Beastmaster with Natural Bond

[atomn]

The Beastmaster PrC lets you gain another animal companion at levels 4, 7 and 10. For purposes of improving the animal companion's stats (or of selecting an alternative companion at higher levels), the beastmaster is treated as a "druid whose level is equal to the beastmaster's class level" -3, -6 and -9 (respectively). Would that mean a Druid10/Beastmaster3 has an extra companion like a 10th level Druid or like a 1st level Druid? And if the Beastmaster took the Natural Bond feat ("Add three to your Effective Druid level, not to exceed your Character level, for determining your Animal
Companion’s bonuses.") would the extra companions be treated as -0, -3 and -6 instead of -3, -6 and -9? Thanks for the help!

 

[Hypersmurf]

The Beastmaster PrC lets you gain another animal companion at levels 4, 7 and 10. For purposes of improving the animal companion's stats (or of selecting an alternative companion at higher levels), the beastmaster is treated as a "druid whose level is equal to the beastmaster's class level" -3, -6 and -9 (respectively). Would that mean a Druid10/Beastmaster3 has an extra companion like a 10th level Druid or like a 1st level Druid? And if the Beastmaster took the Natural Bond feat ("Add three to your Effective Druid level, not to exceed your Character level, for determining your Animal
Companion’s bonuses.") would the extra companions be treated as -0, -3 and -6 instead of -3, -6 and -9? Thanks for the help!

The Druid 10 / Beastmaster 3 only has one companion (equivalent to a 16th level druid's companion). The Druid 10 / Beastmaster 4 has one 17th level companion, and one 1st level extra companion - his Beastmaster level is 4, and 4 - 3 = 1.

I'd need to reread the class and the feat, but I have a vague memory that Natural Bond doesn't improve the extra companions.

-Hyp.

 

[atomn]

Cool, thanks!

Is this PrC worth taking many levels in it? If you go through to Beastmaster 10, you'll be a 16th level character. So it seems like the extra animal companion -9 (so 1 HD) & -6 (so 4 HD) be next to worthless against foes designed for a 16th level party? Or would they be used for non-combat sorts of activities?

 

[FrostedMini1337]

Crap like flanking and aid another checks. And if they die you can just summon new ones after a 24 hour period right? You two best ones would be able to help in comabt, and your tiniest one is most likely going to be an owl or something. That other one can be your little helper.

and, as always, ask your DM. I'm not really sure if allowing that feat to apply to that class would throw the class wildly out of balance. (And by that I mean, you shoul be rewarded for even thinking about playing a beastmaster, and there is no way that adding 3 to your druid levels for those guys will make that class imba)

 

[Thanee]

The class is called Beastmaster for a reason...

You know, one big cat, a hawk and a pair of ferrets.

I don't quite see why Natural Bond shouldn't work on the extra animal companions, though. The bonus sure doesn't go beyond your HD that way. Of course, the feat doesn't really specify how it works in conjunction with multiple animal companions...

Bye
Thanee

 

[Drowbane]

Cool, thanks!

Is this PrC worth taking many levels in it? If you go through to Beastmaster 10, you'll be a 16th level character. So it seems like the extra animal companion -9 (so 1 HD) & -6 (so 4 HD) be next to worthless against foes designed for a 16th level party? Or would they be used for non-combat sorts of activities?

Beastmaster is a great 1-level dip for anybody with an animal companion. Beyond that... not so much.

 

[Darren Ravenshaw]

The Errata for Natural Bond limits it to one animal companion.

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

Beastmaster is a great 1-level dip for anybody with an animal companion. Beyond that... not so much.

It is a great dip for a Ranger.

The prereq of Skill Focus: Handle Animal on top of the delay to spellcasting and Wildshape makes the price very high. Too high except for strong PC concept/RP reasons.

If you desperately want another beastie, you could take Leadership or dip into an arcane class for the Familiar instead.