I have an Animal order druid and in the past I would use Magic fang on my animal companion. I tried to use the replacement, Runic body on my companion and was told that
was not an option because they can only benefit from item bonuses for speed and AC.
|
Counter to that assertion: how did Magic Fang, which grants item bonuses work?
Strict RAW, though, that is correct. My interpretation of RAI is that restriction applies to actual items granting item bonuses. E.g., to prevent placing handwraps of mighty blows on animal companions.
Alternative RAI, which I don't ascribe to, is the extra dice applies because that's not a "bonus" but the +1 item bonus does not. However, you could use this interpretation to use handwraps on animal companions to stack dice.
Venture-Lieutenant, Finland—Turku
|
Correct - Animal Companions already get the regular boosts to their to-hit and damage when you take the feats to mature/advance your companion, and that's why magic fang/runic body doesn't work on them.
It's kinda the same as with magic weapon / runic weapon doing nothing if you cast them on a weapon that is already +1 striking.
Of course, normally you can cast runic weapon while at level 1 to grant your martial friend the equivalent of a level 4 weapon for one fight, but you can't do the same for your animal companion, which is the side effect of that rule.
|
Venture-Agent, Online—VTT
|
The slippery slope to handwraps on animal companions doesn't exist, because handwraps don't have the Companion Trait and therefore aren't usable by animal companions.
You can cast Runic Body on an animal companion, and set an unarmed attack that only dealt one die to two dice and cause the attack to count as magical. The Item bonus to hit doesn't apply. It's just like Magic Fang always was (except for applying to multiple unarmed attacks, instead of only one of them.
The assertion that the spell doesn't work on animal companions at all simply isn't true.
|
Venture-Lieutenant, Finland—Turku
|
You're right. In my defense, it was something like 3 am and I was thinking about battle forms, which prevent you from changing the statistics - those don't work with runic body, but yeah, an animal companion with a single die of damage should get another die of damage.