Best Animal Companion Choice

[Pickaxe]

I have a halfling druid, currently 4th level with a riding dog companion. I've been trying to decide if I should stick with the dog for the long haul or switch to another companion at 7th or later. Here are the choices I'm considering, and I'd be happy to hear arguments for others.

1) Stick with dog. Advantages: Good AC, good size for dungeons.
2) Dire Wolf. Advantages: Good attack and damage with trip.
3) Brown bear. Advantages: Great full attack and damage.

I'm inclined to go with 2 at the moment, because I like trip, but I'm curious what others think.

--Axe

 

[Kobold Stew]

Longevity and mobility. I'd stick with the dog.

 

[Jdvn1]

Mounts are cool. Stick with the dog.

 

[demiurge1138]

Stick with the dog. Not only is it dungeon compatible, it'll keep getting better faster.

Demiurge out.

 

[Scion]

if you can pick up that feat people were talking about a few days ago (boosts your effective level for animal companion) then definately upgrade to a higher level mount.

personally I would probably go with wolverine. Lots of attacks, decent speed, burrow speed, climb speed, and in combat it is a machine, especially with all of those extra hd and abilities.

With a few mounted combat feats as well you can be a pretty incredible beasty

If you are not going to keep on riding (and that is also a viable option) then grab something that compliments whatever form you like to pick or that is best in whichever situation you need help with. Lions have pretty incredible full attacks with their pounce and grapples.

 

[Prism]

I'd stick with the dog. They get trip too - I wasn't sure if you meant that from your original post

If trained for war, these animals can make trip attacks just as wolves do (see the Wolf entry). A riding dog can fight while carrying a rider, but the rider cannot also attack unless he or she succeeds on a Ride check

Dire badger and wolverine are also good for hit points and rage

 

[Lord Pendragon]

if you can pick up that feat people were talking about a few days ago (boosts your effective level for animal companion) then definately upgrade to a higher level mount.

Unless you are thinking of a different feat, Natural Bond only increases your effective level up to a maximum of your total hit dice. It's completely worthless for a full druid. There isn't (as far as I know) any way for a full druid to get a companion higher on the list before he has the levels to do it.

However, there are a few others ways to improve a companion. One is to pick up the Celestial Companion feat from BoED, which adds the celestial template to your animal companion. You could also try to get your DM to allow you to train your companion and grant it the Warbeast template (MMII).

With a few mounted combat feats as well you can be a pretty incredible beasty

Even without the mounted combat feats, using your companion as a mount is very advantageous. It circumvents the poor mobility of a small character, and if you are ever attacked by a melee foe, you have a melee defender ready at hand (whom you can heal, and heal yourself at the same time for the cost of a single spell.)

If you are not going to keep on riding (and that is also a viable option) then grab something that compliments whatever form you like to pick or that is best in whichever situation you need help with. Lions have pretty incredible full attacks with their pounce and grapples.

Very true.

Basically, the choice is between offense and defense. Getting a companion further down the list means getting a better offense and having a weaker defense. Keeping a "tier 1" companion means less offense and more defense.

Personally, I'd suggest that you go with a wolf (not dire), and have it pick up the Spring Attack chain as it gains feats (which it will quickly). By 10th-level, animal companions are pretty fragile. Even with good armor, low saves and few magic items means that they're easy pickin's for the baddies. At that point, a wolf with outstanding armor that can leap in--trip--and leap away again is going to be safer engaging melee foes, while still contributing meaningfully to the combat. On the opposite side is a big critter, like a dire tiger, that can leap in, do massive damage in its first round (pounce) and then get killed taking the return full attack. :/

 

[Scion]

Unless you are thinking of a different feat, Natural Bond only increases your effective level up to a maximum of your total hit dice. It's completely worthless for a full druid. There isn't (as far as I know) any way for a full druid to get a companion higher on the list before he has the levels to do it.

Actually since selecting something from a higher list reduces your effective level of druid then it works

So, Druid hd -3 (from a higher list) +3 (from the feat) = Druid hd

Good stuff for the druid, likely too good, but that is for the dm to decide.

 

[Tetsubo]

I'd stick with the dog. Not only is it highly useful and a steed but it's the most "invisible" animal companion you will find. Who notices a dog? No city guard is ever going to question you having a riding dog. Many of the more exotic, higher level animal companions are very cool. But what city is going to let a Dire Tiger in it's gates?

 

[Lord Pendragon]

Actually since selecting something from a higher list reduces your effective level of druid then it works

So, Druid hd -3 (from a higher list) +3 (from the feat) = Druid hd

Good stuff for the druid, likely too good, but that is for the dm to decide.

I believe you are clearly misinterpreting this. You can choose a more powerful companion from alternate lists. This does not reduce your effective druid level in any way, you merely compare your effective druid level to the level required by the category on the list. Your effective druid level never changes. The feat is useful for multiclassed druids, allowing their companions to progress better. It's not useful for a full druid at all. His effective druid level is already equal to his HD, and choosing an animal companion from a stronger list doesn't reduce it.