Totem Druids in issue 335

[NineInchNall]

I'm going to be needing some clarification on the Totem Companion class feature. Principally, the ability is gained at first, but for many of the totems the appropriate animal is not normally available for some time. For example, if my totem were tiger, would I be able to immediately acquire a tiger companion despite the fact that a Druid would normally need to wait until level 7? Or would I need to wait to 7 myself? Or would the character count as two levels higher for this purpose, making me wait until 5th level?

For that matter, does a Totem Druid have to abide by the standard HD limits for Wild Shape? As a continued example, would a Tiger Totem Druid be able to assume the form of a tiger at level one?

I am so confused. :(

[DeadDMWalking]

When you take your 1st level as a totem druid, you are considered to be 3rd level for determining an animal companion. A druid must be 7th level in order to have a tiger animal companion, so a totem druid cannot attract a tiger animal companion until 5th level.

Even though the druid gains the ability to wild shape at 1st level, the druid may only turn into an animal with HD equal to or less than the Druid Level. It does not appear that there is a bonus to the use of this ability. So, a tiger totem druid could not assume tiger form until 6th level (since a tiger has 6HD).

All other abilities are as a normal druid.

The totem druid is probably best with a "low-power" creature, since you can begin using the wild shape ability immediately. The tiger totem offers a number of benefits at higher levels, but is basically useless at low levels.