Bigguyinblack |
I realize the question of what animal companion is best is subjective.
Some people like the Deinonychus because it gets pounce, does decent damage, and never grows past medium.
Some people like large cats for high damage, pounce, and grab.
Tyrannosaurus has a high damage bite plus grab.
Roc can fly and has Grab.
Is large size a deal breaker? Do you choose based on how much you expect to face DR higher then Magic?
What in your opinion is the top 3 PFS animal companions at level 7 or higher?
lemeres |
1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Dog. For something nice, simple that can fit in doors, serve as a flank buddy, and no one complains if you bring one into town. Sure, one attack, but I want it spending move action to keep in my flank range anyway, so it is a good one attack with the x1.5. That is also good damage on AoOs (thinking of outflank, since that is its main purpose- getting it good extra attacks just serves as gravy). Plus, it gets a fake iterative at about level 9, so it gets similar damage to basic two handing. T
Birds also serve a similar role. Their damage can be more questionable if unless you are playing a huntsman cavalier (in which case, you get a powerful little buddy to share in your challenges).
JiCi |
Roc for flying. Always flying. I tend to pick up animal companions most often for martial characters, so the added mobility is excellent. Especially when you consider that most martial classes do not have a built in method of flight.
The aerokineticist can fly with a talent with no Burn cost and the summoner can create a flying eidolon... but that's ALL I could find :P
PossibleCabbage |
I wouldn't consider the kineticist or a summoner to be a martial character. ... The kineticist can take a lot of damage being con based, but they are more ranged based blasters casters (who use SU) than they are martial characters.
Kineticist can make a fine martial, it just comes on really late (like level 7-8 late). You can be pretty darn martial as a aether/earth kineticist who can kinetic whip every turn for free, even more so once you can change your size at will (most people don't get like 4d6+10 damage on their AoOs.) It's still more of a caster than a martial in most cases, but you can build for smashing faces pretty easily (and before that, just throw rocks).
JiCi |
I wouldn't consider the kineticist or a summoner to be a martial character. The summoner has a companion who is a beatstick, but they are not. The kineticist can take a lot of damage being con based, but they are more ranged based blasters casters (who use SU) than they are martial characters.
That's... because I missed the "martial" part :P
Fruian Thistlefoot |
Ground Mount- Giant Gecko
Flyer- Roc (Both Mount and non-mount)
Vermin Companion- Giant Mantis
Plant Companion- Sapling Treant (Sunder FTW)
Single Attack- T- Rex
Pouncer- Big Cat
There is no single Favorite for me. But I do have Favorite of Each type for different build types.
I will be Honest. Because PFS you don't keep magical gear the Treant specializing in sunder does a LOT of work. 4th Level 23 Str and 18 Con with reach, climb speed and
double damage against objects
That is a decent package for Level 4. No one at the table is going to hate you for Sundering every piece of armor/weapon he engages against.
Hmm |
I've had four animal companions.
The most OP was the third party Haast's Eagle that I played in Razor Coast. You can see Wedjat here. The Haast's Eagle is native to the Razor Coast setting and had high strength, flight, multiple attacks, pounce and a monster ability called powerful charge.
So at level 5, he'd fly in and shred opponents, literally.
Powerful Charge: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (8) + 11 = 19
Damage: 4d6 + 20 ⇒ (1, 3, 4, 2) + 20 = 30
Right Talon: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (12) + 9 = 21
Damage: 1d6 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8
Left Talon: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 9 = 16
Damage: 1d6 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12
Bite: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (8) + 9 = 17
Damage: 1d6 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10
Now, imagine those attacks with +3 to attack and damage from my Flagbearer Evangelist Cleric. My group called him the 'Mighty Chicken.' He was downright terrifying.
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In the standard Paizo companions I've also had a giant vulture for my Winged Marauder Alchemist, an Owl Bear for my PFS Lunar Oracle, and a Tiger for my Sylvan Sorcerer. Of these, by far the best is the tiger, who I've trained for grapple and live capture. The giant vulture gave flight, and that was it. The owl bear is a lot of cute on a very weak mechanical frame. He's flavorful as heck, but not powerful at all.
Hmm
Fruian Thistlefoot |
A few I like that don't get a lot of love are:
- Giant Gecko is a great mount for archers and casters. Constant access to spider climb is amazing and fun
I Use Mine for Lancing on a halfling. any 10-15ft ceiling or narrow hallway is a Great charge lane. Makes scouting easy. Makes Infiltration easy as you can climb castle walls very quickly.
Absolutely love the Gecko. I call it a dungeon Buster as he is the perfect Dungeon diving Mount.
Grandlounge |
I Use Mine for Lancing on a halfling. any 10-15ft ceiling or narrow hallway is a Great charge lane. Makes scouting easy. Makes Infiltration easy as you can climb castle walls very quickly.Absolutely love the Gecko. I call it a dungeon Buster as he is the perfect Dungeon diving Mount.
Agreed 100%. Such a fun mount.
