Leveling up Ranger/Druid Companions

[CrazedGoblin]

Ive searched the boards and google and i couldnt find anything on this, could anyone enlighten me on how Druid/Ranger companions level up.

Do you HAVE to choose from the certain list of creatures for companions in the book, its like a dog, panther and a few others or can you choose something else within reason, or is this a "at the DMs discretion" type deal.

[Lord Lorac Silvanos]

If you have a Player's Handbook you look under the druid page 36 and you will see a a sidebar taking up almost an entire page dedicated to the animal companion giving rules for how your level affects it and giving a list of alternative companions also.

Apart from these rules an animal companion does not gain levels or earn xp by itself.

You could probably talk to your DM to find a creature of suitable power to ad to the list of companions if you both feel comfortable with that and it fits your campaign.

If you are only using a SRD you will most likely find the information you are looking for under the entry for the Druid.

(Do not make the common mistake to look under familiars )

[PinkysBrain]

They don't level up ever, you take an animal companion and add bonus hit dice. They get feat, skills and ability score increases for their hitdice but they don't advance (they don't get larger etc).

If you want to keep your existing companion but have him advanced (in HD and size) you could ask the DM to come up with a penalty to your effective druid level appropriate for the advanced version of the animal.

[Jack_Simth]

Ive searched the boards and google and i couldnt find anything on this, could anyone enlighten me on how Druid/Ranger companions level up.

Do you HAVE to choose from the certain list of creatures for companions in the book, its like a dog, panther and a few others or can you choose something else within reason, or is this a "at the DMs discretion" type deal.

As with anything, the DM rules. DM says you can have a yellow-bellied sapsucker as an animal companion, you can have a yellow-bellied sapsucker as an animal companion (usually). The DM says you can have an elephant as an animal companion, you can have an elephant as an animal companion (usually).

Standard, though, you pick from the list. They're mostly balanced with each other and (once advanced suitably) with the higher-level animal companions. They have different strengths (e.g., the Riding Dog makes a great combat monster, but the Wolf is a swifter mount) but they are mostly roughly balanced against each other.

If you go non-standard, you can (with DM permission), but watch things closely. Ignoring the Aquatic animal companions, all the animals on the first level list are CR 1 or less. All the animals on the 4th level list are CR 2. On the 7th level list, they're all CR 3 or 4 (mostly 4). On the 10th level list, they're all CR 4, 5, or 6. On the 13th level list, they're both CR 7. On the 16th level list, they're CR 8 and 9. This works reasonably well as a guideline for adding an option to the appropriate level. However, there's limits. A glass cannon (high offense, low defense and HP) doesn't make a good animal companion, as you'll need to replace it often. A brick (high defense/hp, low offense) is useful only as a baggage handler (but remains useful).

Fortunately, an Animal Companion is easy to replace.

[ShneekeyTheLost]

All the information you are looking for can be found here in the SRD.

As for what you can start out with, the basic list is as follows:

Animal Companion (Ex)
A druid may begin play with an animal companion selected from the following list: badger, camel, dire rat, dog, riding dog, eagle, hawk, horse (light or heavy), owl, pony, snake (Small or Medium viper), or wolf. If the campaign takes place wholly or partly in an aquatic environment, the following creatures are also available: porpoise, Medium shark, and squid. This animal is a loyal companion that accompanies the druid on her adventures as appropriate for its kind.

A 1st-level druid’s companion is completely typical for its kind except as noted below. As a druid advances in level, the animal’s power increases as shown on the table. If a druid releases her companion from service, she may gain a new one by performing a ceremony requiring 24 uninterrupted hours of prayer. This ceremony can also replace an animal companion that has perished.

A druid of 4th level or higher may select from alternative lists of animals. Should she select an animal companion from one of these alternative lists, the creature gains abilities as if the character’s druid level were lower than it actually is. Subtract the value indicated in the appropriate list header from the character’s druid level and compare the result with the druid level entry on the table to determine the animal companion’s powers. (If this adjustment would reduce the druid’s effective level to 0 or lower, she can’t have that animal as a companion.)

A Ranger counts as a Druid half his level, for purposes of determining animal companion. Thus an 8th level Ranger would count as a 4th level Druid for which abilities and choices he has.

[Amphimir Míriel]

Heh, I was going exactly through this a couple of weeks ago when my party reached 3rd level.

The Druid's Wolf animal companion just "jumped" in abilities and now kills goblins at the same speed as the main melee character in the party!

Disclaimer: all my players are notorious under-optimizers (think "WotC playtester") so this probably doesn't mean anything...

[ShneekeyTheLost]

Heh, I was going exactly through this a couple of weeks ago when my party reached 3rd level.

The Druid's Wolf animal companion just "jumped" in abilities and now kills goblins at the same speed as the main melee character in the party!

Disclaimer: all my players are notorious under-optimizers (think "WotC playtester") so this probably doesn't mean anything...

At 3rd level, the wolf gained 2 hit dice, which increases his BAB, hit points, and saves. He also got a +2 to Natural Armor, which made him tougher to hit, a +1 to strength, which might or might not have increased his damage depending on his original Str stat being even or odd, and he got Evasion, which isn't much good against melee types, but will make him laugh at Evokers.

So yes, the wolf got more dangerous. However, he doesn't get another boost until 6th level, so the boost will even itself out over the next couple of levels.

[Jack_Simth]

Heh, I was going exactly through this a couple of weeks ago when my party reached 3rd level.

The Druid's Wolf animal companion just "jumped" in abilities and now kills goblins at the same speed as the main melee character in the party!

Disclaimer: all my players are notorious under-optimizers (think "WotC playtester") so this probably doesn't mean anything...

Heh. It's actually the Riding Dog that's the combat monkey of the 1st level Animal Companions - AC 16, bite +3 for 1d6+3 and Trip (if trained for War - Combat Riding general purpose should do the job), vs. the Wolf's AC 14 Bite +3 for 1d6+1 and Trip.

For pure combat potential, you'll want to swap out for an Ape at 4th (Core). Lower AC, but more attacks, more damage, and reach. Get some Leather Barding (it's not too pricey) to boost that AC a tad. No matter what you do, though, the Animal Companion falls behind as a primary combatant after about 6th-10th-ish - at which point, swap out for a Dire Bat (for the Fly 40 (Good) - ah, the joys of Riding - inside medium dungeons, with Reduce Animal and a Small base character).

[Haikiah]

My solution... use my patented LEVELLING UP SPHERE OF ANNILIHATION™!

Simply place your pet inside, like so , and watch as...

...OH GOD! FLUFFY! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!