Mythic and gaining an animal companion

[MagiMaster]

Any suggestions on how a mythic character who doesn't already have one could gain an animal companion, or something very close to one at least?

There's the option of awakening it and then taking the Loyalty path ability. Or there is the Animal Ally feat, but that requires three feats to get up to a full progression.

I would have expected there to be a mythic path ability that would grant an animal companion somehow, but I couldn't find any. Would a path ability that granted Animal Ally (and possibly Boon Companion) be about on par? I think that'd make the most sense as a Marshal path ability, but I could see Guardian (who gets lots of animal companion related abilities) or Heirophant (as the druid favored path) too.

[Wycen]

Loyalty may be the only thing that will help, though Mythic Origins and the other Mythic book, which name escapes my memory, might have something.

Loyalty may in fact be the best way because if you take a 1 level dip in any class that gives you an animal buddy it means that critter will be stuck at that base level until you take more levels (or use Boon Companion).

[MagiMaster]

The biggest problem with loyalty is that the character in question doesn't have any reason to seek out an awaken spell, and it might actually be out of character to do so. (He's already got a mount, but wants to take it as a companion of some kind.)

Would a mythic path ability that simply grants an animal companion be reasonable?

[Wycen]

Are you really wanting an intelligent animal companion? Why not a creature from mythology, like a griffin, or some other creature that is already intelligent without the Awaken spell?

As for changing a mythic ability to suit your needs, that's something you should talk to your Game Master about.

[MagiMaster]

I am the game master. I'm asking for advice on how best to allow the player in question to raise an existing pet to an animal companion. They already have the pet. They just want it to be able to level up so they don't have to worry so much about it dying randomly.

[MagiMaster]

Any advice? Would offering Animal Ally (and/or Boon Companion) as a mythic path ability be reasonable? Which path would fit best?

[Wycen]

My thoughts. Don't expend mythic powers to boost the animal companion. The mythic abilities are really better for boosting the PC, even if like in the case of a druid or summoner a loyal companion is part of the core abilities.

So look at normal things like giving them a bonus feat and then boost the critter using the druid animal companion rules, at -4 to the level or something like that. The Guide to Korvosa had a feat called something like Sable Company Rider, which gave you a hippogriff animal companion. Or look at the special ability for the Animal Domain and use that.

[MagiMaster]

That's exactly what the Animal Ally feat does. (Boon Companion raises it to full level.)

I don't want to just hand out bonus feats because the other players aren't interested in an animal companion and I don't really have any reasons to be handing out other feats.

Oh well. I guess I'll just offer a mythic path ability that gives those feats as bonus feats. It doesn't really seem particularly overpowered compared to Loyalty.