Adjudicating the Animal Companion

[Drobney Falcor]

Let me start off by saying that I've read the rules for an animal companions...extensively. I understand how the level adjustments work for acquiring an animal companion of a stronger variety. Now then...
After adventuring with my wolf for a few levels (6 I think), I decided it was time for a stronger friend. I wanted to take full advantage of this opportunity and scoured for a flying animal of medium size (I'm a gnome). I noticed that an eagle, if raised to 2-3HD, would become medium sized. So i looked at the list of alternative animal companions and saw that most of the ones within my grasp (4th level requirement with a -3 towards effective druid level in advancement) were at 3HD. So I have now been the companion of a 3HD medium eagle for one session. I still used the -3 adjustment and thought nothing more of it until I cam across this.

Rules of the Game: Animals (Part Four)

-Under Acquiring an Animal Companion
"The prospective companion cannot be an advanced animal, nor can it be another character's animal companion or another character's familiar."

I thought that it wouldn't be breaking any rules if I still tried to balance out the power difference. My question is, would it be wise to continue playing with it? I know the people I game with wouldn't mind but I don't want to feel overpowered if this would be a problem. (even though druids are already considered overpowered by some...) In the one session I did play with it I didn't see any noticeable domination but the rules are as clear as day. (I'm a real rules guy and wouldn't mind at all trading in my animal companion.)

I think that's all but if I left something out let me know.

 

[Dandu]

The rules also say that a Fleshraker is a perfectly acceptable animal companion, and we all know how well that works out in actual practice...

 

[Drobney Falcor]

The rules also say that a Fleshraker is a perfectly acceptable animal companion, and we all know how well that works out in actual practice...

Wow, that is a nasty little bugger. I certainly wouldn't allow that in my campaign. At least not without a bigger penalty.

Still...I am aware that some rules might not be entirely thought out. I guess a better question would be to ask if anyone could see any possible abuse with the route I've taken or if it would be completely reasonable to keep it as is.

 

[Dandu]

If you haven't noticed and problems so far...

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

If I was your DM, I'd permit it without blinking an eye.

"A Medium-sized Eagle does not a game break..."

With that said, you are in violation of RAW. If no one else is bothered by it, enjoy!

 

[Arrowhawk]

. I noticed that an eagle, if raised to 2-3HD, would become medium sized. So i looked at the list of alternative animal companions and saw that most of the ones within my grasp (4th level requirement with a -3 towards effective druid level in advancement) were at 3HD. So I have now been the companion of a 3HD medium eagle for one session. I still used the -3 adjustment and thought nothing more of it until I cam across this

I'm not sure I follow. The bonus HD an animal gets from being an AC do not affect its size. The rules explicitly state this. So I'm not sure how you are acquiring a medium eagle?

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

I'm not sure I follow. The bonus HD an animal gets from being an AC do not affect its size. The rules explicitly state this. So I'm not sure how you are acquiring a medium eagle?

That's what he's saying. He saw "Added HD = Larger Size" from the animal stat block in the MM first, than learned the AC rule, so he made a mistake.

He's just asking now that he knows he made a mistake, what he should do about it.

 

[Drobney Falcor]

I'm not sure I follow. The bonus HD an animal gets from being an AC do not affect its size. The rules explicitly state this. So I'm not sure how you are acquiring a medium eagle?

As I said before, I have read the animal companion rules several times. I already know that bonus HD granted from being a companion does not count towards increasing an animals size. What I did was increase the eagle's size before I befriended it (I'm a player and a DM in a rotation of 3 DMs). It was during my internet surfing that I discovered that the prospective companion cannot be an advanced animal when you acquire it.

 

[PureGoldx58]

I also made that mistake recently but in the bonus HD made it advance. No players seemed to care that I had a Gargantuan snake that was effectively a grapple spell, but the DM sure did. I fixed the problem anyway by awakening it.

It should definitely be spelled out in a very noticeable way that advanced animals do not a companion make. Like bolded and highlighted and flashing...

 

[the Jester]

I always approach issues like this by asking myself, "How could I, as a dm, make a broken npc by exploiting this ruling?"

If I come up with unacceptable answers, I won't allow it.

In this case, a villainous druid with the advanced constrictor PureGoldx58 mentioned would be... bad.

So I would roll it back and rule that the eagle could not be advanced.