Quentin Coldwater |
I still adore the Worg mount (through the Monstrous Mount feat) on my Halfling Cavalier. I love the roleplaying opportunities that arise from just having it around (two Paladins got the heebie-jeebies, but were infuriated when it didn't detect as evil), and the fact that it can talk is awesome. It once dragged my unconscious body back to a temple and asked if they could cure me. And the fact that it can speak and understand Common means that we can discuss tactics and can perform more complex tasks regular mounts can't do.
Athos710 |
I really like the cat (small) for my Hunter. But, that's because I'm going full in on the trip mechanics and teamwork feats. And he caps at medium instead of large for the Wolf. I fully realize that this will become overtaken by non-trip, insane CMD, and size huge creatures at later levels. But, it's PFS, so I should get a lot of play out of it.
Fruian Thistlefoot |
I have been thinking about trying a constrictor snake, does anyone have any experience with those?
Not too much experience with them but could build something. I recommend the Hunter for your Base class. Mostly cause it makes the strongest AC. Teamwork feats will help with Coordinated Maneuvers and the like. At 1 time I said It would be cool to use a constrictor snake as I HATE snakes in real life and saw a video of a snake eating a Crocodile and was like Holy Sh*t they are creepy animals.
The Shaman |
The Shaman wrote:I have been thinking about trying a constrictor snake, does anyone have any experience with those?They do very well but require a little thinking. For example, you can't get barding so you need to get a wand of CLW.
Oh, did they have any particular rule that prevents it? I thought that something like exotic barding would work for them.
Fruian Thistlefoot |
BigNorseWolf wrote:Oh, did they have any particular rule that prevents it? I thought that something like exotic barding would work for them.The Shaman wrote:I have been thinking about trying a constrictor snake, does anyone have any experience with those?They do very well but require a little thinking. For example, you can't get barding so you need to get a wand of CLW.
The Body type of the AC disallows it...tho a DM might be ok with the Stitching option. Where you sow in armor into its flesh....but the snake might not like it.
This thin, specially treated wire can be used to attach barding to creatures whose body types cannot normally accommodate armor, such as piscine, serpentine, and verminous animals, by delicately and thoroughly sewing the equipment directly to the creature's flesh. Equipping a creature with barding using barding stitches takes 10 times as long as normal barding, and a successful DC 25 Heal check is required to attach or remove the stitches. The creature must be helpless or willing to be equipped with barding stitches, and must have at least a +1 natural armor bonus to AC. An armored creature with barding stitches takes a -2 penalty on Strength- and Dexterity-based skill checks (in addition to any penalties from the barding itself), Fortitude and Reflex saves, and saves against effects with the pain descriptor (these penalties stack). These penalties persist for as long as the creature is equipped with barding stitches.
Tho the lowering of saves hurts.
Rosc |
I've yet to play with an AC class myself, but based on my research I'd say Wolf and Ape catch my interest the most. Wolf has a very solid, reliable statline, decent damage, trip, and the possibility of being a mount. Apes are just a fun concept and reach is always great.
Honorable mention to horses. Even if you don't build it for combat or lance shenanigans, it's useful for carrying your things and providing tactical options (mobility, flanking, front line assistance) should you get involved in a fight.
Deighton Thrane |
Mammoth
Spinosaurus
RocEdit: oh wait. PFS animal companion, replace Spinosaurus with Allosaurus
Hate to have to point this out, but Allosaurus isn't PFS legal anymore. It was kind of a stealth nerf. I don't remember ever seeing the change listed, just one day it was there, the next it wasn't.
Which means that Tiger is still probably the pouncing favorite. A couple nice ones that I haven't seen listed are the Ankylosaurus and Stegosaurus. Ankylosaurus has a stun rider on it's attack, and Stegosaurus is another trip monster. Though both of these actually excel low level where their natural armor makes then near unhittable.
Fourshadow |
Damanta wrote:Mammoth
Spinosaurus
RocEdit: oh wait. PFS animal companion, replace Spinosaurus with Allosaurus
Hate to have to point this out, but Allosaurus isn't PFS legal anymore. It was kind of a stealth nerf. I don't remember ever seeing the change listed, just one day it was there, the next it wasn't.
Which means that Tiger is still probably the pouncing favorite. A couple nice ones that I haven't seen listed are the Ankylosaurus and Stegosaurus. Ankylosaurus has a stun rider on it's attack, and Stegosaurus is another trip monster. Though both of these actually excel low level where their natural armor makes then near unhittable.
Ankylosaurus is my fav of the dino-panions. Love that stunning tail! The high AC sure is nice.
My son loves the Giant Gecko his Paladin rides.alexd1976 |
Small cat.
Play it with Huntmaster: Human and Eye for Talent... pretty cool.
If you want extra cheese, play a cleric with the Animal domain, Boon Companion, Huntmaster: Human... and the archetype that treats domain abilities as two levels higher.
That's +3 levels on your cat at level 7. Nearly 50% higher than you.
Joey Cote |
I like the idea of an ape. Give him +1 Int for the first stat increase. Then WP Longbow. Will do decent damage in melee, can act as a body guard for you while your spell casting, and can plunk away at enemies with a adaptive composite longbow with that big Str. And carry a ton.
Could even give him full plate eventually!