Mature Animal Companion's action question

[Kaldrick]

Hi!

One of my players is a ranger and he has a Mature Animal Companion. He asked me if he could use the pet's free action from Mature Animal Companion and decide later in his turn if he wants to Command an Animal to give him 2 actions (so 1 more since he used one).

I tried to find an answer in the Rulebook, but I failed. Same on the forum.

Does someone have an idea if it would work?

Thanks in advance!

[Mellack]

I think it is up to GM decision on that. I personally would say no, as I don't think you can break up the companion's actions like that.

Sorry, edited while you were replying.

[HammerJack]

Under the ranger feat that advances a companion to mature, there is am additional effect. If you have a hunted prey, your companion is able to take one stride or strike action to engage your prey, without being commanded.

The animal companion is still a minion with a maximum of 2 actions per round. Unlike Companion's Cry, which allows you to spend 2 actions to break that limit, there is nothing to override the general rule. So the companion gets either 1 action on its own, or 2 actions from being directed, not a total of 3.

[Saldiven]

After reading the relevant rules, I have to agree with Hammerjack. It appears that the action granted by the Feat just let's your AC get an additional Stride or Strike even if the PC doesn't want to spend any of his/her own actions directing the AC.

[Fuzzy-Wuzzy]

CRB page 173, Mature Animal Companion (Ranger feat 6) wrote:

Your animal companion grows up, becoming a mature animal companion and gaining additional capabilities (page 214).

If you have the Hunt Prey action, your animal companion assaults the prey even without your orders. During an encounter, even if you don’t use the Command an Animal action, your animal companion can still use 1 action that round on your turn to Stride toward or Strike your prey.

As I read it, the take-an-action-anyway only kicks in once you've decided not to Command an Animal that turn, implying that once you invoke it you can't then Command for another action.

That said, I don't see any harm or OP-ness if you want to let the ranger do this anyway. It's basically just "you can split your companion's two actions up as long as the first one is a Stride/Strike to your prey." Even if the ranger uses Companion's Cry (ranger feat 4) it works out reasonably (IMHO), you get the 'free' action, then your own action, then spend two actions giving it two more actions.

It's somewhat more powerful if the ranger is riding his companion, because that enables otherwise-impossible combinations (companion Strides to prey, ranger attacks twice and Commands companion to Stride back). Then again, the rules for riding a regular (not companion) creature let you do "mount Strides, rider Strikes, mount Strides back" so this seems fair.

[Kaldrick]

Thanks for your answers! It definitely helps.