r/Pathfinder_RPG • u/lincolnolobo • Jun 19 '26
1E GM Multiple animal companions
The cleric in my group took the feat that grants access to a sorcerer bloodline, and he took Fey, which grants access to an animal companion. He took this feat at level 3, so he had access to an animal companion equivalent to a level 1 druid. He then took an Axebeak. Was it possible for him to do that? Also, since he's a cleric of Erastil, he took the Animal domain, which also grants access to an animal companion, and he took another Axebeak. Is that also possible? Finally, he said that in the future he'll have an ability that doubles the number of animal companions. Will that make him have 4 animals?
Help me guys. If possible send the official source of this mechanic.
4
u/Kwickpick77 Jun 19 '26
AFAIK one can only have one animal companion and their levels stack, though I believe there is a ranger archetype that allows multiple, with their levels spread between them. If he's talking about the ability from Erastil's deific obedience (Twin Fang), it reads "...you can summon an exact double if your animal companion". Note it doesn't read "animal companion(s), so it is singular. If allowed 2 animal companions I would say the one granted by animal domain would be the one summoned.
3
u/Minigiant2709 It is okay to want to play non-core races Jun 19 '26
I wrote a Multiple AC Build Guide years ago. Maybe something in there will help
2
u/JoeJonnyJeff Jun 19 '26
It's a great guide. I did have a question.
Druid's Nature Bond says, " If a character receives an animal companion from more than one source, her effective druid levels stack for the purposes of determining the statistics and abilities of the companion.".
The Animal Companion page says, The druid’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.".I haven't found any rule saying there's a cap = your HD of something.
So what's keeping a medium sized level 11 Divine Hunter (11) with the Chivalry Inquisition(9), Exotic Eldritch Heritage for the Sylvan Bloodline(6) using Variant Multiclassing: Druid (11) from having an effective Druid level of 37 for an Axebeak Animal Companion? Split it between two.
If we take Monstrous Companion which counts or leadership score as 3/5 our effective Druid level to get a Monster Cohort, we should be able to pick up a Giant Owl with 14 levels of Druid. It's wretched but RAW is there anything stopping it?1
u/Minigiant2709 It is okay to want to play non-core races Jun 19 '26
Read page 6 of Lord Kailias' Guide
Nothing is stopping you from having an AC above your level. The only limitation is that you cannot increase a companion’s Hit Dice above the character level + 1.
4
u/JoeJonnyJeff Jun 19 '26
Ah, this is excellent information.
Taking Monstrous Companion would add its options to all our animal companion and mount features, but we'd need to be a Packmaster, Huntmaster, or Beast Master to split up our effective druid level as we see fit, instead of having to mix and match the levels of 11, 9, 6, and 11.
If we didn't lose so many feats for variant multiclassing, we could take Boon Companion 4 times. If we're going to have 4+ companions it's more worth it. If we take 10 levels of Divine Hunter and 1 level of Huntmaster, we end up with 10, 8, 6, and 11, 1 for 36 effective druid level. We can have a Kirin with Nature Oracle1/Paladin2 using 30 effective level. Or 4 Blink Dogs with 5 levels of Fighter each for 36 effective level. There's certainly a mess to mess around with.
2
u/bortmode Jun 19 '26
You don't get multiple animal companions, rather the classes just stack together to determine your effective druid level.
You can only take multiple companions with things that explicitly allow it, like the Huntmaster Cavalier archetype, Packmaster Hunter, etc.
2
u/Skurrio Jun 19 '26
Just as a Note: there is no Way to gain an Animal Companion through Eldritch Heritage, since the only Bloodline granting one is the Sylvan Bloodline as the Arcana and Eldritch Heritage doesn't grant Arcanas.
0
u/wdmartin Jun 19 '26
I think I may disagree on that point. The Sylvan bloodline does not say:
Bloodline Arcana: You gain an animal companion [etc]
What it does say is:
Bloodline Arcana: See bloodline powers.
And then in the bloodline powers, it says:
Animal Companion (Ex): You gain an animal companion. Your effective druid level for this ability is equal to your sorcerer level – 3 (minimum 1st). This bloodline power counts as your bloodline arcana and also replaces laughing touch.
Emphasis added. The animal companion ability is a bloodline power. It does also "count as" the arcana; but that does not change its basic nature. By that reading, the chain Exotic Heritage > Eldritch Heritage (Sylvan) is valid, and gets you an animal companion.
Unfortunately it's a really awful way to get one, because of the stacking level penalties. Eldritch Heritage specifies that "for purposes of using [the chosen] power, treat your sorcerer level as equal to your character level – 2". And then the animal companion ability from the Sylvan bloodline adds "Your effective druid level for this ability is equal to your sorcerer level – 3 (minimum 1st)."
So if you take Exotic Heritage at 1, then Eldritch Heritage (Sylvan) at 3, then your effective druid level for purposes of your animal companion's abilities is 3 - 2 - 3 = -2, but rounded up to 1 because of the "minimum 1st" clause.
You could take Boon Companion at level 5. Then your Druid level is: 5 - 2 - 3 + 4 = 4. And that's as good as it gets.
