Druid CR

[Yeoman]

Does a druid's CR factor in their animal companion, or is it added separately?

 

[mikebr99]

Does a druid's CR factor in their animal companion, or is it added separately?

It's in there...

Mike

 

[Yeoman]

It's in there...

Mike

That's what I thought. I was sure that static abilities were already factored in.

 

[lukelightning]

But don't forget that if the PCs encounter the animal separate from the druid, they should get full xp for defeating the animal. For example, Sneaky MacDruid sends his dire wombat to attack the party but doesn't himself join in the fight (perhaps hiding in the trees in the form of a koala). If the party defeats the wombat they should get xp for deafeating it.

 

[Nonlethal Force]

But don't forget that if the PCs encounter the animal separate from the druid, they should get full xp for defeating the animal. For example, Sneaky MacDruid sends his dire wombat to attack the party but doesn't himself join in the fight (perhaps hiding in the trees in the form of a koala). If the party defeats the wombat they should get xp for deafeating it.

And ... of course ... when they later face the druid who hasn't had a chance of acquiring another, the CR of the encounter is dropped an equal amount because the druid wasn't allowed to play with its own full deck. I don't know if it is the official rule or not, it just makes sense.

To me, it's just as easy to tell the party they get Y xp for defeating the animal companion and (Z-Y) xp for defeating the druid if that occurs in seperate combats. [Z=druid's full xp value, Y=animal companion's full xp value]

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

Remember that in an extended adventure, it is not necessarily true that you will meet only one Animal Companion of the same Druid.

 

[Christian]

To me, it's just as easy to tell the party they get Y xp for defeating the animal companion and (Z-Y) xp for defeating the druid if that occurs in seperate combats. [Z=druid's full xp value, Y=animal companion's full xp value]

Remember that in an extended adventure, it is not necessarily true that you will meet only one Animal Companion of the same Druid.

So, in theory, one could take out enough animal companions that the druid himself isn't worth any XP. Or negative XP. "Run away! If we defeat him, we'll lose a level!"

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

Smartass!

Give the XP for the AC. If the Druid is defeated when lacking an AC (and would reasonably be expected to otherwise have had an AC in that situation), discount that.

 

[Arkhandus]

But don't forget that if the PCs encounter the animal separate from the druid, they should get full xp for defeating the animal. For example, Sneaky MacDruid sends his dire wombat to attack the party but doesn't himself join in the fight (perhaps hiding in the trees in the form of a koala). If the party defeats the wombat they should get xp for deafeating it.

.......unrelated note, but I DEMAND that we get stats for Dire Wombats and Dire Koalas! And, while someone's at it, Dire Mongooses, Porcupines, and Toads!!!

...Of course, a Dire Toad would probably be size Small or Tiny, and still weaker than a housecat in D&D.

 

[javcs]

.......unrelated note, but I DEMAND that we get stats for Dire Wombats and Dire Koalas! And, while someone's at it, Dire Mongooses, Porcupines, and Toads!!!

...Of course, a Dire Toad would probably be size Small or Tiny, and still weaker than a housecat in D&D.

Do not mess with the housecats.
They'll go on a killing spree.