Summoner vs Animal Companion

[siegfriedliner]

Some people have been comparing the eidolon to animal companion which doesn't work as one is the key class feature of a class and the other is a feat chain.

Whats interesting is how much more comparable the summoner itself (as opposed to the eidiolon) with an animal companion. They share similar proficiency progression. Both max out at expert attack bonus, the companion has higher stats and better defenses (Master in All Saves and AC) the summoner gets Item bonus that just about make up the difference.

Companions get better native support abilities than the summoners (flat footed, +2d8 damage per attack, +2d4 persistent damage and daze on a hit for example) as compared to Boost (+ 2 - 8 damage).

But summoners can pick up support abilities from archetypes. Summoners have spell but not the progression to cast offensively with any consistency.

The only way in which a summoner really outclasses an animal companion is that if you go divine or occult from level 8 onward you can potentially keep heroism up for most of the encounters you will have in a day.

So in a way the summoner tends to flip the animal companion is the peripheral add on to the class in that with the 2e summoner the summoner is peripheral and the eidiolon is the meat. Which is pretty much what we expected.

[Verzen]

A young ape animal companion has 16 HP, 17 AC, +6 attack and 1d8+3 dmg. Pretty on par with an Eidolon. Eidolon feels like just another take of an animal companion. Feels kinda bad.

[KrispyXIV]

The summoner can also talk, open doors, have dinner sitting at a table using a fork, read, negotiate a treaty, etc.

Beyond just the semi-tangible "the summoner enjoys the massive benefit of being an intelligent humanoid instead of an animal", the summoner also gets to use items and consumables in a way that an Animal Companion can't even entertain. Summoners and Magi are going to LOVE scrolls.

I think this is an interesting and thought provoking "combat numbers" comparison, but I do think its important to never lose focus on the fact that an Animal Companion is an animal, which matters a lot.

[Kendaan]

The Summoner can also have an Animal Companion with some feats investment, while an Animal Companion can't get a Summoner :p

But seriously, with their Action Economy bonuses, I think it can be a very strong option.

At lvl 2 with Beastmaster archetype, assuming the Sumner doesn't need tot move, with Act Together, the Summoner command the AC, and you end up with an Eidolon with 3 Actions, and an AC with 2 actions.

If/when you take tandem move, your summoner can also stride, as long as one of the Eidolon 3 action is also a stride.

That build would be a bit strapped in term of feat, but with the Free archetype variant, that is definitely a strong combo!

(on top of that get a familiar with independent for max number of pets / action!)