Animal Companions Gaining Feats / Skills [Archive] - Wizards Community

Animal Companions Gaining Feats / Skills [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
the_fools_wildhunt
06-14-05, 11:23 AM A druid in the party has a Riding Dog Companion and as far as I can tell, when the druid advances levels and the dog gets the bonus HD and Stats it also geta new feats per 4 HD?

As far as I can tell in the MM 3.5, the answer is yes, but using the e-tools, there is no place to select feats for the animal. Does mean I am wrong or the editor is incorrect?

Also, it's BAB also goes off its HD as well (in the case of an animal, a druids matrix). Yes / No ?
OGS-Remix
06-14-05, 11:56 AM You are correct. When an animal companion gains additional HD, all of its skills, BAB, feats, everything is recalculated, along with any bonuses it may get from the druid being higher level.

And yes, animal HD are 3/4 BAB progression.
CompleteSatori
06-14-05, 02:49 PM Except for the fact that Animals and ALL creatures in 3.5 gain a feat every 3 HD, and a stat point every 4.
20goingon1232
06-14-05, 04:45 PM Does this include Familiars, who uses the wizard's HD?
Wolf72
06-14-05, 07:57 PM Does this include Familiars, who uses the wizard's HD?

I don't think so
ArtEChoke
06-14-05, 08:20 PM The druid animal companion doesn't get the normal extra stat point per 4 levels, or the bonus feat every 3. It only gains the special druid animal companion advances.

The reason being, the animal itself is not levelling, it is the effect/presence of the druid that improves it.
Nom
06-14-05, 08:52 PM A druid in the party has a Riding Dog Companion and as far as I can tell, when the druid advances levels and the dog gets the bonus HD and Stats it also geta new feats per 4 HD?

As far as I can tell in the MM 3.5, the answer is yes, but using the e-tools, there is no place to select feats for the animal. Does mean I am wrong or the editor is incorrect?

Also, it's BAB also goes off its HD as well (in the case of an animal, a druids matrix). Yes / No ?Let's look in the definitive source, PH pg 36: animal companions.

Whenever the companion gains bonus HD, it gains hit points (d8+Con per HD), BAB (3/4), saves (good Fort + Ref, poor Will), skills (2+Int per HD) and feats as normal for those HD. It does not gain normal ability increases, but instead gains natural armour, Str/Dex, bonus tricks, and special abilities as listed on the table. It does not gain size - these are bonus HD from the druid, not normal advancement HD.
Does this include Familiars, who uses the wizard's HDFamiliars use their own (different) rules (PH pg 52-53), and typically just mirror what their master has. Unlike companions (and mounts), they don't advance, nor do they gain bonus HD.
20goingon1232
06-14-05, 09:27 PM *sighs* Why do WIZARDS of the Coast so like to shaft the wizards? There is a battleshipload of irony there somewhere.....

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
the_fools_wildhunt 06-14-05, 11:23 AM	A druid in the party has a Riding Dog Companion and as far as I can tell, when the druid advances levels and the dog gets the bonus HD and Stats it also geta new feats per 4 HD? As far as I can tell in the MM 3.5, the answer is yes, but using the e-tools, there is no place to select feats for the animal. Does mean I am wrong or the editor is incorrect? Also, it's BAB also goes off its HD as well (in the case of an animal, a druids matrix). Yes / No ?
OGS-Remix 06-14-05, 11:56 AM	You are correct. When an animal companion gains additional HD, all of its skills, BAB, feats, everything is recalculated, along with any bonuses it may get from the druid being higher level. And yes, animal HD are 3/4 BAB progression.
CompleteSatori 06-14-05, 02:49 PM	Except for the fact that Animals and ALL creatures in 3.5 gain a feat every 3 HD, and a stat point every 4.
20goingon1232 06-14-05, 04:45 PM	Does this include Familiars, who uses the wizard's HD?
Wolf72 06-14-05, 07:57 PM	Does this include Familiars, who uses the wizard's HD? I don't think so
ArtEChoke 06-14-05, 08:20 PM	The druid animal companion doesn't get the normal extra stat point per 4 levels, or the bonus feat every 3. It only gains the special druid animal companion advances. The reason being, the animal itself is not levelling, it is the effect/presence of the druid that improves it.
Nom 06-14-05, 08:52 PM	A druid in the party has a Riding Dog Companion and as far as I can tell, when the druid advances levels and the dog gets the bonus HD and Stats it also geta new feats per 4 HD? As far as I can tell in the MM 3.5, the answer is yes, but using the e-tools, there is no place to select feats for the animal. Does mean I am wrong or the editor is incorrect? Also, it's BAB also goes off its HD as well (in the case of an animal, a druids matrix). Yes / No ?Let's look in the definitive source, PH pg 36: animal companions. Whenever the companion gains bonus HD, it gains hit points (d8+Con per HD), BAB (3/4), saves (good Fort + Ref, poor Will), skills (2+Int per HD) and feats as normal for those HD. It does not gain normal ability increases, but instead gains natural armour, Str/Dex, bonus tricks, and special abilities as listed on the table. It does not gain size - these are bonus HD from the druid, not normal advancement HD. Does this include Familiars, who uses the wizard's HDFamiliars use their own (different) rules (PH pg 52-53), and typically just mirror what their master has. Unlike companions (and mounts), they don't advance, nor do they gain bonus HD.
20goingon1232 06-14-05, 09:27 PM	sighs Why do WIZARDS of the Coast so like to shaft the wizards? There is a battleshipload of irony there somewhere.....