Check My Math? - Animal Companion [Archive] - Wizards Community

Check My Math? - Animal Companion [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Imagicka
02-04-07, 06:40 AM Greetings...

I am a little confused. I was looking at the rules for creating an Animal Companion, and I would like to know if my thinking is right on this...

I'm am designing an Druid's Animal Companion. In particular, I have a 3rd level druid who's taken a dog as his animal companion. So... a typical dog is this:

Dog
Size/Type: Small Animal
Hit Dice: 1d8+2 (6 hp)
Initiative: +3
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class: 15 (+1 size, +3 Dex, +1 natural), touch 14, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +0/-3
Attack: Bite +2 melee (1d4+1)
Full Attack: Bite +2 melee (1d4+1)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft
Special Attacks: none
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +1
Abilities: Str 13, Dex 17, Con 15, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6
Skills: Jump +7, Listen +5, Spot +5, Survival +1*
Feats: Alertness, TrackB
Environment: Temperate plains
Organization: Solitary or pack (5-12)
Challenge Rating: 1/3
Alignment: Neutral
Advancement: --
Level Adjustment: --

So, at first level, the animal companion will know 7 tricks... 6 due to Handle Animal Tricks, and the Dog's INT is 2. Plus the additional trick due to Animal Companion.
It's HP is going to be (using just averages) 6 (4+2).
Melee Attack is going to be +2 (+1 due to BAB = Druid's Level , +1 STR bonus, +0 Dog's BAB)
AC should be 15 (+1 size, +3 Dex, +1 natural), touch 14, flat-footed 12[
As well as the Link and Share Spells abilities.

At Second level, the animal companion gets 6 more average hit points, making the total 12.
Tricks remain at 7.
Melee Attack is +3 (+2 Druid's lvl, +1 STR bonus, +0 BAB)
AC is 15 (+1 size, +3 Dex, +1 natural), touch 14, flat-footed 12

Now at level three, the animal companion gets a few new things. +1 to STR and DEX, which ups both attribute bonuses, and AC
BAB +5 (+3 Drd's lvl, +2 STR)
AC is 18 (+1 size, +4 Dex, +3 natural), touch 15, flat-footed 14
+2 HD, which becomes 3d8+3, and then makes the total average HPs 27 (12+15)
Tricks become 8.
Gains Evasion

At First level, shouldn't the A.C. have a melee of +4? (+2 Dog's Melee/STR, +1 Drd's Lvl, +1 Size)?

Should I be factoring in the animal's size, and giving a +1 to Melee attack bonuses, thus making it +6 at lvl 3 for the druid?

Shouldn't the animal also get a HD bonus Feat? Such as Improved Natural Attack (Bite) or something like that?

So, what I would end up with is something like this:

Dog (Animal Companion/3rd lvl Drd)
Size/Type: Small Animal (Magical Beast)
Hit Dice: 3d8+2 (27 hp)
Initiative: +4
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class: 18 (+1 size, +4 Dex, +3 natural), touch 15, flat-footed 13
Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+0
Attack: Bite +5 melee (1d4+1) (+2 BAB, +3 STR, +1 Size)
Full Attack: Bite +5 melee (1d4+1)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft
Special Attacks: none
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +7, Will +2
Abilities: Str 13, Dex 17, Con 15, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6
Skills: Jump +7, Listen +5, Spot +5, Survival +1*
Feats: Alertness, TrackB
Environment: Temperate plains
Organization: Solitary or pack (5-12)
Challenge Rating: 1/3
Alignment: Neutral
Advancement: --
Level Adjustment: --
Ventilatory_Threshold
02-04-07, 07:35 AM It also gains skill points and a feat. It also gains stat boosts at the same HD as normal characters get them (4, 8, 12, 16, 20).
FrostHammer
02-04-07, 07:40 AM Where are the guidelines and rules for creating animal companions published?
Ventilatory_Threshold
02-04-07, 07:45 AM Where are the guidelines and rules for creating animal companions published?
In the PHB.
FrostHammer
02-04-07, 08:14 AM I don't remember seeing the specifics. With just the PHB, I can not stat out an animal companion completely. I currently don't have access to my copy of the Monster Manual.
bonethug0108
02-04-07, 08:17 AM I don't remember seeing the specifics. With just the PHB, I can not stat out an animal companion completely. I currently don't have access to my copy of the Monster Manual.

