Before anyone brings the Feral Hunter, I should mention that there are certain benefits that I can not get with that archetype. First of all, I want to use a different set of animal foci. Second, I want to be able to use summon nature's ally as a standard action with duration measured in minutes. This shall here after be referred to as special summoning. If I am forced to take a companion, then do I have to resurrect him when he dies?
I don't see why you couldn't just not take one, as opposed to getting rid if it the way druids don't approve of in the first trap.
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I think the class ability gives you one automatically, but you can just release it from duty, so you don't have to keep it.
Alternitavely, you grab the small cat companion, and then leave it at the Grand Lodge to guard your room as the bane for all the cleaning ladies.
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Sorry, but as written there is no avoiding sending your poor animal companion to his death, but you really don't have to get a new one.
I say that, because you will only be able to access the animal focus of your dead animal companion if it is dead.
The pregen has a slightly different language, and I am unhappy that it didn't make it into the second edition of the ACG, but that is current raw.
I don't like it, but sending your trusty companion charinging into battle..without mage armor or barding... will result in the same.
I really don't like it, but I do have a hunter intending to "use" this special feature, and this will just have to wait until the GM kills my animal companion.
Did I mention that I don't like it?
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If a hunter releases her companion from service or her animal companion perishes, she may gain a new one by performing a ceremony requiring 24 uninterrupted hours of prayer in the environment where the new companion typically lives. While the hunter’s animal companion is dead, any animal she summons with a summon nature’s ally spell remains for 1 minute per level instead of 1 round per level. A hunter cannot have more than one summon nature’s ally spell active in this way at one time. If this ability is used again, any existing summon nature’s ally immediately ends.
If the hunter’s animal companion is dead, the hunter can apply her companion’s animal focus to herself instead of her animal companion. This is in addition to the normal one she can choose, and (as with a companion’s focus) remains in effect until the hunter changes it instead of counting against her minutes per day.
It is interesting to note that a hunter can voluntarily release the companion and then "pray" for a new one without penalty, but can only gain the enhanced summoning power and bonus animal foci if the companion is dead. It creates what I can only guess is the unexpected intention to encourage some hunters (players) to get their companion killed to get the abilities they want. I wonder if the designers meant to include dismissing the companion as well and just didn't want to use redundant text? IMO, the animal companion is a much stronger option than the bonuses, so I don't understand why they didn't word it so the hunter could voluntarily release the companion and gain said bonuses. To intentionally get your "loyal companion" killed makes me feel dirty. As Sebastian said, "I don't like it"
It would certainly solve a lot of these situations if we were allowed to at least combine Feral Hunter with either Scarab Stalker or Verminous Hunter. I am perfectly willing to accept that doing so would open up a can of worms. I would still appreciate it if those in charge would consider allowing such. I do fear, and hate, that unless the brass intervenes, I will have to try to get my companion killed. I also really do not like it.
It is interesting to note that a hunter can voluntarily release the companion and then "pray" for a new one without penalty, but can only gain the enhanced summoning power and bonus animal foci if the companion is dead. It creates what I can only guess is the unexpected intention to encourage some hunters (players) to get their companion killed to get the abilities they want. I wonder if the designers meant to include dismissing the companion as well and just didn't want to use redundant text? IMO, the animal companion is a much stronger option than the bonuses, so I don't understand why they didn't word it so the hunter could voluntarily release the companion and gain said bonuses. To intentionally get your "loyal companion" killed makes me feel dirty. As Sebastian said, "I don't like it"If a hunter releases her companion from service or her animal companion perishes, she may gain a new one by performing a ceremony requiring 24 uninterrupted hours of prayer in the environment where the new companion typically lives. While the hunter’s animal companion is dead, any animal she summons with a summon nature’s ally spell remains for 1 minute per level instead of 1 round per level. A hunter cannot have more than one summon nature’s ally spell active in this way at one time. If this ability is used again, any existing summon nature’s ally immediately ends.
If the hunter’s animal companion is dead, the hunter can apply her companion’s animal focus to herself instead of her animal companion. This is in addition to the normal one she can choose, and (as with a companion’s focus) remains in effect until the hunter changes it instead of counting against her minutes per day.
Sadly, hunters can't even use the super-awesome special power of the iconic pregen, who can leave her wolf at home to get the enhancements. The question has been asked repeatedly in the past.
My solution to this, which was not fully intentional, was to have a horse. I couldn't bring it into the dungeon we went into and it was subsequently killed by Aspis agents as they came in behind us. The character was so distraught over the loss of his horse (and the economic burden it placed on his family since it was a beast of burden outside scenarios) that he hasn't taken another one. It was rather entertaining OOC for the GM to say "You suddenly feel as though you could have a permanent Animal Focus." I gathered up the saddle and sold it between scenarios, of course.
