Advancing an Animal Companion [Archive] - Wizards Community

Advancing an Animal Companion [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
deimos34
08-11-04, 12:56 PM In the description for Druid, it says: (SRD)
Bonus HD: Extra eight-sided (d8) Hit Dice, each of which gains a Constitution modifier, as normal. Remember that extra Hit Dice improve the animal companion’s base attack and base save bonuses. An animal companion’s base attack bonus is the same as that of a druid of a level equal to the animal’s HD. An animal companion has good Fortitude and Reflex saves (treat it as a character whose level equals the animal’s HD). An animal companion gains additional skill points and feats for bonus HD as normal for advancing a monster’s Hit Dice.

So it says additional skill points and feats for extra HD, but does not mention ability score increases or size category increases for HD. Does the Animal companion also increase in size (by type) and gain ability score increases (every 4HD)? For example, a Drd3 with a wolf animal companion would have a 4HD wolf. According to the wolf entry, it would become large size (wolves are large at 4-6 HD).

And the Animal would also have 4HD, which as a monster would give a +1 to any ability. Does all this also apply for the animal companion? If so, a Drd3 is accompanied by a large creature that has a +9 bite (1d8+6) and on a successful hit can trip as a free action and gets a +11 to the check. And has like 40 HP. Not that I'm complaining, just seems a tad butch.
Krelios
08-11-04, 12:59 PM As has been stated a few times on these boards (and by the Sage in his articles) and I believe in the errata as well; Animal Companions do NOT gain size increases. They gain everything else an animal companion would gain for increasing HD (including bonus ability points), they just remain whatever size they start as.
deimos34
08-11-04, 01:19 PM Good call. Not in the errata, but in the new FAQ:

When you add Hit Dice to a druid's (or ranger's) animal companion as the master's level goes up, does the animal get any bigger? For instance, when a druid has a wolf companion, the wolf starts out with the standard 2 Hit Dice and is size Medium. By the time the druid is 3rd level, the wolf has 2 bonus Hit Dice. According to the wolf entry in the Monster Manual, an advanced wolf with 4 Hit Dice would be Large. Is the example companion wolf also Large?
An animal companion doesn't get bigger when it adds extra Hit Dice for the master's levels. The advancement entries for creatures, and the rules for advancing monsters, refer to unusually powerful specimens that are simply tougher (and perhaps bigger) than normal for their kinds.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
deimos34 08-11-04, 12:56 PM	In the description for Druid, it says: (SRD) Bonus HD: Extra eight-sided (d8) Hit Dice, each of which gains a Constitution modifier, as normal. Remember that extra Hit Dice improve the animal companion’s base attack and base save bonuses. An animal companion’s base attack bonus is the same as that of a druid of a level equal to the animal’s HD. An animal companion has good Fortitude and Reflex saves (treat it as a character whose level equals the animal’s HD). An animal companion gains additional skill points and feats for bonus HD as normal for advancing a monster’s Hit Dice. So it says additional skill points and feats for extra HD, but does not mention ability score increases or size category increases for HD. Does the Animal companion also increase in size (by type) and gain ability score increases (every 4HD)? For example, a Drd3 with a wolf animal companion would have a 4HD wolf. According to the wolf entry, it would become large size (wolves are large at 4-6 HD). And the Animal would also have 4HD, which as a monster would give a +1 to any ability. Does all this also apply for the animal companion? If so, a Drd3 is accompanied by a large creature that has a +9 bite (1d8+6) and on a successful hit can trip as a free action and gets a +11 to the check. And has like 40 HP. Not that I'm complaining, just seems a tad butch.
Krelios 08-11-04, 12:59 PM	As has been stated a few times on these boards (and by the Sage in his articles) and I believe in the errata as well; Animal Companions do NOT gain size increases. They gain everything else an animal companion would gain for increasing HD (including bonus ability points), they just remain whatever size they start as.
deimos34 08-11-04, 01:19 PM	Good call. Not in the errata, but in the new FAQ: When you add Hit Dice to a druid's (or ranger's) animal companion as the master's level goes up, does the animal get any bigger? For instance, when a druid has a wolf companion, the wolf starts out with the standard 2 Hit Dice and is size Medium. By the time the druid is 3rd level, the wolf has 2 bonus Hit Dice. According to the wolf entry in the Monster Manual, an advanced wolf with 4 Hit Dice would be Large. Is the example companion wolf also Large? An animal companion doesn't get bigger when it adds extra Hit Dice for the master's levels. The advancement entries for creatures, and the rules for advancing monsters, refer to unusually powerful specimens that are simply tougher (and perhaps bigger) than normal for their kinds.