Are in-scenario combat pet replacements allowed?

[illyume]

The Rule, as clarified in a FAQ:

How many animals can I have at any given time?
During the course of a scenario, you may have one combat animal and as many noncombat animals as you like. Noncombat animals (ponies, horses, pet dogs, and so on) cannot participate in combat at all. If you have so many noncombat animals that their presence is slowing a session down, the GM has the right to ask you to select one noncombat animal and leave the rest behind. A summoner's eidolon is considered an animal companion for the purposes of counting combat and noncombat animals. If you have more than one class-granted animal companion (or eidolon), you must choose which will be considered the combat animal at the start of the scenario. In general, a mount, a familiar or mundane pet, and your class-granted animal(s) are acceptable, but more than that can be disruptive.

http://paizo.com/pathfinderSociety/faq#v5748eaic9os6

Let's say I'm fond of guard dogs, and my character purchases half a dozen of them with his starting gold.

If I pick one of them as my combat animal at the beginning of a scenario, and something unfortunate happens to kill him during the first fight, can I pick a different dog to replace him in later fights, or am I out the extra helper for the rest of the session?

[Grey_Mage]

Look to your GM for an answer. Many scenarios will preclude a supply chain of animals. Some take place in a civilized area so you could merely go home and grab another.

[GM Lamplighter]

If the scenario specifics don't preclude it, you should be able to go through the process - but remember, they don't come trained. You may not really want one. Or, try raise animal companion...

[Jeff Morse]

What you are asking is if you can cycle through them as they die. I would say no as you must choose which one to use at the start and must stick with that chose.

[Flutter]

Tap tap taps pointy stick at illyume

[Mystic Lemur]

It's your gold. The only issue I have is that they couldn't all be with you all the time, providing cover or whatever clever non-combat combat application you could come up with.

Don't bog down the scenario with them. Establish upfront that if Rover dies, you'll make a quick pop out back to the horses to get Rover Too. The only time I see that being an issue is if the group left something nasty behind them, or the party has short-term buffs running that they don't want to let expire.

I ran a group through most of Thornkeep: Sanctum of a Lost Age on one casting of haste. We were rushing outside of game, too, because they were tearing down the Con around us and we were trying to hurry and finish. It was exhausting and exhilarating all at the same time.

[illyume]

Hey! Ow, what's that stick for!?

But uh, yeah my character would have a skulk of fox pals hanging out with the horses, and would have a best pal going adventuring with him, then a second-best pal in case something bad happened to his best pal, etc.

At 8gp a pop they're not all *too* expensive...

[Flutter]

(ooc)"During the course of a scenario, you may have one combat animal and as many noncombat animals as you like" and " you must choose which will be considered the combat animal at the start of the scenario" seems to imply that its on a per scenario basis, not on a per fight basis. So if Fluffy gets eaten, Fluffy II can't just tag in.

(IC) Thats on top of the pointy stick level violation of Druids Local 704 rules... "

[illyume]

Alright, alright. Just one fluffy per scenario.

I might lose my poor-man's mage armor very quickly...

[Cpt_kirstov]

If you are playing a scenario in absalom I might allow it, but if you are somewhere else, how would you be getting them from thier pen at your house to the party?

[GM Lamplighter]

Any city of 5000+ should work, since that is the threshold for buying gear and spending prestige.