Animal companions, HD and size....

[cdsaint]

A question occured to me yesterday while designing an NPC, but will also come up with the newest PC I've created, and I haven't had any luck finding an answer. Druids have been very few in games I've been involved with, so this hasn't come up for me before.

A druids animal companion gains hit dice as the druid gains level. At 5th level a druids dire rat animal companion would have 3 hit dice. At 6th level a druids dire rat animal companion would have 5 hit dice. Dire rats size increases from small to medium at 4 hit dice according to the MM. Does this apply to an animal companion?

Chris

 

[Hypersmurf]

Dire rats size increases from small to medium at 4 hit dice according to the MM. Does this apply to an animal companion?

I'm afraid not.

The wording's dodgy, but it's been confirmed that companions don't advance in size via companion hit dice.

-Hyp.

 

[fba827]

Just adding a "what Hypersmurf said" so that you have more than one response to this post.

 

[cdsaint]

Good deal. It didn't seem like it should work that way (size making a large difference) but the rules didn't seem to rule it out either.

Thanks for the rapid response.

Chris

 

[Hoog]

Increasing Companion Size

I remember in 3.0 they had a ritual in MoW that allowed you to advance your companions hd. Do they still have that ritual so that a druid could have a medium sized eagle or other companion.

 

[joelmarcus]

Animal companions

I think the animil companion is like 1/4 of the total level of the master. So say a level 12 wiz would have like a level 3 raven or such. or just make some dang thing up.

 

[Thanee]

Normal size advancement (along with the HD advancement) comes from aging, but a druid's companions HD increase is more of a mystical thing, really.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Staffan]

Normal size advancement (along with the HD advancement) comes from aging, but a druid's companions HD increase is more of a mystical thing, really.

Actually, I think most of the size advancement has more to do with different species/races rather than aging. In other words, you can say that a certain species of crocodile might be bigger than the basic crocodile, and thus have 5 HD instead of the common 3.

 

[Thanee]

That would work, too.

Bye
Thanee