Animal companion skills [Archive] - Wizards Community

Animal companion skills [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Sander_Kaa
03-26-07, 08:49 AM Hi everyone,

I'm struggling with the skills of my animal companion:

A brown bear has (by the MM) some skill bonus on a couple of skills. However if I look at climb for example no bonus is listed, but the bear has a STR bonus. So should I read the bonus' from the MM as a bonus to the appropriate ability modifier (eg. STR for climb) or should I read it different?

Thx!
Sander
Inigo Carmine
03-26-07, 09:02 AM The listed skills are the skills that are class skills for the animal. Since it is not listed, climb is not a class skill.

Yes, the bear still has a bonus (due to stength) to the skill. It looks like it would be a +8 (assuming he has no more bonuses to str for being an advanced animal companion).
Sander_Kaa
03-26-07, 10:15 AM Ok thx.

But now the brown bear has a climb skill listed of +4. My advanced companion (lvl 10 druid) has a STR mod of +9. Is the total climb modifier +13 or was the +4 already due to the STR modifier?
Inigo Carmine
03-26-07, 12:47 PM Are you talking about a brown bear or a black bear?

The black bear has a listed +4 bonus (listed because its a class skill, and +4 because that's his strength mod).

The brown bear has no listed climb modifier (because its a class skill) and a +8 bonus because of his strength mod.

This is before strength modifications from druid level of course.
Sander_Kaa
03-29-07, 03:36 AM I'm still struggling...

A brown bear by the SRD:

Size/Type: Large Animal
Hit Dice: 6d8+24 (51 hp)
Initiative: +1
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class: 15 (-1 size, +1 Dex, +5 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+16
Attack: Claw +11 melee (1d8+8)
Full Attack: 2 claws +11 melee (1d8+8) and bite +6 melee (2d6+4)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Improved grab
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +9, Ref +6, Will +3
Abilities: Str 27, Dex 13, Con 19, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6
Skills: Listen +4, Spot +7, Swim +12
Feats: Endurance, Run, Track
Environment: Cold forests
Organization: Solitary or pair
Challenge Rating: 4
Advancement: 7-10 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: —

Only three skills are listed. My questions are:

-Are the ability modifiers already calculated into the skill modifiers? (eg. spot +1 wis, +6 ranks or only +7 due to ranks)?
-If a skill is not listed (eg. climb) do I get the approriate ability modifier (in this case STR) when using a skill check?

Thanx alot for helping!
Marcus Majarra
03-29-07, 07:23 AM Everything is already factored in for you, including racial bonuses, ability score bonuses, and feats.

As a 6th-level animal with 2 Int, the brown bear has a total of 9 skill points to allocate. 3 of these went to Listen, 6 to Spot.

With Wis 12, Listen becomes +4, Spot becomes +7. The +12 to Swim comes from the +8 Str bonus and the +4 racial bonus on swim checks.
Sildatorak
03-29-07, 08:07 AM -Are the ability modifiers already calculated into the skill modifiers? (eg. spot +1 wis, +6 ranks or only +7 due to ranks)?Yes.
-If a skill is not listed (eg. climb) do I get the approriate ability modifier (in this case STR) when using a skill check?Yes, assuming the skill can be used untrained. They only list a few skills because otherwise every monster entry would expand by about 4 or 5 lines of skills that are based purely on ability score.
The_Ditto
03-29-07, 08:39 AM Everything is factored (or supposed to be ...) ..

Check out my Sig for a spreadsheet for statting up animal companions ... and you can see the math behind the stats ... :tiphat:
Nom
03-29-07, 07:38 PM It would be nice if they actually listed the ranks in the skills (not just the net bonus), since that would make it easier to account for the effect of synergies. Unfortunately, you just get the final result and need to work backwards. 19 times out of 20 it works.
Sander_Kaa
03-30-07, 03:04 AM Thank you all guys! It's finally clear to me..

The_Ditto; I will check you excel soon.

Ciao,
Sander
The_Ditto
03-30-07, 08:50 AM Thank you all guys! It's finally clear to me..

The_Ditto; I will check you excel soon.

