Druids and Multiple Animal Companions?

[Bibliophile]

Well, I picked up the 3.5ed books and I was looking through the core classes for changes, and it seems that the druid can no longer take multiple animal companions. Is this correct? or am I just reading it wrong (if so, could you point me to the passage that clarifies it)?

 

[Pax]

This is correct.

On the flipside, the Druid's one animal companion improves as the Druid levels, in a manner similar to the Paladin's mount ... but slightly better in most ways.

As for a clarifying passage: simple, the "Animal Companion (Ex)" ability description, on page 35. Notice how it always speaks in the singular. That's ebcause a Druid won't need to have multiple companions anymore.

A 20th level Druid with, say, a Wolf companion will have a pretty powerful wolf ... one with 12 more HD than normal (anc concomittant number of feats, BAB, base saves, etc), +12 additional natural armor, +6 each to strength and dexterity, free multiattack, improvd evasion, a bonus to will saves vs enchantments and similar, 7 bonus "tricks", and the ability to share spells with the druid ... all on top of the normal Wolf HD and abilities.

Or, she could have a Dire Wolf, and the extras would be all the above, but only 8 bonus HD, no improved evasion, 4 less extra natural armor, 2 less STR/DEX bonus, and 2 fewer extra "tricks".

Overall, the Druid gets a better single companion than he could really hope for in [3.0], short of getting a legendary animal.

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

Overall, the Druid gets a better single companion than he could really hope for in [3.0], short of getting a legendary animal.

I dunno. An 8 HD Wolf with Devotion and Evasion is a very respectable companion for a 9th level PC, but I do not think a superwolf is quite on par with the Dire Lion you could have in 3.0.

Overall, I think the Druid got a nice little boost in 3.5. Now it is as least sensible to attempt to keep your trusty companion on into high levels instead of getting a New Best Friend every two levels.

 

[Pax]

I dunno. An 8 HD Wolf with Devotion and Evasion is a very respectable companion for a 9th level PC, but I do not think a superwolf is quite on par with the Dire Lion you could have in 3.0.

Overall, I think the Druid got a nice little boost in 3.5. Now it is as least sensible to attempt to keep your trusty companion on into high levels instead of getting a New Best Friend every two levels.

Compare a generic Dire Tiger, to a Wolf and a Wolf Animal Companion to a 20thlevel druid:

WOLF
 	Medium Animal
Hit Dice		:	2d8+4 (13 hp)
Initiative		:	+2
Speed			:	50 ft. (10 squares)
Armor Class		:	14 (+2 Dex, +2 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple	:	+1/+2
Attack			:	Bite +3 melee (1d6+1)
Full Attack		:	Bite +3 melee (1d6+1)
Space/Reach		:	5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks		:	Trip
Special Qualities	:	Low-light vision, scent
Saves			:	Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +1
Abilities		:	Str 13, Dex 15, Con 15, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6
Skills			:	Hide +2, Listen +3, Move Silently +3, Spot +3, Survival +1*
Feats			:	TrackB, Weapon Focus (bite)
Environment		:	Temperate forests
Organization		:	Solitary, pair, or pack (7-16)
Challenge Rating	:	1
Advancement		:	3 HD (Medium); 4-6 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment	:	-
  Wolves are pack hunters known for their persistence and
 cunning.
Combat
  A favorite tactic is to send a few individuals against the
 foe's front while the rest of the pack circles and attacks from
 the flanks or rear.

Trip (Ex): A wolf that hits with a bite attack can attempt to
 trip the opponent (+1 check modifier) as a free action
 without making a touch attack or provoking an attack of
 opportunity. If the attempt fails, the opponent cannot react
 to trip the wolf.
Skills: *Wolves have a +4 racial bonus on Survival checks
 when tracking by scent.




WOLF (Companion of a 20th level Druid)
 	Medium Animal
Hit Dice		:	14d8+28 (91 hp)
Initiative		:	+5
Speed			:	50 ft. (10 squares)
Armor Class		:	31 (+5 Dex, +16 natural), touch 15, flat-footed 26
Base Attack/Grapple	:	+10/+14
Attack			:	Bite +14 melee (1d8+4)
Full Attack		:	Bite +14 melee (1d8+4)
Space/Reach		:	5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks		:	Trip
Special Qualities	:	Low-light vision, scent, Improved Evasion, Link, Share Spells
				Devotion
Saves			:	Fort +11, Ref +9, Will +9
Abilities		:	Str 19, Dex 21, Con 15, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6
Skills			:	Hide +2, Listen +3, Move Silently +3, Spot +3, Survival +1*
Feats			:	TrackB, Imp'v'd Natural Weapon (bite), Multiattack,
				Improved Trip, Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack
Tricks			:	(9)




