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Hey all, Making a ranger for a giantslayer campaign and I'm a little undecided on which route to go for an animal companion. The limited selection for rangers makes it harder than normal to me. I've narrowed the choices down, but would like some thoughts/input on the selection.
1st- Generic wolf companion, pick up boon companion at level 5, ride as mount after level 7. A good body guard as well in a pinch.
Pros- easy, effective, lowest feat investment, decent melee combatant.
cons- can' fly, cannot climb cliff faces (requires carry companion wand/spell in some places)
2nd- Take Sky stalker archetype for a hippogriff
pros- Gain companion at level 2, can eventually fly (huge boon for staying out of melee), decent combatant in a pinch
cons- not as strong melee as wolf, eats a style feat
3rd- Take boon companion AND monstrous mount as normal feats to get a griffon
pros- Strongest combatant of the three, flight.
Cons- slower flight than hippogriff, usually combat power wasted due to being a mount, requires 3 feats to use properly.
Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
I feel like a flyer in a giantslayer campaign is just itching to be bouldered out of the sky at the first instance. Giants have incredible ranged attacks and you'll present quite the juicy target. But I'm also ultra-protective of my animal companions (I don't even adventure with Dogmeat in Fallout games in fear of hearing him whimper when hit).
I typically go for utility and what I'd like to cuddle up next to next to the camp fire at night. I'd go wolf of those choices.
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Take Sky sentinel archetype for hippogriffI don't know what this is. I cannot find it anywhere. None of the Ranger archetypes seem to be good for getting flying mounts.
Some flying animal companions you can ride once they reach the appropriate size category (presuming you're medium sized, and not a halfling, goblin or gnome)
Giant Vulture (Large size at 7th level)
Roc
Pteranodon
Drake (13th level)
Bird, Owl (Giant)
Bat, DireFYI, Big Cat is typically more powerful than a Wolf companion and reaches Large size at 7th level.
Depending on how you want the rest of the build to go, you might want to consider Hunter for making your companion more powerful... though I've found their lack of bonus feats/combat paths means they make much weaker archers (very few teamwork feats help with ranged attacks)
Apologies, I meant the Sky Stalker
And rangers don't get access to those animal companions.
Rangers only get-
badger, bird, camel, cat (small), dire rat, dog, horse, pony, snake (viper or constrictor), or wolf,antelopePPC:WO, baboonPPC:WO, bustard, capybara, elkPPC:WO, falcon, kangarooPPC:WO, lizard (giant gecko)PPC:WO, marsupial devil, ramPPC:WO, reindeer, snake (reef snake or spitting cobra), stagPPC:WO, trumpeter swanPPC:WO, thylacinePPC:WO, wolfdog, yak, or zebra.
Drake likewise only ever hits medium size for the ranger archetype.
A falconer ranger isn't bad due to that level 6 trick (no save staggered), and their bird can go anywhere easily. It's never going to win a DPR contest, true.
Of the three you have there I like the griffon best. On top of everything else it's relatively smart (Int 6).
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I had look at that one as well, I was hesitant, as I enjoy the aspect of having a mount (both thematically and in battle) But the stagger is useful, and it negates the need for a boon companion. Thus freeing up all the feats. I'll have to give it more thought. The only drawback would be losing the 6th level archery combat feat.
A falcon could theoretically take undersized mount for flight from L1, supposing your archer is a halfling who takes caretaker: +2 Str. Keep a really short equipment list until you can get falcon-size muleback cords though.
Point blank master and improved precise shot are less necessary if you're firing from above.
