Improving a Druid's Companion

[Gilladian]

What rules exist for helping a Druid boost the power/ability of her animal companion rather than having to replace it with a "better" animal as she goes up levels? One of my players just hit 4th level and her wolf is beginning to be a liability, but she loves the thing.

What could I allow her to do with it/what book might have an alternative to just replacing it?

 

[Plane Sailing]

IMX the power of the animal companion stays just fine until the druid reaches 9th level, and then rockets skywards when the Animal Growth spell comes into play!

Up until that point - well, the druid has greater magic fang, barkskin etc. for a reason...

 

[shilsen]

You are allowing it to improve as the PC gains levels (as set out on page 36 of the PHB), right? It should be a 4HD wolf now, which should be pretty durable and handy in combat, especially with its free trip ability.

 

[Gerion of Mercadia]

Train it as a Warbeast? (Template, MM3)

The wolf is a 4HD wolf... and needs MW chain shirt barding, maybe of the magical variety?

 

[Moon-Lancer]

I always liked the idea that if you have a wolf companion, when you get a dire wolf companion, its the same wolf, but it grows and gets stronger, etc...

Just an idea. that can be taken one step further that animal companion is really a spirit of the forest that inhabits animals to that aid you (or takes the form of animals), and so even if they are completely different animals, they have the same spirit.

 

[Darklone]

Simply houserule the advancement to be normal animal HD and advance the size of the wolf. You won't need a Dire Wolf, a large wolf rocks on it's own behalf...

I like to do this for all druids, my PCs met once a former animal companion of a druid who was released... and ruled his own forest valley.

 

[pallandrome]

My druids usually deck their animal companions out in Mythral Full Plate. Just because they can. Add in the other major animal companion buff spells (greater magic fang, animal growth, barkskin) and I've never had a problem keeping little Fluffy alive.