Does Instant Enemy affect a ranger's animal companion?

[Ender730]

Since a ranger's animal companion gains the benefit of a ranger's favored enemy/terrain bonuses, does it also get the benefit of the Instant Enemy spell?

[Adamantine Dragon]

Oh hell, if a bane weapon gains the benefits, why shouldn't an animal companion?

[Funky Badger]

Behave, AD...

For the companion, yeah, why not.

[james maissen]

Ender730 wrote:

Since a ranger's animal companion gains the benefit of a ranger's favored enemy/terrain bonuses, does it also get the benefit of the Instant Enemy spell?

No, the AC is not you.

The spell only allows you to treat the subject creature as a different type, not anyone else.

-James

[RuyanVe]

Hm. The spell mentions that "you treat the target as if it were that type of favored enemy for all purposes."

How do you derive where that applies/doesn't apply?

Because under Nature's Bond (Ex) you find:

"A ranger's animal companion shares his favored enemy and favored terrain bonuses."

Since you after casting instant enemy now get a favored enemy bonus against whatever creature you targeted with the spell, it should apply to your AC I'd say.

Ruyan.

[james maissen]

RuyanVe wrote:

Hm. The spell mentions that "you treat the target as if it were that type of favored enemy for all purposes."

How do you derive where that applies/doesn't apply?

Because under Nature's Bond (Ex) you find:

"A ranger's animal companion shares his favored enemy and favored terrain bonuses."

Since you after casting instant enemy now get a favored enemy bonus against whatever creature you targeted with the spell, it should apply to your AC I'd say.

Ruyan.

Okay, let's parse this.

The animal companion has your favored enemy bonuses.

The animal companion attacks a creature that is not your favored enemy. Does it get the bonus? Nope.
What about if you had a spell effecting yourself? Nope, doesn't alter the animal companion in any way. It doesn't get to treat the target as if it were anything other than it is.

Done.

If the spell caused the target to *be* the other type.. sure. But it doesn't.

Likewise another Ranger of your level that chose your same favored enemies, would share your favored enemy bonuses. Casting instant enemy does nothing for him either.

Nor does it apply to your weapons, your friends, cohorts, your enemies, or strangers on the street.

It just lets YOU treat the target as *if* it were another type where you would get a bonus.

-James

[Krodjin]

What if you selected a bond with your companions instead of an Animal Companion? Would your companions get 50% of your Instant Enemy bonus?

I honestly don't know which way this goes but would like to see official clarification if only for PFS purposes. Sure it's a late game issue in PFS play, but it can still be an issue.

[james maissen]

Krodjin wrote:

What if you selected a bond with your companions instead of an Animal Companion? Would your companions get 50% of your Instant Enemy bonus?

I honestly don't know which way this goes but would like to see official clarification if only for PFS purposes. Sure it's a late game issue in PFS play, but it can still be an issue.

Quote:

This bond allows him to spend a move action to grant half his favored enemy bonus against a single target of the appropriate type to all allies within 30 feet who can see or hear him.

Well the ranger would certainly be able to grant the bonus as the target is of the appropriate type as far as the ranger is concerned.

At this point the question becomes.. is it just a bonus that is granted, or is it favored enemy (type) that is granted?

I am thinking it is the later, and thus would not work to give the allies any bonus.

Why?

Because otherwise were one of the allies a ranger they would get that bonus on top of their own favored enemy bonus to the target, and that doesn't seem right. Yet if it is just granting a bonus, then there is nothing to be done about it.

But it does make an interesting question for the Devs to consider.

-James

[Krodjin]

The companion bond seems more balanced in regards to instant enemy. It's only half the bonus and costs a move action to grant.

I'm not sure where the line should be drawn. I think I'd limit it to affecting the Ranger only. Not sure if that is RAW, but if you start letting bane weapons and animal companions into the picture it becomes a slippery slope. That's only my opinion - and it could be wrong.

[Vestrial]

james maissen wrote:

Well the ranger would certainly be able to grant the bonus as the target is of the appropriate type as far as the ranger is concerned.

At this point the question becomes.. is it just a bonus that is granted, or is it favored enemy (type) that is granted?

I am thinking it is the later, and thus would not work to give the allies any bonus.

Why?

Because otherwise were one of the allies a ranger they would get that bonus on top of their own favored enemy bonus to the target, and that doesn't seem right. Yet if it is just granting a bonus, then there is nothing to be done about it.

But it does make an interesting question for the Devs to consider.

-James

Quote:

This bond allows him to spend a move action to grant half his favored enemy bonus against a single target of the appropriate type to all allies within 30 feet... This bonus does not stack with any favored enemy bonuses possessed by his allies.

Clearly states it gives the bonus, not the ability, and does not stack with any FE they may have. Instant enemy doesn't help the party, since they would get the bonus, but the target would be the wrong type (to them).

Ranger: "You sir, are a giant..."
Bob: "Am not."
Ranger: "Yes you are! And I hate giants! Prepare to die! Friends, hate giants with me"
Party: "Wrar, we hate giants too! Er, but dude, he's not a giant."
Bob: "See?"
Ranger: "Die anyway."

And now that I think about it, you're right that this is why it doesn't work for the AC either. The AC already has FE giant, but the target is the wrong type (to him). durr.

I think I was previously was thinking that instant enemy gave the ranger FE (target) for the duration, which then would transfer to the pet...

[StreamOfTheSky]

Sounds to me like it should benefit, as should the party if you have the hunter's bond instead of an AC.

Not really sure why Instant Enemy is cast on an enemy instead of a ranger self-buff in the first place, it'd settle a lot of these questions (bane would work, AC or party would not benefit, though you could use Improved Share Spells to let the AC benefit with you or normal share spells to have it benefit instead of you, etc....)