D&D 3E/3.5 3.5 Question Animal Compainions and Awaken

[dream66_]

I'd finnally gotten to understand the interaction between animal companions and awaken in 3.0. Now they've changed they way Animal companions work.

I understand that an awakened animal cannot act as an animal companion, but what happens to all the enhancements that the animal has gains in his previous service as a companion, when he's awakened? Does he keep the hit dice, and ability increases? or does he revert to his natural form?

 

[mikebr99]

I'd let it all remain... except link, share spells, devotion.

But the awakened animal falls to the DM to control from here on.


Mike

 

[dream66_]

Thanks, anyone know if there's an official answer, though?

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

Thanks, anyone know if there's an official answer, though?

There is no official answer. WotC seems determined to never print a version of awaken that is easy to understand. I doubt it was even playtested ... otherwise questions like this would have come up and probably been answered.

IMO don't apply to an animal companion ... find something else, like an ordinary animal, to cast the spell on.

 

[youspoonybard]

For what it's worth, the Sage answered this question, saying that the ex-companion should lose its powers over time.

 

[Thaniel]

For what it's worth, the Sage answered this question, saying that the ex-companion should lose its powers over time.

And you know full well that that's not really an "answer". That's a "well... I suppose... what you could do is... maybe..." which isn't the same thing.

 

[Philip]

But the awakened animal falls to the DM to control from here on.

Wizard: "Why mr. Druid, don't be upset. I thought you'd be grateful when I used my Limited Wish to awaken your faithul animal companion. Boris the Bear sure seems grateful to me for doing this to him. Don't you desire for him to be free and experience the world as you and I do?"

Druid: "Grumble......"

 

[mikebr99]

Wizard: "Why mr. Druid, don't be upset. I thought you'd be grateful when I used my Limited Wish to awaken your faithul animal companion. Boris the Bear sure seems grateful to me for doing this to him. Don't you desire for him to be free and experience the world as you and I do?"

Druid: "Grumble......"

heh... this could almost be used as an offensive spell when one druid fights another... albeit a SLOW one.

Mike

 

[youspoonybard]

Yeah, I know about the "Hmmm..."-ness of the Sage's answer.

That's why I said "For what it's worth"...

And it is the only "official" answer I know of right now...

 

[Steverooo]

It's worth noting that, once the creature is Awakened, it can then gain character levels, just like people can... So I guess what the Sage was saying was: "Let'em keep their Hit Dice, etc., until their (N)PC levels replace them!"

IMHO. YMMV.

It's official, however, that Awakened animals can NOT be Animal Companions, but become Cohorts... Which, to me, brings up the question of what to do if you don't have the Leadership Feat...