Bite and claws are all primary so all are made at full BAB.
In the Druid, under animal Companion, there is a big table of it's BAB, saves, and skill ranks.
Animal Companions follow the normal rules for skills of the animal type (2+ int modifier, min 1). But animal companions have sort of a staggered hit die increase. As animal companions are always stupid, it's got as many skill points as hit dice.
On that note, a lot of animals tend to take skill-focus to augment a skill that it's going to rely on. Cats in particular tend to take skill focus (stealth).
All animals get the same number of skills.
Read this. Treantmonk and Druids
There is a lot of good information there.
Nice link. I will sit down and read it in detail later on.
Greetings, fellow travellers.
As others have already pointed out, skill points are the same for every AC: 1/level - this will only change, if you get its Int up to 10.
For skills, remember to apply +3 for class skills it gets, like Perception, Stealth etc.
While Perception is definitely nice to have as it is (one of) the most important skill in game, you as druid will most likely have a decent bonus already (+1 rank/level, +3 class skill, around +4 Wis), so giving your AC 1 rank in order to snag the bonus for class skill will bring it to +6 (+2 Wis, +1 rank, +3 class skill) - not too bad.
Buffing your AC via animal's characteristics helps, too.
With a big cat, you'll want to melee, thus the reasoning above leaves the rest of skill points on Acrobatics or Stealth (both are class skills as well) or similar.
Mostly for the same reason, I wouldn't bother on taking a feat for Skill Focus, and rather spend it on combat-oriented staples like Improved Initiative, Toughness, Dodge, Armor Proficiency, Improved Natural Attack etc.
Ruyan.
Oh, and remember that AC are game mechanically not animals. Your AC starts out with what's given in the druid's section under AC - forget the Bestiary.
Ruyan.
Oh, and remember that AC are game mechanically not animals. Your AC starts out with what's given in the druid's section under AC - forget the Bestiary.
Ruyan.
No, you were right originally. Animal Companions do in fact follow the animal rules. Except that yeah they have animal companion blocks to deal with the whole starting with lower HD and balancing thing.
There are Animal Companion additions in the 2nd and 3rd bestiaries.
All animals only get 1 skill point a level... since if they get an int over 3 they stop being an animal (and animal companion), and enter the realm of magical beast and other sentients. Most bestiary animals have racial skill modifiers and excellent stats for the skills they use... something the AC tend to lack. Chock that one up to domestication.
A good number of the alternate favored class options for druids is extra hp/skill point for the animal companion. If you're looking to boost up their skills, might be worth it.
Just don't waste your time with survival. It's not a class skill. Tracking and whatnot are better done by the druid.
Tracking is survival.
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Consider a domain. It may not seem as cool as an animal companion, and certainly in the early levels an animal will be more useful. However, a domain can give your character a power boost and won't be a liability like animals can be at times.
That said, animals with multiple attacks can attack with all if using a full-round action, which basically means they can also take a 5-ft step and that's about it. If the animal only has a standard action, say after moving, then they can only attack with one of their attacks. Bite and Claw are primary attacks, so suffer no default penalty on attack rolls.
Your animal won't be skilled and won't get a lot of feats, so consider their stronger ability scores, especially after 4th or 7th level advancement and Str/Dex bonuses. As animals aren't very smart they have a limited selection of feats until their Intelligence score is increased. Armor Proficiency can dramatically increase their survivability. Even non-magical barding can make a huge difference. Blind Fight, Combat Reflexes, Great Fortitude, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Power Attack and Toughness are all excellent feat choices.
Just remember, a dead animal companion isn't going to do you much good. Higher level encounters will prove more difficult for your animal buddy. If they can do more than just damage then they may be more fun to play and might spend a lot more time conscious.
it says your caster lvl is the same as a cleric of your level...sooo does that mean you get at level 3...
0-4
1- 2+1
2- 1+1
Sounds about right. You'd still use the druid spells/day* but also get the domain spell slot (the +1), to be used solely for a domain spell.
The rest of it is straightforward: at level 1, you get the first domain power.
You get the second domain power at the level stated.
*I suspect they progress at the same rate so it won't make any difference. Check first!
