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What are the PFS-specific limitations on number of animal companions, eidolons, familiars, mundane animals, and summoned creatures?
I am currently playing a summoner and am considering feats like Train Animal, Bonded Animal, etc., but was wondering if there might be some rule that could get in the way.
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The bottom paragraph of the first section of the Player's guide covers this.
Pawns: In Encounter Mode, each PC is represented by a pawn. Each other creature controlled by a PC whose location outside their PC’s square affects the encounter is also represented by a pawn. No PC can place more than 2 pawns per adventure including their own. Temporary creatures who last no more than an encounter or two do not count toward this limit. Creatures who stay in their owner’s square during encounter mode do not require pawns.
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Venture-Agent, Online—VTT
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Aside from being at the limit with just the eidolon, note that Bonded Animal is also incredibly limited in the PFS format,since the progression of animals that there's a way to acquire in order to bond with basically ends at the warhorse. (There's no sort of price on all that other stuff in Bestiaries and the feat doesn't provide a friendly animal to bond with).
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Aside from being at the limit with just the eidolon, note that Bonded Animal is also incredibly limited in the PFS format,since the progression of animals that there's a way to acquire in order to bond with basically ends at the warhorse. (There's no sort of price on all that other stuff in Bestiaries and the feat doesn't provide a friendly animal to bond with).
AoN says that several animals are PFS compatible AND common. I'll just purchase them, then train them with my downtime.
I was thinking of getting a horse for overland travel, a couple of guard dogs to aid in tracking and for use as early alarm systems, and a bird for singing melodies and entertainment. Not sure which one to bond. Probably the horse since that will be the most likely companion to matter during the non-combat aspects of an adventure.
Sounds like it will all work out okay provided none participate in combat, which is fine with me.
I'll also have to take care not to step on the toes of other PCs.
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Venture-Agent, Online—VTT
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By "end at" I meant "the levels don't go higher" not "there is only one animal".
I will admit though, I was on thinking of animals that even have a statblocj, not all of the ones from the Travel Guide you have listed that are purely pets that have no stat blocks and, per the Character Options Page, cannot be combat trained or contribute to combat in any way (since I figure those aren't part of the pawns limit equation at all)
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I could have sworn there was a price for Guard Dog, but I cannot find it. However, if there is, then that +4 Survival is going to fail to keep up with the level-based challenges very quickly.
Dog has no stats so cannot Track or Perceive. The Bird has no stats so cannot Perform.
This is all just to shed a light on the value of the feats in PFS.
Venture-Lieutenant, Finland—Turku
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I could have sworn there was a price for Guard Dog, but I cannot find it. However, if there is, then that +4 Survival is going to fail to keep up with the level-based challenges very quickly.
Dog has no stats so cannot Track or Perceive. The Bird has no stats so cannot Perform.
This is all just to shed a light on the value of the feats in PFS.
Animals lists the price of guard dog at 2sp, and riding dog at 4gp.
Some of the animals might be handy in Creative Solutions, but yeah, they are mostly just there for the flavor and roleplay.
If you want an animal that can actually consistently help you in skill & combat situations, I'd recommend taking a look at the familiar rules. Familiar Master Archetype has no prerequisites and anyone can get a familiar by using their level 2+ class feat on that archetype (as long as they don't have another archetype with less than 2 feats).
Familiars can get stuff like Accompanist (assists in performance) or Second Opinion (assists in recall knowledge checks) etc, and while their stats and skills aren't as good as actual dedicated characters would have, you can change their abilities daily, making them very flexible for society style play. Like finding yourself in the desert, realising nobody in the party has survival, and deciding to make your familiar skilled in Survival and Desert Lore.
Venture-Agent, California—Silicon Valley
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If you're looking for a mount, Bonded animals don't scale at all, so they would die pretty quickly in any combat situation. It's much better to get a basic Animal Companion, as they level up with you. Beastmaster Dedication is the easiest way to get one, and if you're willing to spend the additional 3 feats, you can get your mount the Racer specialization for that +10 to speed and more HP (Mature at 4, Nimble/Savage at 8, Specialized at 14).
As for just having a menagerie of random animals that do nothing in or out of combat, well it's your gold.
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Pip picked up a riding dog, Bailiff, as her very first purchase in PFS. Bailiff's job isn't to carry Pip, Bailiff's job is to carry Pip's stuff so she doesn't get encumbered. At the start of every combat, Pip inspires courage and orders Bailiff to hide.
However, Bailiff has seen more social time than many animal companions. I play a lot of PBP, so I've just had fun having Bailiff be a dog, doing doggy things. I've been very happy with my decision to have Bailiff be a part of Pip's storyline.
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I was in a very high level scenario where one of the spellcasters rode a pony to gain increased mobility. Ignoring that it looked like has was forgetting most of the mount in combat rules, there came a point where the enemy won initiative and did a large, very damaging AOE that no pony would survive even on a save.
