Which Classes can Animal Companion Min-Max? (Pathfinder Society)

[TheMonkeyFish]

Hey Y'all, I have been extremely busy at work (working at a warehouse during Black Friday and Cyber Monday). Still, I've recently had something gnawing at the back of my mind during my times off—specifically Animal Companions and the HD+1 clause that the Pathfinder Society implemented.

For those that don't know this clause, they are specifically preventing the ability to have an HD18+ Animal Companion at Level 12 through shenanigans. At least in Pathfinder Society play, the limit to an Animal Companion's Hit Dice is Character Level +1. So instead of having a Druid Level 20 at level 12, you're restricted to Druid Level 16 (HD 13) for your Animal Companion.

This ruling was created because of a pre-nerfed Assamar/Elf racial favorite class bonus for Oracle which gave +1/2 Level for a Mystery's Level (now +1/6ths level), but has since been reiterated for the Sacred Huntsman Animal Domain Inquisitor.

This led me to ponder and brainstorm what potential Class/Archetype combinations as well as Feat/Racial options would lead to the Maximum (Druid Level 16/HD 13) Animal Companion in PFS Play. So far, I've been able to come up with the following:

1 - Fighter 1 + Ranger X (or similarly scaling Animal Companion Class) + Animal Ally
2 - Oracle with the Nature's Bonded Mount Revelation or Lunar's Primal Companion + Animal Ally
3 - Sacred Huntsmaster with the [url="https://www.aonprd.com/DomainDisplay.aspx?ItemName=Animal"]Animal Domain[URL].

Fighter/Ranger doesn't get an animal companion until Level 4 (Fighter 1/Ranger 3) because of Animal Ally. After that, they get 2 Druid Levels per Character Level, just barely hitting the HD+1 mark by level 12, at the end of Society Gameplay. Meanwhile, Oracle can use restraining Shinanigans to have an animal companion theoretically at Level 1 and start gaining double character levels starting 5 and above. Animal Domain Sacred Huntsmasters don't need any additional Shinanigans to get twice their character level as their druid level past level 4.

Currently, these are the only ones that I've been able to find, and I feel like I'm overlooking a lot of potential Animal Companion Munchkin options for this specific ruling.

Do you guys know of any combinations that would provide a CL+1 HD Animal Companion by level 12?

[Azothath]

ummm I believe in PFS1 purchased animals (curated list) were at HD<=Lvl with an exception for horse. Druid AnmlCmpn rules. So gold can get a better crtr. Normally PFS1 play only goes to 12th lvl.

Off the top of my head I think druids had the best progression. The key to druid's AnmlCmpn is free replacement then some trick picking due to HndlAnml skill. Barding, etc as you don't share slots (but it does pull on resources). As they use natural attacks it gets pricy, otherwise mag fang and barkskin. I believe most went tiger(for pounce) or dinosaur, giant bat, or roc. Then tried it as a mount for mounted combat. So a little different focus.

There was a boon for Mammoth Rider...

[TheMonkeyFish]

Sorry, I think their was a misunderstanding. I was wondering what classes could reach Druid Level 16 by level 12 (HD 13, which is CL+1 at that level).

Fighter 1 Ranger X (or similar pet scaling class) w/ Animal Ally gets Druid Level 17 at level 12.

Animal Domain Sacred Huntsmaster gets Druid Level and Nature/Lunar Oracle can both reach Druid Level 21, but PFS rules limit that to Druid Level 16 because of the HD Cap.

I'm wondering what other combinations there are that would work.

[Oli Ironbar]

Table Variation / Social Expectations is the name of the game when it comes to my use of these builds, but I also use boon companion with a class that doesn't have full AnC progression such that a GM who doesn't approve of the grouping logic doesn't allow the feat to apply.

I think I have an earlier post somewhere...
Ah, here!

[Name Violation]

Oh hey, its my old "My horse is amazing" build making the rounds again.

They battered my poor build with so many nerf bats

[Oli Ironbar]

Yes!!! BBT was the OG troll-bane master.

[Name Violation]

Isnt there a PFS specific rule about sacred huntmaster with the animal domain?

I thought they get 2 stat points instead of the double companion shenanigans

[TheMonkeyFish]

Name Violation wrote:

Isnt there a PFS specific rule about sacred huntmaster with the animal domain?

I thought they get 2 stat points instead of the double companion shenanigans

That's Kingmaker, PFS just limited HD to CL+1 (Druid Level 16 at level 12, vs Druid Level 21 without the limit).

[Name Violation]

TheMonkeyFish wrote:

Name Violation wrote:

Isnt there a PFS specific rule about sacred huntmaster with the animal domain?

I thought they get 2 stat points instead of the double companion shenanigans

That's Kingmaker, PFS just limited HD to CL+1 (Druid Level 16 at level 12, vs Druid Level 21 without the limit).

theres something PFS too i think.I might be thinking of the divine hunter hunter archetype, which is similar to the sacred huntmaster tho

[TheMonkeyFish]

Name Violation wrote:

TheMonkeyFish wrote:

Name Violation wrote:

Isnt there a PFS specific rule about sacred huntmaster with the animal domain?

I thought they get 2 stat points instead of the double companion shenanigans

That's Kingmaker, PFS just limited HD to CL+1 (Druid Level 16 at level 12, vs Druid Level 21 without the limit).

theres something PFS too i think.I might be thinking of the divine hunter hunter archetype, which is similar to the sacred huntmaster tho

Oh, that? Nah, that's not PFS exclusive. That is a specific errata to the Divine Hunter archetype for Hunters. I could see some tables ruling that the errata affects Animal Domain and not Divine Hunter, but RAW only the Divine Hunter gets stat points for their animal companion like that.

I am tempted to try and squeeze 3 levels into hunter to min-max my Strength Score for them now... Lol

[Oli Ironbar]

Btw, Totem Beast is a great feat to support the AnC here since it goes off of the companions HD.

Benefit: Select one animal aspect from the list presented in the hunter class’s animal focus class feature. ... Your animal companion gains the benefits of the selected animal aspect, treating its Hit Dice as its effective hunter level for this ability.