Advancing Animals and Cohorts

[PolterGhost]

Okay, so you've got a player with a mount/pet/companion/cohort. How would you advance these NPCs?

For instance, the Wolf has 2 Hit Die and gains Hit Die up to 3 for Medium, and then advances up to 6 as Large. Would you make it gain a hit die per year? Per level of its owning PC? Never?

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

Advancement has specific rules for animal companions and mounts, they gain HD as the class feature table says they do, with all the normal benefits along with class-specific ones (like Share Spells). The one thing they explicitly do NOT get, though, is changes in size from advancement.

Cohorts also have their own rules for xp gained, which are in the DMG, and they can never rise above 2 levels behind the person with the Leadership feat.

 

[PolterGhost]

Ah, I did read into the Druid's Animal Companion section (Since I never really check Druids since this is the first time one has ever participated in any game I've been in), so I figured that part out.

What about pets and mounts, like hunting dogs and purchased horses and riding dogs?

 

[frankthedm]

http://www.enworld.org/forum/d-d-legacy-discussion/168666-leveling-warhorse.html

What about pets and mounts, like hunting dogs and purchased horses and riding dogs?

Those are fully grown, they don't advance. They just die to Area of Effect attacks or become Wandering Monster Chow. The vulnerability of most mounts is an important balancing factor for keeping damage multiplying from spirited charge from getting out of hand. [ displayed in this oots comic ]

Handle animal can be used to train the young of bigger animal class critters to be warmounts and the DM is free to add cooler mounts available at markets and bazaars.

Planar binding spells can probably score some really interesting mounts too.

 

[jefgorbach]

An animal's base stats (hit dice, bab, &etc) advance as per the Improving Monsters section. A Druid's animal companion remains an "animal" so continues advancing its basic stats, hit dice, &etc as a Cleric per the Improving Monsters section. This base improvement is separate and stacks with the bonus hit dice gained from being a companion/familiar.

Sorcerer/Wizard familiars become sentient and are retyped "magical beasts" via the bonding process so would advance as Fighters per the Improving Monsters table unless they select another Class and advance accordingly. Again, their familiar abilities/etc stack with those base advancements.