Ranger/Druid - Animal companion?

[Scarey Nerd]

If someone takes 4 levels in ranger and 1 in druid, do they have 2 animal companions, or do the 4 levels in ranger count as 2 effective druid levels, therefore just give access to a better one from the druid?

[Assassin89]

The 4 levels in ranger count as 2 effective druid levels.

The druids class levels stack with levels of any other class that are entitled to an animal companion for the purpose of determining the companion's abilities and the alternative lists available to the character

[IonDragon]

For multiple animal companions, Beastmaster PRC from CAdv.

It's also a good one level dip for characters focused into their Animal Companion.

[Duskranger]

5 levels druid + 1 level Beastmaster and you have an animal companion of effective druid level 9. Sad the rest of the stuff is worthless.

But Ranger4/Druid one gets you an companion of druidlevel 3. Nothing more nothing less.

By the way after the beastmaster dip go into the Beast Heart Adept PrC it gives you monsters as animal companions (3 of them) with better progression as the beastmaster.

[nedz]

You might want to consider the feat Natural Bond from CAdv p114
Add three to your Effective Druid level (not to exceed your Character level) for determining your Animal Companion’s bonuses.

[Duskranger]

You might want to consider the feat Natural Bond from CAdv p114
Add three to your Effective Druid level (not to exceed your Character level) for determining your Animal Companion’s bonuses.

It's worse, the real wording is: Not to exceed your Druid level.

[9mm]

It's worse, the real wording is: Not to exceed your Druid level.

no, it caps the total effective druid level granted by the feat to your character level; otherwise the feat wouldn't work.

[nedz]

It's worse, the real wording is: Not to exceed your Druid level.

Oh, How is this feat ment to work at all then ?

[Duskranger]

I misread it luckily. the question in that case is can it be used on all the companions you can get from the Beastmaster PrC Beastmaster.

To make the weaker companions stronger.

[2xMachina]

lol,
Admiral Ackbar: It's a tarp. Yeah, recheck your copy. It's Char lvl.

[nedz]

I believe it only works on one companion if you have many.

[Duskranger]

Nedz, but still you can make your second companion stronger than he is. The first gets druid level =druidlevel+beastmasterlvl+3 (this is your druidcompanion)

The second = beastmaster level -3 strange enough.

That alone would be a reason to never take any more than a 1 level dip in that class,

[Stephen_E]

Yes, you can use Natural Bond and Beastmaster to have a higher lever alternative Druid Animal Companion.

For an example
6 lev Druid, 1st level Beast master + Natural Bond
+ Effective Druid lev of 13, but the natural bond bonus only works so long as your effective Druid level for bonuses is no more than 7th.

So the PC could have a Animal Companion with a -6 effective Druid penalty, and get bonuses as a 7th level Druid.

Stephen E

[Duskranger]

Yes, you can use Natural Bond and Beastmaster to have a higher lever alternative Druid Animal Companion.

For an example
6 lev Druid, 1st level Beast master + Natural Bond
+ Effective Druid lev of 13, but the natural bond bonus only works so long as your effective Druid level for bonuses is no more than 7th.

So the PC could have a Animal Companion with a -6 effective Druid penalty, and get bonuses as a 7th level Druid.

Stephen E

Thanks and good to know.