
buckledup |

I have never played an AC class and have been doing a decent amount of research to try and understand how AC classes stack or more accurately don't stack, and i can't seem to find a clear answer for my particular scenario.
I was interested in how an AC class would stack in the case of same class archetypes that don't replace the same abilities and are assumed to be otherwise stackable.
Thanks for the lesson im about to receive. :)

buckledup |

sorry for the confusion. as to the two faq suggestions i've read both of those already and am still unclear with my proposed scenario.
black lantern has it.
how do multiple hunter or druid or even summoner levels stack assuming they are a) archetypes of the same class b) don't conflict with each other as per their respective replacement abilities.
thanks and sorry for the confusion.
edit: MOST specifically how does the animal companion part of these archetypes stack? this is my real inquiry.

Corvino |

It's worth looking at the "Animal Companion" entry in each class description. You have an "effective druid level" to determine the power of each companion, and some sources will stack (but check to be sure with what)- for example a Hunter/Druid only gets one AC but stacking levels ensure it keeps pace with the character. A Druid/Cavalier would have a separate AC and Mount as the levels do not stack.
There are ways to get multiple ACs like archetypes or by combining AC/mount classes that don't stack. Each individual AC will almost always be weaker though.

buckledup |

I thought as long as the animal was available on both lists the levels stacked.
Your druid cavalier could stack levels so long as they choose a horse or camel (or anything else that both classes have access to).
i believe this scenario is referred to in nefreet's second post. cav mounts and druid ac don't stack.

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so for something more specific take the hunter archetype divine hunter. could you start as a divine hunter and then take level(s) in primal companion hunter? how would they stack?
You don't "start with one archetype and then switch". I think this is what's confusing you. If you want to be both a primal companion hunter and a divine hunter, then you are a "divine primal companion hunter". You aren't two separate hunters. You're one. I think the primary cause of your confusion is not misunderstanding how animal companions work, but misunderstanding how archetypes work.

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Claxon wrote:i believe this scenario is referred to in nefreet's second post. cav mounts and druid ac don't stack.I thought as long as the animal was available on both lists the levels stacked.
Your druid cavalier could stack levels so long as they choose a horse or camel (or anything else that both classes have access to).
I don't know how you came away with that, but Claxon is right, as long as the AC is on both the druid AC list and the cavaliers Mount list, the levels stack. It's only if you take a Druid AC that doesn't appear on the Mount list that you would have 2 separate companions.

buckledup |

buckledup wrote:so for something more specific take the hunter archetype divine hunter. could you start as a divine hunter and then take level(s) in primal companion hunter? how would they stack?You don't "start with one archetype and then switch". I think this is what's confusing you. If you want to be both a primal companion hunter and a divine hunter, then you are a "divine primal companion hunter". You aren't two separate hunters. You're one. I think the primary cause of your confusion is not misunderstanding how animal companions work, but misunderstanding how archetypes work.
true. i believe it's probably a bit of both since i've never done either. so then i suppose the short answer is the hunter has one animal companion that levels normally and applies each respective class' abilities when they are applicable.

buckledup |

buckledup wrote:I don't know how you came away with that, but Claxon is right, as long as the AC is on both the druid AC list and the cavaliers Mount list, the levels stack. It's only if you take a Druid AC that doesn't appear on the Mount list that you would have 2 separate companions.Claxon wrote:i believe this scenario is referred to in nefreet's second post. cav mounts and druid ac don't stack.I thought as long as the animal was available on both lists the levels stacked.
Your druid cavalier could stack levels so long as they choose a horse or camel (or anything else that both classes have access to).
sorry got a killer headache and glossed over claxon's post. thanks for correction.