Animal Companion for Ranger 2/Druid X?

[Panask]

Does a ranger 2/druid X get to add half his ranger levels to his druid level when calculating his effective level for ananimal companion? Or does he have to wait until he's 4th-level ranger before his ranger levels kick in for this ability?

Thanks in advance.

Panask
Servitar to Baldur

 

[Infiniti2000]

Here's the relevant rules:

Class Level
The character’s druid level. 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 abilities and the alternative lists available to the character.

(Ranger) Animal Companion
This ability functions like the druid ability of the same name, except that the ranger’s effective druid level is one-half his ranger level. A ranger may select from the alternative lists of animal companions just as a druid can, though again his effective druid level is half his ranger level. Like a druid, a ranger cannot select an alternative animal if the choice would reduce his effective druid level below 1st.

I think that a Ranger 2 would add +1 to the druid level. The only restriction on Ranger is when he gains the animal companion. There's no restriction that the Ranger/2 level does not add to the Druid's animal companion "class level" determination.

 

[Thanee]

I'd say, that it counts, as well.

Bye
Thanee

 

[RigaMortus2]

If it was a Ranger 4/Druid X, would he not be able to get 2 animal companions? One for being a Ranger, the other for being a Druid?

 

[rowport]

If it was a Ranger 4/Druid X, would he not be able to get 2 animal companions? One for being a Ranger, the other for being a Druid?

It would be balanced to do it that way, but probably a poor decision for the character. The problem is that the Druid's companion would be weaker than it 'should' be for his level, and the Ranger's compaion would be near-useless for the same reason. The only case where this might make mechanical sense is if neither of the companions were used in combat, but instead only for scouting (such as a bird, etc.).

Of course, there might be solid *role-playing* reasons why the character might prefer two companions, but mechanically having one stronger companion would generally be a better choice.

 

[Thanee]

Nope.

Bye
Thanee

 

[chrispedersen]

No.

The ranger does not get the class ability till 4th level.
Ergo until he gets to 4th level he does not add 1/2 ECL. PHB pg. 46.

C

 

[nittanytbone]

Under the description of a ranger's spell casting abilities, the SRD states:

"Through 3rd level, a ranger has no caster level. At 4th level and higher, his caster level is one-half his ranger level."

The section on animal companion has no such disclaimer. Thus, I think it would make sense for the effective druid level to stack.

 

[IndyPendant]

RAW, the ranger levels wouldn't count. Would I let a player in my campaigns get a +1 to his druid for his 2 ranger levels? Absolutely. Seems fair to me.

But even at 4th ranger level, by RAW the ranger levels wouldn't stack with the druid levels.

 

[Infiniti2000]

RAW, the ranger levels wouldn't count. ...
But even at 4th ranger level, by RAW the ranger levels wouldn't stack with the druid levels.

The first point is the debate in this thread and I disagree with you (please respond to my previous post), but I don't see how you can make the second point at all. It's clear that the ranger levels stack (at 1/2 value) with the druid levels. Per the SRD: "The druid’s class levels stack with levels of any other classes that are entitled to an animal companion ..."