Druid's Animal Companion Question

[kalos72]

I have a player thinking about starting a druid...and he has a question.

If he was flying above the party, being a scout, what would his animal companion do? Can they summon them to them or something? Or would they have to run and just keep up?

Any feat/magic item to summon them to me?

[Tzardok]

The animal companion is "just" a very loyal, easily trainable animal that levels up with their master. It's still a wild animal that won't do things this type of animal won't do.

If the druid wants his companion with him while flying, he should choose a flying one. Otherwise, he has to leave it with the group.

[kalos72]

Could the druid carry the raptor companion maybe?

Like take the ROC form and carry his raptor companion? IDK I know I am reaching here...

[Doctor Despair]

Could the druid carry the raptor companion maybe?

Like take the ROC form and carry his raptor companion? IDK I know I am reaching here...

If the druid can bear the animal companion with its carry weight, then yes, it could either be carried (if the druid had the appropriate appendages to carry them or some sort of harness) or ride the druid. On that note... your druid is scouting. What is the rest of the party doing? Is there any reason the companion can't just stay with the party until the druid comes back...?

With that said, if the druid were to somehow completely lose track of their companion, they can pray for 24 hours to get a new one (or arguably the same one) with no maximum distance limit.

[Tzardok]

Could the druid carry the raptor companion maybe?

Like take the ROC form and carry his raptor companion? IDK I know I am reaching here...

Sure, why not? As long as your shape is strong enough to carry the companion's weight and the companion doesn't struggle (may need training for that).

But it won't work with a roc. Rocs are Colossal; the biggest wild shape available for non-epic druids is Huge.

[Wintermoot]

Buy a Pokeball with your starting cash.

[kalos72]

He is looking at a Fleshraker, although I haven't approved it yet.

How do I tell if the wild shape can carry him?

[Doctor Despair]

Average weight for a medium creature is like 300 iirc; a quick google search on Fleshraker weight has it listed at 200 or 300, so take your pick. It needs to be in the druid's light load for them to be able to fly. Fortunately, the rest of their gear melds, so only the dinosaur's weight matters. Seems like the druid's shape would need to have at least 26 strength to be able to fly carrying the Fleshraker if it weighs 300. Alternatively, they could buy a Belt of the Wide Earth from the MIC for 8k. This doubles carrying capacity, letting them get by with just a paltry 21 strength if it weighs 300.

If it weighs 200, they'd need 23 or 18 strength in their form without or with the belt respectively.

[kalos72]

Side question - Not 3.5ish but d20

Collectives - Can intelligent animals join collectives or be added to one?

Ardent Legion feat might work if so...

[daremetoidareyo]

In final fantasy 6, there was this ninja. And once in a while, this ninja's trained dog out come out and deal a buttload of damage with an attack and then disappear.


Animal companions often follow this trajectory of existing only when theyre needed to solve a problem. So the rules say that it is just an animal buddy. so if it weren't a flyer, it would have to run around terrestrially. But you get to train it, so you could train it to follow your eagle caws.

or, maybe it just disappears into the surroundings and arrives when it is conveniently expedient, or you can give the player a magic item that shrinks them down or whatever keeps yall having fun.

[Biggus]

But it won't work with a roc. Rocs are Colossal; the biggest wild shape available for non-epic druids is Huge.

Gargantuan actually, but same difference: he still can't take it non-epic (unless he wants to go Master of Many Forms).

[Tzardok]

Snip

Don't forget that bigger Sizes also raise amount you can carry. A Large bird can carry the 200 pound dino with Strength 18.
Also, magical items that fuse with you in wild shape lose their function unless the effect says differently. The belt of wide earth doesn't.


Gargantuan actually, but same difference: he still can't take it non-epic (unless he wants to go Master of Many Forms).

Right, sorry. That's one of those mistakes I always make.

[Doctor Despair]

Don't forget that bigger Sizes also raise amount you can carry. A Large bird can carry the 200 pound dino with Strength 18.
Also, magical items that fuse with you in wild shape lose their function unless the effect says differently. The belt of wide earth doesn't.

You're right on the size modifier, but don't forget you can put on gear after using wildshape. Gear only melds when you use the ability.

[Wintermoot]

He is looking at a Fleshraker, although I haven't approved it yet.

How do I tell if the wild shape can carry him?

