Animal Friendship

[taliesin15]

A 4th lvl Ranger IMC wants to cast Animal Friendship to summon a wolf. He thinks his caster level is 4th so he can get an 8HD Timber Wolf (if such a thing exists), I think he's a 1st lvl caster, so can only get a 2 HD Wolf. Who's right?

 

[Sheltem]

PHB, page 48:
At 4th level and higher, his caster level is one-half his ranger level.

 

[hanniball]

He thinks his caster level is 4th so he can get an 8HD Timber Wolf (if such a thing exists), I think he's a 1st lvl caster, so can only get a 2 HD Wolf. Who's right?

Sheltem's conclusion is correct, but I don't think the answer is found on page 48 of your PhB. It appears you play 3.0 (as Animal Friendship no longer exists in 3.5) and should thus read the spells section of the Ranger class for a specific rules quote. I don't have my 3.0 books handy, otherwise I could provide a page number...

 

[Stormrunner]

Note that Animal Friendship has quite a few limitations.

It does NOT summon an animal, it merely allows you to make friends with one that's already there. If he wants an 8-HD wolf he'll have to find one first ... and be 8th level or higher (max HD affected = double caster level, ranger caster level= 1/2 ranger level, so max HD = ranger level). And hope it doesn't rip his throat out before he can cast the spell.

You have to genuinely want to be the animal's friend. If you just want to use it as a meatshield/trap tripper, then no dice. That's what Summon spells are for.

The spell doesn't give you any special communication with or control over the animal. It reacts to your commands the same way a normal pet dog would. It's not an animal companion/familiar/special mount. It's no smarter than any normal animal.