ascendance
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I'm changing Totem Animal Companions to be more in line with Animal Companions in 3.5e.
THE TOTEM WARRIOR’S ANIMAL COMPANION
A Totem Warrior’s animal companion is different from a normal animal of its kind in many ways. The companion is treated as a magical beast, not an animal, for the purpose of all effects that depend on its type (though it retains an animal’s HD, base attack bonus, saves, skill points, and feats). It is superior to a normal animal of its kind and has special powers, as described below.
[Refer to animal companion table in SRD or PHB. Totem animal companions do not get Share Spell, and instead of Improved Evasion, they get Size Increase, described as follows![:]](http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/devious.png "Devious :]")
Size Increase: The animal companion increases in size by one category. Small creatures become Medium, Medium creatures become Large, and Large creatures become Huge. The animal companion gains all appropriate ability score adjustments from this size increase.
ALTERNATIVE ANIMAL COMPANIONS
A Totem Warrior selects her animal companion from one of the following lists, applying the indicated adjustment to the Totem Warrior’s level (in parentheses) for purposes of determining the companion’s characteristics and special abilities. Totem Warriors that are considered Level 0 gain a bonus trick, but not the Link ability.
Bear
3rd level: Black Bear (Class level –3 for determining bonuses).
7th level: Brown Bear (Class level –6 for determining bonuses).
10th level: Polar Bear (Class level –9 for determining bonuses).
13th level: Dire Bear (Class level –12 for determining bonuses).
Hawk
3rd level: Hawk or Eagle
8th level: Giant Eagle (Does not gain standard bonuses. Advances as a Cohort, ECL+2. Often gains levels in Akashic or Greenbond);
Shark
3rd level: Shark, Medium
4th level: Shark, Large (Class level –3 for determining bonuses)
10th level: Shark, Huge (Class level –9 for determining bonuses)
16th level: Dire Shark (Class level –15 for determining bonuses).
Snake
3rd level: Snake, Small or Medium Viper
4th level: Snake, Constrictor, or Snake, Large Viper (Class level –3 for determining bonuses).
7th level: Snake, Huge Viper (Class level –6 for determining bonuses).
10th level: Snake, Giant Constrictor (Class level –9 for determining bonuses).
Wolf
3rd level: Wolf
7th level: Dire Wolf (Class level –6 for determining bonuses)
Wolverine
3rd level: Wolverine (Class level –3 for determining bonuses)
7th level: Dire Wolverine (Class level –6 for determining bonuses)
Totem Warriors may assume the shape of the Totem animal companion they get at 3rd level. They gain their Totem Animal Companion’s Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution, Natural Armor, Movement, and any Extraordinary abilities. Characters retain their own Intelligence, Wisdom, Charisma, hit points (except where modified by Constitution), base saves, base attack bonus, and any supernatural and spell-like qualities (including Feats like Hands like Weapons). Characters also keep any extraordinary abilities gained from class levels. Characters must follow the attack routine of their new form (usually bite, or claw/claw, bite). As they gain in levels, Totem Warriors may also gain specific feats for their animal form, such as Multiattack, Improved Natural Attack, and Improved Natural Armor.
Extra Shape, Multiattack, Improved Natural Attack, and Improved Natural armor are considered to be Totem Warrior bonus feats.
Extra Shape (Ceremonial)
You participate a ceremony involving you and another follower of your totem in the deep wilderness. Following this ceremony, you gain an additional transformation each day.
Prerequisite: Shape of the Beast class ability.
Benefit: You may use your Shape of the Beast class ability an additional time each day.
Previously, I felt that animal companions for Totem Warriors were very weak at high level, since they didn't gain any AC bonus at all, and officially, they didn't get any stat bonuses from their size increase, either. Now, they're slightly better than speedbumps, though they do have fewer HP. With the exception of the Bear, most animal shapes are definitely NOT combat forms at high level.
THE TOTEM WARRIOR’S ANIMAL COMPANION
A Totem Warrior’s animal companion is different from a normal animal of its kind in many ways. The companion is treated as a magical beast, not an animal, for the purpose of all effects that depend on its type (though it retains an animal’s HD, base attack bonus, saves, skill points, and feats). It is superior to a normal animal of its kind and has special powers, as described below.
[Refer to animal companion table in SRD or PHB. Totem animal companions do not get Share Spell, and instead of Improved Evasion, they get Size Increase, described as follows
Size Increase: The animal companion increases in size by one category. Small creatures become Medium, Medium creatures become Large, and Large creatures become Huge. The animal companion gains all appropriate ability score adjustments from this size increase.
ALTERNATIVE ANIMAL COMPANIONS
A Totem Warrior selects her animal companion from one of the following lists, applying the indicated adjustment to the Totem Warrior’s level (in parentheses) for purposes of determining the companion’s characteristics and special abilities. Totem Warriors that are considered Level 0 gain a bonus trick, but not the Link ability.
Bear
3rd level: Black Bear (Class level –3 for determining bonuses).
7th level: Brown Bear (Class level –6 for determining bonuses).
10th level: Polar Bear (Class level –9 for determining bonuses).
13th level: Dire Bear (Class level –12 for determining bonuses).
Hawk
3rd level: Hawk or Eagle
8th level: Giant Eagle (Does not gain standard bonuses. Advances as a Cohort, ECL+2. Often gains levels in Akashic or Greenbond);
Shark
3rd level: Shark, Medium
4th level: Shark, Large (Class level –3 for determining bonuses)
10th level: Shark, Huge (Class level –9 for determining bonuses)
16th level: Dire Shark (Class level –15 for determining bonuses).
Snake
3rd level: Snake, Small or Medium Viper
4th level: Snake, Constrictor, or Snake, Large Viper (Class level –3 for determining bonuses).
7th level: Snake, Huge Viper (Class level –6 for determining bonuses).
10th level: Snake, Giant Constrictor (Class level –9 for determining bonuses).
Wolf
3rd level: Wolf
7th level: Dire Wolf (Class level –6 for determining bonuses)
Wolverine
3rd level: Wolverine (Class level –3 for determining bonuses)
7th level: Dire Wolverine (Class level –6 for determining bonuses)
Totem Warriors may assume the shape of the Totem animal companion they get at 3rd level. They gain their Totem Animal Companion’s Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution, Natural Armor, Movement, and any Extraordinary abilities. Characters retain their own Intelligence, Wisdom, Charisma, hit points (except where modified by Constitution), base saves, base attack bonus, and any supernatural and spell-like qualities (including Feats like Hands like Weapons). Characters also keep any extraordinary abilities gained from class levels. Characters must follow the attack routine of their new form (usually bite, or claw/claw, bite). As they gain in levels, Totem Warriors may also gain specific feats for their animal form, such as Multiattack, Improved Natural Attack, and Improved Natural Armor.
Extra Shape, Multiattack, Improved Natural Attack, and Improved Natural armor are considered to be Totem Warrior bonus feats.
Extra Shape (Ceremonial)
You participate a ceremony involving you and another follower of your totem in the deep wilderness. Following this ceremony, you gain an additional transformation each day.
Prerequisite: Shape of the Beast class ability.
Benefit: You may use your Shape of the Beast class ability an additional time each day.
Previously, I felt that animal companions for Totem Warriors were very weak at high level, since they didn't gain any AC bonus at all, and officially, they didn't get any stat bonuses from their size increase, either. Now, they're slightly better than speedbumps, though they do have fewer HP. With the exception of the Bear, most animal shapes are definitely NOT combat forms at high level.
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