Animal Companion questions

[weckar]

Hi,
I have an animal companion from a Druid dip. I don't expect to ever take any more druid levels. The animal chosen has a natural intelligence of 1. I have a few questions:

1. Will the animal never advance, even if it is in every combat I am ever in?
2. If there an item that will raise the intelligence to 2, and if so; would that allow it to learn another trick?
3. How does Barding for an animal companion work, if it has no armor proficiencies? Is it, like me, limited to wearing non-metal armor?

[twilsemail]

Hi,

Hullo.

1. The Companion will not advance, in any way, unless you take more levels in a class that adds to your effective Druid level or you take the Boon Companion (http://www.archivesofnethys.com/FeatDisplay.aspx?ItemName=Boon%20Companion) feat.

2. Your companion would actually be eligible for 3 more tricks.


An animal with an Intelligence score of 1 can learn a maximum of three tricks, while an animal with an Intelligence score of 2 can learn a maximum of six tricks.

3. It can wear any armor that you want to put on him (possibly needing to be sewn on in the case of a snake). And it functions the same as your wizard friend wearing armor without proficiency. Penalties to everything important that he does.

Have you considered taking a domain instead of the companion? Is that even an option at this point?

If the companion makes sense story-wise, have at 'im.

[weckar]

It's mostly a story-based companion. My character can talk to toads, and it is a giant toad. Thanks for you help, i wasn't aware of Boon companion, though I am kind of sad that it puts me right below the threshold for the better companion abilities (the differences between 5 and 6 are HUGE).

I may have mis-phrased my second question: does such a +1 int item exist?

Also:
4. Is there any way to increase effective Druid level without taking an actual level in Druid? :P The next time I could feasibly take another Druid for this purpose is quite a ways off.

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by weckar
4. Is there any way to increase effective Druid level without taking an actual level in Druid?

I can't speak to overall druid level, but Shaping Focus (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/general-feats/shaping-focus) allows you to advance your wildshape abilities as if you were a druid four levels higher, assuming this isn't more than your total HD. Probably my single favorite Pathfinder feat.

[weckar]

I can't speak to overall druid level, but Shaping Focus (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/general-feats/shaping-focus) allows you to advance your wildshape abilities as if you were a druid four levels higher, assuming this isn't more than your total HD. Probably my single favorite Pathfinder feat.
If I actually had Wild Shape, that would be cool :smalltongue:

[Palanan]

All it requires is the wild shape class feature, rather than a druid level high enough to wild shape already.

Unless I'm missing something about your character? I had the impression you have at least one level in druid, which as I read the feat would be enough to qualify.

[weckar]

Feral Child archetype. No Wild Shape. And that's not what this thread is about anyway.

[twilsemail]

I may have mis-phrased my second question: does such a +1 int item exist?

This headband (https://sites.google.com/site/pathfinderogc/magic-items/wondrous-items/wondrous-items/h-l/headband-of-vast-intelligence) is all I can think of and it grants a +2. It'd raise it to 3. At that point you could give him a Flawed Crimson Sphere Ioun Stone (https://sites.google.com/site/pathfinderogc/magic-items/wondrous-items/wondrous-items/h-l/ioun-stones/crimson-sphere-ioun-stone) to bring it up to 5 (for a measly 16k gold).


4. Is there any way to increase effective Druid level without taking an actual level in Druid? :P The next time I could feasibly take another Druid for this purpose is quite a ways off.

Take 3 levels in Cleric with the Animal Domain.
Take a level in the Hunter class from the upcoming ACG (currently released in playtest).
Take a level in Nature Warden PrC.

I can't think of anything outside of Boon Companion that doesn't involve class levels in something else.

There might be something from 3.5, but I don't know that rule set.

[weckar]

Thanks anyway. I may pick up another Druid level for my 8th level to complete the partial BAB and pick up Woodland Stride. Boon companion will definitely be my 5th level feat though.
Thanks again.

[Glarnog]

As far as tricks go you may find the Bridle of Tricks useful.

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by weckar
...that's not what this thread is about anyway.

I tried to answer your #4 based on the information you provided.

[weckar]

Not a bad idea for the long term, but right now we have no one with the ability to craft that.

[weckar]

I tried to answer your #4 based on the information you provided.
Thanks, but that question was directly in response to the fact that my animal companion would not progress without additional effective Druid levels. I probably should have phrased it better.

[Iwasforger03]

Natural Bond from 3.5 is Boon Companion with another name. They should stack if allowed. Enough lvls in Ranger also advances animal companions. Paladin, Cavalier, and Samurai probably SHOULD count, but might not.


Also: If the wildshape class feature if a prereq to something, that means you have to have the ability, not just the class it comes from. A one lvl dip in druid is never going to qualify unless there's an archetype that grants lvl 1 wildshape. So he'd need to have 5 lvls in druid to qualify for that feat.

[weckar]

3.5 materials, while not explicitly forbidden, are to be replaced with PF material where available. So I don't think getting both feats is an option. Nice idea, though.

[grarrrg]

See if you can swing the Animal Ally feat. Then your companion will scale based on _character_ level and not just Druid levels.

[weckar]

Again, not a bad idea. Nature Soul is a bit of a feat tax, and one might argue I simply don't qualify because I already have a companion, but maybe...
Unless you would argue that Nature Sense can stand in as a virtual feat for Nature Soul.... Does PF still use virtual feats?

Actually, I also wonder... If I took both Animal Ally and Boon Companion.... Which would apply first?

And (sorry that I keep adding questions tot his) does my druid level count into my character level for Animal Ally, effectively counting twice?

[Anbu002]

what about the natural bond feat from complete adventurer page 111 here is the link
http://dndtools.eu/feats/complete-adventurer--54/natural-bond--2030/

is not Pfd but i dont see why a rational dm would rule it out since PFD is backwards compatible

[weckar]

what about the natural bond feat from complete adventurer page 111 here is the link
http://dndtools.eu/feats/complete-adventurer--54/natural-bond--2030/

is not Pfd but i dont see why a rational dm would rule it out since PFD is backwards compatibleIt's been mentioned, and is replaced by Boon Companion. Thanks anyway, though.