Animal Companion Feats & Skills

[EricJones]

I'm a little confused by the RAW, and I'm hoping somone can set me straight. It is clear from the MM that creatures (including animals) gain feats "just as a character does." It is a little less clear, though it appears likely, that creatures get skill points like characters as well. What doesn't seem at all clear (to me) is whether the base animals described in MM already have these choices built in or not.

Here's a concrete example. A druid takes a riding dog (2 HD) as an animal companion. As a 2HD creature, the riding dog would be entitled to 1 Feat. This is consistent with the dog having Track (the dog also gets a bonus feat of Alertness).

The dog would presumably also have 5 skills points (1x4 for the first HD, and 1 for the second HD). However, I am having a much harder time squaring that calculation with the skills listed.

Jump is +8, which is +4 racial bonus, +2 Strength, +2 skill points (Query: shouldn't the +4 for 40ft base speed be in this calculation?).

Listen is +5, which is +2 alertness, +1 Wisdom, +2 skill points

Spot is +5, which is +2 alterness, +1 Wisdom, +2 skill points (oops that is 6 skill points)

Swim is +3, which is +2 Strength, +1 skill points (now that's 7 skill points spent).

Survival is +1, which is +1 Wisdom

Anyway, I'm confused as to what the listed skill bonuses take into account and what they don't. Does the druid get to spend skill points for the riding dog or not? Does the riding dog get skill points when it advances 2 HD? I presume it will get a feat because it passes through 3HD.

Can anyone set me straight?

 

[nittanytbone]

The riding dog as presented in the SRD has too many skill points. When I DM as a house errata I give it a penalty to some skills to make things work out properly -- a 2 HD animal should have 5 SP spent.

When the companion gains HD it does indeed gain feats (1 feat/3 levels) and SP (1 SP/level). Note that with the riding dog, Track is its bonus feat, and alertness is its level 1 feat. As a DM, I allow the Alertness feat to be traded out for "light armor proficiency" if the dog is trained for war (as stated in the animal's description). What feats and skills you can buy as the animal gains levels is up to your DM, of course -- I for one don't allow animals with "Knowledge: Arcana" to be running around, and some feats might be inappropriate.

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

The Jump bonus only applies to running jumps.

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

Actually if the Riding Dog is trained for war, it gains Light, Medium, and Heavy Armor Proficiency in one fell swoop.

 

[Thaniel]

The Jump bonus only applies to running jumps.

If you mean the bonus for higher speeds, no it does not. It applies regardless.

Meaning a Riding Dog should have a Jump modifier of +10 (+4 racial, +4 speed, +2 str, no ranks). If that were the case, then it'd have the 5 ranks it's supposed to have.

The riding dog as presented in the SRD has too many skill points. When I DM as a house errata I give it a penalty to some skills to make things work out properly -- a 2 HD animal should have 5 SP spent.

As I showed, you don't need to give it any penalties. In fact, you should give it an extra +2 on its jump check. Then everything adds up.