If a rogue takes the getaway artist rogue feat, could he theoretically buy an animal, and train it to be a fighting animal companion?
A rogue with ranks of Handle Animal could train an animal.
That doesn't make it a capital A Animal Companion with progression.
The rogue could also take Nature Soul and Animal Ally to get a capital A Animal Companion.
A rogue with ranks of Handle Animal could train an animal.
That doesn't make it a capital A Animal Companion with progression.
The rogue could also take Nature Soul and Animal Ally to get a capital A Animal Companion.
What do you mean by Capital A Animal Companion?
Any class can train an animal you buy or catch to do tricks like Attack if they use the Handle Animal skill successfully.
Druids and some other classes and archetypes get an Animal Companion that becomes more powerful as the character levels up.
Any class can get an animal companion (as the class feature) by taking the feats nature soul and animal ally (take boon companion as well and it will be full strength).
Having "handle animal" as a class skill doesn't really have anything to do with this. A full strength animal companion costs either a major class feature or three feats.
Eldritch Heritage feat with the Arcane bloodline.
If you take the leadership feat, your DM might allow you to have an animal or magical beast as a cohort, which can level as you advance.
Eldritch Heritage feat with the Arcane bloodline.
that is a familiar, which tends to be too squishy and expensive for the desired rogue flank buddy.
plus, if you are going to that trouble, it is easier to just worship calistria and get that wasp familiar for only one feat. it isn't too hard to go the mauler route to get more hp for the same two feats.
If you take three feats you can have a full Animal Companion as the Druid class feature with any class.
Nature Soul -> Animal Ally -> Boon Companion