Choosing a new animal companion [Archive] - Wizards Community

Choosing a new animal companion [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
fiendish_jackal
08-24-06, 10:50 PM During a game session last night my 9th level druid's dire wolf animal companion bit the dust, thanks to an angry fire giant :weep: So I've been trying to think of a new animal companion all day and I can't seem to imagine an animal thats cool enough. What are some animal companions you've had in the past that you enjoyed having around?
X-Codes
08-25-06, 03:46 AM During a game session last night my 9th level druid's dire wolf animal companion bit the dust, thanks to an angry fire giant :weep: So I've been trying to think of a new animal companion all day and I can't seem to imagine an animal thats cool enough. What are some animal companions you've had in the past that you enjoyed having around?
Pretty much just the Dire Wolf that I can think of right now. Give that bad boy the Spring Attack chain and you have some badass dire-wolf-fu going on right there. It also seems that you can also add the Bounding Assault feat and get a second attack.

I like to stick to normal wolves when I'm a halfling, however, because then I can ride them (not nessecarily into battle, but outside of battle I'm not suffering from my pathetic 20'/15' movespeed.
Righter8
08-25-06, 06:15 AM Mr. Bojangles- A gorilla. Not mine but a group members. Has reach, beats the tar out of stuff. Grapples like a madman. Not too smart though.

Personally I like birds of prey, large ones. If you are playing a small char you can essentially have a Fantasy jet pack. Of course, I may be wrong, my PHB, DMG, and MM are not in hand.
Rerecros
08-25-06, 06:59 PM A armored gorilla with a great-ax
Turkey vulture, defense mechanism; projectile vomit
A hippopotamus, the animal most likely kill you in Africa
Dire platypus
drowstalker
08-30-06, 07:28 PM It all depends on what your looking for, in my opinion.

If your looking for an out and out damage dealer, then Dire Wolf, Polar Bear, Tiger etc are all up there.

If you want to go in a different direction, two animal companions of characters i played that spring to mind are a constrictor snake (really useful at reducing the threat of enemy spellcasters or heavily armoured opponents), and monkey, which becomes surprisingly useful when taught the fetch command at retrieving objects in hard 2 reach places (or as a handy thief).
X-Codes
08-31-06, 08:43 AM If you want to go in a different direction, two animal companions of characters i played that spring to mind are a constrictor snake (really useful at reducing the threat of enemy spellcasters or heavily armoured opponents), and monkey, which becomes surprisingly useful when taught the fetch command at retrieving objects in hard 2 reach places (or as a handy thief).
I'm suddenly reminded of Alladin... you know, that Disney cartoon?

Dire Wolf isn't really a damage dealer, it's a somewhat well-rounded pet with decent AC, a good Trip modifier (plus his Trip ability), and decent damage. Damage Dealers are most any variety of Bear or Big Cat.
rudie
08-31-06, 02:08 PM I once had a dire moose, best animal companion ever...
MindWandererB
09-01-06, 02:41 AM Dire bats and deinonychuses are my personal favorites. The huge AC, mobility, and blindsense on the bat are great, plus you can even ride it if you're light enough. And a deinonychus is fairly tough, and has a nasty pounce routine.
Master of the Daemon Tide
09-01-06, 10:39 AM I once had a dire moose, best animal companion ever...
That would be awesome. If you've ever been to Newfoundland you know how imposing a NORMAL moose is. A dire moose would be honestly terrifying.

My personal favourite has been my Dire Rat companion, though. His name was Chunky, and his disease proved to be really effective.
ShubNiggurath
09-01-06, 01:34 PM Since you are level 9 you had an "advanced" (in the druid sense) dire wolf, that is actually one of the crappiest choices you could do.

