Silly Animal companions and their feats at INT3

[Mulet]

So with a level 8 Druid, I get an animal Companion, that can increase intelligence up to 3 whereupon I can up the INT to 3 and start getting silly with access to the regular feats.

What are the restrictions on this?

For example, I could have a Velociraptor with Amateur Swashbuckler, and get 2 Panache to parry attacks (very powerful).

Or I could make a T-Rex/Lion an Ametaur gunslinger that can dodge being shot at twice with 2 grit, and add Gunsmithing on top of that.

Even better, what stops me from giving that velociraptor leadership and getting 6th level cohort? And what if the raptor's cohort dislikes the druid?

I could even give a bear full plate, and a heavy shield getting the AC up to 29.

This is all wonderfully silly, and I imagine it's up to the DM to mitigate some of the weirder ones. But in this case, I am the DM and unless I'm very much mistaken, I can use this to create some very entertaining sessions/encounters.

[BigNorseWolf]

Up to the dm really. Some of the funny ones i've seen include

A wolf with extra traits feat, that was adopted by halflings so he could learn lessons of chaldira.

The 1d6 sneak attack hen flanking teamwork feat... pretty devastating if the druid earthglides around the back then the lion pouncecharges.

A PFS standard is to take improved unarmed strike and then dragonstyle so you can charge through your allies. While what the feat does makes sense, the kung fu implications are rather funny.

A horse with skill focus profession politician. So he can be the most qualified senator there.

A dire rat with skill focus disable device.

An ankylosaurus with heavy armor proficiency. Its AC is ... yeah I'm gonna go hit someone else.

[Damanta]

Being at level 8, and having increased the intelligence to 3 at level 4 (when starting with a 2 int companion) you'll have access to 2 fairly unrestricted feats. A druid at level 8 with an animal with starting intelligence 1 will need to wait until level 10 before being able to give it access to an unrestricted feat (stat increase at level 4 and 9, first feat after thtat for the companion comes at 10).

Armor proficiency is on the always available list for the companions. Giving a companion shield proficiency requires the companion to be actually able to use the shield, a bear wouldn't qualify in my opinion as they usually walk on all fours and will only rear up for fighting. Most non-biped dinosaurs would actually fall under that in my opinion.

The only restriction I'm aware of is weapon proficiency in society play.

The following will prevent you from getting leadership:

leadership wrote:

Prerequisites: Character level 7th.

No matter how many hitdice the animal companion has, it'll still be a class feature and not a character.

[Just a Mort]

Give a bear skill focus (perform dance) and you get a dancing bear!
Additional traits giving Fate's favored, because the animal companion's master is an oracle/cleric/pally/inquisitor and divine favour rocks, and armor expert (yay mithril breastplate without profeciency).
Battle cry on a Deinonchyus, free rerolls for the party?
Escape route - master riding companion never provoke aoos for movement again!

[Just a Guess]

Combat advice: Your AC tells you when and how to better strike. Best for one-big hit ACs that don't need their move actions most of the time.

Eldritch heritage: A Deinonychus or Velociraptor for example can get nice stuff via eldritch heritage and perhaps later improved eldritch heritage.

Godless healing: Do ACs have deities?

Harrowed: Draw cards to get bonuses.

Learn ranger trap: Have your AC trap the camp at night.

[Devilkiller]

Per Animal Archive the T-Rex can grasp objects. Unlike many companions it has a decent Cha score, so with Skill Focus (Use Magic Device) and some wands there might finally be a use for those tiny little arms.

[ryric]

Now I'm wondering if there's a way to get an animal companion a SLA so they could take Arcane Strike...

Maybe there are some SLAs available through Eldritch Heritage?

For silliness getting some Craft and taking Master Craftsman means you could theoretically have your kitty making magic items for you.

[Just a Guess]

ryric wrote:

Now I'm wondering if there's a way to get an animal companion a SLA so they could take Arcane Strike...

Maybe there are some SLAs available through Eldritch Heritage?

For silliness getting some Craft and taking Master Craftsman means you could theoretically have your kitty making magic items for you.

The nature magic feat should do it RAW (if perhaps not RAI). Take detect magic as the orizon you get. Following the FAQ it counts as wizard SLA because it appears on their list, too.

