When an animal companion's advances to a better creature (either at 4th or 7th level) it gains a bonus to natural armor.
Now let's an animal companion (prior to advancement) has a +1 natural armor and at 7th level it says AC +2 natural armor, so how much is the total natural armor +2 or +3?
Creative Director
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When an animal companion's advances to a better creature (either at 4th or 7th level) it gains a bonus to natural armor.
Now let's an animal companion (prior to advancement) has a +1 natural armor and at 7th level it says AC +2 natural armor, so how much is the total natural armor +2 or +3?
+3.
+3.When an animal companion's advances to a better creature (either at 4th or 7th level) it gains a bonus to natural armor.
Now let's an animal companion (prior to advancement) has a +1 natural armor and at 7th level it says AC +2 natural armor, so how much is the total natural armor +2 or +3?
Thank you James.
My ranger will be very happy about his megaloceros.
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Actually I have a related question regarding the 4th and 7th level progression of Animal companions.
I have noticed that in most cases when an animal hits 4th or 7th level it gains a Size class, and then also gains stat bonuses/penalties.
Is it fair to assume that these stat bonuses/penalties are classed as Size modifiers?
Now this is a fairly important question because it actually impacts on the effects of spells, most notably Animal Growth which modifies the stats of the target creature with Size typed enhancements.
Obviously this may be what is intended or not , but depending on the answer it alters the target use of the spell from primarily used to buff summoned animals vs only used to enhance the animal companion.
Let me provide an example to hopefully make this clearer:
Druid takes a Dog companion.
13 17 15 2 12 6 Small
At level 4 it gains a size class to Medium and gains Str +4, Dex –2, Con +2.
The default profile (regardless of other level increases) is
17 15 17 2 12 6 Medium
If these modifiers are considered Size modifiers (and after all the animal companion has indeed grown)then the spell Animal Growth will only replace these modifiers on the dog raising its stats by effectively only +4 size bonus to Strength and a +2 size bonus to Constitution with no further penalty to Dexterity giving us:
21 15 19 2 12 6 Large
If the level 4 increase isn't a size modifier then Animal Growth alters the profile to:
25 13 21 2 12 6 Large
So in the first case Animal Growth is probably better used on summoned animals because you get the "full effect" on the summoned creature as no prior size modifiers have been applied.
In the second case Animal growth is only used on the companion because when applied to the companions that get level 7 boosts they effectively double dip their stat increases (see Tiger, Ape Wolf and the like).
So what I'm curious here is what the intent was of this rule especially how the other growth type spells did in fact get toned down from 3.5 to Pathfinder while Animal growth was left alone.
Thanking you all
Nik
Actually I have a related question regarding the 4th and 7th level progression of Animal companions.
I have noticed that in most cases when an animal hits 4th or 7th level it gains a Size class, and then also gains stat bonuses/penalties.
Is it fair to assume that these stat bonuses/penalties are classed as Size modifiers?Now this is a fairly important question because it actually impacts on the effects of spells, most notably Animal Growth which modifies the stats of the target creature with Size typed enhancements.
Obviously this may be what is intended or not , but depending on the answer it alters the target use of the spell from primarily used to buff summoned animals vs only used to enhance the animal companion.
Let me provide an example to hopefully make this clearer:
Druid takes a Dog companion.
13 17 15 2 12 6 Small
At level 4 it gains a size class to Medium and gains Str +4, Dex –2, Con +2.
The default profile (regardless of other level increases) is
17 15 17 2 12 6 MediumIf these modifiers are considered Size modifiers (and after all the animal companion has indeed grown)then the spell Animal Growth will only replace these modifiers on the dog raising its stats by effectively only +4 size bonus to Strength and a +2 size bonus to Constitution with no further penalty to Dexterity giving us:
21 15 19 2 12 6 LargeIf the level 4 increase isn't a size modifier then Animal Growth alters the profile to:
25 13 21 2 12 6 LargeSo in the first case Animal Growth is probably better used on summoned animals because you get the "full effect" on the summoned creature as no prior size modifiers have been applied.
In the second case Animal growth is only used on the companion because when applied to the companions that get level 7 boosts they effectively double dip their stat increases (see Tiger, Ape Wolf and the like).So what I'm curious here is what the intent was of this rule especially how the other growth type spells did in fact...
They are untyped bonuses. They would have to specifically be called out as size bonuses or given by a feature that always grants size bonuses(such as the polymorph line of spells) in order to be size bonuses.
Curious as to how others see this, bump point!
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I would see it as specifically being untyped just so spells like animal growth would still provide their full effect.
Remember, the bonuses come into play in order to keep the animal companion at a comparably effective power level. Reducing the number of or degree to which spells affect it only serves to weaken the class feature.
They are not really bonuses. They are permanent modifications to the base statistics, the same as a child becoming an adult changes in physical powers. They are more like the mods on this aging table..
I agree, but using the word bonus seems to make it easier to explain.
But the words "X Bonus" have specific meanings, so its whether the implied bonus for being a bigger Animal Comp 'stacks' with the Magical bonus for 'Animal Growth'.
ie the Wolf went from M - L at 7 and gained 8str.
When hit with an AG spell it says 'grants a +8 size bonus to STR', but is that wold already enhjoying that bonus from its 'upgrade'?
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I have noticed that in most cases when an animal hits 4th or 7th level it gains a Size class, and then also gains stat bonuses/penalties.
Is it fair to assume that these stat bonuses/penalties are classed as Size modifiers?
edit: Shar Tahl's explanation is better. The companion naturally and permanently becomes a larger-size creature and its ability scores change accordingly. They're not bonuses of any sort. Animal growth increases the companion's size by a further step and applies the spell's full listed effect to the companion's ability scores.
Yes, this is impressive. That's one reason why animal growth is a 4th or 5th level spell when enlarge person is 1st level.