How many animal companions?

[sumi]

Recently reading the DMG concerning epic druids it states

Animal companion: The druid may have a maximum number of animal companions equal to twice her class level, as normal. pg208

Can someone explain this to me? :\

In 3, a druid got her animal companions through an animal friendship spell which enabled her to have 2 HD of animal companions per level. However, in 3.5 there is no mention of anything other than one animal companion

What does the statement in the DMG mean? A druid at say 10th in 3.5 could have 2 7HD Dire wolverines and a 4 HD riding dog as animal companions. If so what happens when you go to 12th you do not have enough levels to have them all get the extra HD. :\

or can a 10th level druid have 20 7HD Dire wolverines. Sign me up to the druid class!!

 

[mikebr99]

3.5 Druid gets one companion... the EPIC 3.5 Druid companion stuff is a stupid cut & paste error.


Mike

 

[Li Shenron]

Recently reading the DMG concerning epic druids it states

Animal companion: The druid may have a maximum number of animal companions equal to twice her class level, as normal. pg208

I am afraid that line is just a leftover from 3.0, perhaps they incorporated such information from ELH before finishing the revision to Druid's Animal Companion and the editors didn't notice they had to correct it somewhere else.

The Animal Companion 3.5 advancement rules make it complicated to have more than one animal at a time, because the new progression is not simply 1 HD per level. I think they first updated A.C. to make it more special, then noticed it should have less HD than the Druid level to compensate for the extra bonuses (it advances 2 HD per 3 druid levels), and finally decided to drop the option of multiple companions to avoid complications.

Which is a pity, because a druid with a pack of small companions made sense and was quite effective too, IMHO.

Maybe (maybe) if you really want more companions you can try to split the druid levels and use each "slice" for a different companion, for example a druid of level 10 could be allowed to have 2 a.c. each as a druid of level 5, or any other combination. If you go this way, let us know how it works

 

[CrimsonTemplar]

The problem I can see with allowing multiple companions using the 3.5 A.C. advancement is that you could have a Druid 10 with 10 A.C.'s all with Empathic Link, Share Spells and a bonus trick or three 3rd levels all with Empathic Link, Share Spells, Evasion, +2 HD, +2 Natural Armor, +1 Str, +1 Dex and 2 bonus tricks plus one with Empathic Link, Share Spells and a bonus trick.

 

[Planesdragon]

The problem I can see with allowing multiple companions using the 3.5 A.C. advancement is that you could have a Druid 10 with 10 A.C.'s all with Empathic Link, Share Spells and a bonus trick or three 3rd levels all with Empathic Link, Share Spells, Evasion, +2 HD, +2 Natural Armor, +1 Str, +1 Dex and 2 bonus tricks plus one with Empathic Link, Share Spells and a bonus trick.

So why is that a problem?

The 3.5 druid can get nearly the same results with _Summon Nature's Ally_ spells.

 

[Scotley]

Recently reading the DMG concerning epic druids it states

Animal companion: The druid may have a maximum number of animal companions equal to twice her class level, as normal. pg208

Can someone explain this to me? :\

This is corrected in the official errata for the DMG. One animal companion only.

"Epic Druid
Dungeon Masters' Guide, page 208
Problem: Druids's no longer get multiple animal companions.
Solution: Replace the Animal Companion paragraph with the
following text:
Animal Companion: The epic druid's animal companion
continues to increase in power. At every three levels higher than 18th (21st, 24th, 27th, and so on), the companion gains
+2 bonus Hit Dice, its natural armor increases by 2, its
Strength and Dexterity modifiers increase by 1, and it learns
one additional bonus trick."

There is a correction for the Ranger entry that refers to this information as well; although, seems to introduce a new error in refering to a 41st level rather than a 21st level Ranger.

Scotley

 

[Scotley]

Double post

 

[youspoonybard]

The 41st level ranger refers to the fact that the Ranger's Animal Companion is at 1/2 progression compared to the Druid's.

So the table in the PHB still applies to rangers up until 41st level, where the 3.5 DMG errata kicks in.

 

[Count Arioch the 28t]

So why is that a problem?

The 3.5 druid can get nearly the same results with _Summon Nature's Ally_ spells.

I don' recall an epic druid's animal companion being a feeble, worthless being that gets squashed by anything that's a decent challenge.