Ciao,
Sander

There is 1 minor bug in it (easily fixed thanks to the extra modifier fields I added) .. but I have fixed it - I just have to get the new one uploaded ... *sigh* (too darn lazy lately .. hehe)
Sander_Kaa
03-30-07, 10:22 AM can you send your sheet by e-mail to me? s[dot].j[dot]vandennieuwendijk[at]planet[dot]nl

I cannot reach your site at work... :embarrass
The_Ditto
03-30-07, 01:02 PM can you send your sheet by e-mail to me? s[dot].j[dot]vandennieuwendijk[at]planet[dot]nl

I cannot reach your site at work... :embarrass

Sorry .. I don't have it at work ... (and I think you have 1 too many "." in your url up there .. hehe)

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Sander_Kaa 03-26-07, 08:49 AM	Hi everyone, I'm struggling with the skills of my animal companion: A brown bear has (by the MM) some skill bonus on a couple of skills. However if I look at climb for example no bonus is listed, but the bear has a STR bonus. So should I read the bonus' from the MM as a bonus to the appropriate ability modifier (eg. STR for climb) or should I read it different? Thx! Sander
Inigo Carmine 03-26-07, 09:02 AM	The listed skills are the skills that are class skills for the animal. Since it is not listed, climb is not a class skill. Yes, the bear still has a bonus (due to stength) to the skill. It looks like it would be a +8 (assuming he has no more bonuses to str for being an advanced animal companion).
Sander_Kaa 03-26-07, 10:15 AM	Ok thx. But now the brown bear has a climb skill listed of +4. My advanced companion (lvl 10 druid) has a STR mod of +9. Is the total climb modifier +13 or was the +4 already due to the STR modifier?
Inigo Carmine 03-26-07, 12:47 PM	Are you talking about a brown bear or a black bear? The black bear has a listed +4 bonus (listed because its a class skill, and +4 because that's his strength mod). The brown bear has no listed climb modifier (because its a class skill) and a +8 bonus because of his strength mod. This is before strength modifications from druid level of course.
Sander_Kaa 03-29-07, 03:36 AM	I'm still struggling... A brown bear by the SRD: Size/Type: Large Animal Hit Dice: 6d8+24 (51 hp) Initiative: +1 Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares) Armor Class: 15 (-1 size, +1 Dex, +5 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 14 Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+16 Attack: Claw +11 melee (1d8+8) Full Attack: 2 claws +11 melee (1d8+8) and bite +6 melee (2d6+4) Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Improved grab Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent Saves: Fort +9, Ref +6, Will +3 Abilities: Str 27, Dex 13, Con 19, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6 Skills: Listen +4, Spot +7, Swim +12 Feats: Endurance, Run, Track Environment: Cold forests Organization: Solitary or pair Challenge Rating: 4 Advancement: 7-10 HD (Large) Level Adjustment: — Only three skills are listed. My questions are: -Are the ability modifiers already calculated into the skill modifiers? (eg. spot +1 wis, +6 ranks or only +7 due to ranks)? -If a skill is not listed (eg. climb) do I get the approriate ability modifier (in this case STR) when using a skill check? Thanx alot for helping!
Marcus Majarra 03-29-07, 07:23 AM	Everything is already factored in for you, including racial bonuses, ability score bonuses, and feats. As a 6th-level animal with 2 Int, the brown bear has a total of 9 skill points to allocate. 3 of these went to Listen, 6 to Spot. With Wis 12, Listen becomes +4, Spot becomes +7. The +12 to Swim comes from the +8 Str bonus and the +4 racial bonus on swim checks.
Sildatorak 03-29-07, 08:07 AM	-Are the ability modifiers already calculated into the skill modifiers? (eg. spot +1 wis, +6 ranks or only +7 due to ranks)?Yes. -If a skill is not listed (eg. climb) do I get the approriate ability modifier (in this case STR) when using a skill check?Yes, assuming the skill can be used untrained. They only list a few skills because otherwise every monster entry would expand by about 4 or 5 lines of skills that are based purely on ability score.
The_Ditto 03-29-07, 08:39 AM	Everything is factored (or supposed to be ...) .. Check out my Sig for a spreadsheet for statting up animal companions ... and you can see the math behind the stats ... :tiphat:
Nom 03-29-07, 07:38 PM	It would be nice if they actually listed the ranks in the skills (not just the net bonus), since that would make it easier to account for the effect of synergies. Unfortunately, you just get the final result and need to work backwards. 19 times out of 20 it works.
Sander_Kaa 03-30-07, 03:04 AM	Thank you all guys! It's finally clear to me.. The_Ditto; I will check you excel soon. Ciao, Sander
The_Ditto 03-30-07, 08:50 AM	Thank you all guys! It's finally clear to me.. The_Ditto; I will check you excel soon. Ciao, Sander There is 1 minor bug in it (easily fixed thanks to the extra modifier fields I added) .. but I have fixed it - I just have to get the new one uploaded ... sigh (too darn lazy lately .. hehe)
Sander_Kaa 03-30-07, 10:22 AM	can you send your sheet by e-mail to me? s[dot].j[dot]vandennieuwendijk[at]planet[dot]nl I cannot reach your site at work... :embarrass
The_Ditto 03-30-07, 01:02 PM	can you send your sheet by e-mail to me? s[dot].j[dot]vandennieuwendijk[at]planet[dot]nl I cannot reach your site at work... :embarrass Sorry .. I don't have it at work ... (and I think you have 1 too many "." in your url up there .. hehe)