Ranger + Natural Bond (CAdv.)

[TCArknight]

Howdy folks!

Was thinking about something and wondered what the general consensus might be.

The Natural Bond feat (from Complete Adventurer) treats your Druid level for purposes of Animal companions and their benefits from the level as if it were 3 higher (But not higher than your Total Character level.)

Now, for a simple Druid/whatever character it's relatively simple. Three of the other classes levels count as Druid levels for the Animal Companion. Now, here comes the question.

Suppose I have a Ranger of 4th level where he gains an Animal Companion. At that point, he's considered a 2nd level druid for the Companion. Now, he has the Natural Bond feat. He's now considered a 4th level druid for the companion, and could even chooe the slightly more advanced companion.

Is this right? a Ranger with the Natural Bond feat is considered a druid of level 3 + 1/2 his ranger level?

THanks!
Tom

 

[Crothian]

That's how I read it.

 

[shilsen]

I don't have the book, but from your description of the feat, that sounds correct.

 

[boolean]

Natural Bond, Benefit: Add three to your effective druid level for the purpose of determining the bonus Hit Dice, extra tricks (etc.)

The feat doesn't say anything about allowing you to choose the higher level companions, only improving the benefits your companion gets. Sure a Ranger 6 with natural bond can get a 6HD wolf with evasion and devotion, but there's room to argue that he still only counts as a Druid 3 for determining which animals he can select from.

(I used Ranger 6 in my example because a Ranger 4 couldn't take Natural Bond as a feat at all. He didn't have the Animal Companion pre-requisite when he got his last feat slot (3rd).)

 

[Crothian]

by the raws it does seem vague...but I see no reason not to allow the greater animal., the animal for a ranger is usually pretty weak and needs help

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

I agree with boolean's technical reading of the letter of the feat, but I would allow the tougher animal.

 

[LeifVignirsson]

I thought that even though the class was a ranger, everything else would be considered levels from the druid chart for a companion. I would think that the feat should be in the errata if anything with a change to Druid and Ranger level or something along those lines... But I am pretty sure my DM would allow that and he is pretty stringent on the rules himself...

 

[Diirk]

Well when you think about it, a 20th level ranger with this feat would have an effective druid level of 20/2 + 3 = 13. Whereas a ranger with leadership would get a cohort of roughly 17-18th level ? So it helps a bit, but its not exactly overwhelming, or even a must have.

 

[Klaus]

The feat say that it increases your effective druid level, and the ranger's effective druid level equals half his class level. So I'd say that a Rgr6 qith this feat has an effective Drd level of 6 (6/2 + 3). And yes, I'd allow better animals.

And if you want reeeally tough animals, pick an animal companion you can ride and take 3 levels of Wild Plains Outrider (C. Adv.), whose levels stack to your effective druid level. So a Rgr 6/WPO 3 (it's only 3 levels) is character level 9 and has effective druid level 9.

 

[qstor]

I agree with boolean that you couldn't take the feat until 6th level with a ranger.

Mike