Hytheter
2014-01-21, 01:44 AM
Beastmaster (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/ranger/archetypes/paizo---ranger-archetypes/beastmaster) is an Archetype for Rangers
A beast master forms a close bond with an animal companion. This ability functions like the druid animal companion ability except that the ranger’s effective druid level is equal to his ranger level – 3. The ranger gains a +2 bonus on wild empathy and Handle Animal checks made regarding his animal companion. Unlike a normal ranger, a beast master’s choice of animal companion is not limited to a subset of all possible animal companion choices—he may choose freely among all animal companion choices, just as a druid can.
The beast master may have more than one animal companion, but he must divide up his effective druid level between his companions to determine the abilities of each companion.
For example, a beast master with an effective druid level of 4 can have one 4th-level companion, two 2nd-level companions, or one 1st-level and one 3rd-level companion.
Each time a beast master’s effective druid level increases, he must decide how to allocate the increase among his animal companions (including the option of adding a new 1st-level companion). Once an effective druid level is allocated to a particular companion, it cannot be redistributed while that companion is in the ranger’s service (he must release a companion or wait until a companion dies to allocate its levels to another companion). The share spells animal companion ability does not give the ranger the ability to cast a single spell so that it affects all of his animal companions.
This ability replaces hunter’s bond.
So basically you split your Effective Druid Level between multiple companions. What I want to know is how it interacts with a pair of feats: Huntmaster (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/arg-feats/huntmaster-human) and Boon Companion (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/general-feats/boon-companion).
If you have the animal companion class feature, pick one of the following types of animal companions that this feat affects: bird, dog, small cat, or horse. If you have the divine bond (mount) or mount class feature, this feat always affects horses. You gain a +2 bonus on Handle Animal and Knowledge (nature) checks with creatures of that type of animal. Furthermore, you are treated as one level higher when determining the abilities of your animal companion or mount, as long as it is of the chosen type.
Say I'm a level 5 Beastmaster with two dogs. Do I increase my total effective Druid Level by 1 and then assign it to one dog, or do both dogs get treated as though I were one level higher?
Benefit: The abilities of your animal companion or familiar are calculated as though your class were 4 levels higher, to a maximum effective druid level equal to your character level. If you have more than one animal companion or familiar, choose one to receive this benefit. If you lose or dismiss an animal companion or familiar that has received this benefit, you may apply this feat to the replacement creature.
Special: You may select this feat more than once. The effects do not stack. Each time you take the feat, it applies to a different animal companion or familiar.
What I want to know is how the maximum works when I'm splitting up my levels between multiple companions. Let's say I'm a level 7 Beastmaster.
I have 4 Effective Druid Levels. I divide them up between 2 dogs. Therefore, each dog is treated as though my EDL were 2. If I use boon companion then one is treated as though I were EDL 6. This doesn't go over my Character Level, but it does if you include the two levels I gave to the other dog.
So does this limit the amount of levels I can grant with Boon Companion? If so, does that mean it's pointless to take Boon Companion again? Or is it ok as long as the total levels assigned to each dog doesn't exceed my character level, allowing me to have two EDL 6 dogs at level 7 by spending two feats?
Also, if I were to use both feats, even on a regular Ranger, does the boost from Huntmaster apply before or after the boost, and cap, from Boon Companion?
Eg
Ranger 6, EDL 3. Boon Companion increase to 7, capped to 6. Huntmaster increase to 7.
vs
Ranger 6, EDL 3. Huntmaster increase to 4. Boon Companion increase to 8, capped at 6.
Finally, are there any other ways to increase my effective druid level and optimise multiple companions?
A beast master forms a close bond with an animal companion. This ability functions like the druid animal companion ability except that the ranger’s effective druid level is equal to his ranger level – 3. The ranger gains a +2 bonus on wild empathy and Handle Animal checks made regarding his animal companion. Unlike a normal ranger, a beast master’s choice of animal companion is not limited to a subset of all possible animal companion choices—he may choose freely among all animal companion choices, just as a druid can.
The beast master may have more than one animal companion, but he must divide up his effective druid level between his companions to determine the abilities of each companion.
For example, a beast master with an effective druid level of 4 can have one 4th-level companion, two 2nd-level companions, or one 1st-level and one 3rd-level companion.
Each time a beast master’s effective druid level increases, he must decide how to allocate the increase among his animal companions (including the option of adding a new 1st-level companion). Once an effective druid level is allocated to a particular companion, it cannot be redistributed while that companion is in the ranger’s service (he must release a companion or wait until a companion dies to allocate its levels to another companion). The share spells animal companion ability does not give the ranger the ability to cast a single spell so that it affects all of his animal companions.
This ability replaces hunter’s bond.
So basically you split your Effective Druid Level between multiple companions. What I want to know is how it interacts with a pair of feats: Huntmaster (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/arg-feats/huntmaster-human) and Boon Companion (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/general-feats/boon-companion).
If you have the animal companion class feature, pick one of the following types of animal companions that this feat affects: bird, dog, small cat, or horse. If you have the divine bond (mount) or mount class feature, this feat always affects horses. You gain a +2 bonus on Handle Animal and Knowledge (nature) checks with creatures of that type of animal. Furthermore, you are treated as one level higher when determining the abilities of your animal companion or mount, as long as it is of the chosen type.
Say I'm a level 5 Beastmaster with two dogs. Do I increase my total effective Druid Level by 1 and then assign it to one dog, or do both dogs get treated as though I were one level higher?
Benefit: The abilities of your animal companion or familiar are calculated as though your class were 4 levels higher, to a maximum effective druid level equal to your character level. If you have more than one animal companion or familiar, choose one to receive this benefit. If you lose or dismiss an animal companion or familiar that has received this benefit, you may apply this feat to the replacement creature.
Special: You may select this feat more than once. The effects do not stack. Each time you take the feat, it applies to a different animal companion or familiar.
What I want to know is how the maximum works when I'm splitting up my levels between multiple companions. Let's say I'm a level 7 Beastmaster.
I have 4 Effective Druid Levels. I divide them up between 2 dogs. Therefore, each dog is treated as though my EDL were 2. If I use boon companion then one is treated as though I were EDL 6. This doesn't go over my Character Level, but it does if you include the two levels I gave to the other dog.
So does this limit the amount of levels I can grant with Boon Companion? If so, does that mean it's pointless to take Boon Companion again? Or is it ok as long as the total levels assigned to each dog doesn't exceed my character level, allowing me to have two EDL 6 dogs at level 7 by spending two feats?
Also, if I were to use both feats, even on a regular Ranger, does the boost from Huntmaster apply before or after the boost, and cap, from Boon Companion?
Eg
Ranger 6, EDL 3. Boon Companion increase to 7, capped to 6. Huntmaster increase to 7.
vs
Ranger 6, EDL 3. Huntmaster increase to 4. Boon Companion increase to 8, capped at 6.
Finally, are there any other ways to increase my effective druid level and optimise multiple companions?