How do we calculate hit points gained for animal companions as the player advances. This question has come up a lot recently.

up to the dm. I do it just as the players. Meaning full at level 1 roll there after. But other use avage hp per dice or have different systems. My advice is do it just like the pc's

Hopefully, this too will be covered in v2.1.

I would not count on it. Like all HD the way you roll them is up to the DM

Specifically, there seems to be a need for a standard for Organized Play. We can't have Sam from Hoboken with his Animal Companion having more hp than Georgia from St. Louis, even though they are both playing druids with the same stats and the same level, showing up for the same session at GenCon.

heh this will be funny but I did not notice this was in the PFS forum. I would say it goes off HD. As they are d8's they gain the nomrl amount of the d8 classes

Specifically, there seems to be a need for a standard for Organized Play. We can't have Sam from Hoboken with his Animal Companion having more hp than Georgia from St. Louis, even though they are both playing druids with the same stats and the same level, showing up for the same session at GenCon.

Average hit points per HD. For d8, that's 4.5 x HD rounded down.

(This is a Pathfinder Society ruling, btw, since this is the Pathfinder Society forum.)

Arnim Thayer wrote:

Specifically, there seems to be a need for a standard for Organized Play. We can't have Sam from Hoboken with his Animal Companion having more hp than Georgia from St. Louis, even though they are both playing druids with the same stats and the same level, showing up for the same session at GenCon.

Ummm, why not? Just as Sam and Georgia's druids with the same stats can have different hit points depending on how they roll, why shouldn't their animal companions?

Average hit points per HD. For d8, that's 4.5 x HD rounded down.

(This is a Pathfinder Society ruling, btw, since this is the Pathfinder Society forum.)

Joshua J. Frost wrote:

Average hit points per HD. For d8, that's 4.5 x HD rounded down.

(This is a Pathfinder Society ruling, btw, since this is the Pathfinder Society forum.)

What about Summoned monsters? I've made up cards assuming the averages given in the Bestiary, but something official to back that up would be nice.

Gamer Girrl wrote:

Arnim Thayer wrote:

Specifically, there seems to be a need for a standard for Organized Play. We can't have Sam from Hoboken with his Animal Companion having more hp than Georgia from St. Louis, even though they are both playing druids with the same stats and the same level, showing up for the same session at GenCon.

Ummm, why not? Just as Sam and Georgia's druids with the same stats can have different hit points depending on how they roll, why shouldn't their animal companions?

Because you don't roll for hit points in Pathfinder Society organized play.

Chris Kenney wrote:

Joshua J. Frost wrote:

Average hit points per HD. For d8, that's 4.5 x HD rounded down.

(This is a Pathfinder Society ruling, btw, since this is the Pathfinder Society forum.)

What about Summoned monsters? I've made up cards assuming the averages given in the Bestiary, but something official to back that up would be nice.

It doesn't get any more official than the Bestiary :)

Doug Doug wrote:

Chris Kenney wrote:

Joshua J. Frost wrote:

Average hit points per HD. For d8, that's 4.5 x HD rounded down.

(This is a Pathfinder Society ruling, btw, since this is the Pathfinder Society forum.)

What about Summoned monsters? I've made up cards assuming the averages given in the Bestiary, but something official to back that up would be nice.

It doesn't get any more official than the Bestiary :)

Yup. :-)

I'm on a break between speeches, games, and beating Daigle to death.

I'm on a break between speeches, games, and beating Daigle to death.

Since you are in Vegas.. you can make a game out of it.. You can bet how many hits it takes until he goes unconscious!!

Average hit points per HD. For d8, that's 4.5 x HD rounded down.

(This is a Pathfinder Society ruling, btw, since this is the Pathfinder Society forum.)

And on a related note, are the animal companions in the Bestiary legal for PFS play?

Joshua J. Frost wrote:

Average hit points per HD. For d8, that's 4.5 x HD rounded down.

(This is a Pathfinder Society ruling, btw, since this is the Pathfinder Society forum.)

Wait, so animal companions would get 4.5 per HD, rounded down, but PCs get 5 hp per HD?

And on a related note, are the animal companions in the Bestiary legal for PFS play?

