Advancing a creature past its advancement [Archive] - Wizards Community

Advancing a creature past its advancement [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
ticattack
09-20-05, 07:44 AM I'm not sure if this is the right forum for this, but anyway...

The advancement for a monster lists a number of HD, and the size it is for those HD. An eagle is small, and it has an advancement of "2-3 HD (Medium)".

A druid's animal companion gets bonus HD. If an eagle companion gets 4 or more HD, does in stay a medium creature or does it become large? Are there any other special rules regarding advancing a creature beyond its advancement?
Seraph of Babel
09-20-05, 07:49 AM Technically, a creature cannot advance more than the max racial HD. To advance further, it must take class levels or templates.

An animal companion HD has nothing to do with racial HD advancement. So the size does not change for an animal companion.
ticattack
09-20-05, 09:14 AM Okay, I was under the impression that a creature with less than 3 intelligence couldn't take class levels and, as for templates, well, not every DM would allow a half-fiend companion, would they? Aside from the fact that an animal companion has to be an animal, which cuts down on the number of possible templates.

An animal companion HD has nothing to do with racial HD advancement. So the size does not change for an animal companion.Ok, so then it shouldn't increase size at all? An eagle starts as Small, my druid's level 8, so it gets +5 HD. Should it still be small?
Seraph of Babel
09-20-05, 12:48 PM A 8th-level druid should grant only +4 HD to his animal companion, not +5. His companion would then be a small 5HD eagle, with a total of +5 natural AC, Str 12, Dex 17, devotion, link, share spells and evasion.

The max. racial HD (3HD for eagle) and size change due to racial HD advancement does not apply to animal companions.

An animal companion is a standard animal with no class levels (which requires it to be awakened). Some feats (e.g. Exalted Companion) allows the druid's animal companion to gain a template.
cerberuspuppy
09-20-05, 10:59 PM I am also playing a druid now, and my wolf now has 6 hit dice. I thought this would mean he's large now, but animal companions don't get bigger? I will make some adjustments.
Colmarr
09-20-05, 11:43 PM From the FAQ:

Q. When you add Hit Dice to a druid’s (or ranger’s) animal companion as the master’s level goes up, does the animal get any bigger? For instance, when a druid has a wolf companion, the wolf starts out with the standard 2 Hit Dice and is size Medium. By the time the druid is 3rd level, the wolf has 2 bonus Hit Dice. According to the wolf entry in the Monster Manual, an “advanced” wolf with 4 Hit Dice would be Large. Is the example companion wolf also Large?

A. An animal companion doesn’t get bigger when it adds extra Hit Dice for the master’s levels. The advancement entries for creatures, and the rules for advancing monsters, refer to unusually powerful specimens that are simply tougher
ticattack
09-21-05, 12:32 AM A 8th-level druid should grant only +4 HD to his animal companion, not +5.Yeah, my bad. +4, equalling 5. I typed badly.

Q. When you add Hit Dice to a druid’s (or ranger’s) animal companion as the master’s level goes up, does the animal get any bigger? For instance, when a druid has a wolf companion, the wolf starts out with the standard 2 Hit Dice and is size Medium. By the time the druid is 3rd level, the wolf has 2 bonus Hit Dice. According to the wolf entry in the Monster Manual, an “advanced” wolf with 4 Hit Dice would be Large. Is the example companion wolf also Large?

A. An animal companion doesn’t get bigger when it adds extra Hit Dice for the master’s levels. The advancement entries for creatures, and the rules for advancing monsters, refer to unusually powerful specimens that are simply tougherHuh. I think this is the part where I feel like a twit.

Thanks.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
ticattack 09-20-05, 07:44 AM	I'm not sure if this is the right forum for this, but anyway... The advancement for a monster lists a number of HD, and the size it is for those HD. An eagle is small, and it has an advancement of "2-3 HD (Medium)". A druid's animal companion gets bonus HD. If an eagle companion gets 4 or more HD, does in stay a medium creature or does it become large? Are there any other special rules regarding advancing a creature beyond its advancement?
Seraph of Babel 09-20-05, 07:49 AM	Technically, a creature cannot advance more than the max racial HD. To advance further, it must take class levels or templates. An animal companion HD has nothing to do with racial HD advancement. So the size does not change for an animal companion.
ticattack 09-20-05, 09:14 AM	Okay, I was under the impression that a creature with less than 3 intelligence couldn't take class levels and, as for templates, well, not every DM would allow a half-fiend companion, would they? Aside from the fact that an animal companion has to be an animal, which cuts down on the number of possible templates. An animal companion HD has nothing to do with racial HD advancement. So the size does not change for an animal companion.Ok, so then it shouldn't increase size at all? An eagle starts as Small, my druid's level 8, so it gets +5 HD. Should it still be small?
Seraph of Babel 09-20-05, 12:48 PM	A 8th-level druid should grant only +4 HD to his animal companion, not +5. His companion would then be a small 5HD eagle, with a total of +5 natural AC, Str 12, Dex 17, devotion, link, share spells and evasion. The max. racial HD (3HD for eagle) and size change due to racial HD advancement does not apply to animal companions. An animal companion is a standard animal with no class levels (which requires it to be awakened). Some feats (e.g. Exalted Companion) allows the druid's animal companion to gain a template.
cerberuspuppy 09-20-05, 10:59 PM	I am also playing a druid now, and my wolf now has 6 hit dice. I thought this would mean he's large now, but animal companions don't get bigger? I will make some adjustments.
Colmarr 09-20-05, 11:43 PM	From the FAQ: Q. When you add Hit Dice to a druid’s (or ranger’s) animal companion as the master’s level goes up, does the animal get any bigger? For instance, when a druid has a wolf companion, the wolf starts out with the standard 2 Hit Dice and is size Medium. By the time the druid is 3rd level, the wolf has 2 bonus Hit Dice. According to the wolf entry in the Monster Manual, an “advanced” wolf with 4 Hit Dice would be Large. Is the example companion wolf also Large? A. An animal companion doesn’t get bigger when it adds extra Hit Dice for the master’s levels. The advancement entries for creatures, and the rules for advancing monsters, refer to unusually powerful specimens that are simply tougher
ticattack 09-21-05, 12:32 AM	A 8th-level druid should grant only +4 HD to his animal companion, not +5.Yeah, my bad. +4, equalling 5. I typed badly. Q. When you add Hit Dice to a druid’s (or ranger’s) animal companion as the master’s level goes up, does the animal get any bigger? For instance, when a druid has a wolf companion, the wolf starts out with the standard 2 Hit Dice and is size Medium. By the time the druid is 3rd level, the wolf has 2 bonus Hit Dice. According to the wolf entry in the Monster Manual, an “advanced” wolf with 4 Hit Dice would be Large. Is the example companion wolf also Large? A. An animal companion doesn’t get bigger when it adds extra Hit Dice for the master’s levels. The advancement entries for creatures, and the rules for advancing monsters, refer to unusually powerful specimens that are simply tougherHuh. I think this is the part where I feel like a twit. Thanks.