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Ok, I FINALLY get the 'Druid + Cavalier companion don't stack rule'..begrudgedly, it doesn't matter that I may not agree I just have to salute the flagpole and move on. However, it seems people (myself included) attempted to ask the question with a nuisance but the nuisance was missed or ignored because staff we're focused on hammering their central point--the companions levels don't stack--got it. But...what if the druid takes a roc (Halfling druid no less) and then switches to cavalier who takes wolf (I know you're staff 'discourages' two companions, point taken...I'm also discouraged that I now have two companions) moving on. The cavalier advances for let's say four levels. Now we have a 1 Druid/4 Cavalier who takes Boon Companion (Roc) resulting in a level 5 Roc and 4 Wolf. With me so far? Good. Now as a druid (and a cavalier all at once you see) I can straddle that Roc and ride him. My ride skill, handle animal skill, and small character medium mount situation do not list "if Roc" or "if Wolf" when making skill and handle animal rolls. So I pick up my lance, ride real fast, and poke something with the lance backed up with various feats such as mounted combat, fly-by-attack, wheeled, power attack etc. (OBTW, none of these lists certain companion types in their descriptions either). Have any rules been broken? I'm a Druid/Cavalier with a wolf that sleeps by the hearth as I and my Roc scour the country side looking for shish kabob meat with my lance. Oh I know, when/if I level to Cavelier 6 the wolf levels to five sleeping snugly on my hearth while my Roc remains level five. And so on and so on till 1 Druid/10 Cavalier -- 5 Roc/10 Wolf (who may still be sleeping by the hearth). Long winded question to "I know the companions don't stack but is there anything stopping me the cavalier (who happens to be a druid that can ride a roc) from straddling that Roc and riding off into the wild blue yonder or does common since go out the window (totally your call just asking) and for some very odd reason my arse stops fitting the snuggly military saddle strapped to my Roc's back?" Can I get an Amen and Hallelujah yeah ye olde petitioner of questions we have thy answer from Paizo?
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P.S. Sorry, forgot to mention this is a PFS situation question.
P.S.S. Ok, also forgot to illustrate, the wolf can stack to level five because it's on both lists but obviously the Druid can't expend a level towards a wolf and Roc, therefor to have the Roc even at level 1 only, the Cavalier has to forgo a companion altogether. So at level 5, 1 Druid/4 Cavalier, you have a Roc with boon companion level 5 that never levels again if you continue taking Cavalier as a class. I'm still ok with this if the ruling is since the Druid Halfling can legally ride the Roc then so can his evil twin big brother alter ego level 4 Cavalier self.
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WHAAAAAAAA....??? 36 minutes and still no reply from Paizo. I R thoroughly disappointed.
I'll assume you're joking, since wacky grins don't travel through the Internet.
If you want to be an 11th level character with a 5th level flying mount, putting you dozens of feet in the air when it inevitably fails a save or dies in one hit, I see no rules problem with the scenario you describe, except to wonder what you're trying to accomplish.
The roc would not get any benefits from your cavalier levels, except those that might apply to any creature or ally, nor would you benefit from any cavalier ability that depends on riding your cavalier mount.
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you wouldn't get your free light armor proficiency for your mount, and your AC penalty from armor would apply when riding your druid animal companion.
in pfs, you have to choose which animal companion you take with you. thats fine.
you can also just use the wolf past cavalier 4/druid 1. wolf is listed as a valid mount for small cavliers past level 4 right? so it would then stack with druid 1's wolf, for a total effective druid level 5 on your mount. Boon companion not needed.
but yes if you want to fly, i'd suggest dipping more levels in druid.
and invest in a ring of featherfall or snapleaf at least.
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WHAAAAAAAA....??? 36 minutes and still no reply from Paizo. I R thoroughly disappointed.I'll assume you're joking, since wacky grins don't travel through the Internet.
If you want to be an 11th level character with a 5th level flying mount, putting you dozens of feet in the air when it inevitably fails a save or dies in one hit, I see no rules problem with the scenario you describe, except to wonder what you're trying to accomplish.