The following animals, in order of strenght, could beat the crap out of your dire wolf at your level

Advanced brown bear
Polar bear
Advanced giant crocodile
Dire lion
Advanced tiger
Advanced lion
Snake (giant constrictor)

Choose any of the above, and see what a OMG! animal companion can do

Btw, did you ever ask yourself why you can summon a dire wolf with a SNA3 and a brown bear with SNA4 but they are on the same list for animal companion choice? This already tells you that your choice was suboptimal.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
fiendish_jackal 08-24-06, 10:50 PM	During a game session last night my 9th level druid's dire wolf animal companion bit the dust, thanks to an angry fire giant :weep: So I've been trying to think of a new animal companion all day and I can't seem to imagine an animal thats cool enough. What are some animal companions you've had in the past that you enjoyed having around?
X-Codes 08-25-06, 03:46 AM	During a game session last night my 9th level druid's dire wolf animal companion bit the dust, thanks to an angry fire giant :weep: So I've been trying to think of a new animal companion all day and I can't seem to imagine an animal thats cool enough. What are some animal companions you've had in the past that you enjoyed having around? Pretty much just the Dire Wolf that I can think of right now. Give that bad boy the Spring Attack chain and you have some badass dire-wolf-fu going on right there. It also seems that you can also add the Bounding Assault feat and get a second attack. I like to stick to normal wolves when I'm a halfling, however, because then I can ride them (not nessecarily into battle, but outside of battle I'm not suffering from my pathetic 20'/15' movespeed.
Righter8 08-25-06, 06:15 AM	Mr. Bojangles- A gorilla. Not mine but a group members. Has reach, beats the tar out of stuff. Grapples like a madman. Not too smart though. Personally I like birds of prey, large ones. If you are playing a small char you can essentially have a Fantasy jet pack. Of course, I may be wrong, my PHB, DMG, and MM are not in hand.
Rerecros 08-25-06, 06:59 PM	A armored gorilla with a great-ax Turkey vulture, defense mechanism; projectile vomit A hippopotamus, the animal most likely kill you in Africa Dire platypus
drowstalker 08-30-06, 07:28 PM	It all depends on what your looking for, in my opinion. If your looking for an out and out damage dealer, then Dire Wolf, Polar Bear, Tiger etc are all up there. If you want to go in a different direction, two animal companions of characters i played that spring to mind are a constrictor snake (really useful at reducing the threat of enemy spellcasters or heavily armoured opponents), and monkey, which becomes surprisingly useful when taught the fetch command at retrieving objects in hard 2 reach places (or as a handy thief).
X-Codes 08-31-06, 08:43 AM	If you want to go in a different direction, two animal companions of characters i played that spring to mind are a constrictor snake (really useful at reducing the threat of enemy spellcasters or heavily armoured opponents), and monkey, which becomes surprisingly useful when taught the fetch command at retrieving objects in hard 2 reach places (or as a handy thief). I'm suddenly reminded of Alladin... you know, that Disney cartoon? Dire Wolf isn't really a damage dealer, it's a somewhat well-rounded pet with decent AC, a good Trip modifier (plus his Trip ability), and decent damage. Damage Dealers are most any variety of Bear or Big Cat.
rudie 08-31-06, 02:08 PM	I once had a dire moose, best animal companion ever...
MindWandererB 09-01-06, 02:41 AM	Dire bats and deinonychuses are my personal favorites. The huge AC, mobility, and blindsense on the bat are great, plus you can even ride it if you're light enough. And a deinonychus is fairly tough, and has a nasty pounce routine.
Master of the Daemon Tide 09-01-06, 10:39 AM	I once had a dire moose, best animal companion ever... That would be awesome. If you've ever been to Newfoundland you know how imposing a NORMAL moose is. A dire moose would be honestly terrifying. My personal favourite has been my Dire Rat companion, though. His name was Chunky, and his disease proved to be really effective.
ShubNiggurath 09-01-06, 01:34 PM	Since you are level 9 you had an "advanced" (in the druid sense) dire wolf, that is actually one of the crappiest choices you could do. The following animals, in order of strenght, could beat the crap out of your dire wolf at your level Advanced brown bear Polar bear Advanced giant crocodile Dire lion Advanced tiger Advanced lion Snake (giant constrictor) Choose any of the above, and see what a OMG! animal companion can do Btw, did you ever ask yourself why you can summon a dire wolf with a SNA3 and a brown bear with SNA4 but they are on the same list for animal companion choice? This already tells you that your choice was suboptimal.