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So, lets say that you are a third level druid with 17 Wisdom that has taken the weather domain. By default a third level druid can memorize four 0-level spells, two 1st-level spells and one 2nd-level spell. The 17 Wisdom allows for a single 1st-level and 2nd-level spell. The weather domain specifically grants you obscuring mist (1st) and fog cloud (2nd).
Added all up, you'd have three 1st-level spells, two 2nd-level spells AND obscuring mist and fog cloud.
Oh, and remember that AC are game mechanically not animals. Your AC starts out with what's given in the druid's section under AC - forget the Bestiary.
Ruyan.
No, you were right originally. Animal Companions do in fact follow the animal rules. Except that yeah they have animal companion blocks to deal with the whole starting with lower HD and balancing thing.
There are Animal Companion additions in the 2nd and 3rd bestiaries.
All animals only get 1 skill point a level... since if they get an int over 3 they stop being an animal (and animal companion), and enter the realm of magical beast and other sentients. Most bestiary animals have racial skill modifiers and excellent stats for the skills they use... something the AC tend to lack. Chock that one up to domestication.
A good number of the alternate favored class options for druids is extra hp/skill point for the animal companion. If you're looking to boost up their skills, might be worth it.
Not quite true... an Animal that gains intelligence through the +1 Stat bonus never STOPS being an Animal Companion (unless the Druid wishes it so.. waves his/her hands.. and the Animal Companion becomes a normal Animal).. Its still up in the Air if the animal becomes a magical beast (DM call)..I've seen lots of posts about that question around here..
Now spells like AWAKEN.. do make an animal Companion lose that status... and they become Magical Beasts..
FYI... Animals with Intelligence of 3 or higher no longer need to learn tricks... they can comprehend simple sentences and commands (speech).. infact you could have an Ape Animal Companion with Linguistics to sign language and communicate that way (just like in REAL LIFE)
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An animal companion that has 3 Intelligence from druid advancement is NOT a magical beast. (one source of many searchable on the forums)
Donnovin, your cat will gain more than +8 STR as all animal companions gain +STR/DEX as they advance. By 7th level your cat will have accrued a total of +10 STR since 1st level. At 7th level you'll probably be very happy, but as you get beyond 10th level you might find that your animal companion isn't as menacing as the horrors you'll encounter.
That said, I don't believe there are any domains that are truly superior. There are going to be situations where a domain will be more useful and situations where an animal companion is more useful. If you decide to go with a companion, consider ways that you two can work together. Flanking is, of course, a good start, but consider feat selections, training, skills and so forth.
You are absolutely right that it comes to a person's play style. Pick what is going to be more fun for you and your table.
Also might want to ask the DM what he/she prefers... this is my Druid Experience with PAthfinder over the last 8 months...
Back in October 2011.. I wanted to make a Gnome Druid with the pyromaniac trait and Fire Domain... The DM right away said NO Fire Domain.. dohs!
Ok... so I did an APe Companion (started at level 5)... gave my Ape extra intelligence and Combat Relfexes and Studded Leather aRmor..No need for tricks since I could communicate with my Ape (we both knew sign language)
In the first game session my LARGE APE with a 23 STR decimated everything in her path... because of the Combat Reflexes (multiple Attacks of Opportunity + Reach = lots of dead baddies).. plus we used the Ape as a TANK.. since the PArty had no real tank..
I would just change into an Eagle and summon nature's ally and cast spells from above... we were playing the Kingmaker AP at the time... I was basically controlling 3 characters at the same time ( I made sure to have all my stuff in order each round to make my turn as fast as possible)
After the 1 session the DM called the group and I had to basically change my character... it was too powerful.... and I agreed ( although our Group was a moxley crew and as a party not very good... alot of multiclassed characters.. no cleric and no tank or fighter,ect)
Earlier this year we decided on the Jade Regent AP.. starting level 1 again... this time the DM allowed me to play my Gnome Druid with Fire Domain and limit to one summon spell per encounter (very fair rules I think)..
I'm almost level 6 in the 2nd Adventure Path (Jade Regent).. the first couple of levels are very hard.. we had no Cleric so most of my spells were wasted on healing.. and no Animal Companion to help means I was worthless in melee.. but the little fireballs you can throw help...
5th Level you get Fireball... now my character is starting to shine
ok how did you start out with a large Ape? From the animal choices it show Medium with Str 13
He started at level 5. The ape goes to large at level 4.