animal companion help

[samduke]

I am looking for ways to increase effective druid levels for the animal companion for 3.0/3.5
I have 10 levels of other classes already in a 20 level build
so what I need of these 10 levels are 5 in ranger because I need the BAB.
and 5 in beastmaster seems the best option as it will offer +8 to the effective druid level
in feats I pick up natural bond which nets me 3 more, and fangsheild ranger lets me count +2 more to the effective level so with just these I can get to 17 (6+3+8) are there any other feats or locations that will get this to 20 without sacrificing even 1 of the other 10 levels?

[Hiro Quester]

So in your 10 levels of other classes are only 6 levels of druid?

Are you counting the +2 for fangshield ranger? Or is that in the +6? That would mean you only have 4 levels of druid. Why would you not take at least 5 for wildshape, or more?

The +8 is for beastmaster.
The +3 is for natural bond.

Can you take Natural Bond twice? That would do it, and still respect the cap of your character level.

[eggynack]

Can you take Natural Bond twice? That would do it, and still respect the cap of your character level.
Doesn't say you can, so no. Don't even think you can take it twice in order to improve two separate animal companions, which is really dumb.

Anyway, focused animal (Dragon Magazine #347, 91) picks you up a +2, and if you're really low on druid levels then it's a pretty good trade. However, I've gotta ask, why not just go druid 20? It sounds like you're working ridiculously hard to replicate the companion you'd naturally have if you did that, and the benefit you're gaining is almost certainly smaller than what you'd get were you to just be a druid. Hell, you'd probably even be able to personally fight better, on the basis of superior wild shape and magic.

[samduke]

Doesn't say you can, so no. Don't even think you can take it twice in order to improve two separate animal companions, which is really dumb.

Anyway, focused animal (Dragon Magazine #347, 91) picks you up a +2, and if you're really low on druid levels then it's a pretty good trade. However, I've gotta ask, why not just go druid 20? It sounds like you're working ridiculously hard to replicate the companion you'd naturally have if you did that, and the benefit you're gaining is almost certainly smaller than what you'd get were you to just be a druid. Hell, you'd probably even be able to personally fight better, on the basis of superior wild shape and magic.

Ranger 5 is 2.5 EDL or 3 then fangshields adds 2 to that 5 natural bond gets 3 and beast master 8 picking up 1 from 1 of the other 10 levels bringing it to 17, no cant go all 20 druid - and cant sacrifice even 1 of the 10 for some other thing like wild plains outrider ... yeah already knew natural bond was a 1 only and I was hoping for another feat or location perhaps item that could get it to 20.
Edit note (Dragon Magazine #347, 91) is out as are other 3rd party

Edit*
Major Bloodline - Bloodline levels get added to every other class level for determining level-dependent class features - if it works this way - I could use this to get another 8 EDL ..

or

In Eberon Dragonmarked 130
VADALIS BEASTKEEPER
at 1st level it gets Improved companion ( if I were to take it for 1 of the beastmaster levels and then say it applies its improved ability to the beastmaster class would it gain 4 effective druid levels?

Improved Companion or Mount (Ex): Levels in
Vadalis beastkeeper stack with levels in the class that
grants you your animal companion or special mount
for the purpose of determining the functional strength
and level of that companion or mount. If you had more
than one class that granted you an animal companion or
special mount before becoming a beastkeeper, you must
decide to which class to add each level for the purpose of
determining the functional strength and level of your
companion or mount

[Hiro Quester]

Ranger 5 is 2.5 EDL or 3 then fangshields adds 2 to that 5 natural bond gets 3 and beast master 8 picking up 1 from 1 of the other 10 levels bringing it to 17, no cant go all 20 druid - and cant sacrifice even 1 of the 10 for some other thing like wild plains outrider ...


So you have no druid levels, then? Why not take a few levels, rather than considering obscure PrCs like Valdis beast keeper?

[eggynack]

No cant go all 20 druid - and cant sacrifice even 1 of the 10 for some other thing like wild plains outrider.
Yeah but, y'know, why? If there's something in particular that you want from those levels, there might be some other way to accomplish it.

[sleepyphoenixx]

The levels in Beastmaster are a waste. You'd get 2HD on your animal companion in exchange for 5 levels of spellcasting and wild shaping. That's a really bad deal.
Also, if all you need from Ranger is the full BAB consider Nature's Warrior (CW) instead. It's still not optimal but at least it progresses wild shape and gives 2/5 casting while having reasonable requirements.

More importantly, you don't need 20 levels progressing animal companion, because you get the last pre-epic HD increase at effective druid level 18.

Another option to consider is taking the Urban Companion ACF (CS WE) and take a level of Hierophant for the Power of Nature ability.
Your companion is automatically considered to have HD = your character level and you can share your uses of Wild Shape to turn him into an effective (and versatile) combatant, in exchange for losing a level of spellcasting and wild shape progression.

That's in addition to all the other benefits a familiar has over a normal animal, like intelligence, sharing your skills, etc.
It certainly beats killing any druid effectiveness you might have just to obtain a barely viable animal companion.