Animal Companions and their Type

[crmanriq]

I'm unable to find a rule that adequately covers this, so I'm seeking opinions (and if James or Jason feels so inclined, a ruling).

Is an Animal Companion still an animal if you raise it's intelligence to a 3 or higher?

Given the numerous provisions for Animal Companions with Int of 3 or greater, it's plainly allowed that they can become smarter. And their feat and skill choices increase. This is also encompassed by the Guide to Pathfinder Society Organized Play.

However...

According to the Bestiary (p307) under Animal Traits: "Intelligence score of 1 or 2 (no creature with an Intelligence score of 3 or higher can be an animal).

The logical choice would be that an Animal becomes a Magical Beast
Bestiary p308.
"Magical beasts are similar to animals but can have
Intelligence scores higher than 2 (in which case the magical
beast knows at least one language, but can’t necessarily speak)."

However, the two types are sufficiently different that this does not immediately seem a good fit.

Reasons
- Animal Hit Die is d8. Magical Beast is d10
- Magical Beast BAB is Fast (=HD), Animal is Medium (3/4 HD)
- Magical Beasts have Darkvision, Animals have Low-Light vision.
- Animals are always Neutral. Magical Beasts have no alignment restriction.

Further, an animal that has been the subject of an Awaken Spell has it's type changed to Magical Beast.

So I guess the question is, is an Animal Companion with an Int of 3 the exception to the Animal Type rule that limits intelligence, or does the Animal Companion actually become a Magical Beast. If it does, does it gain the larger Hit Die, Fast BAB, and Darkvision?

[HaraldKlak]

crmanriq wrote:

I'm unable to find a rule that adequately covers this, so I'm seeking opinions (and if James or Jason feels so inclined, a ruling).

Is an Animal Companion still an animal if you raise it's intelligence to a 3 or higher?

Given the numerous provisions for Animal Companions with Int of 3 or greater, it's plainly allowed that they can become smarter. And their feat and skill choices increase. This is also encompassed by the Guide to Pathfinder Society Organized Play.

My answer would be a loud NO. The animal companion does not become a magical beast.

You mention a lot of good reasons yourself. The hit die and bab increases would be broken (in the sense that all druid would choose to boost their companions to int 3). And the awaken spell does specifically state, that awakened animals (now magical beasts) can not serve as an animal companion.

The druid animal companion isn't the only exception to the rules of animals with higher intelligence. The paladins mount (which functions as an animal companion) has an intelligence of at least 6 without being a magical beast (which it becomes at paladin level 11).

[seekerofshadowlight]

The HD do not change, you only get what is listed under the animal companion section. It does not matter if it's Int is 2 or 20, and it looses everything and becomes a normal animal from the book if ya ever dismiss it anyhow

They are not normal animals to start with anyhow.

[crmanriq]

HaraldKlak wrote:

crmanriq wrote:

I'm unable to find a rule that adequately covers this, so I'm seeking opinions (and if James or Jason feels so inclined, a ruling).

Is an Animal Companion still an animal if you raise it's intelligence to a 3 or higher?

Given the numerous provisions for Animal Companions with Int of 3 or greater, it's plainly allowed that they can become smarter. And their feat and skill choices increase. This is also encompassed by the Guide to Pathfinder Society Organized Play.

My answer would be a loud NO. The animal companion does not become a magical beast.

You mention a lot of good reasons yourself. The hit die and bab increases would be broken (in the sense that all druid would choose to boost their companions to int 3). And the awaken spell does specifically state, that awakened animals (now magical beasts) can not serve as an animal companion.

The druid animal companion isn't the only exception to the rules of animals with higher intelligence. The paladins mount (which functions as an animal companion) has an intelligence of at least 6 without being a magical beast (which it becomes at paladin level 11).

The Paladin's mount is an excellent example. Thanks. That really puts me into "It's an animal no matter what it's intelligence is." territory.

[crmanriq]

seekerofshadowlight wrote:

The HD do not change, you only get what is listed under the animal companion section. It does not matter if it's Int is 2 or 20, and it looses everything and becomes a normal animal from the book if ya ever dismiss it anyhow

They are not normal animals to start with anyhow.

Can you point me to any rules text (book and page number) that supports the assertion that the animal companion loses any abilities if dismissed? I can't find it anywhere in the core rules.

[fynster]

the druid's animal companion( AC ), has become the focus of alot of my concerns lately.
i have found by reading many, many ....posts that the AC falls somewhere between just a normal animal and magical beast.
it is ALMOST, but not quite a group to itself.
by linking with a druid the animal becomes better than it would be in the wild.
Now, as with your question about if it would revert to its normal stats in the beastiary if one was to let it go. it would depend on if one was to give the AC an int boost. any animal creature with a int of more than 2 is not an animal anymore.
i dont know if the stat gains are akin to a SU ability through the linking with a druid or a permanent stat gain.
if its perm, then the AC, once released is a magical beast, if its a gain through the link, then it reverts to a normal creature of its type.

i hope this is of some help.