Awakening a druid's animal companion...

[Dark Dragon]

I'm quite sure this was asked before, but I can't find the thread...

If my druid (level 18) would cast Awaken on his tiger companion, do I have to use the base creature in the MM or use the augmented version?

Thanks for helping out.

Dark Dragon

 

[AGGEMAM]

If my druid (level 18) would cast Awaken on his tiger companion, do I have to use the base creature in the MM or use the augmented version?

The MM version. But note that if you cast Awaken on your animal companion it will cease to be your animal companion.

 

[Oscar carramiñana]

An awakened animal can't be a companion anymore

 

[AGGEMAM]

An awakened animal can't be a companion anymore

As I just said

 

[Dark Dragon]

Ok, thanks. Hm, won't make much sense to awaken the tiger, it wouldn't survive the campaign for long. But a dire tiger, triceratops or tyrannosaurus would
The only problem is to get it into a city...I'll think about it...

 

[Dimensional]

The MM version. But note that if you cast Awaken on your animal companion it will cease to be your animal companion.

While I agree that an awakened companion is no longer a companion, I disagree that you apply the awaken to the base creature. that means that for high level druids, their companions loose hit dice when they become awakened, which makes no sense.

I would rule that any ability gained by the companion that was connected to the druid like loyalty etc. would be lost, but appart from that i'd apply the awaken to the augmented creature.

Jeremy

 

[Conaill]

This question was also brought up a few weeks back on this thread.

The Sage has recommended that the awakened animal companion should gradually lose the extra HD he had gotten from being an animal companion. See the thread for soem ways to implement this.

 

[d20Dwarf]

Frankly, I'd just create this spell:

*********
Awaken Animal Companion

Transmutation

Level: Drd 9

Components: V,S,DF,XP

Casting Time: 24 hours

Range: Touch

Target: Animal companion touched

Duration: Instantaneous

Saving Throw: Will negates

Spell Resistance: Yes

As awaken, except that you can only target an animal companion that is loyal to you. The animal companion retains its bonuses and abilities due to your druid levels for as long as it remains in your service.

XP Cost: 2,000 XP.

********

Oops, I did it again!

 

[Conaill]

So a 18th level Druid could Awaken his 22 HD T Rex, and wind up with a ~27 ECL ally?

I don't think so...

 

[d20Dwarf]

Yeah, just like a 1st-level druid can charm an 18 HD T-Rex and have a CR 8 ally for an hour. Big whoopie. Are you really saying that you think an awakened T-Rex breaks an 18th-Level game?