DIRE TIGER
 	Large Animal
Hit Dice		:	16d8+48 (120 hp)
Initiative		:	+2
Speed			:	40 ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class		:	17 (-1 size, +2 Dex, +6 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 15
Base Attack/Grapple	:	+12/+24
Attack			:	Claw +20 melee (2d4+8)
Full Attack		:	2 claws +20 melee (2d4+8) and bite +14 melee (2d6+4)
Space/Reach		:	10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks		:	Improved grab, pounce, rake 2d4+4
Special Qualities	:	Low-light vision, scent
Saves			:	Fort +13, Ref +12, Will +11
Abilities		:	Str 27, Dex 15, Con 17, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 10
Skills			:	Hide +7*, Jump +14, Listen +6, Move Silently +11, Spot +7, Swim +10
Feats			:	Alertness, Improved Natural Attack (claw), Improved Natural Attack
				(bite), Run, Stealthy, Weapon Focus (claw)
Environment		:	Warm forests
Organization		:	Solitary or pair
Challenge Rating	:	8
Treasure		:	None
Alignment		:	Always neutral
Advancement		:	17-32 HD (Large); 33-48 (Huge)
Level Adjustment	:	-

  Dire tigers prey on just about anything that moves. They
 will patiently stalk a potential meal, striking whenever the
 creature lets down its guard.
  Dire tigers grow to be over 12 feet long and can weigh up
 to 6,000 pounds.

Combat
  A dire tiger attacks by running at prey, leaping, and
 clawing and biting as it rakes with its rear claws.

  Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a dire tiger must
 hit with its bite attack. It can then attempt to start a
 grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of
 opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a
 hold and can rake.

  Pounce (Ex): If a dire tiger charges, it can make a full
 attack, including two rake attacks.
Rake (Ex): Attack bonus +18 melee, damage 2d4+4.

  Skills: Dire tigers have a +4 racial bonus on Hide and Move
 Silently checks. *In areas of tall grass or heavy
 undergrowth, the Hide bonus improves to +8.

The tiger gets a few more HD, but, far less AC, and not much more HP. It also has slightlybetter saving throws, but it's natural weapons aren't that much better than the wolf's have become -- mainly, it has more of them, and it's single bite is better than the wolf's bite.

The wolf has Improved Evasion,

So, the Dire Tiger is slightly better than the Druid's Wolf companion. And if the Druid had the Tiger as their companion, it'd be even BETTER (it'd get 2 more HD, which is a touch more BAB and base save, and evasion. ^_^ Granted, it takes until 20th level before getting those, but ...

 

[Diirk]

The wolf companion actually gets full attack: bite +14 (1d8+6), bite +9 (1d8+6)
Read what the multiattack granted by being a companion does for clarification.
Also animals don't qualify for improved trip as they have no way of getting the prerequisite combat expertise. And the 2 attacks per round makes it not as worthwhile to bother with spring attack, so I'd really get some better feats for my companion than what you chose. Weapon Focus, Improved Critical, Improved Natural Armour, Improved Initiative.. something along those lines.


(+6 str bonus is because if an animal only has 1 natural weapon its treated as if its 2 handed.. ie 1.5x str bonus)

 

[Christian]

BTW, even the limitation on options is probably a change for the better. I've been playing in a 3.0 campaign with a druid character who, at one point, had three companions. It could really slow down combat at times ...

 

[Rath the Brown]

Also, if you really want more than one animal companion, check out the Wild Cohort feat at the WotC website.

Wild Cohort [General]

You have a special bond with a wild animal, and it is willing to travel and adventure with you.

Benefit: You gain an animal cohort. The animal cohort is generally friendly to you and is willing to follow you and adventure with you. If given proper training, the animal cohort will willingly serve as your mount, guardian, and companion. (See the description of the Handle Animal skill on page 74 of the Player's Handbook for more details on training animals.)...

...Special: Druids and rangers who take the wild cohort feat gain an animal cohort in addition to their animal companion. Although the two abilities are similar, they follow different sets of rules and must be tracked separately.

You can only ever have one wild cohort at any given time.

Like a druid's animal companion, your wild cohort improves as you gain experience. Although the animal cohort improves significantly compared to others of its kind, its abilities do not rival those of a druid's animal companion...

 

[Li Shenron]

BTW, even the limitation on options is probably a change for the better. I've been playing in a 3.0 campaign with a druid character who, at one point, had three companions. It could really slow down combat at times ...

But a 20th level Druid with a swarm of 80 bats or rats is something I would have liked to see once...

For what animal companions were in 3.0, you can almost have the same and as many as you wish by just purchasing animals and spend time in training them with the Handle Animal skill.