Animal Companions in PFS


Pathfinder Society

The Exchange

I'm hearing different opinions/interpretations on a few items.

What is the cost/time/training for acquire a different animal companion? I have been told everything from no cost, no time, and can make all the training rolls at the same time vs. standard cost, only when gaining a level, and can only train 1 skill each scenario.
I don't see anything about it in the guide.

What about if my animal companion is killed during a scenario? Again, I have been told that if you aren't changing anything, you magically get a new identical animal at the beginning of the next scenario. That true?

Dark Archive 1/5

When you get an animal companion or a mount as a class feature those animals are not bought with gold, unless the class specifies otherwise.

If your character doesn't have an animal companion or mount class feature, you need to pay if you want an animal. Note that those animals do not advance with you and don't follow the druid animal companion progression.

Trick training and gaining rules are listed in this FAQ: How can I teach tricks to an animal using Handle Animal?

So, if your animal companion dies, or you change to a different animal, your new one starts with only the bonus tricks granted by the druid animal companion feature. Since downtime between scenarios is undefined the rituals or other required waiting times happen automatically before the next scenario.

Silver Crusade 2/5

You can train an animal companion a number of times equal to your ranks in Handle Animal between scenarios.

Druid Class wrote:
If a druid releases her companion from service, 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. This ceremony can also replace an animal companion that has perished.

This means you can replace an animal companion between scenarios, and there is no cost for a Druid. For other classes, you will have to refer to their write-ups.

Liberty's Edge 3/5 5/5 **** Venture-Captain, Nebraska—Omaha

Included in the FAQ is how to train your AC. Basically, you can train a number of tricks equal to the RANKS you have in handle animal. The roll has be initialed by GM on the chronicle sheet to show that the AC has been trained in that that trick.

Scarab Sages 5/5

Gary Bush wrote:
Included in the FAQ is how to train your AC. Basically, you can train a number of tricks equal to the RANKS you have in handle animal. The roll has be initialed by GM on the chronicle sheet to show that the AC has been trained in that that trick.

Typically, those with animal companions, will max out their handle animal and thus be able to make most of these rolls automatically by the time they are level 5. So keep in mind, no roll is necessary if you can automatically make the roll. Its up to you whether you want your GM to sign off on it at that point.

5/5 5/55/55/5

you can also take 10, and should use your bonus tricks for the DC 25 tricks and then use the rolls for the lower dc tricks.

Scarab Sages 5/5

BigNorseWolf wrote:
you can also take 10, and should use your bonus tricks for the DC 25 tricks and then use the rolls for the lower dc tricks.

Correct. I think taking 10 is the only way you can auto succeed by level 5 on the rolls.

Liberty's Edge 3/5 5/5 **** Venture-Captain, Nebraska—Omaha

Tallow wrote:
Gary Bush wrote:
Included in the FAQ is how to train your AC. Basically, you can train a number of tricks equal to the RANKS you have in handle animal. The roll has be initialed by GM on the chronicle sheet to show that the AC has been trained in that that trick.
Typically, those with animal companions, will max out their handle animal and thus be able to make most of these rolls automatically by the time they are level 5. So keep in mind, no roll is necessary if you can automatically make the roll. Its up to you whether you want your GM to sign off on it at that point.

Just to keep true with the process, I recommend having the GM initial off on it.

Liberty's Edge 4/5 *

Also, in the specific case of a cavalier:

APG wrote:
Should a cavalier's mount die, the cavalier may find another mount to serve him after 1 week of mourning. This new mount does not gain the link, evasion, devotion, or improved evasion special abilities until the next time the cavalier gains a level.

It is possible that this is the source of the "only when gaining a level" answer you had gotten. It is very common to remember a rule from one place, but not where it came from, so that you misapply it to other places.

The Exchange

Thanks everyone.
Not sure where we got that there was a cost for new animal companions.
Yes one of the guys used to play a cavalier.
I will have the GM sign off on the training rolls.


There's a cost for getting a new familiar, so maybe that's where you got it from.

Liberty's Edge 1/5

Tallow wrote:
BigNorseWolf wrote:
you can also take 10, and should use your bonus tricks for the DC 25 tricks and then use the rolls for the lower dc tricks.
Correct. I think taking 10 is the only way you can auto succeed by level 5 on the rolls.

Halfling Cavalier, level 5

+5 Handle Animal (5 ranks)
+3 .. " is a class skill
+3 Cha = 16 (not uncommon on a Halfling or Gnome, with racial +2)
+4 Link property of the mount (1st level ability)
---
+15

You don't even need to roll for the simpler Tricks at DC 15. For DC 20 and DC 25, you Take Ten and don't waste everybody's time.


How is Powerful Charge strength and Power Attack damage currently calculated for animal companions of which gore is its sole attack type?

Liberty's Edge 3/5 5/5 **** Venture-Captain, Nebraska—Omaha

Odo Hillborne wrote:
You don't even need to roll for the simpler Tricks at DC 15. For DC 20 and DC 25, you Take Ten and don't waste everybody's time.

Agreed but a GM still needs to initial for each trick, recording the roll, or in this case, the auto-success.

Liberty's Edge 3/5 5/5 **** Venture-Captain, Nebraska—Omaha

Slim Jim wrote:
How is Powerful Charge strength and Power Attack damage currently calculated for animal companions of which gore is its sole attack type?

Not sure what Powerful Charge is. When I looked it up, it seems pretty straight forward.

On a powerful charge (which appears to impact a single natural attack like gore), get double damage dice plus 1.5 Str mod for damage. Power Attack would separately add the value plus half again because gore is a single attack.

Example:
Assumptions: Str of 18 for a mod of +4 and BAB of 4

Normal Gore attack deals 1d6 plus 1.5 STR or 1d6 + 6.
Power Attack adds 4 + half again for single attack or +6 to damage.
Final Damage would be 1d6 + 12.

Powerful Charge with a gore attack would deal plus 1.5 STR or 2d6 + 6.
Power Attack adds 4 + half again for single attack or +6 to damage.
Final Damage would be 2d6 + 12.


The problem is that that interpretation seems to short-change the animals most suitable to it, namely those with a single primary attack (such as the rhinoceros), which already get 1.5 str and 1.5 PA with their gore. (If you look at the base rhino stats, it's clearly getting double strength bonus on a Powerful Charge, thus the question as to what's RAW with companions as far as the campaign is concerned. I asked in two threads over in Rules, and the crickets chirped loudly. I can only assume that no one is really sure.)

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