Just wanted to clarify - do Animal Companions get full HP at first level, or at least the first HD? Or, do we do average even at first level?

So at level 1, would it be (without CON modifier):
1. Full 2HD - 16 hp
2. Only 1HD at full - 12 hp (8 + 4.5 rounded down)
3. None at full - 9 hp

I just want to get a solid clarification at first level, that's all...thanks!

Just wanted to clarify - do Animal Companions get full HP at first level, or at least the first HD? Or, do we do average even at first level?

So at level 1, would it be (without CON modifier):
1. Full 2HD - 16 hp
2. Only 1HD at full - 12 hp (8 + 4.5 rounded down)
3. None at full - 9 hp

I just want to get a solid clarification at first level, that's all...thanks!

Oh geez. I marked that off my list and then never actually put it into v2.1 of the Guide. I'll add that in a future update.

As other posters have stated, each level is calculated as 4.5 x HD round down.

For example,

1 HD 4
2 HD 9
3 HD 13

etc.

You can click on his name and then click on recent posts to find it if you want to verify context.

Ricky Bobby wrote:

Just wanted to clarify - do Animal Companions get full HP at first level, or at least the first HD? Or, do we do average even at first level?

So at level 1, would it be (without CON modifier):
1. Full 2HD - 16 hp
2. Only 1HD at full - 12 hp (8 + 4.5 rounded down)
3. None at full - 9 hp

I just want to get a solid clarification at first level, that's all...thanks!

As Josh already replied in a different thread.

Oh geez. I marked that off my list and then never actually put it into v2.1 of the Guide. I'll add that in a future update.

As other posters have stated, each level is calculated as 4.5 x HD round down.

For example,

1 HD 4
2 HD 9
3 HD 13

etc.

You can click on his name and then click on recent posts to find it if you want to verify context.

Ricky Bobby wrote:
Just wanted to clarify - do Animal Companions get full HP at first level, or at least the first HD? Or, do we do average even at first level?

So at level 1, would it be (without CON modifier):
1. Full 2HD - 16 hp
2. Only 1HD at full - 12 hp (8 + 4.5 rounded down)
3. None at full - 9 hp
I just want to get a solid clarification at first level, that's all...thanks!

As Josh already replied in a different thread.
Oh geez. I marked that off my list and then never actually put it into v2.1 of the Guide. I'll add that in a future update.

As other posters have stated, each level is calculated as 4.5 x HD round down.
For example,
1 HD 4
2 HD 9
3 HD 13
etc.

You can click on his name and then click on recent posts to find it if you want to verify context.

1HD=4 hp
2HD=9 hp
3HD=13 hp
etc.
plus CON modifier

Is this correct?

2.when using the animal campaign rules in the core rulebook, when you deceide what animal you will be using; the DIE type D4,D6,etc... for damage on their natural attacks, do we also add the strength modifier from their ability to damage as for example a horse lists D4 for bite, I'm assuming it also includes to add a +3 str mod to damage from their 16 strength making the bite(primary natural attack) a D4 + 3 from his bite attack and D6 + 1 from his hooves being his secondary natural attacks?
This follows for all the listed animal companions in the core rulebook with a str mod for high strength? just a clarification.

1. Yes.

2. Animal companions calculate their combat abilities the same way a PC does.

Horses as animal companions for Cavaliers get the war trained/combat trained purpose for free?
also does this mean that as of 1st level all their attacks are primary since in the bestiary it mentions that docile horses make hoove attacks as secondary attacks unless they are war trained?
this makes all their attacks primary then?

Horses as animal companions for Cavaliers get the war trained/combat trained purpose for free?
also does this mean that as of 1st level all their attacks are primary since in the bestiary it mentions that docile horses make hoove attacks as secondary attacks unless they are war trained?
this makes all their attacks primary then?

