The ranger's animal companion

[Thanee]

Instead of using half the ranger level as effective druid level, use ranger level minus three to figure out how powerful the animal companion is.

Does anyone see any problems with this?

Bye
Thanee

 

[Nonlethal Force]

Not major problem - after all, the animal companion is just a companion and not a major character in itself. Of course, you woul have to realize that every level above 6th the ranger would be slightly more out of balance on the stronger side. But I don't know that it would be a horrible out of balance situation.

If you wanted to provide a more in-balance ranger, what about stripping the ranger of their spellcasting (something many rangers don't use all that much anyway). Thus, a ranger could choose between a stronger animal companion or spellcasting. The in-game justification could be that the ranger has enough time to devote to training his animal companion more rigorously than normal -OR- magic, but not enough time for both.

Just a few thoughts.

 

[RuminDange]

Instead of using half the ranger level as effective druid level, use ranger level minus three to figure out how powerful the animal companion is.

Does anyone see any problems with this?

Bye
Thanee

That's what I have done in my campaigns for while now and it has worked out just fine, otherwise it was noted that the animal companions never really were good enough to help the ranger out unlike the companion for a Druid. I also have been stacking Druid and Ranger level -3 for those that multi-class Ranger/Druid for their one companion. Neither method has shown to be unbalancing or problematic.
On a side note, I also have done the same thing with Ranger and Paladin caster levels and it has not shown to be any problem, and the players actually will use spells. This was done to encourage the use of the spells since players tended not to since most didn't last long enough otherwise to be useful, but that may just be my players.

RD

 

[Rhun]

Ranger level - 3 is what I use in my campaign for determining animal companion. It has not proven itself unbalancing. As a matter of fact, it seems to be the only way to give the ranger a useful companion that doesn't get slaughtered the first time it enters battle.

 

[atom crash]

Instead of using half the ranger level as effective druid level, use ranger level minus three to figure out how powerful the animal companion is.

I've recently decided to use this option for the ranger in my game. She's looking forward to using her animal companion now rather than worrying about him getting killed. Since that first encounter -- when he was nearly killed by two arrows -- he hasn't seen any combat.

 

[Drowbane]

Consider this House Rule yoinked!

 

[genshou]

Consider this House Rule yoinked!

Indeed! I'm back here in 3rd Edition Wonderland, where everyone considers rangers "front-loaded but underpowered overall." How dare they! Perhaps this will change their minds.

Thanks, Thanee!