Multiclassing with "friends".

[Dazgrim]

I am going to throw myself on the received wisdom of the internet as I have managed to confuse myself.

How does multiclassing work in pfs if you have an animal companion/familiar? I don't mean a multiclass druid/fighter, I understand that.

I'm confused by cases where multiple classes give an animal companion or familiar:

How would a multiclassed Cavalier/Paladin work once the paladin has his divine bond?

I assume 2 classes that give animal companions stack for the purposes of the animal companions abilities so a druid 2/cavalier 1 would have a third level animal companion (but would they have to be able to ride it?).

Can you multiclass a black-blade magus with a witch? Would the witch have to take the archetype that changes her familiar to a poppet (assuming that it is pfs legal)? If the magus can't multiclass as a witch could they go druid?

[Totenpfuhl]

1. This should probably be moved to the rules thread.
2. It believe it matters on the classes and what they say. For animal companions some things stack automatically or you need a feat to make them stack.

[Bbauzh ap Aghauzh]

The classes stack for purposes of figuring out what effective Druid Level you are when determining the power of the companion.

But you must pick your companion from the most restrictive list.

(i.e. If you are a Druid / Paladin, the companion must be from the available animals on the Paladin mount list.)

[Dazgrim]

So a druid with a tiger as an animal companion would not be able to multiclass into cavalier at a later date?

[CRobledo]

Dazgrim wrote:

So a druid with a tiger as an animal companion would not be able to multiclass into cavalier at a later date?

I believe you can, but at that time you have to ditch your tiger and get a cavalier mount.

If you want a beastly-mount cavalier, there is a Cavalier archetype that allows for that.

[Bbauzh ap Aghauzh]

You could. And as Carlos says, if you want the levels to stack you'd have to change what your Animal Companion was.

Or, you could have two animals, have to pick which one could be used in Combat for each scenario, and both of them would only be based off the level of the class that granted them.

[Odea]

I'm not sure this should have been moved to advice; if he wants a PFS specific answer, it differs from the generic answer.

PFS specific:
You can either: choose a single animal from the MOST RESTRICTIVE list and the levels stack, or you can choose two different animals *BUT CAN ONLY USE ONE IN COMBAT.*

Generic answer:
From the PRD Druid class: "If a character receives an animal companion from more than one source, her effective druid levels stack for the purposes of determining the statistics and abilities of the companion."
From Ranger: "This ability functions like the druid animal companion ability (which is part of the Nature Bond class feature), except that the ranger's effective druid level is equal to his ranger level – 3."
From Paladin: "This mount functions as a druid's animal companion, using the paladin's level as her effective druid level."
From Cavalier: "This mount functions as a druid's animal companion, using the cavalier's level as his effective druid level. The creature must be one that he is capable of riding and is suitable as a mount."

In other words: ask your GM if you're not playing PFS; many GM's would read the text above to say that the levels stack as long as (for instance) your TIGER is big enough to ride (one or more size categories larger than you).

I would also point out that PFS USED to just straight up have the levels stack under Joshua Frost's ruling on May 28, 2010 LINK; that ruling was subsequently changed by Mike Brock on November 29, 2012 Link, Link2 and Link3--that's 2 years of PFS during which the levels stacked just fine thanks and the world didn't end.

[Dazgrim]

Thanks Odea,

That's answered the question I wanted answering. It's not the answer I wanted, but that's how it goes.