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Message: <blockquote data-quote="RUMBLETiGER" data-source="post: 5897905" data-attributes="member: 6674868">One simple, theoretical build is a Human Druid1/Ranger4/Beastmaster10/Druid5Level 1, gain the Animal Companion like normal.  Take The <a href="http://dndtools.eu/feats/complete-adventurer--54/natural-bond--2030/" target="_blank">Natural Bond </a>feat and the <a href="http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20031118a" target="_blank">Wild Cohort</a> feat for a second buddy.Levels 2-4 as a Ranger, the Druid Animal Companion advances as if you were a straight Druid due to the Natural bond feat, which adds "3 to your effective Druid level" for advancing the animal companion, not to exceed your character level.  The Wild Cohort advances based on character level, although more slowly than an Animal Companion.  Take Natural Bond again at level 3 to offset, "treat yourself as a druid three levels lower than your character level"  as per the Wild Cohort feat to allow you to select a more advanced critter.At level 4, you upgrade both companions in terms of being able to select from a new list.At level 5 you hit Ranger level 4, gain a Druid level 1 Animal Companion.At level 5, you've got:-Wild Cohort = Druid level 5 (From the feat)-Animal Companion = Druid level 4 (The first Druid one)-Animal Companion = Druid level 1 (The Ranger one)At level 6, you take the Beastmaster PrC.  You now gain another Animal Companion.  The PrC ability states, in part, "Treat the Beastmaster as a Druid whose level is equal to the Beastmaster’s class level + 3. A Beastmaster can select one of the animals available to a 1st-level Druid and then apply the modifications as appropriate for a 4th-level Druid’s Animal Companion, or she can select a typical version of one of the animals available to a 4th-level Druid."  It also says, "If a Beastmaster already has an Animal Companion from another class, her Beastmaster class levels stack with class levels from all other classes that grant an Animal Companion." (I'm assuming this only applies to one existing Animal Companion, so I'll apply the increase to the original Animal Companion only, not the Ranger one or the Wild Cohort.  The single level in Druid would also apply to all the Beastmaster Animal Companions.)  Take Natural Bond to boost your Ranger Animal Companion.  At level 6, you've got:-Wild Cohort = Druid level 6 (From the feat)-Animal Companion = Druid level 5 (The first Druid one)-Animal Companion = Druid level 5 (The PrC one)-Animal Companion = Druid level 4 (The Ranger one)The PrC gains and extra Animal Companion at levels 4, 7 and 10, which would be Character levels 9, 12 and 15 respectively.  These extra Animal Companions are considered Druid level -3, -6 and -9 respectively at the level they are acquired.  This allows for weaker Animal Companions, which will be less useful in encounters.  Taking the Natural Bond feat at levels 9, 12 applied to the first extra Animal Companion should bring that Animal Companion up to 1 level behind a Full Druid's Animal Companion.Level 15, we've got a feat slot free.  Dragon Cohort here can net a pretty spiffy Dragon buddy.  What size/type depends upon the Charisma score, but assuming a CHA of 10 it's an ECL of 13.If the Beastmaster PrC advances the original Animal Companion as a Druid, that companion continues to advance one level behind a full Druid's Animal Companion.  The Animal Companion from the Beastmaster PrC continues to advance one level behind a full Druid.  The Wild Cohort continues to advance in animal selection 2 levels behind a full Druid, however the advancement progression is not as strong as an Animal Companion, as per the feat.  At level 15 then, you've got:-Wild Cohort = Druid level 15 (From the feat)-Animal Companion = Druid level 14 (The first Druid one)-Animal Companion = Druid level 14 (The first PrC one)-Animal Companion = Druid level 14 (The second PrC one)-Dragon = ECL 13 (From the feat)-Animal Companion = Druid level 5 (The third PrC one)-Animal Companion = Druid level 4 (The Ranger one)-Animal Companion = Druid Level 2 (The fourth PrC one)Levels 16-20 taken as Druid would advance the original Animal Companion and all the PrC ones.  The Wild Cohort will progress by character level.  Natural Bond feat at level 18 could bump one of the weaker Animal Companions up 3 Druid levels. lets apply it to PrC companion number 3.At level 20, you've got:-Wild Cohort = Druid level 20 (From the feat)-Animal Companion = Druid level 19 (The first Druid one)-Animal Companion = Druid level 19 (The first PrC one)-Animal Companion = Druid level 19 (The second PrC one)-Dragon = ECL 17 (From the feat)-Animal Companion = Druid level 13 (The third PrC one)-Animal Companion = Druid Level 7 (The fourth PrC one)-Animal Companion = Druid level 4 (The Ranger one)This build is pretty simple and accomplishes what I was looking for, but I'm looking for ways to improve upon it.  For example, looking at this now I'd likely ditch the 4 levels of Ranger, it really doesn't get me anything long term.</blockquote>

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