I don't have my books with me, nor have I researched this yet, but what would be required to have a familiar or animal companion if you weren't a sorcerer/wizard or druid/ranger?
Basically, can commoner lv1 Billy have a pet dog that advanced with him? Via some feat/skill check/etc... Or would he have to multiclass? If it is possible, would the dog advance as a druid's animal comp? (probably at a slower rate though)
And if the above isn't possible, can anyone simply buy a critter, pay for its training, then using handle animal checks to teach it tricks? Or would that require a specific class as well?
Just curious.
-Kurocyn
I don't have my books with me, nor have I researched this yet, but what would be required to have a familiar or animal companion if you weren't a sorcerer/wizard or druid/ranger?
Basically, can commoner lv1 Billy have a pet dog that advanced with him? Via some feat/skill check/etc... Or would he have to multiclass? If it is possible, would the dog advance as a druid's animal comp? (probably at a slower rate though)
And if the above isn't possible, can anyone simply buy a critter, pay for its training, then using handle animal checks to teach it tricks? Or would that require a specific class as well?
Just curious.
-Kurocyn
I wouldn't allow a class that does not "currently" already ahev the ability for animal/familiar companions, unless said player had access to a feat or some similar expenditure to do so!
It cheapens the class benefits of the classes that currently have these abilities!Whoever the second question, buying trained critters for use, is avaialble to anyone and everyone, as long has you have the inclination and wealth to go with acquired creature!
Handle Animal can be taken by Billy the commoner, who can train Fido to be a useful and faithful companion.
In the core rules, and expanded WotC rules, I can think of no ways for Billy the commoner to get an animal companion or familiar. Bobby the Adept can get a familiar, and anyone else with levels in an arcane casting class can take the Acquire Familiar feat from Complete Arcane. As for animal companions, I do beleive the short answer is no.
That being said, an animal companion at Ranger strength is often considered to be worth about a feat. There are variants in Unearthed Arcana which seem to indicate that a familiar is equal to a ranger "grade" animal companion, and a familiar is worth a feat, as the Folorn flaw would indicate.
Should the feat have prerequisites? I'd say so. Perhaps 5 ranks of handle animal (yep, 5, means it can't be taken until after first level).
Ultimately, you (if your the DM) or your DM will have to decide if allowing Acquire Familiar or creating and allowing Acquire Animal Companion is right for your game. Mechanically, it should be ok. Operative word: should.
I don't have my books with me either, but here is what I understand from the RAW (maybe some supplements out there contradict or update the issue):
Anybody can have a pet and teach it "tricks" like: stay, attack, or guard! That is only a pet and not an animal "companion".
But in order to have an animal companion or familiar (ie one that ADVANCES in HD and abilities/powers with you) is ONLY available to classes that have that as a feature (like ranger or druid). Again there may be feats out there in the newer supplements (or variants from some splat books) that do give this option to everyone but that's not how I understod it.
If I am mistaken i'm sure someone will point it out shortly. Hope that helped in some way.
Be safe all.
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There is a feat in Complete Arcane "Obtain Familiar" that you can take. Prereq (if I remember correctly) is ability to cast arcane spells. So a bard or such can gain a familiar, but it only advances as your arcane caster level (again, if I remember correctly - no book available at the moment 8^).
I have been working on a feat to allow non-druids or -rangers to gain an animal companion. You could definitely create one for your own campaign...
Hmm...
Using a feat to obtain a "ranger-strength" animal comp seems workable.
Being a caster makes sense for the familiar though. Should've thought of that...
My reason for asking is I'm wanting to give my character a "pet." A bat to be precise. Now, if I remember correctly, a standard run-of-the-mill bat is 1/10 CR in the MM.
I'm not planning on having the bat aid in combat or anything, as it would be mostly for RP and flavor purposes. But, I'd like the bat to grow and develope similar to a familiar or animal comp. At the very least, I'd like him to be able to comunicate with the bat by some point.
In my current game, as DM, I could just make it happen. (My DMPC in the group will end up my PC in another DM's game soon) But I'd like to other DMs to allow what I'm trying to do. I want this to be within "regs." Thus my question.
Would the bat's almost-lack-of-CR make this process easier? I mean, 1/10 CR? I'd allow a "Obtain animal companion" feat if I were DM and one of my players asked for such a animal. 4 ranks in handle animal prerequisite? ( <- to allow for 1st lv PCs)
-Kurocyn
RPG Superstar 2013 Top 32
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My reason for asking is I'm wanting to give my character a "pet." A bat to be precise. Now, if I remember correctly, a standard run-of-the-mill bat is 1/10 CR in the MM.
I'm not planning on having the bat aid in combat or anything, as it would be mostly for RP and flavor purposes. But, I'd like the bat to grow and develope similar to a familiar or animal comp. At the very least, I'd like him to be able to comunicate with the bat by some point.
Honestly, this doesn't even sound like it needs a feat. Get a few ranks of Handle Animal and 'rear' the bat using the rules in the PHB. As for communicating with the bat, see if your DM will let you develop a feat that allows you to cast speak with animals once or twice per day or something like that. There are feats in the Complete Arcane that award characters the ability to use a few 0- and 1st-level spells a couple times per day as spell-like abilities. This would not be too far from that, imo.
Another option is to take the Leadership feat and develop an 'animal cohort' feat to allow the bat to advance in HD and abilities. You'd still need the aforementioned communication feat... which means sinking 3 feats into this plan. Probably not the recommended course of action. Nevermind. Go with my first idea.
Honestly, this doesn't even sound like it needs a feat. Get a few ranks of Handle Animal and 'rear' the bat using the rules in the PHB. As for communicating with the bat, see if your DM will let you develop a feat that allows you to cast speak with animals once or twice per day or something like that. There are feats in the Complete Arcane that award characters the ability to use a few 0- and 1st-level spells a couple times per day as spell-like abilities. This would not be too far from that, imo.
That sounds good, FS. What do you think appropriate requirements would be for such a feat? Ranks in handle animal obviously. Int/wis/cha X? Effect - user can use Speak with Animals, as the spell, X times per day. X = skill points divided by 4, rounded up.
-Kurocyn
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RPG Superstar 2013 Top 32
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That sounds good, FS. What do you think appropriate requirements would be for such a feat? Ranks in handle animal obviously. Int/wis/cha X? Effect - user can use Speak with Animals, as the spell, X times per day. X = skill points divided by 4, rounded up.
I would say Wis 15 and 8 ranks of Handle Animal as a requirement and just make it a base 3/day, regardless of skill ranks. Caster level would be as 1/2 character level (minimum 3). Obviously this would not be available to 1st level characters, but you could use the time between level 1 and 5 as 'training time' to rear the bat.
I'm currently editing Troll Lord Games' Book of Familiars, which will allow for all classes to gain familiars and/or animal companions. It may be something of interest to you when it's released in print.
