I'm currently playing a level 4 ranger and I'm thinking about multi-classing. I want to know if my animal companion gains a level when I take a level that isn't in Ranger?
Thank you for helping.
\$\begingroup\$
\$\endgroup\$
2
-
\$\begingroup\$ Welcome to rpg.se! Have you taken the tour? This is a great first question, I edited it to fix up a few minor typos and grammar errors. If you disagree with my changes you can edit the post to better suit your question. Welcome and Happy Gaming! \$\endgroup\$– linksassin ♦Commented Nov 7, 2018 at 10:33
-
\$\begingroup\$ @Lyra what other class are you multiclassing into? \$\endgroup\$– ShadowKrasCommented Nov 7, 2018 at 13:11
Add a comment
|
2 Answers
\$\begingroup\$
\$\endgroup\$
6
It depends on what animal you choose from the classes and how the class ability that give you an animal companion or a mount (or whatever) is written.
Quoting from animal companion:
An animal companion’s abilities are determined by the druid’s level and its animal racial traits.
[...] The druid’s class levels stack with levels of any other classes that are entitled to an animal companion for the purpose of determining the companion’s statistics.
Now, check the classes you are taking. I quote here few examples:
Ranger
[...] This ability functions like the druid animal companion ability (which is part of the Nature Bond class feature), except that the ranger’s effective druid level is equal to his ranger level –3.
Druid
[...] The second option is to form a close bond with an animal companion. A druid may begin play with any of the animals listed in Animal Choices. This animal is a loyal companion that accompanies the druid on her adventures.
In the druid case, ofcourse, there is no explicit state about druid effective level since...well you are a druid so your class levels are druid levels.
Cavalier
A cavalier gains the service of a loyal and trusty steed to carry him into battle. This mount functions as a druid’s animal companion, using the cavalier’s level as his effective druid level. [...]
Now, a game example:
We have a character who is ranger 4/cavalier 4/druid 1...how much strong is his horse animal companion? It's simple!
The ranger states his druid level are equal to his ranger level -3...and since he is a ranger 4 we can say he count as a druid 1 in regard of his animal companion.
The cavalier states he uses all his levels as druid levels in regard to his mount so, in this case, we count as a druid 4 in regard to animal companion.
The druid is the druid so no need to check.
Take all the numbers up we have 1+4+1 and the result is our horse animal companion is a level 6 animal companion (based on druid table ofcourse).
In addiction to all of this here is a faq talking about stacking animal companion levels:
-
\$\begingroup\$ with boon companion, a druid can have an effective druid level higher than his own - very useful for the beastmaster archetype. \$\endgroup\$– TrishCommented Nov 7, 2018 at 11:00
-
1\$\begingroup\$ Well he is not asking for feats but about stacking level from different classes. Anyway, boon companion, does not work as you are writing here. Generally speaking the boon companion feat clearly state that "[...] to a maximum effective druid level equal to your character level. ". In short, if you are a druid 6 and take boon companion the feat will do nothing for you. If you instead are druid 6/fighter 4 and take boon companion the feat will count you as a druid 10 even if the fighter class has nothing to do with animal companion at all (normally at least) \$\endgroup\$– MouzaCommented Nov 7, 2018 at 11:10
-
\$\begingroup\$ A druid with beastmaster archetype has very likely multiple animal companions of a lower level. that was what I was aiming for. A druid 6 with a 2 and 4th level animal woulf end with a 6 and 4th level one \$\endgroup\$– TrishCommented Nov 7, 2018 at 11:11
-
\$\begingroup\$ Maybe is a cherry picked archetype that work differently but in general does not treat your level "higher" than his own if your class is only druid that's what i'm saying \$\endgroup\$– MouzaCommented Nov 7, 2018 at 11:14
-
\$\begingroup\$ it's a fringe case where one distributes his druid level first, then applies the feat, which leads to a cummulated higher druid level \$\endgroup\$– TrishCommented Nov 7, 2018 at 11:26
\$\begingroup\$
\$\endgroup\$
3
They do not
You need to take levels on a class that grants you an animal companion in order to them to level up, as the class abilities that grant an animal companion usually say something along the words:
This ability functions like the druid animal companion ability
Which, in the druid class, says:
Unlike normal animals of its kind, an animal companion’s Hit Dice, abilities, skills, and feats advance as the druid advances in level.
However, that can easily be fixed with the Boon Companion feat:
The abilities of your animal companion or familiar are calculated as though your class were 4 levels higher, to a maximum effective druid level equal to your character level.
answered Nov 7, 2018 at 10:44
-
\$\begingroup\$ This is not true. Animal companions level always stack since you can't be counted, for example, as a druid level 3 and druid level 5 at the same time. If you are a druid 5/ranger 5...you count as a druid level 7 for your animal companion. \$\endgroup\$– MouzaCommented Nov 7, 2018 at 11:00
-
1\$\begingroup\$ I simply used the wrong word there. the instead of a. Both druids and rangers are a class that grants animal companions. The OP didnt state which class he will be multiclassing into, so I cant assume its one that also grants animal companions. \$\endgroup\$ Commented Nov 7, 2018 at 12:33
-
\$\begingroup\$ removed the downvote after your correction, as you can say the sense of your answer now is totally different \$\endgroup\$– MouzaCommented Nov 8, 2018 at 10:03