Yet another druid companion HD question

[Benejeseret]

Alrighty, I am just getting into pnp dnd and have trouble leveling my animal companion. I think I now understand all aspects EXCEPT when to apply feats.

Feats...it says to add them as appropriate for gaining HD according to druid/companion level table. Fine

But at what HD are they added?

ie. Wolf starts with Hit Dice: 2d8+4 (13 hp)
As I level up eventually he gains +2HD

Does the feat come once he gain 3,6,9 etc HD FROM me....?
Or does the feat come once he HAS 3,6,9 etc HD total?

ie. a leveled +2 HD, 4d8+8 wolf does not get feat until he is +3HD[from the next +2hd] and so needs to be 6d8+12 before the first feat gain

ie. OR a leveled +2 HD, 4d8+8 wolf does get a feat for passing 3 HD total?

In the second case a wartrained wolf template adds +1Hd so the now 3d8+10 wolf gets a feat.

Bene

[Indon]

Add feats and stat bonuses just as if they were characters, and their total HD was equal to their character level. Feats at 3,6,9, etc, and stats at 4,8,12, etc...

[Devils_Advocate]

Well, the text says "An animal companion gains additional skill points and feats for bonus HD as normal for advancing a monster’s Hit Dice." Normally, advancing a monster's hit dice gives it a new feat for each time its HD rise to a multiple of 3, not just for each 3 extra HD you give it. So that's what you should do here. Don't forget the additional 1 skill point per HD, too.

I'm pretty sure that total hit dice always determines when a creature gains feats. This holds for monster characters, too. (Add racial hit dice and class levels, ignore LA.)

On the other hand, the text doesn't say to increase any stat every 4 HD. I don't think that's an accidental omission. (Does adding racial hit dice to a monster even do that normally?) So an animal companions just gets the adjustments to Str and Dex shown on the the table (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/classes/druid.htm#theDruidsAnimalCompanion), and that's it.

Incidentally, you can definitely be forgiven for being uncertain about this part of the rules, which seems to be rather poorly written. The FAQ explains that, in one regard, you're not supposed to treat the animal as if you were just advancing its hit dice normally, even though the rules don't say not to: You don't increase the animal companion's size due to its bonus HD. Yet, in another regard, you're supposed to treat the animal as if you were just advancing its hit dice normally, despite what the rules actually say: Dire animal companions do get good Will saves; "An animal companion has good Fortitude and Reflex saves" is apparently just supposed to just remind you what a normal animal's good saves are. And we're expected to divine where these exceptions do and don't apply how exactly? :smallsigh: This stuff doesn't just warrant FAQ entries, it warrants official errata. :smallyuk:

[Benejeseret]

Thanks for the clear-up.

This certainly could use an official addressing as it causes no end of confusion amongst my group. Even just controlling the companion to attack takes extra focus to remember every time to roll animal handling etc ((most players from a computer dnd background treat them like a secondary pc like in NWN1/2 who they fully control rather than a somewhat uncertain ally who must be convinced each time)).

DM: The escaped prisoner tries to run
Druid: My animal and I will capture him alive
DM: So, your wolf runs to him and..*roll*..misses. Then you are attacking with non-lethal damage..*roll*..ok, you knock him out in one swing
Druid: Great. Then I will drag him back
DM: Wait, your wolf tears his throat in a coup de grace
Druid: WHAT!
DM: Well, you never did train your animal with the 'down' command

[giblina]

Getting an animal to perform a trick it knows (ie: attack) is only DC 10. It's DC 12 if the animal is wounded.

Rangers and druids get a +4 bonus when handling their animal companion, and they handle animals as a free action.

Long story short... a few levels under her belt and the druid won't need to roll to handle her animal anymore... it'll be an automatic success.

With a decent charisma, and 4 ranks in the skill, you can even have automatic successes from level 1.

[Stephen_E]

Technically if you're threatened or distracted you can't take a 10.
In most situations where controlling your Companion is an issue the DM can claim you're either been threatened, or distracted.

Stephen

[giblina]

I'm not talking about taking 10 :)

7 ranks animal handling + 4 bonus from druid + 0 charisma bonus = Total skill modifier of +11. You can get this +11 bonus at druid level 4 (or sooner if you boost your charisma or take a feat).

The worst DC you'll ever face when trying to command your animal companion to do something it knows is DC 12 (if the animal is wounded).

The lowest roll you can get on a d20 is a 1, and rolling 1 is not an automatic failure for skill checks (only attack rolls). 1+11 = 12 = DC met = animal handling automatic success.

Non-druids/rangers don't get the +4 bonus (because that only applies to animal companions), and animal handling for them is a move action, so it's a bit tougher if you want to use a guard dog in combat with you or whatever.

I also will note though that you can teach an animal the "Defend" trick. An animal with this trick will automatically attack anything that attacks it's handler (without an animal handling roll required). Just make sure you also teach it the "down" trick lest your dire bear try to maul a woman for slapping you or whatever :smalltongue:

[Stephen_E]

I'm not talking about taking 10 :)

<snipped>

The lowest roll you can get on a d20 is a 1, and rolling 1 is not an automatic failure for skill checks (only attack rolls). 1+11 = 12 = DC met = animal handling automatic success.


Duh, I keep forgetting that RAW skill rolls don't fail on a natural 1.

Stephen