[mplindustries]

ryric wrote:

Now I'm wondering if there's a way to get an animal companion a SLA so they could take Arcane Strike...

Maybe there are some SLAs available through Eldritch Heritage?

For silliness getting some Craft and taking Master Craftsman means you could theoretically have your kitty making magic items for you.

I gave my Deinonychus Extra Traits and grabbed Dirty Fighter (for flanking with me) and Alluring so she qualified for Arcane Strike. My dinosaur was really attractive.

[Nefreet]

A Dinosaur worshipping Bolka? Lol.

Bolka wrote:

Bolka is the dwarven goddess of marriage. She is the daughter of the dwarven god Torag and his wife Folgrit. Bolka is said to be a beautiful dwarven maiden. As the dwarves' goddess of marriage she helps reluctant suitors summon the courage to ask out their partner and helps foster love between the partners in an arranged marriage.

[That Crazy Alchemist]

Extra traits can have some hilarious results. I once had an Elephant that grabbed the Adopted trait with it so he could take the Helpful Halfling trait. So my Elephant had been adopted by a family of halflings.

[Nefreet]

I was considering the same for my Halfling Sohei's riding dog (which of course will be taking Bodyguard and In Harm's Way).

[That Crazy Alchemist]

Nefreet wrote:

I was considering the same for my Halfling Sohei's riding dog (which of course will be taking Bodyguard and In Harm's Way).

It was really effective, I highly recommend it. Both of us had Bodyguard and the Helpful trait (we were both adopted by the same halfling family). We were a mobile fortress for the rest of the party, able to essentially grant up to +8 AC to any party member next to us.

[Nefreet]

O.O

Oh, wow. I was actually just considering building the Dog to be helpful, to make up for my terrible AC as a Sohei.

Now you've made me want to make a mounted support character instead.

[Sebastian Hirsch]

Eldritch heritage ... your animal companion could have a familiar... that familiar could be more intelligent than the hunter and the animal companion ....^^

And it seems that halfling adopt a huge number or animals, I mean adopting a T-Rex seems like an excellent way to avoid getting bored^^

[BigNorseWolf]

A horse with animal ally and boon companion to get a horse with animal ally and boon companion to get a horse with animal ally and boon companion...

[Jodokai]

How about an Animal Companion with a 13 CHA taking Battle Cry... Get extra magic item slot so they can have a Headband of Alluring Charisma.

[BigNorseWolf]

Jodokai wrote:

How about an Animal Companion with a 13 CHA taking Battle Cry

I don't find that one silly at all. A howling wolf on your side is a definite moral booster.

[Nefreet]

Wolves are terrible. Get a screeching Velociraptor.

[Jodokai]

BigNorseWolf wrote:

Jodokai wrote:

How about an Animal Companion with a 13 CHA taking Battle Cry

I don't find that one silly at all. A howling wolf on your side is a definite moral booster.

Yeah the Wolf CHA is only 6 I think? They'd never get it. Velociraptor is 14, they could use it 2/day. With a +4 headband 4/day.

[Mulet]

Sebastian Hirsch wrote:

Eldritch heritage ... your animal companion could have a familiar... that familiar could be more intelligent than the hunter and the animal companion ....^^

Wot.

I could set up a trippple character. A microparty. Good thing I'm the DM, because that would slow down the game something fierce.

[NikolaiJuno]

I was under the impression that Eldritch heritage can't be used to get an AC because that would require wildblooded which isn't allowed.

[Devilkiller]

I think that they're talking about an AC with a Cha of 13+ taking the Eldritch Heritage feat. Of course you could take EH to get a familiar too. Of course there might be some implications by other players that you and your AC must share a bloodline.

[NikolaiJuno]

It sounds to me like the implication is to give the first AC Eldritch heritage to take an AC of it's own, which would require the Sylvan bloodline. Sylvan isn't accessible through EH.

If your AC was considered to share your bloodline it could not actually take it with EH.

[Kenji Elindir]

They are talking about taking the arcane bloodline to get a familiar not taking sylvan to get an animal companion. The point is moot anyhow seeing as how eldritch heritage requires the AC to have character levels, and HD are not character levels.

[NikolaiJuno]

Oops. Somehow I missed the familiar part.