Is it legal to claim that your animal companion is already dead? I suspect no, but it is an interesting idea.
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Is you AC being dead a condition having a mechanical effect?
Yes, you get permanent animal focus and 1 minute summons. That sounds like a mechanical effect.
All conditions gained during an adventure, except for
permanent negative levels, ability drain that does not
reduce an ability score to 0, and conditions that provide no
mechanical effect, must be resolved before the end of the
session; if these are not resolved the character should be
reported as ‘dead.’
Therefore, if you choose not to replace your animal companion, you are choosing not to clear the effect. And you are now dead.
The reason you get the bonuses when your AC dies, but not when you dismiss them, is so that you are not hosed when it dies mid adventure. It is not so you can have a permanent animal focus. If you want at a hunter without an AC take Feral Hunter.
Otherwise it makes hunter a *really* attractive 1 level dip.
Basically, I want to be a Feral Scarab Stalker. Unless I am mistaken, those two archetypes are not compatible in PFS because they modify the same class feature.
Is you AC being dead a condition having a mechanical effect?
Yes, you get permanent animal focus and 1 minute summons. That sounds like a mechanical effect.
All conditions gained during an adventure, except for
permanent negative levels, ability drain that does not
reduce an ability score to 0, and conditions that provide no
mechanical effect, must be resolved before the end of the
session; if these are not resolved the character should be
reported as ‘dead.’Therefore, if you choose not to replace your animal companion, you are choosing not to clear the effect. And you are now dead.
The reason you get the bonuses when your AC dies, but not when you dismiss them, is so that you are not hosed when it dies mid adventure. It is not so you can have a permanent animal focus. If you want at a hunter without an AC take Feral Hunter.
Otherwise it makes hunter a *really* attractive 1 level dip.
It's not a condition, it's a dead pet. Also, if you force them to you can always get a crab that dies pretty fast since you keep it away from water.
So nothing is stopping a person from taking a mouse as an animal companion, snapping their neck and carrying it in their pocket to get the bonuses, then releasing the (now-dead) AC at the end of the scenario and getting a new one?
So nothing is stopping a person from taking a mouse as an animal companion, snapping their neck and carrying it in their pocket to get the bonuses, then releasing the (now-dead) AC at the end of the scenario and getting a new one?
Merely that mice are not valid animal companions. Suicide kittens and other similar choices exist. Axe beaks are pretty fragile until the 4th level advancement, too. Talk like this, though, swiftly brings a certain horse into discussions with some scoldings on behalf of all animal companions.
I would disagree that a dead companion = dead character. According to this FAQ, you note the dead or released companion on the chronicle if you are replacing. Otherwise, it seems like you'd just treat it like a loss of property, similar to a sundered weapon.
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Why do you not want an companion? The benefits (especially at higher levels) is much better than the alternative. Its like saying you'd rather have a moderate permanent buff instead of an extra expendable fighter in the group.
Because not every character choice is based on maximizing your game mechanics. Sometimes, the character's theme forces sub-optimal choices.
I'm glad nobody suggested using your animal companion named "William da Foe" for Greater Cleave...
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Why do you not want an companion? The benefits (especially at higher levels) is much better than the alternative. Its like saying you'd rather have a moderate permanent buff instead of an extra expendable fighter in the group.Because not every character choice is based on maximizing your game mechanics. Sometimes, the character's theme forces sub-optimal choices.
Or, for the cost of a feat, you can continuously have a unique and powerful buff.
Having read this I see the hunter...
. A hunter MAY begin play with any of the animals available to adruid.May says you don't have to. I see nothing enforcing you to have one. The first sentence says you form a bond with an animal, true, but this clearly states you don't need to.
Funny, the PRD says this:
Animal Companion (Ex): At 1st level, a hunter forms a bond with an animal companion. A hunter begins play with any one of the animals available to a druid.
Note that the word "may" that you had capitalized is not present. The bigger problem, though, is this:
If the hunter's animal companion is dead, the hunter can apply her companion's animal aspect to herself instead of her animal companion. This is in addition to the normal animal aspect she can choose, and (as with a companion's focus) remains in effect until the hunter changes it instead of counting against her minutes per day.
No accounting for not bonding, releasing, or otherwise leaving behind. If you compare this to the hunter pregen character, the pregen has a specific rule edit that allows you to leave the pet at home and still have the permanent animal focus.