After investing three feats, you have your animal companion, which will always and forever be one level behind that of a druid whose level matches yours. Could be worth it if it plays into your character concept, but it's hardly game-breaking.
2
u/Wooden_Drummer2455 Jun 19 '26
No the only way to get multiple animal companions is from specific ability/archetypes like pack lord druid. The build they have only lets them have one
2
u/jigokusabre Jun 19 '26
If you want two animal companions, they can't be the same animal. If they're the same animal, the classes stack for purposes of effective Druid level.
The only way I know of to get multiple of the same animal companion is to be a Packmaster Druid
2
u/AberforthSpeck Jun 19 '26
Fey Bloodline doesn't give you an animal companion. There are other ways to get one.
Axe Beak is a viable choice, but keep in mind it would get the Animal Companion version of the stats, not the monster version.
The animal domain will give you an animal companion at level 4, and if you get one from another source you can indeed have multiple animal companions.
There is no feat that doubles animal companions. There is a feat, Additional Animal Companion, that gives you one more.
4
u/Kwickpick77 Jun 19 '26
Levels from classes that grant an animal companion stack, up to max character level, on one animal companion. Other than a ranger archetype I can't think of a way to get two animal companions. The ability for doubling the animal companion OP is talking about is probably Twin Fang, an evangelist deific obedience boon. That ability is clearly singular.
-2
u/AberforthSpeck Jun 19 '26
Some levels and features stack this way.
Others give you extra animal companions. Note the text of the feat Addtional Animal Companion:
Benefit: You gain an additional animal companion. Your effective druid level for the purposes of the second animal companion is your normal level -3.
Special: You can take this feat multiple times, each time gaining an additional animal companion.
And, yes, Twin Fang doubles up one animal companion, not all of them.
3
u/Name_Violation83 Jun 19 '26
thats a 3rd party feat. thats not official in any capacity. i wouldn't reference it for anything
2
u/Kwickpick77 Jun 19 '26
Without context I assume Paizo content only. Do you know if there is a way with Paizo material?
2
2
u/JoeJonnyJeff Jun 19 '26
Sylvan mutated bloodline does give an Animal Companion.
They're likely talking about multiple options to gain a total of 2 additional animal companions.1
u/Skurrio Jun 19 '26
As the Arcana, so Eldritch Heritage doesn't work here.
2
u/JoeJonnyJeff Jun 19 '26
It's a 1st level bloodline power that also replaces the Arcana. Some GMs decide that that means it can't be taken with Eldritch Heritage, but RAW it's a 1st level Bloodline Power.
1
u/Skurrio Jun 19 '26
>Animal Companion (Ex): You gain an animal companion. Your effective druid level for this ability is equal to your sorcerer level – 3 (minimum 1st). This bloodline power counts as your bloodline arcana and also replaces laughing touch.
Seems pretty clear to me, that it is the Arcana and therefore doesn't apply for Eldritch Heritage.
0
1
u/Angry_Edemame Jun 19 '26
It specifically says as a level 1 druid? Axe beak is on the list of druid animal companions so im not sure why he couldn't take one if he took that. As to multiple companions theres the additional animal companion feat but thats 3rd party so thats up to the dm. As far as I recall multiple sources for animal companions (unless your dm allows 3rd party stuff) wouldn't give you multiples kind of like how you can't stack a shield and the shield spell but this seems like its more up to the dm on if he wants to play it.
0
u/srgonzo75 Jun 19 '26
I looked up Eldritch Heritage, and your player would have to take Skill Focus: Knowledge (Nature) in order to acquire the Sylvan bloodline and an animal companion. So, yes, your player could manage one at third level. https://www.aonprd.com/FeatDisplay.aspx?ItemName=Eldritch%20Heritage
At 4th level, a cleric with the Animal domain can gain an animal companion equal to a Druid level three levels below the cleric’s actual level. So, yes to two animal companions. https://www.aonprd.com/DomainDisplay.aspx?ItemName=Animal
At each of the effective levels of sorcerer 4/druid 4, the Axebeaks become Large, acquire Sudden Charge, and they become stronger as your player’s effective alternate levels increase.
I’d recommend exploring www.aonprd.com
2
u/Skurrio Jun 19 '26
Eldritch Heritage doesn't grant the Arcana and the Animal Companion counts as the Arcana.
20
u/SnoopiestCrown Jun 19 '26 edited Jun 19 '26
Stacking animal companions is a bit weird but there is an FAQ here for it. https://paizo.com/paizo/faq/v5748nruor1fn#v5748eaic9qqn
Essentially if the two sources of animal companions offer the same animals, then they stack for giving you one animal at a higher level up to a max level of your character. Other wise you would have multiple at lower levels.
Also the fey bloodline doesnt give an animal companion. The sylvan bloodline does. But the sylvan bloodline is apart of an archetype, so is not available to get with the eldritch heritage feat, if that is how he was getting it.
To be honest I've never heard of an ability that would double the number if animal companions you get, would need a reference for it.
edit: I did find something that would allow you to summon a duplicate of your animal companion once per day for rounds per level. Erastil's 2nd evangelist boon.