Druid with Awakend Animal Companion

[OverSeer]

Are there any feats or whatnot that would allow a Druid to have an Awakened Animal Companion?

According to the SRD no:

An awakened animal can’t serve as an animal companion, familiar, or special mount.

Just wondering. Thanks!

[Danin]

Unfortunately you kind of answered your own question there. An awakened animal is an intelligent creature and thus not eligible to be an animal companion. You would, however, be able to take one as a cohort with the leadership feat unless I'm mistaken, but then they would advance through class levels and not benefit from your animal companion bonuses.

[OverSeer]

That's why I was hoping there was a feat somewhere or something. Like in Book of Exalted Deeds or whatever...

[HamsterOfTheGod]

But you could get an awakened animal as a cohort using the leadership feat that will advance through class levels.

Or you could get an intelligent companion familiar if you become an arcane hierophant. You lose druid levels but you gain arcane spells and an animal companion that improves as both an animal companion and familiar.

Edit: The Book of Exalted Deeds has a feat to let you get a magical beast instead of an animal as a companion.

And I think there is a feat from Dragon magazine that lets you get intelligent monstrous familiars...

[Starscream]

I think there's something that lets you apply the celestial template to your companion. That'd get its intelligence up to three. But I don't think it can be made any higher.

I'm pretty sure it's mentioned in the Druid Handbook, but Wizards forum is down as I write this so I can't be sure.

Hmmm...If you could get it up to the levels of dim sentience, could you then give it an intelligence boosting magic item? I'm picturing a character kind of like that monkey from Futurama who is intelligent as long as he keeps a special hat on his head.

Edit:
Yup, Celestial Companion from the BoED. It costs a feat and reduces your effective druid level by one for determining the other bonuses, but it might be worth it to have an animal that can actually understand you instead of just doing tricks.