Animal companion as familiar? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Animal companion as familiar? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
rudie
03-21-07, 01:45 PM My friend was wondering if there were rules for treating an animal companion as a familiar? If so what are they?
CantripN
03-21-07, 01:49 PM There's an Alternate Class Feature that does that (sorta) in Cityscape. Also, the Arcane Hierophant has an ability that combines the two to make an UBER Familiar Companion.

EDIT: Here it is:
Urban Companion

The fearsome animal companions who accompany some casters in the wild are indeed a boon in combat, but a hulking wolf or creeping tiger is out of place in an urban environment. Some characters believe that small and subtle is of greater value than massive and mighty.

Class: Druid or ranger.

Level: 1st (druid) or 4th (ranger).

Replaces: If you select this class feature, you do not gain an animal companion.

Benefit: The character gains the companionship of a smaller but far more intelligent creature than she otherwise would have. This is identical to the sorcerer's ability to summon a familiar (PH 52), including all benefits granted and gained by the familiar, except as noted below. Her functional level for determining the abilities of the companion is equal to her druid level or one-half her ranger level.

* She does not lose experience points if her urban companion is slain, and she requires only 24 hours to replace one who is lost.

* Her urban companion has total hit points equal to 3/4 her own hit points, rather than half as per a familiar.

* The urban companion gains the ability to speak with other animals of its kind when she has an effective master level of 1st, rather than 7th.

* When she reaches an effective master level of 7th, she can speak with animals of her companion's kind, as per speak with animals. This is a supernatural ability that functions constantly, and it requires only a free action to reactivate if somehow dispelled.

Source: http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20070228a
Tethka
03-21-07, 01:49 PM According to the PHB, you cannot combine an animal companion and familiar to the same creature.
Seeker95
03-21-07, 07:49 PM Although the PHB does not allow it, I would. And here is what stipulations I would make: Your familiar-companion can be from either list (familiars or animal companions).
It is treated as a magical beast, just as a familiar (unlike the errata'd companion).
It advances as per the rules for a familiar.
It treats all caster/class level associated elementsrequirements as if your familiar-granting and companion-granting classes were combined.
It does gain the abilities of a companion found in the Special column on page 36 in the Animal Companion "sidebar".
It does not gain any of the other column benefits for an animal companion (i.e., Bonus HD, Natural Armor, Str/Dex, or Tricks).
High Octane
03-21-07, 08:14 PM My friend was wondering if there were rules for treating an animal companion as a familiar? If so what are they?

Yes there are.

They are:

1. You can't.

Note: All rules subject to rule 0 as it is a DMs right, no RESPONSIBILITY to make **** up on the fly.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
rudie 03-21-07, 01:45 PM	My friend was wondering if there were rules for treating an animal companion as a familiar? If so what are they?
CantripN 03-21-07, 01:49 PM	There's an Alternate Class Feature that does that (sorta) in Cityscape. Also, the Arcane Hierophant has an ability that combines the two to make an UBER Familiar Companion. EDIT: Here it is: Urban Companion The fearsome animal companions who accompany some casters in the wild are indeed a boon in combat, but a hulking wolf or creeping tiger is out of place in an urban environment. Some characters believe that small and subtle is of greater value than massive and mighty. Class: Druid or ranger. Level: 1st (druid) or 4th (ranger). Replaces: If you select this class feature, you do not gain an animal companion. Benefit: The character gains the companionship of a smaller but far more intelligent creature than she otherwise would have. This is identical to the sorcerer's ability to summon a familiar (PH 52), including all benefits granted and gained by the familiar, except as noted below. Her functional level for determining the abilities of the companion is equal to her druid level or one-half her ranger level. * She does not lose experience points if her urban companion is slain, and she requires only 24 hours to replace one who is lost. * Her urban companion has total hit points equal to 3/4 her own hit points, rather than half as per a familiar. * The urban companion gains the ability to speak with other animals of its kind when she has an effective master level of 1st, rather than 7th. * When she reaches an effective master level of 7th, she can speak with animals of her companion's kind, as per speak with animals. This is a supernatural ability that functions constantly, and it requires only a free action to reactivate if somehow dispelled. Source: http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20070228a
Tethka 03-21-07, 01:49 PM	According to the PHB, you cannot combine an animal companion and familiar to the same creature.
Seeker95 03-21-07, 07:49 PM	Although the PHB does not allow it, I would. And here is what stipulations I would make: Your familiar-companion can be from either list (familiars or animal companions). It is treated as a magical beast, just as a familiar (unlike the errata'd companion). It advances as per the rules for a familiar. It treats all caster/class level associated elementsrequirements as if your familiar-granting and companion-granting classes were combined. It does gain the abilities of a companion found in the Special column on page 36 in the Animal Companion "sidebar". It does not gain any of the other column benefits for an animal companion (i.e., Bonus HD, Natural Armor, Str/Dex, or Tricks).
High Octane 03-21-07, 08:14 PM	My friend was wondering if there were rules for treating an animal companion as a familiar? If so what are they? Yes there are. They are: 1. You can't. Note: All rules subject to rule 0 as it is a DMs right, no RESPONSIBILITY to make **** up on the fly.