"maximum number of animal companions" - DMG

[Arceius]

I was reading in the 3.5 DM's Guide the other day about Epic level classes. I never noticed it any of the other times I read it but in the section covering Epic Level Druids it says that:

"The druid may have a maximum number of animal companions equal to twice her class level, as normal."

However, I can find no mention of this rule nor anything similar. I believe that there is a feat that allows for the control of extra animal companions but why would it be listed in Epic Level rules and why would it be "as normal" if you need a feat for it? I seriously doubt I'm reading it wrong, though I admit it is possible that I am doing so or that there is a rule tucked away in some dusty page corner that I skimmed past.

[Thrice Dead Cat]

That's a hold over from 3.0 where Druids could have any number of companions, but with weird limits on HD. The errata (and SRD) remove that bit of text and correct the issue.

[Arceius]

That certainly explains why I was unable to find any mention of it anywhere else; and here I was getting my hopes up letting my players run around with an army of Animal Companions. XD

[PId6]

That certainly explains why I was unable to find any mention of it anywhere else; and here I was getting my hopes up letting my players run around with an army of Animal Companions. XD

Try the Beastmaster PrC from Complete Adventurer if you want that.

[Aroka]

That quote sounds bizarre, even in the 3.0 context. A maximum number of animal companions?

3.0 druids got animal companions by casting the spell animal friendship, which could affect a total of (caster level * 2) HD of animals at once. If you're casting it on 1/4 HD rats or something, why would you suddenly be limited to level * 2 rats?

[Arceius]

In 3.5 there's no specific spell you preform to gain an Animal Companion. Instead it's a unspecified ritual of 24 hours of prayer (If you loose yours you can get another this way, but normally Druids keep the one they start with). So they get only one now (In 3.5 that is).

[Fouredged Sword]

Human Druid level 1
feat 1 - wild cohort
feat 2 - wild cohort
flaw 1 - wild cohort
flaw 2 - wild cohort
Laugh at your pack of 5 attack dogs at level 1.
at all future levels take wild cohort at every posible level.

That's a lot of dogs.

Buy some dogs to act as filler.

Go beastmaster when you can, or not, full druid casting is mean with a bunch of animals for attack support.

[Ashiel]

Human Druid level 1
feat 1 - wild cohort
feat 2 - wild cohort
flaw 1 - wild cohort
flaw 2 - wild cohort
Laugh at your pack of 5 attack dogs at level 1.
at all future levels take wild cohort at every posible level.

That's a lot of dogs.

Buy some dogs to act as filler.

Go beastmaster when you can.

That'd work great if it could be taken multiple times.

[Roga]

The Beast Heart Adept in Dungeonscape is also great fro getting some really nice companions, and more then one. Grey Render 4tw!

[ShadowsGrnEyes]

The Beast Heart Adept in Dungeonscape is also great fro getting some really nice companions, and more then one. Grey Render 4tw!

i second this. WOOT FOR GREY RENDER!

[IonDragon]

Try the Beastmaster PrC from Complete Adventurer if you want that.

The Beastmaster PrC is incredibad as the subsequent Animal Companions (the first one is your Druid Animal Companion, buffed) are based on Beastmaster Level -(the level you get the ability) so you would at level 4 have one Animal Companion at effective Druid level 12 (5 Druid, 4 Beastmaster +3 First level Animal Companion) and a second at effective Druid level 1. That second one is cleave/AOE fodder, and not long for this world.

[PId6]

The Beastmaster PrC is incredibad as the subsequent Animal Companions (the first one is your Druid Animal Companion, buffed) are based on Beastmaster Level -(the level you get the ability) so you would at level 4 have one Animal Companion at effective Druid level 12 (5 Druid, 4 Beastmaster +3 First level Animal Companion) and a second at effective Druid level 1. That second one is cleave/AOE fodder, and not long for this world.

I didn't say it's good.

Still, you can use it for supermount builds, since two levels gets you a druid 5 mount easy enough. The other companions are fairly useless though.