What kind of animals or creatures can we get by simply changing the flavor (or minimal mechanics) of the existing animal companions?
For example, could the wolf stats be used to represent a kangaroo by changing its jaws Strike into a bludgeoning kick Strike and its support benefit into a shin kick? Or perhaps we could use the snake stats to represent a monstrous crab?
What are some other fun ideas?
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That title sounds so so wrong. Poor Animal Companions. Q.Q
Currently have a Gnome Ranger using a Badger Companion that is actually a Ferret. Same family of Mustelidae.
That title sounds so so wrong. Poor Animal Companions. Q.Q
Currently have a Gnome Ranger using a Badger Companion that is actually a Ferret. Same family of Mustelidae.
That must be one savage ferret! Q.Q
LOL
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And a bear as a barbarian dwarf.
OMW!!!
"What...? Why do you have that dwarf collared and leashed?"
"Because he's dangerous."
LOL - I read that and thought - Yuck! - :)
For a Kangaroo I would go with a Dromaeosaur, switching out attacks for kick and tail slap.
I could see a Ram or similar horned animal (antelope etc) using wolf or cat set up. I could see using Horse chassis for larger animals like Rhino or elephant.
Stats are pretty uniform, with an array of 3 2 2 1, just rearranged between Str Dex Con and Wis (Cha is always 0 and Int -4). Only exceptions are Badger (2 2 2 2) and snake (3 3 1 1). hp ranging from 4 (bird) to 8 (several), with average being 6.
just toss a appropriately flavored support benefit and it's pretty easy to have just about any animal you want.
I used badger as a reskin for a raccoon and just removed the burrow speed and added ten feet to the climb.
It's a goblin druids AC so a little trash panda that's a BIT feral is perfect.
I just realized you could also reskin a scorpion companion to be something like a fireant with little difficulty. Your advanced maneuver may be a little wonky conceptually without claws, but I think some ants grab and sting their prey so that may be a nonissue as well.
Giant ant in Bestiary 2 has a stinger attack and it's mandibles have grab, so really it works just fine. Scorpion has agile on pincers, giant ant has agile on stinger.
One of my players has a Skunk. We used Badger as a base, changed out a bunch of things to give it stink-themed abilities. Left the core stats alone.
I haven't gotten around to it but one day I mean to make an Elemental-themed companion to emulate the Archwizard hero from Warcraft III - Covid delayed it but I've got a group I'm going to be running a 1-off for that will be set in Azeroth, so that will fit great in there.
I've always enjoyed the necromancer concept so one of these days I'll get around to making up an Undead companion. i'm in no rush to put in the work as it'll require just the right campaign and group, and those stars haven't aligned yet.
I think that the base chassis of Animal Companion is solid enough to hang just about any creature on.. We even have the precedent for a plant-based companion, and any class can take the Beastmaster archetype, so it's practically open season (ha) on companions!
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Unless you're playing something like PFS (and even then) and you stick with the main stats, reskinning should have negligible effect other than aesthetics.
Obviously, don't try to cheese your way into an overpowered creature, but still.
One of my players has a Skunk. We used Badger as a base, changed out a bunch of things to give it stink-themed abilities. Left the core stats alone.
I haven't gotten around to it but one day I mean to make an Elemental-themed companion to emulate the Archwizard hero from Warcraft III - Covid delayed it but I've got a group I'm going to be running a 1-off for that will be set in Azeroth, so that will fit great in there.
I've always enjoyed the necromancer concept so one of these days I'll get around to making up an Undead companion. i'm in no rush to put in the work as it'll require just the right campaign and group, and those stars haven't aligned yet.
I think that the base chassis of Animal Companion is solid enough to hang just about any creature on.. We even have the precedent for a plant-based companion, and any class can take the Beastmaster archetype, so it's practically open season (ha) on companions!
In terms of an elemental-themed companion, making your companion Genie-Touched instead of Savage or Nimble might be a good option for you.