So static low level animals really don't age well in adventuring life.
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Ravingdork reaches down to pet Bailiff, stopping an inch short before withdrawing his hand.
"In this party you have to earn your treats, Bailiff."
So static low level animals really don't age well in adventuring life.
Perhaps, but they're cheap too. I know of no other game option that can grant you such mobility (even if only for a handful of turns) for so little resource expenditure.
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So static low level animals really don't age well in adventuring life.Perhaps, but they're cheap too. I know of no other game option that can grant you such mobility (even if only for a handful of turns) for so little resource expenditure.
Pretty sure I've never played a game with RD, but this definitely reminds me of one PC wizard who was in a handful of PF1 scenarios I played. He had a very. . . utilitarian view of animals. "Animals are transportation, food, or useless." He would buy a horse to ride in a scenario and if it happened to die he would just leave the carcass on the trail. At least he got some use out of it.
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So static low level animals really don't age well in adventuring life.Perhaps, but they're cheap too. I know of no other game option that can grant you such mobility (even if only for a handful of turns) for so little resource expenditure.Pretty sure I've never played a game with RD, but this definitely reminds me of one PC wizard who was in a handful of PF1 scenarios I played. He had a very. . . utilitarian view of animals. "Animals are transportation, food, or useless." He would buy a horse to ride in a scenario and if it happened to die he would just leave the carcass on the trail. At least he got some use out of it.
** spoiler omitted **
Whereas I'm just the guy who proposed eating the witch's familiar every day to survive the desert island game (and I was the witch).
Bear in mind that mounted characters in PF2 suffer a -2 penalty to reflex saves which can be lethal.Ravingdork reaches down to pet Bailiff, stopping an inch short before withdrawing his hand.
"In this party you have to earn your treats, Bailiff."
So static low level animals really don't age well in adventuring life.Perhaps, but they're cheap too. I know of no other game option that can grant you such mobility (even if only for a handful of turns) for so little resource expenditure.
That's news to me! Where's the rule for that?
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Venture-Agent, California—Silicon Valley
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Perhaps, but they're cheap too. I know of no other game option that can grant you such mobility (even if only for a handful of turns) for so little resource expenditure.
Riding Horse: 8g + Mount General Feat, terrible DCs and only 22 HP, all for 40ft move speed, -2 penalty to Reflex, can die in combat, thus losing speed until you buy another, and have to keep buying more when they inevitably die.
War Horse: 30g + Mount General Feat, slightly better DCs and 36 HP, still only 40ft move speed, -2 penalty to Reflex, can die in combat, thus losing speed until you buy another, and have to keep buying more when they inevitably die.2nd level Longstrider Wand: 160g + Trick Magic Item (Assurance optional but recommended), 30-35ft move speed. Combine with Fleet for 35-40ft move speed. 8 hour duration, no downsides, rarely if ever lose it in combat, only one time purchase.
20 basic horses is equal to the wand.
6 war horses is equal to the wand.
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Perhaps, but they're cheap too. I know of no other game option that can grant you such mobility (even if only for a handful of turns) for so little resource expenditure.Riding Horse: 8g + Mount General Feat, terrible DCs and only 22 HP, all for 40ft move speed, -2 penalty to Reflex, can die in combat, thus losing speed until you buy another, and have to keep buying more when they inevitably die.
War Horse: 30g + Mount General Feat, slightly better DCs and 36 HP, still only 40ft move speed, -2 penalty to Reflex, can die in combat, thus losing speed until you buy another, and have to keep buying more when they inevitably die.
2nd level Longstrider Wand: 160g + Trick Magic Item (Assurance optional but recommended), 30-35ft move speed. Combine with Fleet for 35-40ft move speed. 8 hour duration, no downsides, rarely if ever lose it in combat, only one time purchase.20 basic horses is equal to the wand.
6 war horses is equal to the wand.
Definitely an important consideration, if you're someone who can use wands.
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So static low level animals really don't age well in adventuring life.Perhaps, but they're cheap too. I know of no other game option that can grant you such mobility (even if only for a handful of turns) for so little resource expenditure.Pretty sure I've never played a game with RD, but this definitely reminds me of one PC wizard who was in a handful of PF1 scenarios I played. He had a very. . . utilitarian view of animals. "Animals are transportation, food, or useless." He would buy a horse to ride in a scenario and if it happened to die he would just leave the carcass on the trail. At least he got some use out of it.
** spoiler omitted **
Huh. Reminds me of a halfling in a (non pf) game I GMed once.
His first purchase was a pony. His second was a cask of salt.
Apparently he had never had a mount survive, and was fully intending to to get *some* use out of the animal. One way or another.
Ironically he died defending his pony from a giant frog, who had no interest in a creature too large to fit in its mouth. But thought halfling made a nice snack.