Can we all just take a moment and appreciate this:

The Gnoll patrol sits in the woods guarding the entrance of the warlock's dungeon when a shadow falls over the face of the leader. He looks up and his eyes go wide. Above, circling is a small brown wren and in it's talons is a velociraptor.

Oh ****, thinks the Gnoll, a druid scout. Adventurers are near.

DM: "okay, as you circle over the clearing above the Gnoll patrol, the leader sees you and points you out. They begin hurling javelins at you."

Player: "Bull****. I'm a small brown wren. How could they possibly see me and, even if they did, why would they notice me?"

DM: "could be the velociraptor you are carrying"

[liquidformat]

You're right on the size modifier, but don't forget you can put on gear after using wildshape. Gear only melds when you use the ability.

You can also use wilding clasps. Master of Many Forms for example often optimizes around having a vest of many pockets with disguise added (like hat of disguise) on it. So you have wilding clasp on your vest then pull all of your equipment out and equip.

Here are some forms and levels:
Dire Eagle large 20 str (Druid 8)
Dragon Hawk Huge str 26 (Druid 15)
Giant Eagle/Owl Large 18str (Druid 9 with Exalted Wild Shape)
pegasus Large 18str (Druid 9 with Exalted Wild Shape)
Quetzlocoatlus huge Str 16 (Druid 15)

[Wintermoot]

You can also use wilding clasps. Master of Many Forms for example often optimizes around having a vest of many pockets with disguise added (like hat of disguise) on it. So you have wilding clasp on your vest then pull all of your equipment out and equip.

Here are some forms and levels:
Dire Eagle large 20 str (Druid 8)
Dragon Hawk Huge str 26 (Druid 15)
Giant Eagle/Owl Large 18str (Druid 9 with Exalted Wild Shape)
pegasus Large 18str (Druid 9 with Exalted Wild Shape)
Quetzlocoatlus huge Str 16 (Druid 15)

Okay. Now I want to see a Velociraptor riding on the back of a Pegasus.

[liquidformat]

Okay. Now I want to see a Velociraptor riding on the back of a Pegasus.

you should take a look at Dinosaur Planet: Broncosaurus Rex (https://web.archive.org/web/20120915123641/http://www.goodman-games.com/1000preview.html)

[kalos72]

Just found this in the Hussar Guide...

What if the Druid wore clasped armor of Hosteling? Flew around scouting using Wilde Shape and then when he landed to engage something, took out the AC...

https://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/magic-armor/magic-armor-and-shield-special-abilities/hosteling/

[liquidformat]

Just found this in the Hussar Guide...

What if the Druid wore clasped armor of Hosteling? Flew around scouting using Wilde Shape and then when he landed to engage something, took out the AC...

https://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/magic-armor/magic-armor-and-shield-special-abilities/hosteling/

It works if you have pathfinder and 3.5 in your game. If you are opening up the pf can of worms there is a spell to turn animals into small figurines and back which would allow you to store them in a pack before or after wild shaping...

There are other options that can be utilized inside 3.5. One of the main ones that druids commonly use for large and larger animal companions that works well is using baleful polymorph on their animal companion so they can transport it around then dispelling it when they want their animal companion to join in the fun. I have used this myself quite effectively with my dire tortoise animal companion to turn it into a box turtle to keep it around.

Another option is the shrinking collar (might have the name wrong) from arms and equipment guide, it is pretty useful for larger animal companions.

[Bronk]

Could the druid carry the raptor companion maybe?

Like take the ROC form and carry his raptor companion? IDK I know I am reaching here...

Yes, he could, but he'd have to be at least 18th level (Rocs have 18HD) and would need to cast the 8th level spell "Megalodon Empowerment" first, to take a form one step larger than the druid's current limit.

He'd probably be fine taking the form of a dire eagle at level 8 (only 4HD, but druid's don't get Large wild shape until then.

Even easier would be taking dire hawk form right at level 5 and casting 'reduce animal' on the animal companion before taking off.

Or, if he's in a situation where he's only going to be scouting for a few minutes at a time, he can cast 'fire wings' and share the spell with his animal companion so they can both fly around. If the druid has the Natural Spell feat, he can also cast the spell during fights so he doesn't have to land to let go of his animal companion to get his talons free. He's just got to remember to grab the animal again before the spell is up!