Pros and Cons of considering Eidolons / Animal Companions as part of the APL

[RCW]

Yesterdays PFS game that I ran got me thinking about this. It was a five person table with a season 1 scenario. To call it easy for five PC's alone, would be an understatement. Two of the PC's were Druids, so they also had companions with them. At tier 1-2, those companions helped trivialize the encounters.

I would like to get the opinions from some of the PFS leaders and other GMs on considering Companions/Eidolons HD as part of the APL equation.

Given that Seasons 4 and 5 are more challanging, maybe a change to the way we figure out the APL for Seasons 0 through 3 might be a good idea?

Discuss!

[Drogon]

Nope.

Unless it is a rule that is part of the PFRPG as a whole this is not something we should be doing.

And, frankly, at sub-tier 1-2 two barbarians in the group will trivialize a combat encounter just as rapidly as two animal companions. At sub-tier 7-8 in an outsider-heavy adventure, three paladins make the adventure an outright joke. Do we start adjusting APL based on each individual class and adventure? I hope not...

[RCW]

Drogon said wrote:

Unless it is a rule that is part of the PFRPG as a whole this is not something we should be doing.

You are absolutely correct, we can't do it as it's not in the PFS rules. It was just an idea that has been floating around in my head.

[BigNorseWolf]

All it would do would be to give the druids more "pull" on the lower levels and at the higher levels (when the druid has more HD than their pet) would be to drop the APL, making it even easier for them. (and at level 1 bump the apl slightly)

[FLite]

It could also result in druids playing up more often, driving up their wealth by level, and resulting in them having even more wealth to deck out their AC in an even more powerful kit, leading to an upward spiral.

[kinevon]

LG used to have ACs, familiars and regular animals add a little bit to the APL of the party. It was an odd calculation, IIRC.

[Conan the Raptor]

FLite wrote:

It could also result in druids playing up more often, driving up their wealth by level, and resulting in them having even more wealth to deck out their AC in an even more powerful kit, leading to an upward spiral.

You say that like its a bad thing...

[FLite]

Not bad. But if the objective is to prevent pets from curb stomping the scenario, then it is counter-productive to give them more gold per adventure.

[GreySector]

Various companion creatures are class features, and are thus included in the controlling character's level when calculating APL.