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Statistics
Str 26, Dex 20, Con 17, Int 2, Wis 15, Cha 6 ~ 3 Available Increases
Base Atk +10; CMB +19; CMD 33 (37 vs. trip)
Feats: Multiattack + 7 Available
Skills: Default 14 Ranks
SQs: Devotion, Improved Evasion, Link, Share Spells
SAs: Grab, Pounce, Rake (2 claws +17, 1d8+8)

[The Redwolf]

Honestly, the Pathfinder system for animal companions is silly in my view, and the view of my group, as you can have a bear or a tyrannosaurus at first level, but it'll never get up to be the size of an actual one, although it may have better stats. That's just nonsensical, so we figure use either the Pathfinder animal companion system or the 3.5 companion system, whichever you prefer when you're playing at our table. This was an unnecessarily long way for me to say I think the best idea would be for you to do the same at your table so things like this are reasonable.

[Acanous]

Wow. That's....That's a pretty harsh nerf.
Heck, Improved Familiars get better stats than that by lv 17 0.o

[Snowbluff]

Another good option is Giant Frog. Ranged Grappling. :smalltongue: