So just last week i asked for a feat for my summoner and this week we're being extremely stupid and get ourselves killed (a lot). So after a TPK we all need new characters.
And after like 5 hours of fussing around and basically already finishing up a fighter I decided to go with a Beast master Ranger
Its the only ranger variant that gets a really good animal companion. But ive been wondering since i can have multiple companions, how many companions should I take at maximum and what is the use of having several?
I know i could use one companion, something fighty like a big cat and a 1 level bird as secondary companion to do some spying and scouting.
Another thing i thought of, for sheer awesome would be to have a whole flock of 1 level velociraptors just surrounding me for the heck of it. but i guess that might be a waste of a perfectly good class feature right there. Or would even a max number of level 1 companions have a use?
In case of velociraptors they would have 3 attacks each so that is gonna get me the occasional natural 20 for hits. And our GM houseruled that a roll in crit range means a crit without having to confirm. On the other hand they might die a lot and spending 24 hours to regain every single one might become a little tedious. Nonetheless it would be pretty cool to have a load of little velociraptors following your feet at all times.
I also have a short rules question regarding that: if i take the alternate Human Ranger favored class option to give my animal companion +1 HP or +1 Skill rank, does it apply to all animal companions or can I only give it one per level?
Having more than one animal companion will gimp your animal's combat abilities based on how many levels you spread among them, so unless you use them for tracking and such, you probably want to go with a single companion.
[nod] Yep.
EDIT: Only one would get the HP/Skill.
Right now I'm leaning towards having two companions, one being a velociraptor at max level -1 and one being a level 1 bird (or hopefully, if I can convinve the GM, a Microraptor using bird rules)
Maybe I might even take a third companion making it a level 1 horse or something else strong and quadrupedal with the sole purpose of hauling loot.
I've rolled up a Beastmaster for a campaign, and was going to have a Tiger/Raptor as the 4th level companion, a hawk/owl/eagle for 5th level and then always level up the Tiger/Raptor, including the extra 3 levels at 12th.
-- david
Papa.DRB
Right now I'm leaning towards having two companions, one being a velociraptor at max level -1 and one being a level 1 bird (or hopefully, if I can convinve the GM, a Microraptor using bird rules)
Maybe I might even take a third companion making it a level 1 horse or something else strong and quadrupedal with the sole purpose of hauling loot.
No, he just has the option of using the Druid list and having multiple Animal Companions.
-- david
Papa.DRB
do 1st lvl BM get a companion?
No they get them at 4th like normal rangers. And their effective druid level is same as regular rangers too (up until 12th level where it becomes the full ranger level)
We're starting at level 4. So at the moment I only have to worry about 1 of them but I like to plan ahead. Also im probably going to have to get any future companions in advance because im not expecting to go to any Dinosaur-lands anytime soon.
Can you get the boon companion feat?
Im pretty sure I can. Thanks for pointing that one out to me. :)
If you take boon companion twice, you could end up at 12th level with a 12th level companion and an 8th level companion with the beastmaster ranger.
Or two 10ths, which is the plan I have for my ranger, his hunting dog, and eagle. My hope is the Eagle will be quite useful in another level when I pick up Improved Empathic Link.
As a note, while you don't get the Animal Companion till 4th level, there's nothing stopping you forking out some of your starting cash and buying an animal. You just need to figure out how to keep it alive till 4th level :)
I'm going to have Velociraptors, so if I take two I'll just feed the other one with whatever we happen to kill until i hit 5th level, constitute the second raptor as a companion and get a second instance of boon companion. Tada, 5th level and i have twice the amount of animal companion as a druid.
I really like that feat.
I just need to convince my gm then to let me haul around a raptor in a cage on my mule.
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No they get them at 4th like normal rangers. And their effective druid level is same as regular rangers too (up until 12th level where it becomes the full ranger level)
We're starting at level 4. So at the moment I only have to worry about 1 of them but I like to plan ahead. Also im probably going to have to get any future companions in advance because im not expecting to go to any Dinosaur-lands anytime soon.
Do any of u guys have a suggestion for maybe making him a companion at 1st lvl? i need help pitching the idea to my dm. like maybe dropping favored enemy or something and have the ranger lvl the same as the druids 4 all intensive purposes?
i want to make a tengu BM thats starts w/ a raptor (im re-rolling after my last char died in a "land before time" mini-setting)
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No they get them at 4th like normal rangers. And their effective druid level is same as regular rangers too (up until 12th level where it becomes the full ranger level)
We're starting at level 4. So at the moment I only have to worry about 1 of them but I like to plan ahead. Also im probably going to have to get any future companions in advance because im not expecting to go to any Dinosaur-lands anytime soon.
Do any of u guys have a suggestion for maybe making him a companion at 1st lvl? i need help pitching the idea to my dm. like maybe dropping favored enemy or something and have the ranger lvl the same as the druids 4 all intensive purposes?
i want to make a tengu BM thats starts w/ a raptor (im re-rolling after my last char died in a "land before time" mini-setting)
Well, Boon Companion gives you a druid-level animal companion at level 4 so...
Perhaps if you took Boon Companion at level 1 and offered to delay getting another feature (favoured enemy?) until level 4.
So at level 4 you would be a RAW, PFS legal Ranger, you'd only be a bit different for levels 1-3 and your character would take bit of a combat knock during that time (yeah, your pet is cool but delaying your first-choice feat and a class feature should balance it out).
I've decided now that i will go with two primary companions both boosted with boon companion. And i might just spend a level on a level 1 bird for scouting duties.
Now i have a question for my combat style. I was originally intending for pure archery, then, seeing how our party has only one tank and otherwise nothing but squishies (a wizard and two divine casters, both low strength) I decided to go for two-handed instead.
But now i read Treantmonk's guide and I was wondering if I could pull off a switch hitter even with a beastmaster (who doesnt get the 6th level combat style feat) with the boon companion feat twice?
Does anyone have suggestions how to get the feats sorted best or is it a bed idea? (I'm Human so i get an extra feat to balance out one of the boon companions)
Do any of u guys have a suggestion for maybe making him a companion at 1st lvl? i need help pitching the idea to my dm. like maybe dropping favored enemy or something and have the ranger lvl the same as the druids 4 all intensive purposes?
i want to make a tengu BM thats starts w/ a raptor (im re-rolling after my last char died in a "land before time" mini-setting)
I'd also say give him the boon companion feat. That way you wouldn't even need to be a beastmaster. But you still only get the companion at 4th level.
No input at all?
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I,m going to burst your bubble about using Boon Companion Twice.
Beast Master Animal Companion
The beast master may have more than one animal
companion, but he must divide up his effective druid level
between his companions to determine the abilities of each
companion.
Boon Companion
The abilities of your animal companion or familiar are calculated as though your class were four levels higher, to a maximum bonus equal to your character level.
So no mater what. You go your caped by your total level.
I realy don't want to start this. About what can or can't do the most damage. But here it is Str base Two Weapon Fighting Ranger. Dex on a two weapon fighting range is a trap. Rangers do not need Dex for Two Weapon Fighting. Start level 1 with a two handed weapon. Level 2 pick up scimitar and kukri or Falcata and Kukri or Two falcatas.
15 Point buy (if your rolling stats. Str>Con>Dex>Wis>Int>Cha.)
Str 19 (13points 17+2=19) No I don't start with 20. Why becous at level 12 it's even, and at level 20 it's even. I don't plan for tomes that your DM might or might not let be there. Most adventures end at around 12 to 15 range.
Dex 12 (2Points)
Con 14 (5Points)
Int 8 (-2Points)
Wis 11 (1Point)(by the time you get to 2nd level spells. Your party will look at a +2 stat item like whats this for. Just make sure you get that +2Wis item befor they sell it. Same gose for when you can cast level 4 spells. By then your going to be like it's only a +4 Wis item sell it. Just get it befor they do.)
Cha 7 (-4points)
Ranger Combat Training: 2nd Two Weapon Fighting, 6th Double Slice, 10th Improved Two Weapon Fighting,
Level 2 Ranger
(Weapon Focus Falcata)
Falcatax2 +7 TWF +3/+3 Damage 1D8+4/1D8+2 Crit 19-20/X3
(No Weapon Focus if you use two difrent weapons.)
Falcata +6 TWF +4 Damage 1D8+4 Crit 19-20/X3 1D4+2
Kukri (off hand) +6 TWF +4 Damage 1D4+2 Crit 18-20/X2
(Weapon Focus Kukri)
KukriX2 +7 TWF +5/+5 Damage 1D4+4/1D4+2 Crit 18-20X2
(Two difrent weapons no weapon focus.)
Scimitar +6 TWF +4 Damage 1D6+4 Cirt 18-20/X2
Kukri +6 TWF +4 Damage 1D4+2 Crit 18-20/X2
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So, is there a limit on how many companions a BM has? I understand that at 4th level a ranger finally gets a companion, but would it be only one companion at that point? For instance, I want to build up my BM so he has a tiger as his primary, then an eagle and 2 ferrets for minor stuff. How would that work?
So, is there a limit on how many companions a BM has? I understand that at 4th level a ranger finally gets a companion, but would it be only one companion at that point? For instance, I want to build up my BM so he has a tiger as his primary, then an eagle and 2 ferrets for minor stuff. How would that work?
Well, the most straight forward method is to take the boon companion feat at 5th level and apply it to your tiger. Then every time you level instead of adding a level to your tiger you add an additional animal companion. The progression would look like this
4th level - tiger(lvl 1)
5th level - tiger(lvl 5), eagle(lvl 1)
6th level - tiger(lvl 5), eagle(lvl 1), ferret(lvl 1)
7th level - tiger(lvl 5), eagle(lvl 1), ferret(lvl 1), ferret(lvl 1)
8th level - tiger(lvl 5), eagle(lvl 2), ferret(lvl 1), ferret(lvl 1)
there is no limit on adding companions but unless you do something like take the feat boon companion they don't advance as you normally only get 1 level to distribute each level. So for example if you didn't do anything else and just poured all of your levels into your tiger at level 15 you would have
15th level - tiger(lvl 12), eagle(lvl 2), ferret(lvl 1), ferret(lvl 1)