If I am a Lion Shaman for example and my Lion animal companion dies, can I replace the Lion with any animal I would prefer or do I need to seek out a Lion to replace the one I lost?
If I am a Lion Shaman for example and my Lion animal companion dies, can I replace the Lion with any animal I would prefer or do I need to seek out a Lion to replace the one I lost?
I'd say that if you are a Lion Shaman you must select a Lion as the animal companion, even if you're replacing a released/dead one. You're chosing a new animal companion so the bond limitation would apply again.
Nature Bond
A lion shaman who chooses an animal companion must select a lion. If choosing a domain, the lion shaman must choose from the Animal, Glory, Nobility, and Sun domains.