Yes, you do need the monster manual also to stat out an animal companion, as listing all of their stats in the phb would have taken alot of space.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Imagicka 02-04-07, 06:40 AM	Greetings... I am a little confused. I was looking at the rules for creating an Animal Companion, and I would like to know if my thinking is right on this... I'm am designing an Druid's Animal Companion. In particular, I have a 3rd level druid who's taken a dog as his animal companion. So... a typical dog is this: Dog Size/Type: Small Animal Hit Dice: 1d8+2 (6 hp) Initiative: +3 Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares) Armor Class: 15 (+1 size, +3 Dex, +1 natural), touch 14, flat-footed 12 Base Attack/Grapple: +0/-3 Attack: Bite +2 melee (1d4+1) Full Attack: Bite +2 melee (1d4+1) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft Special Attacks: none Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent Saves: Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +1 Abilities: Str 13, Dex 17, Con 15, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6 Skills: Jump +7, Listen +5, Spot +5, Survival +1* Feats: Alertness, TrackB Environment: Temperate plains Organization: Solitary or pack (5-12) Challenge Rating: 1/3 Alignment: Neutral Advancement: -- Level Adjustment: -- So, at first level, the animal companion will know 7 tricks... 6 due to Handle Animal Tricks, and the Dog's INT is 2. Plus the additional trick due to Animal Companion. It's HP is going to be (using just averages) 6 (4+2). Melee Attack is going to be +2 (+1 due to BAB = Druid's Level , +1 STR bonus, +0 Dog's BAB) AC should be 15 (+1 size, +3 Dex, +1 natural), touch 14, flat-footed 12[ As well as the Link and Share Spells abilities. At Second level, the animal companion gets 6 more average hit points, making the total 12. Tricks remain at 7. Melee Attack is +3 (+2 Druid's lvl, +1 STR bonus, +0 BAB) AC is 15 (+1 size, +3 Dex, +1 natural), touch 14, flat-footed 12 Now at level three, the animal companion gets a few new things. +1 to STR and DEX, which ups both attribute bonuses, and AC BAB +5 (+3 Drd's lvl, +2 STR) AC is 18 (+1 size, +4 Dex, +3 natural), touch 15, flat-footed 14 +2 HD, which becomes 3d8+3, and then makes the total average HPs 27 (12+15) Tricks become 8. Gains Evasion At First level, shouldn't the A.C. have a melee of +4? (+2 Dog's Melee/STR, +1 Drd's Lvl, +1 Size)? Should I be factoring in the animal's size, and giving a +1 to Melee attack bonuses, thus making it +6 at lvl 3 for the druid? Shouldn't the animal also get a HD bonus Feat? Such as Improved Natural Attack (Bite) or something like that? So, what I would end up with is something like this: Dog (Animal Companion/3rd lvl Drd) Size/Type: Small Animal (Magical Beast) Hit Dice: 3d8+2 (27 hp) Initiative: +4 Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares) Armor Class: 18 (+1 size, +4 Dex, +3 natural), touch 15, flat-footed 13 Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+0 Attack: Bite +5 melee (1d4+1) (+2 BAB, +3 STR, +1 Size) Full Attack: Bite +5 melee (1d4+1) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft Special Attacks: none Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent Saves: Fort +5, Ref +7, Will +2 Abilities: Str 13, Dex 17, Con 15, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6 Skills: Jump +7, Listen +5, Spot +5, Survival +1* Feats: Alertness, TrackB Environment: Temperate plains Organization: Solitary or pack (5-12) Challenge Rating: 1/3 Alignment: Neutral Advancement: -- Level Adjustment: --
Ventilatory_Threshold 02-04-07, 07:35 AM	It also gains skill points and a feat. It also gains stat boosts at the same HD as normal characters get them (4, 8, 12, 16, 20).
FrostHammer 02-04-07, 07:40 AM	Where are the guidelines and rules for creating animal companions published?
Ventilatory_Threshold 02-04-07, 07:45 AM	Where are the guidelines and rules for creating animal companions published? In the PHB.
FrostHammer 02-04-07, 08:14 AM	I don't remember seeing the specifics. With just the PHB, I can not stat out an animal companion completely. I currently don't have access to my copy of the Monster Manual.
bonethug0108 02-04-07, 08:17 AM	I don't remember seeing the specifics. With just the PHB, I can not stat out an animal companion completely. I currently don't have access to my copy of the Monster Manual. Yes, you do need the monster manual also to stat out an animal companion, as listing all of their stats in the phb would have taken alot of space.