Ranger's Animal Companion Shares Favored Enemy Bonus

In the Ranger Pet thread Guru... said:

I like Monte's idea where the animal companion of a ranger shares his favored enemy bonuses (i.e. if you have +2 vs. orcs so does your wolf). In Pathfinder this would also be extended to favored terrain bonuses.

This gives a ranger's animal companion unique flavor in contrast to the druid's animal companion.

This is a great idea and I didn't want to just see it get buried with the rest of that thread. While I think the Rangers AC is a nice class feature as-is giving it the favored enemy bonus is a nice class-relevant buff that makes the ranger that much more deadly against his favored enemy.

I like that idea too. It doesn't change much, but does tie the animal more to the ranger and the environment.

+ 1 vote from me based on 3,5E playtesting

(would also go to druid level-3 rather than 50% of druid level but don't want to derail this thread)

my ranger doesn't use pets... but i agree
the animal companion is closely linked to the ranger and either it learned how to fight along his "master" agains the hated foes, or does feel som of the"master's" rage against them.

and for the favored terrain, i think the animal companion and the ranger have traveled abit toguether so they will be intimatelly connected to the terrain...

ok... if the ranger loses an animal companion, i will gie this bonuses after a month that he gor a new one.

I was wondering when someone would notice this change. It was based off playtest feedback, but relatively buried.

Jason Bulmahn
Lead Designer
Paizo Publishing

I was wondering when someone would notice this change. It was based off playtest feedback, but relatively buried.

Jason Bulmahn
Lead Designer
Paizo Publishing

Yup, there it is. I had to look to find it, but right in the last sentence of the paragraph at the top of column 2, page 37.

Glad to see it included!

I like this idea. It gives the ranger's animal companion a flavor that is different from the druid's animal companion.

"The second option is to form a close bond with an
animal companion. A ranger who selects an animal
companion can choose from the following list: badger,
camel, dire rat, dog, riding dog, eagle, hawk, horse (light or
heavy), owl, pony, snake (Small or Medium viper), or wolf.
If the campaign takes place wholly or partly in an aquatic
environment, the following creatures may be added to
the ranger’s list of options: porpoise, Medium shark, and
squid. This animal is a loyal companion that accompanies
the ranger on his adventures as appropriate for its kind. A
ranger’s animal companion shares his favored enemy and
favored terrain bonuses."

Very nice... I need to reread stuff before posting. I guess it's not so embarrassing since I'm not the only one to miss it. This is great Jason!

I like this idea. It gives the ranger's animal companion a flavor that is different from the druid's animal companion.

Totally agree. I was just looking at 3.5 core and wondering "ok so a Ranger's animal companion is just a Druid's animal companion but acquires the same features more slowly.... neat"