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Bassikpoet
2008-12-04, 07:38 AM
Is there anywhere in a WotC book that gives rules on what animals should or shouldnt be animal companions. I want to make a Halfling druid with a Clawfoot companion (ala the picture on page 204 of ECS). However, I can't find any rules on whether such a creature would be allowed as an animal companion.

Are there any rules for this or is it simply up to the DM to allow it or not?

EDIT: Also where is the feat that increases your effective level by three when determining the level of an animal companion?

Mephit
2008-12-04, 07:42 AM
There's a list of Alternate Animal Companions in PHBII, I think.
Clawfoot isn't up there, though, so yeah, you'll have to ask your DM. If there is any kind of guideline for what qualifies as a Companion, it probably says 'consult your DM first about this' anyway.

Cheesegear
2008-12-04, 07:57 AM
Check out the Druid entry on the SRD. There are a number of 'alternative' animal companions for a high(er) level Druid.

The feat; Is 'Natural Bond', found in Complete Adventurer. Also, pick up one level of Beastmaster as well (also in Complete Adventurer), for a total of +6 to AniComp. Sweet!

EDIT: IIRC; You can have any animal you want as an Animal Companion. So long as it is an animal. Not magical or any other templates stacked onto it. To have it as a Companion, your level needs to equal it's Hit Dice, and it's 'Companion' level, counts as HD - (Druid's Level - 1).

A 4th Level Druid can have an Ape (4HD) as a Companion. The Ape's level is 4 - (4-1) = 1. This is where that +6 comes in handy.

Stephen_E
2008-12-04, 08:06 AM
Animal Companions level modifiers are based on their HD. The Clawfoot is a 2HD creature with no exceptonal stats with the possible exception of its skill modifiers. Ot's larger cousin (4HD) the Deinonychus has a -6 lev mod, but it has the pounce skill as well as more HD and better stats.

In short the Clawfoot is either a 0 mod or a -3 mod animal companion. At a guess I'd say 0 mod but if you look at all the recommended 0 and -3 mod companions you should be able to form a pretty good idea.

Stephen E

Cheesegear
2008-12-04, 08:14 AM
The Clawfoot is a 2HD creature with no exceptonal stats with the possible exception of its skill modifiers.

I don't have ECS. But if this is true, there is no reason you can't have one. At all. You might want to ask your DM, however what he thinks is a good modifier.

kamikasei
2008-12-04, 08:18 AM
In short the Clawfoot is either a 0 mod or a -3 mod animal companion. At a guess I'd say 0 mod but if you look at all the recommended 0 and -3 mod companions you should be able to form a pretty good idea.

It has better stats and more attacks than a wolf, but doesn't seem particularly stronger than, say, a bear or cheetah. I'd peg it as a -3, mostly on account of the multiple attacks.

Stephen_E
2008-12-04, 08:39 AM
It's a weakness of the Animal Companion rules that the modifiers are 0, -3, -6.....
Thus you get animals that a strong for one rating but weak for the next. Something that should be a -4 or -5 instear has to be -3 or -6. I suspect the flaw is because the feature was intended to just be a minor "nice" feature. The problem is that to many people, myself included, an animal companion is THE reason to play a Druid, so we aim to get the most out of it and push the mechanism further than it was originally intended.

If I could drop my Weapon Style for full Animal Comp advancement I'd happily play Rangers.

Stephen E