Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Nodel 12-03-05, 04:18 PM	Howdy everyone, I'm new to this board and the reason I registered is that I have a question about druid. Druid gets an animal companion at 1st level. I have druid level 3 now and I can't get how to develop the wolf (the animal companion) I have. Should it be level 3 now and how do I upgrade it anyway? I tried to read 3.0 Handbook and 3.5 one, but still don't get it. Anyone can help?
Teydyn 12-03-05, 04:54 PM	3.0 it did not develop at all. 3.5 you get set bonuses for HD, nat. armor and stuff. Check here http://www.d20srd.org/srd/classes/druid.htm#theDruidsAnimalCompanion You are lvl 3. Take the bonuses in the 2nd line (where it says lvl 3-5) and add em to your wolf.
Radijs 12-03-05, 05:00 PM	So you've reached lvl 3 then lets look at the table.... 1st–2nd +0 +0 +0 1 Link, share spells 3rd–5th +2 +2 +1 2 Evasion 6th–8th +4 +4 +2 3 Devotion 9th–11th +6 +6 +3 4 Multiattack 12th–14th +8 +8 +4 5 15th–17th +10 +10 +5 6 Improved evasion 18th–20th +12 +12 +6 7 The first collum in the table tells you what druid level the bonuses go in effect. The second tells you how many hit dice you add to your animal companion. The third tells you how much natural armor you have to add. The 4th tells you how much both the animals strength and dexterity score increases and the last one tells you how much bonus tricks it knows. And th last collum tells you what kind of extra special bonuse it gains. You're level 3 so the second row applies. I made it bold so its easy to recognize. It tells you to add 2 hit dice, +2 extra natural armor, its STR and DEX scores both increase by 1, it learns one additional trick, this can be any trick from the handle animal skill and finally it gains the Evasion ability. This table can be found on page 36 of the players handbook in the left collum beneath the separator. Handle animal can be found on page 74 in the right collum and ends on page 75.
dopp 12-03-05, 05:50 PM	The wolf looks as following: Wolf Medium Animal Hit dice: 4d8+8 (26hp) Initiative: +2 Speed: 50 ft Armor Class: 17 (+3 dex, +4 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 14 Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+5 Attack: Bite +5 melee (1d6+2) Full Attack: Bite +5 melee (1d6+2) Space/Reach: 5ft/5ft Special Attacks: Trip Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent Saves: Fort +6, Ref +7, Will +1 Abilities: Str 14, Dex 16, Con 15, int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6 Skills: Hide +2, Listen +3, Move Silently +3, Spot +3, Survival +1* [two more skill points to be choosen] Feats: TrackB, Weapon Focus (bite) [one more feats to be choosen] Trip (Ex): A wolf that hits with a bit attack can attempt to trip the opponent (+1 check modifier)as a free action without making a touch attack or provoking an attack of opportunity. If the attempt fails, the opponent cannot react to trip the worl. Link (Ex) Share spells (Ex) Evasion (Ex) Skills: *Wolves have a +4 racial bonus on Survival checks when tracking by scent. tricks: 7 (3 per int point and one extra from drd lvl 3-5) The feats could be choosen from the list in the monster manual (page 303-304) if something is wrong, feel free to correct me
Nodel 12-06-05, 03:12 PM	Thanks a lot, guys, but 1. Dopp, initiative increases to +3, 'cause our dexterity modifier is +3 ;) 2. How do you know the base attack bonus and the saves? Maybe you give me the bases, like in the Handbook for all classes, and I just put there modifiers ;)) If it wouldn't be hard for you, I'd appreciate it. Thanx again
Pliskit 12-06-05, 03:25 PM	According to the description in the 3.5 phb the animal companion should be treated a druid with the same lvl as it has HD. So a 3HD animal for example should have the same bab as a lvl3 druid. (it's under Bonus HD)
Nodel 12-06-05, 03:27 PM	Look above. The wolf is 4d8. So should it be treated like a lvl4 druid?
Pliskit 12-06-05, 03:30 PM	Look above. The wolf is 4d8. So should it be treated like a lvl4 druid? That's how you should interprete my example yes :D
Nodel 12-06-05, 03:39 PM	Oh sry missed that "3HD" in your message :)) Alright, thanks a lot, now I get the whole thing :))
Shirosai 12-06-05, 04:32 PM	A druid of sufficiently high level can select her animal companion from one of the following lists, applying the indicated adjustment to the druid’s level (in parentheses) for purposes of determining the companion’s characteristics and special abilities. I never got what that meant. If you're level 7, for example, and you want a Dire Wolf animal companion, would you treat your level as 1 for purpose of determining how powerful your animal companion would be?
Pliskit 12-06-05, 04:39 PM	That is EXACTLY how it works. If the druid from your example would go on adventuring and reach lvl 9, his animal companion would receive 2hd (and the according raise in hp and bab), +2 to nat AC, +1 to str and dex, 1 bonus trick and Evasion, as per the table: 9-6+3, so the animal would evolve into the second category.
farfairer 12-06-05, 04:45 PM	I never got what that meant. If you're level 7, for example, and you want a Dire Wolf animal companion, would you treat your level as 1 for purpose of determining how powerful your animal companion would be? That is exactly right. So if at level 7 the druid decides to bond with a dire wolf, you would subtract 6 from your level when looking at the chart for how powerful the companion is. Thus the wolf would learn 1 extra trick and gain link and share spells. Once the druid reaches level 9 the animal companion goes up in power one step on the chart to 4 HD.