Druid Animal Companions grow with HD?

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Who said it would be vague?

Because there's no way to write a general rule that covers the size increases by HD for black puddings, the age category increases for dragons, and the size increases for riding dogs without referencing data specific to each creature?

 

[Nail]

....."what Patyrn said".....

As evidence, we can look at Dragons. Their "advancement" is so complicated, it takes up 21 pages!

 

[Lord Pendragon]

I respectfully disagree.

They need more, not less, guidance tied to each monster description. (For example: Each monster should have a LA listed. Each and every one!) An appendix would undoubtably conflict with some of the monster entries......and would the consolidation be worth the extra trouble? And with a generalized advancement appendix, the opportunity to customize a progression is lost.

Hrm. You guys seem to be misunderstanding what I am suggesting. I'm not suggesting that the Advancement guidelines currently present in each monster entry be done away with. I'm suggesting they be moved to an appendix in the back of the book, along with instructions to DMs for what this information is meant to be used for. I am not suggesting that one general advancement rule be written to cover all critters. Rather, I am suggesting that the advancement rules for each critter (which are almost always listed with a single line in the creature entry) be moved into an appendix titled to expressly apply to DMs.

There is no "Player's MM" and "DM's MM" and as it's currently set up, too many players read through the MM and see that Advancement line and make assumptions. Advancement is, basically, an Optional Rule that some players are taking as standard, and extrapolating to other scenarios, such as a druid's animal companion. Moving it an index expressly geared to DMs would help players to avoid this mistake, much in the same way that Leadership was moved to the DMG.