Animal Companion Question

[Callin]

Other than Boon Companion is there anyway to get some of your other multiclass HD to count towards your Animal Companion?

[DungeonMaster11]

There are a few ways to do it: you could multiclass to Druid because the animal companion gets stronger as you do, same with the ranger but at a slower rate.

[grarrrg]

Other than Boon Companion is there anyway to get some of your other multiclass HD to count towards your Animal Companion?

Not really.
Like the other guy said, if you multiclass to another class that also has a Companion (and possibly Mount) then they will stack.
But as for "multiclass with anything" stacking...not so much.

The overall next-best option is go Cavalier for 4 levels so you can snag Horse Master (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/combat-feats/horse-master-combat) feat to flat out put "Mount level = Character level" regardless of actual classes. But you must have 4 levels of Cavalier, and you are restricted to Mounts.


If you are Human (or can count as Human), the Huntmaster (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/racial-feats/huntmaster-human) Feat gets you a +1 effective level. There are side perks, and it CAN put you over your character level.

Then there are a couple of more sideways options that aren't much more helpful.
Elves (and a few other races) can take an Oracle Favored Class bonus of +1/2 level towards a Revelation. Nature Mystery > Mount Revelation means every level counts for 1.5.

[Psyren]

You can also go VMC druid, which gets you a companion that scales with your character level no matter what classes you take, allowing you to multiclass or PrC to your heart's content.

Alternatively, go with Animal Ally + Boon Companion for another scales-with-character-level companion, albeit from a smaller list. If the class you're starting with gets an animal companion, consider using an archetype to drop it, then getting it back via Animal Ally.

[arixe]

Eldrich heritage with the sylvan blood line i think by lvl 11 you have a full powered animal companin with out any worry of dipping or anything

[Callin]

I am trying to do it on a Goblin but all of the suggestions are helpful for future use. Thanks a bunch everyone.

[grarrrg]

Eldrich heritage with the sylvan blood line i think by lvl 11 you have a full powered animal companin with out any worry of dipping or anything

Wildblood (and any/all archetype abilities) are NOT valid choices for Eldritch Heritage (http://paizo.com/paizo/faq/v5748nruor1fz#v5748eaic9sxm).


You can also go VMC druid, which gets you a companion that scales with your character level no matter what classes you take, allowing you to multiclass or PrC to your heart's content.

What goes unanswered is what happens if you VMC Druid AND have levels in a class with a Companion.
(effective) Druid levels ALWAYS stack for Companions.
But a VMC Druid explicitly can NOT be changed by anything but VMC Druid.

It's basically up to your DM if you would get 2 companions, or if you're just out of luck, or what.


Alternatively, go with Animal Ally + Boon Companion for another scales-with-character-level companion, albeit from a smaller list. If the class you're starting with gets an animal companion, consider using an archetype to drop it, then getting it back via Animal Ally.

Animal Ally has abuse potential. To take it you can't have a companion, and if you later gain a companion it will stack with it.
The problem is then that, by RAW, your companion then progresses at double rate.
The RAI is most likely only the 'non companion' levels count towards the Animal Ally bonus, but...

[Psyren]

What goes unanswered is what happens if you VMC Druid AND have levels in a class with a Companion.
(effective) Druid levels ALWAYS stack for Companions.
But a VMC Druid explicitly can NOT be changed by anything but VMC Druid.

It's basically up to your DM if you would get 2 companions, or if you're just out of luck, or what.

My suggestion (which I also posted above) would be just to skip all the headache, take an archetype that loses your original companion if possible, and then get it back via VMC.



Animal Ally has abuse potential. To take it you can't have a companion, and if you later gain a companion it will stack with it.
The problem is then that, by RAW, your companion then progresses at double rate.
The RAI is most likely only the 'non companion' levels count towards the Animal Ally bonus, but...

You could just as easily read it as an overlap - "character level or effective druid level, whichever is higher" or something along those lines.

[arixe]

To the point of the wild blooded ruling. That is aa full ruling in my opinion. But the paizo gods have spoken. Oh well can't argue with the developers