Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Nerak the Numb 12-10-03, 11:29 AM	I'm a little confused on some of the advancing mechanics for animal companions. I have a druid who just obtained 3rd level and has an owl as an animal companion. Specifically, I don't understand where the information for gaining additional skill points and bonus feats is in the Monster Manual. What feats may I choose from? How many skill points does my companion get? Any help or clarification is appreciated.
Elenna 12-10-03, 11:54 AM	I'm not sure where in the monster manual the answer to your question is. But you can look in the SRD here (http://www.wizards.com/d20/files/v35/Improving_Monsters.rtf) to find how many skill points your companion gets per HD. Basically, your companion gets 2+intelligence modifier of skill points each time it goes up in HD (minimum of 1 skill point, just like a character). As for feats, your companion gets a new feat every 3 HD. Just like your character does every 3 levels. And your companion gets an ability score increase every 4 HD. Just like your character does every 4 levels. (Treat the animal companion's HD like character class levels.) For feats you can choose from, again I can only point to the SRD here (http://www.wizards.com/d20/files/v35/MonsterFeats.rtf). I'm not sure, but I think your companion could choose feats from the PHB as well. The companion has to qualify for the feat just like a character does. Hope this helps. [EDIT]: editted to include info about feats.
the shaderaven 12-10-03, 02:50 PM	Since I don't feel like starting a new thread and my question is closely related to this one, i'll ask it here. Acording to the PHB: An animal companion has good Fortitude and Reflex saves, but on the other hand a dire wolf (and all dire animals IIRC) have all their saves good. So will a dire wolf animal companion actually have its will save lowered?
Elenna 12-10-03, 05:19 PM	I think I would say that the dire companion would start with all good saves, but then advance with good fortitude and reflex saves. Anyone else have an opinion?
youspoonybard 12-10-03, 05:30 PM	I would allow the companion to continue its saves, as normal. After all, the writeup for animal in the back of the MM says that they "usually" have these saves, right? But I am not sure where the rules would point on the matter.
Elenna 12-10-03, 06:18 PM	Maybe they didn't give good Will saves to companions because companions gain a bonus to Will saves later on. After thinking about it for a while, I'm feeling stronger about my opinion that dire companions only advance with good Fortitude and Reflex saves, because they aren't advancing like a normal animal. They are advancing as a companion.
JonnieShaft 12-26-03, 08:07 PM	My question regarding animal companions is do they gain size with their additional HD? For instance, suppose a 3rd level druid has a wolf companion... do those bonus 2HD increase the wolf's size to large as indicated in the wolf's description? If so, that makes for a really beafy companion at 3rd level.
JonnieShaft 12-27-03, 03:18 PM	*bump!* does anyone know the answer to this? I'm playing tomorrow! :) JS
LordOfHavoc 12-27-03, 04:29 PM	No a druid's animal companion does not gain size as its HD increase.
Knut The Kinslayer 12-31-03, 12:13 AM	A friend of mine has been playing the companion like that(big wolf!). I was wondering if you had anything to back the negation of the size increase rules wise?
Greyman 12-31-03, 02:18 AM	thread.link(Druid Companion Sizes (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=156555))