Blinkin's page

I hope that I'm in a reasonably close place to ask this question.

I'm working on a 4th level ranger with an animal companion, but I hit a snag and would love some advice on how to handle it.

I know that the Ranger animal companion list is extremely short in comparison to a druid's list, but such is life.

I'm looking at Cat, Small and the examples are Cheeta and Leppard; I was thinking about alynx or bobcat (both are small cats, around 35 pounds). I wanted to see if they were listed in the game, and the Lynx is, but it has the combat maneuvers of a Cat, Large, according to the templates and is therefore not a companion that is acceptable as a Cat, Small, even if it's listed as "Small."

Even if the monster manual version is a fully grown animal, it seems very inconsistent to list it with the large cat abilities but not allow an animal companion to have any of those traits. Is there a compromise between the two? It falls into the small cat definition, with the large cat's capabilities.I really want the cat, but why should I so drastically get a watered down version of it that will never have any of it's abilities?

Suggestions? Help?

Hmmm, not sure that really answers the question, but I'll agree that it's good advice. Thanks.

In reference to the above description from the Swashbuckler (ACG) class and bonus feats, I have the following question concerning bonus feats.

From the Corsair Archetype:
"Bonus Feats: In addition to combat feats, a daring infiltrator's bonus feats at 2nd, 10th, and 18th level can come from the following list: "

This would imply that either a typo was made in the class description in the ACG as well as the SRD. I recall reading, although I don't recall the exact wording that like fighters, there is a feat at each level. But, acording to the ACG, there isn't a feat, bonus or otherwise, at 2nd, 6th, 10th, 14th or 18th levels

The description for Corsair implies that ther are indeed bonus feats for at least 2nd, 10th, and 18th levels... so ARE there bonus feats at the skipped levels?

Under the Swashbuckler class in the ACG, the deed, in part, reads:

"Precise Strike (Ex): At 3rd level, while she has at least 1
panache point, a swashbuckler gains the ability to strike
precisely with a light or one-handed piercing melee
weapon (though not natural weapon attacks), adding
her swashbuckler level to the damage dealt. To use
this deed, a swashbuckler cannot attack with a weapon
in her other hand or use a shield other than a buckler.
She can even use this ability with thrown light or onehanded
piercing melee weapons, so long as the target
is within 30 feet of her."

Question: I'm looking for clarification to a wording point in this. Does description. Does the section "To use
this deed, a swashbuckler cannot attack with a weapon
in her other hand or use a shield other than a buckler." mean that a swashbuckler cannot have a weapon in the off hand, or simply cannot attack with a weapon that is in the off hand? It doesn't say that the hand must be empty and a buckler implies that the hand can be holding something... but I want to make sure that what I see and what is meant is the same. SO, can there be a weapon in the off hand, just not used? I know this is probably a stupid question, but I've been caught in descripencies before and want someone to tell me one way or another.

Thanks!