I have a level 3 kitsune ranger (Beast Master-Infiltrator-Trapper hybrid archetype) who is a dervish dancing scimitar fighter (yes, he has the Perform skill via a trait) with archery combat style.
1. I know it wouldn't be optimal, but is it at all possible to have a fox as an animal companion?
2. If not, what would be a decent companion(s) with good thematic appropriateness?
My general approach to roleplaying is to pursue a concept that has great style (call it the "coolness" factor) along with enough mechanics behind it that it is at least functional and decently effective.
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CHARACTER IN-GAME BACKGROUND IF IT HELPS: The character is from the GM's Diablo-inspired homebrew area that is a blend of Persian and Japanese culture. He was kidnapped by slavers and sent off overseas to a rich merchant who lives in an ashen wasteland recently devastated by magic. The merchant now wants the ranger to help the merchant on the long journey back to the kitsune's home city. Technically my character remains a slave and is unhappy with that, but he does have belongings, much autonomy, and his pet fox. Since nothing else is there, he doesn't feel he has much choice but to help. The adventure has been solo thus far, but three other players -- not NPCs -- will join next session: a druid with lions, a cleric, and unknown other character that I suspect will known arcane spells. At this point my character's class and archetypes are long set and not changeable, not that I want to change it.
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The only place a fox shows up is as a familiar, and the stat set is a dog with the young template. If you take a dog's stats and call it a large fox you should be okay. You could also go wolf, which right out of the box is an excellent companion and may be thematic enough for you.
You also didn't need a trait giving you perform as a class skill to take ranks in it for dervish dance.
If you don't care about the fox being small and cute, you could call a dog's, small cat's, or wolf's stats a "dire fox" or a "great forest fox" or an "elder spirit fox" or something.
You also didn't need a trait giving you perform as a class skill to take ranks in it for dervish dance.
Excellent point that I overlooked. I will have to beg my GM for a retcon on that, even though we're far enough into the game he may say no.