Natural Bond?

[Generic_PC]

Natural Bond (page 111 in Complete Adventurer) is a feat that increases your effective druid level for Hit dice, extra tricks, special abilities, and other abilities that your animal companion gets.
My question is, if you get a more powerful animal companion such as a Dire Bear would this feat still increase your druid level for other things?

[Starbuck_II]

Natural Bond (page 111 in Complete Adventurer) is a feat that increases your effective druid level for Hit dice, extra tricks, special abilities, and other abilities that your animal companion gets.
My question is, if you get a more powerful animal companion such as a Dire Bear would this feat still increase your druid level for other things?

Natural Bond would cancel up to bonus lost from a high level Companion, yes.

Dire Bear: -12 adjustment
+3 Natural bond
=
-9 Adjustment.

[Generic_PC]

Thanks, knowing that will help a lot in the campaign I'm in.

[Yeril]

Remember, Natural bond doesn't increase your total druid level above your total level!

a level 18 druid with this feat isnt a level 21 druid for animal companion.

however

a level 15 druid/level 3 fighter is a level 18 druid.

But a level 16 druid/level 2 fighter is also a level 18 druid.

Great feat for multiclassing, or rangers .

[Shas aia Toriia]

Also good for making a -12 druid into a -9 for animal companions. Though I don't reccomend this feat myself.

[Tor the Fallen]

Does Natural Bond increase druid level for wildshaping?

[Benejeseret]

Lets compare formula


(druid base level)+(other class levels) = total class levels

(druid base level)+natural bond = or < total class levels

Thus: natural bond = or < (other classs levels)


Natural bond cannot raise druid level above total class level. BUT most people are mis-understanding druid level and animal ajustments.


(animal 'level') = druid base levels+natural bond-animal adjustment

So under this a level 6 druid natural bonded cannot have a lvl 6 wolverine with a -3 adjustment. A level 3 druid / 3 fighter natural bonded can have a lvl 6 pony or a lvl3 wolverine

WHY? Well, rearrange the equation and see.


(animal 'level') + animal adjustment = druid base level + natural bond

replace from above equations and:

(animal 'level') + animal adjustment = or < total class levels


Sooooo, the level adjustment is indeed a LEVEL ADJUSTMENT is this case just like a template or race adjustment. It has NO effect on your druid level directly. You are not a -3 druid, it is a +3 animal.

It is there to suppliment cross-classing. If DM's allow it to boost level adjustment animals for straight druids so be it....but DM's beware, as this is not as it is written and is a ploy to munckin out an already powerful class.

Throw in beastmaster prc dip for a further +3 and the companion is now far and above the party. It is just not right.

[Leon]

Does Natural Bond increase druid level for wildshaping?

No, Only for Animal Companion