The roc would not get any benefits from your cavalier levels, except those that might apply to any creature or ally, nor would you benefit from any cavalier ability that depends on riding your cavalier mount.
Ok, let me see if I got this. The cavalier could ride the Druid's mount (Roc). However, he would not benefit from
Cavalier's Charge (Ex): At 3rd level, a cavalier learns to make more accurate charge attacks while mounted. The cavalier receives a +4 bonus on melee attack rolls on a charge while mounted (instead of the normal +2). In addition, the cavalier does not suffer any penalty to his AC after making a charge attack while mounted.
Challenge: Whenever an order of the sword cavalier issues a challenge, he receives a +1 morale bonus on attack rolls against the target of his challenge so long as he is astride his mount. The bonus increases by +1 for every four levels the cavalier possesses.
Does that about sum it up?
This may be wrong, but the cavalier just has to be mounted it doesnt have to be his animal companion.
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for most of those abilities, it sounds like he just needs to be mounted.
It would have to mention him being mounted on his companion specifically i think, for it to falter if your'e riding a druid companion. the only one that sounds like it might fall into that is the Order of the Sword Challenge , where it says "his mount", not "a mount".
your cavalier mount companion Wolf gets an int 6, and free Light Armor Proficiency.
your druid companion Roc doesn't get those, as they're specific to the cavalier Mount.
and once you go up to Cavalier 6/Druid 1, when your wolf hits EDL 7, you can choose to have him remain Medium, take the optional stat bump, instead of the Large Wolf companion adjustments, and keep riding him as a Cavalier mount.
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for most of those abilities, it sounds like he just needs to be mounted.
It would have to mention him being mounted on his companion specifically i think, for it to falter if your'e riding a druid companion. the only one that sounds like it might fall into that is the Order of the Sword Challenge , where it says "his mount", not "a mount".
your cavalier mount companion Wolf gets an int 6, and free Light Armor Proficiency.
your druid companion Roc doesn't get those, as they're specific to the cavalier Mount.and once you go up to Cavalier 6/Druid 1, when your wolf hits EDL 7, you can choose to have him remain Medium, take the optional stat bump, instead of the Large Wolf companion adjustments, and keep riding him as a Cavalier mount.
Right right, ok I'm with you so far. And I see the point you're making that I may be gimping myself at higher levels. Let's turn the table say..about 90 degrees. If I only take 4 levels of cavalier and boon companion and the rest in Druid I'm looking at 7/4 Druid/Cavalier with some challenge bonuses, 11th level Roc (who flies), circling 80' off the ground in an obscuring mist, waiting for my 4th level wolf stealthed in the bushes, who lets me know when the caster gets tired of looking for me and concentrates back to the rest of the party, so that when I come swooping down from the rear with flank bonus and a whole lot charge type bonues, it'll be righteous, no? P.S. Bull Strength and a few other tasty little buffs...
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P.S.S. I could forgo some of the Cavalier charge bonuses with Death From Above, which is equal or better too! I know good and well you can envision Pippin swooping from the clouds with a 'mule eating briars' grin clenching for dear life to the saddle horn with one hand and a lance in the other screaming "FOR THE SHIRE!"
You can envision that can't you, you know you can.
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riding around an 11th level roc is fun I imagine.
as long as you keep the Roc medium, there's a lot you can do with it, and still benefit from some of your cavalier abilities, and still bring it into dungeons so you can fly.
just remember for pfs you won't have your wolf waiting in the bushes. he won't be with you during the adventure: you only get one companion, chosen at the start of each adventure.
and take a look at Animal Archive, to see if there's a way to toughen up your Roc and make it a bodyguard archetype companion or something.
I thought it says one combat companion, if it is just a spotter wouldn't it just be embellishment at that point.
The other PC could tell him too.
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one combat companion basically boils down to you + one companion.
bringing a spotter into a dungeon, but not into combat, is impossible. it would have to act in a turn, retreat, and take up more time to adjucate and track.
the point of that part of the pfs limit on one companion is to not have to spend the time tracking it. aka. you don't bring it.