Regarding Druid Animal Companions

[Marimmar]

Last night a big discussion erupted in our group concerning the druid's animal companion. The player of the druid (lvl 5) took a dire wolverine (5HD) along and the party cleric was offended by the damage the wolverine dealt to our enemies, claiming that having an animal companion is too powerful an ability and that it should be limited or even forbidden.
He may have a point since we disallowed spontaneous healing but i really cannot see the wolverine as 'too powerful' an ability.

The cleric's player demanded that the animal should take away a share of XP since it is in effect like another fighter, while IMO the animal companion is like a paladin's warhorse and should remain is it is. Noone complains about <i>fireballs</i>, so why about an animal companion? (BTW I'm just another player in that camapign and sick of the infighting)

Did anyone else limit the druid's animal companion ability?

 

[Aeolius]

Get an Awaken spell cast on the wolverine, and let HIM talk it out with with the other player's character.

 

[Argent Silvermage]

An animal companion is a class ability of the druid. Take it from me. I play an 18th level druid and my combat abilities suck because Wizardru has forbidden me to have a companion. However the spells a Druid has access to (at higher levels) out weigh the combat loss if there is no companion.
All in all the druid should have access to a companion. Just tell the cleric that in a few levels he will be glad for the extra damage and realise that the companion does not gain levels so it's usefullness will be over with shortly. Also remember that a druid without a companion is a cleric with bad armor and weapons.

 

[kengar]

IME, I've found that the druid has enough things limiting their power that the animal companion should be left as is. The truth is -at higher levels- they will be less useful. At low to mid levels, it's a great balance against limited weapons & armor and lower level spells.

As far as the XP issue goes, do any of the other characters have creatures like mounts that might make an attack during combat? If so, do those creatures get XP awards? I think you might suggest to your DM that (s)he either A) makes a decision, announces it, and tells folks to live with it either way or B) put it to a party vote and everyone copes with the result.

 

[KnowTheToe]

I played a low level druid and loved my animal companion. My spells were not usually that beneficial and my combat not so hot, but a large wolf with the trip attacks was loads of fun, but not overpowering. As mentioned earlier, each level the party increase the Animal Companion becomes less beneficial.

 

[Xastalask]

I play a halfling druid in Livign Greyhawk. My animal companion pulls my butt out of the fire alot! It is a great guardian for me as I am not exactly hitpoint heavy.

Animal compaions are essential to druids taking away their animal companion is like cutting the hands off a fighter and makign them wield stump knives

 

[kengar]

Animal compaions are essential to druids taking away their animal companion is like cutting the hands off a fighter and makign them wield stump knives

LOL

"Stump-Knife" Pete is now the name of my next thug NPC!

 

[Quickbeam]

As long as the animal companion itself fits within the guidelines provided, they're not only OK, but IMO largely responsible for the success involved in playing a druid at low to middle levels. Also, as several others herein have noted, the effectiveness of this companion will diminish as the PC's gain experience and power.

Leave well enough alone I say !

 

[0-hr]

Last night a big discussion erupted in our group concerning the druid's animal companion. The player of the druid (lvl 5) took a dire wolverine (5HD)

That's funny, we had the EXACT same thing happen (your druid wasn't a halfling by any chance?

Anyway, in our campaign at least the Wolverine (which has been advanced a few times now) is far and away the most effective force in any combat. Now that the druid is adding Flame Strikes and such of his own, it does make the other players look a bit superfluous.

The rage, combined with the multiple attacks, makes it rather unbalanced for the level. If the druid disagrees, then swap in the stats for a 5HD dire wolf instead and he shouldn't mind.

 

[DevoutlyApathetic]

I've been playing a halfling druid for about two years in the RPGA's Living Greyhawk campaign. The value and survivablity of animal companions peak right around early mid-levels. Once you start moving up into around 9th or so they quickly become less useful and much more likely to die. Right around this time is when you get some spells that make the great for the duration but most are of rather limited length. One of the biggest things to keep them in check is to actually use the trick rules in the DMG and stick to what it says there. They eat actions or they attack unintelligently.

Why'd spontanious healing get the axe? It's not really for the benifit of the cleric but the rest of the party.....