Awakened Animal Companions

[Wulf Ratbane]

I've often seen people refer to awakened animals gaining class levels, but for the life of me I can't find any rule or precedent that validates this.

As far as I can tell they just become magical beasts-- +2HD, increased INT and CHA, and they can speak.

Can anybody point me to a rule that says that awakened animals may gain class levels?


Wulf

 

[gamecat]

Let's see... Temporary Intelligence... Do I get extra skill points from Fox's Cunning? No! Apply the same logic to Awaken, and the animal can't gain levels.

 

[Jairami]

Well, first off Fox's Cunning is a duration spell with a limit of one hour per caster level and Awaken is an instantaneous effect meaning it is permanent and cannot even be dispelled.

As for where it mentions Awaken'd creatures gaining class levels I'm still looking. It's not under animal friendship, the druid's animal companion class ability, animal companions in the DMG, or advancement in the Monster Manual. Still looking. Gotta be there somewhere, I remember it too well and too many other people have referenced it. Maybe Caliban remembers?

 

[Moon_Goddess]

Only reference i can find at the moment, is the fact that the ECLs for animals are for awakened animals, thus to be PCs they have to be able to take class levels


Furthermore to me this is just one of those well duh questions

an Awakened animal is a sentient creature, same as humans, orcs or dragons, or course they can take class levels

I don't see where it needs to be stated, it's fairly obvious anything with a INT greater than 3 can take class levels

 

[Caliban]

Theoretically, anything with an intelligence greater than 3 can gain class levels.

However, as far as I'm concerned it's no longer an "Animal Companion" if it's gaining XP on it's own and gaining class levels.

 

[Artoomis]

Theoretically, anything with an intelligence greater than 3 can gain class levels.

However, as far as I'm concerned it's not longer an "Animal Companion" if it's gaining XP on it's own and gaining class levels.

Agreed. I think it probably takes the "Leadership" feat to make it a cohort if you want it to gain levels.

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

Well, MotW seems to indicate that the animal may stick around if it has been treated well.

As a DM, I simply assume that animal companions are a feature of the class, a "virtual feat" that is assumed as a perk of the class. I wouldn't require an additional Leadership feat out of it.

However, I would strictly impose the HD limit, and class levels would be adding additional HD towards the limit. A druid would cap out rather quickly.


Wulf

 

[Nebin]

So if an awakened Animal can have Classes that means it can also go to a Prestige Class. Hmmmmmm A Scarlet Squirrel that really is a Red Squirrel go figure.