Animal companions, bonus hit dice and size increases

[atomn]

Do the bonus hit dice that an animal companion gets cause it to change size? (i.e., would a 3rd level Druid's wolf animal companion be large as per the SRD "Hit Dice: 2d8+4 (13 hp)" & "Advancement: 3 HD (Medium); 4-6 HD (Large)"

 

[frankthedm]

Do the bonus hit dice that an animal companion gets cause it to change size? (i.e., would a 3rd level Druid's wolf animal companion be large as per the SRD "Hit Dice: 2d8+4 (13 hp)" & "Advancement: 3 HD (Medium); 4-6 HD (Large)"

No. Size stays the same. Only skills and feats increasewith those "bonus" HD.

Animal Companion Basics:
Bonus HD: Extra eight-sided (d8) Hit Dice, each of which gains a Constitution modifier, as normal. Remember that extra Hit Dice improve the animal companion’s base attack and base save bonuses. An animal companion’s base attack bonus is the same as that of a druid of a level equal to the animal’s HD. An animal companion has good Fortitude and Reflex saves (treat it as a character whose level equals the animal’s HD). An animal companion gains additional skill points and feats for bonus HD as normal for advancing a monster’s Hit Dice.

 

[Darklone]

Nope. No idea where it has been mentioned, but I asked the same question some years ago.

 

[frankthedm]

The question did get FAQ treatment, for what thats worth to some folks.

When you add Hit Dice to a druid’s (or ranger’s) animal companion as the master’s level goes up, does the animal get any bigger? For instance, when a druid has a wolf companion, the wolf starts out with the standard 2 Hit Dice and is size Medium. By the time the druid is 3rd level, the wolf has 2 bonus Hit Dice. According to the wolf entry in the Monster Manual, an “advanced” wolf with 4 Hit Dice would be Large. Is the example companion wolf also Large?

An animal companion doesn’t get bigger when it adds extra Hit Dice for the master’s levels. The advancement entries for creatures, and the rules for advancing monsters, refer to unusually powerful specimens that are simply tougher (and perhaps bigger) than normal for their kinds.

 

[Jack Simth]

No. Size stays the same. Only skills and feats increasewith those "bonus" HD.

Animal Companion Basics:
Bonus HD: Extra eight-sided (d8) Hit Dice, each of which gains a Constitution modifier, as normal. Remember that extra Hit Dice improve the animal companion’s base attack and base save bonuses. An animal companion’s base attack bonus is the same as that of a druid of a level equal to the animal’s HD. An animal companion has good Fortitude and Reflex saves (treat it as a character whose level equals the animal’s HD). An animal companion gains additional skill points and feats for bonus HD as normal for advancing a monster’s Hit Dice.

Are you sure?

Consider: It uses such phrasing as "remember that", "as normal" and other such things. Is it strictly limited to those benefits, or is it just doing a few quick reminders of the more common aspects of adding HD in the advancing monsters section of the MM (which is in a different book, not necessarily assumed to be in the hands of the player with the Animal Companion)?

 

[Legildur]

This question gets asked at least once a month. And the answer is always the same - animal companions do not gain size increases due to bonus HD. They are bonus HD, not exactly the same as standard animal HD.

 

[frankthedm]

Are you sure?

Consider: It uses such phrasing as "remember that", "as normal" and other such things. Is it strictly limited to those benefits, or is it just doing a few quick reminders of the more common aspects of adding HD in the advancing monsters section of the MM (which is in a different book, not necessarily assumed to be in the hands of the player with the Animal Companion)?

If that was the case the druid would be unable to add more than the animal has HD for advancment. The wolf animal companion would be capped at 6 HD if it used the rules for monster advancment.

 

[Jack Simth]

If that was the case the druid would be unable to add more than the animal has HD for advancment. The wolf animal companion would be capped at 6 HD if it used the rules for monster advancment.

Interesting how when it hits its cap, the advanced companions are available, no?

 

[Elethiomel]

Interesting how when it hits its cap, the advanced companions are available, no?

Yes. But it's an "animal companion", not an "animal hireling". Yes, you can drop it and use 24 hours to get a new one - but look how people get attached to their pets. Druids can talk with their pets and get a response (not to mention the wild-shape-to-same-shape-as-animal thing and its possible implications).

Plus I see no reason for the table to extend as far as it does if the bonus HD can't go further than the "advancement" stat in the monster description.