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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Celebrim" data-source="post: 7423348" data-attributes="member: 4937">Pets are just that, pets.  They have no magical or special connection to the player character, and they do not improve as a result of the character increasing levels.  As I run them, animal companions will basically understand any instruction that their human companion gives them, and will act on those instructions to the best of their ability without lengthy training.  Pets only understand what they are trained to understand, and they will otherwise act as normal animals of their intelligence.Generally speaking, I allow players to run animal companions as if they were an extension of the PC's will and will only rarely animate them as if they were an NPC and only for the purpose of reinforcing the character and report of the companion with the PC.  Whereas, I will run a pet, henchman, retainer or other follower acquired through role-play as an NPC all the time pretty much as I see fit for whatever feels like the appropriate way to play the NPC.  It may be a loyal NPC and the player may be able to reliably issue it orders, but it will still be basically under the DM's control and considered part of the DM's prevue. I will happily allow pets to be converted to animal companions when the rules allow the PC to have an animal companion for the purpose of campaign and character continuity.  I will not of course force that on a player, but if that is the player's preference then by all means I'd go along with it.</blockquote>

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