animal companions and familors.

[Space monkey]

Some clarification if you could. what are the main differences between animal companoins and Familors?

also is there any way for a character to get one without multiclassing into the role?
Getting a familor if your not a sorceress or wizzard may be completly off but getting an Animal companion if your not a Druid or Ranger does not seem so.

or would this just be a pet...do Characters ever just have pets? other then mounts. What about Falconry? or related messenger pigions etc.

do any of you have experiance wth this.

 

[winterwolf]

Animal companions are just really well trained, really loyal animals. Familiars are ex-animals (now magical beasts) who are fairly intelligent and count as a part of the caster. Animal companions are always animals...they will never become more intelligent than int 2 (or 3, in rare cases) without something like the awaken spell. Familiars, on the other hand, become more intelligent than most of your average party members.

WOTC has the feat animal cohort on its websight (see http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20031118a for details) that allows you to have an understrength animal companion without being a druid/ranger. The complete arcane allows any arcane spellcaster to have a familiar if you take the feat obtain familiar. This allows bards to grab a familiar, as well as most prestige classes that grant arcane spells (like the assassin). I don't remember what the feat requires though, besides arcane spellcasting ability.