Animal Companion

An animal companion’s abilities are determined by the Hero’s level and its animal racial traits. Animal Choices shows many of the base statistics of the animal companion. They remain creatures of the animal type for purposes of determining which spells can affect them.

**Class Level**

The character’s Hero level. The Hero’s class levels stack with levels of any other classes that are entitled to an animal companion for the purpose of determining the companion’s statistics.

**HD**

This is the total number of eight-sided (d8) Hit Dice the animal companion possesses, each of which gains a Constitution modifier, as normal.

Animal companions receive average hit points per hit die. For d8, the average is 4.5. Multiply 4.5 times the number of hit dice your animal companion has and round down. Recalculate hit points for your companion each time it gains additional hit dice. After its hit points are calculated, add in appropriate bonuses from its Constitution modifier, feats, and so on.

**BAB**

This is the animal companion’s base attack bonus. An animal companion’s base attack bonus is the same as that of a Hero of a level equal to the animal’s HD. Animal companions do not gain additional attacks using their natural weapons for a high base attack bonus.

**Fort/Ref/Will**

These are the animal companion’s base saving throw bonuses. An animal companion has good Fortitude and Reflex saves.

**Skills**

This lists the animal’s total skill ranks. Animal companions can assign skill ranks to any skill listed below. If an animal companion increases its Intelligence to 10 or higher, it gains bonus skill ranks as normal. Animal companions with an Intelligence of 3 or higher can purchase ranks in any skill. An animal companion cannot have more ranks in a skill than it has Hit Dice.

Animal companions can have ranks in any of the following skills:

Acrobatics\* (Dex), Climb\* (Str), Escape Artist (Dex), Fly\* (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Perception\* (Wis), Stealth\* (Dex), Survival (Wis), and Swim\* (Str).

All of the skills marked with an (\*) are class skills for animal companions. Animal companions with an Intelligence of 3 or higher can put ranks into any skill.

**Feats**

This is the total number of feats possessed by an animal companion. Animal companions should select their feats from those listed under Animal Feats. Animal companions can select other feats, although they are unable to utilize some feats (such as Martial Weapon Proficiency). Note that animal companions cannot select a feat with a requirement of base attack bonus +1 until they gain their second feat at 3 Hit Dice.

Animal companions can select from the following feats:

Acrobatic, Agile Maneuvers, Armor Proficiency (light, medium, and heavy), Athletic, Blind-Fight, Combat Reflexes, Diehard, Dodge, Endurance, Great Fortitude, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Initiative, Improved Natural Armor, Improved Natural Attack, Improved Overrun, Intimidating Prowess, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Mobility, Power Attack, Run, Skill Focus, Spring Attack, Stealthy, Toughness, Weapon Finesse, and Weapon Focus.

Animal companions with an Intelligence of 3 or higher can select any feat they are physically capable of using. GMs might expand this list to include feats from other sources.

**Natural Armor Bonus**

The number noted here is an improvement to the animal companion’s existing natural armor bonus.

**Str/Dex Bonus**

Add this value to the animal companion’s Strength and Dexterity scores.

**Bonus Tricks**

The value given in this column is the total number of “bonus” tricks that the animal knows in addition to any that the Hero might choose to teach it (see the Handle Animal skill). These bonus tricks don’t require any training time or Handle Animal checks, and they don’t count against the normal limit of tricks known by the animal. The Hero selects these bonus tricks, and once selected, they can’t be changed.

**Link (Ex)**

A Hero can handle her animal companion as a free action, or push it as a move action, even if she doesn’t have any ranks in the Handle Animal skill. The Hero gains a +4 circumstance bonus on all Handle Animal checks made regarding an animal companion.

**Evasion (Ex)**

If an animal companion is subjected to an attack that normally allows a Reflex saving throw for half damage, it takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw.

**Devotion**

An animal companion gains a +4 morale bonus on Will saves.

**Ability Score Increase (Ex)**

The animal companion adds +1 to any one of its ability scores.

**Multiattack**

An animal companion gains Multiattack as a bonus feat if it has three or more natural attacks and does not already have that feat. If it does not have the requisite three or more natural attacks, the animal companion instead gains a second attack with its primary natural weapon, albeit at a –5 penalty.

**Improved Evasion (Ex)**

When subjected to an attack that normally allows a Reflex saving throw for half damage, an animal companion takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw and only half damage if the saving throw fails.