Go to free combat training

then bestiary says under horse then docile see below

looks correct to me

Horse CR 1
XP 400
N Large animal
Init +2; Senses low-light vision, scent; Perception +6
Defense
AC 11, touch 11, flat-footed 9 (+2 Dex, –1 size)
hp 15 (2d8+6)
Fort +6, Ref +5, Will +1
Offense
Speed 50 ft.
Melee 2 hooves –2 (1d4+1)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Statistics
Str 16, Dex 14, Con 17, Int 2, Wis 13, Cha 7
Base Atk +1; CMB +5; CMD 17 (21 vs. trip)
Feats Endurance, RunB
Skills Perception +6
SQ docile
Ecolo gy
Environment temperate plains
Organization solitary, pair, or herd (3–30)
Treasure none
Special Abilities
Docile (Ex) Unless specifically trained for combat (see the Handle
Animal skill on page 97 of the Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook), a
horse’s hooves are treated as secondary attacks.

Hi all -
I'm attempting to build a gnome cavalier that believes he is a mite. I'm stating that he was a prisoner of one of the PFS modules and as such as something like the Stockholm Syndrome. So he paints himself blue everyday and believes that is a mite that has been picked on for far too long and he is out to get revenge for his "brothers and sisters" that just take it (per Bestiary Mite Description). Yes, I also know that Mites hate Gnomes. That's part of the whole thing with him. He doesn't understand why his "brothers and sisters" hate him so much and that just drives him further to free them from tyranny.
As such, I'd like him to have a Giant Spider as a mount from the Bestiary. The Cavalier's mount listing says that it functions like a druid's animal companion. Josh states that as of PFSG 2.1 bestiary mounts are available in play. I checked the guide on PG19 and don't see that the Bestiary is legal (or that only those listed in the PFRPG CR are specifically the only ones allowed). But assuming that the Bestiary is legal or that is the case, can I get a guide as to how that works?
I do appreciate it.
Thank You.
Theocrat Issak

A giant spider isn't on any of the approved animal companion lists, so no. I appreciate the vermin connection you're going for, but have you considered dire bat, dire rat, or even goblin dog? Those are on the approved Bestiary I list in Chapter 13 of the Guide.

Ok so does the druid level stack on ANimal comp HD? or is it right from the base in the book. I.E 3rd level druid the animal get 3 Hd? Or do i add anything?

Ok so does the druid level stack on ANimal comp HD? or is it right from the base in the book. I.E 3rd level druid the animal get 3 Hd? Or do i add anything?

next question. My druid is a gnome (sm) so when i wild shape how does it work since the book take it in hand u are (m) size so you go from (sm) to (large). Do i go tiny, and medium or what?

There is no difference from wild shaping from medium or small. It doesn't make as much logical sense, but it is magic afterall. Quoting the polymorph portion of the Magic section in the PRD:

In addition to these benefits, you gain any of the natural attacks of the base creature, including proficiency in those attacks. These attacks are based on your base attack bonus, modified by your Strength or Dexterity as appropriate, and use your Strength modifier for determining damage bonuses.

If a polymorph spell causes you to change size, apply the size modifiers appropriately, changing your armor class, attack bonus, Combat Maneuver Bonus, and Stealth skill modifiers. Your ability scores are not modified by this change unless noted by the spell.

If a polymorph spell is cast on a creature that is smaller than Small or larger than Medium, first adjust its ability scores to one of these two sizes using the following table before applying the bonuses granted by the polymorph spell.

Hope this helps!

next question. My druid is a gnome (sm) so when i wild shape how does it work since the book take it in hand u are (m) size so you go from (sm) to (large). Do i go tiny, and medium or what?

In the end a small druid is slightly better at wildshaping into tinier animals, whereas a medium druid is slightly better at wildshaping into larger animals.

Hi all -
Going back with my wanna be mite, and Josh's suggestion at the Goblin Dog, it's something that I think I'll take. However, the Goblin Dog has a dandruff problem and although it would go with my blue theme, I doubt they have Head and Shoulders. So their dander issue causes itching and other issues unless a DC check is made.
However, as an animal companion of such ilk, is something like that automatically immune because of the magical nature of the connection between person and animal? What about normal goblins? I don't see something that says immunity to Goblin Dog dander, so do they have to suffer the effects during combat?
It's a big enough penalty that I may not take it in PFS style game. In a home game I'd certainly say that the PC could be immune, but I don't know if that would be the case per rules.
Thanks for any assistance.

Be Well. Be Well Covered Head to Shoulder.
Theocrat Issak