Animal companion Q - extra HD = size increase? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Animal companion Q - extra HD = size increase? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Oorlof
01-14-08, 04:26 PM Hi people, I'm getting together with a couple of friends to D&D a short adventure. We're starting at level 6, and my buddy wants to play a druid with a wolf-companion. He claims the extra HD the companion gets push the wolf into large sized, which supposedly adds more str, con and natural armor to the critter. The stats he came up with outclassed our dedicated-to-damage-fighter's without breaking a sweat. Is this correct?
Sinfire Titan
01-14-08, 04:49 PM Hi people, I'm getting together with a couple of friends to D&D a short adventure. We're starting at level 6, and my buddy wants to play a druid with a wolf-companion. He claims the extra HD the companion gets push the wolf into large sized, which supposedly adds more str, con and natural armor to the critter. The stats he came up with outclassed our dedicated-to-damage-fighter's without breaking a sweat. Is this correct?

Size increases do happen for Animal Companions, IIRC. But if so, then the increase to size is included in the Druid's advancement table, so no more Str or Con or Nat armor.
JaronK
01-14-08, 05:07 PM Animal Companions do not increase in size due to hit die increases. The increased size thing is for creatures that started big, not creatures who gain more hit dice. For example, a monkey is a tiny animal... that's a lemur. A monkey with enough HD to be small is a chimpanzee.

JaronK
Velcro Zipper
01-14-08, 05:20 PM Animal Companions can be mighty without size increases. I recommend against allowing it. As it was already mentioned, ACs don't increase in size due to Druid levels. However, I've known some DMs who houserule it in, and it always turns out bad. Of course, those supersized wolves tend to die pretty fast in the games I've played.
Oorlof
01-15-08, 01:19 PM Okay, thanks guys and galls! The general message seems that everything the player needs to know about increasing his ACs hit dice is in the PHB, so the MM-hit dice rules don't figure into it. I'll let the poor guy know that his wolf won't be uber-stellar, just uber.
dman11235
01-15-08, 10:34 PM Yeah, it can out-class the fighter without that size increase. Just a piece of advice, check the FAQ and/or Errata before asking a question here. A lot of times it'll answer your question. This one is page 14 of the FAQ.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Oorlof 01-14-08, 04:26 PM	Hi people, I'm getting together with a couple of friends to D&D a short adventure. We're starting at level 6, and my buddy wants to play a druid with a wolf-companion. He claims the extra HD the companion gets push the wolf into large sized, which supposedly adds more str, con and natural armor to the critter. The stats he came up with outclassed our dedicated-to-damage-fighter's without breaking a sweat. Is this correct?
Sinfire Titan 01-14-08, 04:49 PM	Hi people, I'm getting together with a couple of friends to D&D a short adventure. We're starting at level 6, and my buddy wants to play a druid with a wolf-companion. He claims the extra HD the companion gets push the wolf into large sized, which supposedly adds more str, con and natural armor to the critter. The stats he came up with outclassed our dedicated-to-damage-fighter's without breaking a sweat. Is this correct? Size increases do happen for Animal Companions, IIRC. But if so, then the increase to size is included in the Druid's advancement table, so no more Str or Con or Nat armor.
JaronK 01-14-08, 05:07 PM	Animal Companions do not increase in size due to hit die increases. The increased size thing is for creatures that started big, not creatures who gain more hit dice. For example, a monkey is a tiny animal... that's a lemur. A monkey with enough HD to be small is a chimpanzee. JaronK
Velcro Zipper 01-14-08, 05:20 PM	Animal Companions can be mighty without size increases. I recommend against allowing it. As it was already mentioned, ACs don't increase in size due to Druid levels. However, I've known some DMs who houserule it in, and it always turns out bad. Of course, those supersized wolves tend to die pretty fast in the games I've played.
Oorlof 01-15-08, 01:19 PM	Okay, thanks guys and galls! The general message seems that everything the player needs to know about increasing his ACs hit dice is in the PHB, so the MM-hit dice rules don't figure into it. I'll let the poor guy know that his wolf won't be uber-stellar, just uber.
dman11235 01-15-08, 10:34 PM	Yeah, it can out-class the fighter without that size increase. Just a piece of advice, check the FAQ and/or Errata before asking a question here. A lot of times it'll answer your question. This one is page 14 of the FAQ.