Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Ho-Hunter 02-27-06, 08:17 AM	Hi! I am going to play a phb-only druid and need some advice on choosing my animal companion. we are starting at level 1. which companions are a good support for combat? thanks, ho-hunter
LordAsriel 02-27-06, 11:12 AM	The wolf.
Mobius 02-27-06, 11:57 AM	I would say a War-trained Riding Dog (with Trip Attack). It is slower than a wolf but it has a better AC and does more damage. Also, you have a better chance of taking a 100-pound dog into town with you than a wolf. Townsfolk often dislike wild, carniverous animals wandering through their streets. It depends on your campaign and your DM. - Mobius
Feyd Rautha 02-27-06, 12:10 PM	At the various druid animal companion "tiers" there are different choices which can be used. 1st tier: Most would say wolf, but the riding dog is actually a better candidate if it is trained for war. I would suggest spending two tricks which would cover attack, armor, and tripping and then throwing a 20 gp investment of leather barding on it. 2nd tier (4th-6th level): With the power boost the wolf is a good choice (or for that 3rd level where you cannot get an improved companion), but if you're going for pure shock value I'd go with the leopard or wolverine. Both of these have a multitude of attacks and special attacks. For an interesting caveat you could try the Dire Weasel if you think he could survive. The CON drain he would do can take down the biggest of opponents fairly quickly. Finally, if you want supreme mobility there's no better option than the dire bat as it can hover and therefore make you an aerial threat at a power level where you're highly unlikely to be threatened in return. 3rd tier (7th-9th level): Here is where you really start to get some devastatingly powerful melee companions. Brown Bears, Dire Apes, Lions, Tigers, Giant Crocs, and Rhinoceroses. Keep some animal buffing spells memorized and you can pretty much count on these animal companions to tip the balance of power heavilly in the party's favor in any encounter. Take your pick between the list though as they are all good. If you tend to have your AC focus on one enemy the grapplers are great (Brown Bear, Lion, Tiger, Croc)...they will take one combatant out of the combat if he or she is medium sized almost guaranteed. If your AC is more of a mount then you've pretty much GOT to go with the Rhino. Finally, if you are about battlefield control and having your AC be a front line utility fighter with some flexibility then go with Dire Ape. 4th tier (10th-12th level): This is where I would definitely start considering keeping one animal companion to get the boosts to its scores. For melee just add a stat tier to the previous animals. For utility though I return to the suggestion of a Dire Bat. My druid uses one and by this level you can cast a LOT of spells and if you're flying you're in a good place tactically to control the ground with spells (entangle to spike stones to wall of thorns) or the air with blasting (flamestrikes, ice storms, arc of lightnings). Further some summoning dropped from above means that the archers on the ground can't focus on you solely. 5th tier (13th-15th level): The only animal companion of note here is the elephant. If you have dreams of recreating the Battle of Palinor Fields from LotR then pick an elephant and cast Aura of Vitality, Greater Magic Fang (Trample), Turtle Shell, Nature's Favor, Bull's Strength, Animal Growth, and Haste. Throw on some Huge barding and you've got a literal TANK going. Just go around an open battlefield doing nothing but double moves with trample. It winds up doing something like 8d8+24 automatically. If they take an AoO (at -4) they receive no save and if they save they have to hit a DC 34 (IIRC). Just go back and forth over the enemies as many times as the movement of a colossal creature going 120' on a double move would allow ;). Scary. Otherwise (if you are normally in situations where a colossal creature wouldn't quite fit) boost one of your 3rd tier creatures. 6th tier (16th-18th level): Not much experience at this level, but I'd say that this is another tier similar to the 4th. A dire tiger is nice, but a tiger with three tier boosts is pretty much equal except for size. The only recommendation for this level would be a Tyranosaurus Rex or Triceratops. Tyro if you just want the sheer shock value of it and Triceratops if you want to do the same thing as you did with your Elephant, but with a little better AC and whatnot. Remember though. Fewer tricks for dinosaurs because of their primitive brains... So... that's my breakdown. Now... that said, I have seen druids take their riding dog animal companions all the way up the ranks and while they are not much on damage they are able to do impressive things with their armor classes. Really it's all a matter of taste. Are you trying to be a purist (one animal at a time until it dies and then make a change after you grieve), are you trying to be utilitarian (Dire Bat so you can fly around and control things from the sky), or are you just going for power (some of my suggestions here). Find you what your GMs rules are for switching animal companions (vitally important) and then make your decision... Feyd