druids and dire animals

[eXodus]

i read the spell description regarding animal friendship and i was wondering if a 6th level druid could get a 12 hitdie dire bear as a companion. it does say that a druid can have twice his hit die in animals. is that just regular animals? do dire count? does the standard animal companion count against this total?

 

[AGGEMAM]

First, a adventuring druid can only maintain up to his level of animal HD with him.

Second, a dire or legendary animal is an animal, just as much as a dog or horse is.

 

[FANGO]

I would say yes, especially considering that if you do the math and apply advanced HD to regular animals, you almost always come out with something very close to the dire version of that animal (it works with wolves....a 6HD wolf would be almost the same as a 6HD dire wolf, if you include the modifications for size increase). They're also of type animal, so it's pretty much covered in the rules (i think the limitation of not being able to change into dire animals was put into the wild shape ability because polymorph self did not have the HD limit yet, and they needed an easy way to keep people from turning into dire tigers at 5th level...in all other regards the rules will treat dire animals and animals the same (type-wise), the wild shape thing is just an exception and is probably wha creates confusion about druids being able to have dire companions).

However, I should also point out that in masters of the wild they sort of changed the rule for animal friendship, and I believe that adventuring druids are only supposed to be able to have their HD in animal companions that adventure with them, and the rest just stay at "home". I personally don't like this rule too much and my group hasn't put it into play yet, but your game may differ from this.

Edit:
Doh, darn simultaneous posts...oh well.

And as a side note...it's spelled "Dalai Lama", and that guy kicks ass ;-)

 

[AGGEMAM]

Fango, it wasn't a change in the rules in MotW, it is merely a pointing out that the rules (in the DMG) say so. See the DMG, page 46.

And the entry for dire animal in the MM clearly says 'animal'.

 

[Jack Haggerty]

First, a adventuring druid can only maintain up to his level of animal HD with him.

Eh? How do you figure that?

From the SRD:

Animal Companion: A 1st-level druid may begin play with an animal companion. This animal is one that the druid has befriended with
the spell animal friendship.

Also from the SRD:

Animal Friendship

Enchantment (Charm) [Mind-Affecting]
Level: Drd 1, Rgr 1
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: One animal
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes

The character wins the loyalty of an animal, provided that the character's heart is true. The spell functions only if the character
actually wishes to be the animal's friend. If the character is not willing to treat the animal as a friend (for example, the character
intends to eat it, or to use it to set off traps), the spell fails. An animal's loyalty, once gained, is natural (not magical) and lasting.

The character can teach the befriended animal three specific tricks or tasks for each point of Intelligence it possesses. Typical tasks
are coming when called, rolling over on command, fetching, or shaking hands. They cannot be complex (complex tricks, such as
accepting a rider, require the Handle Animal skill).

At any one time, the character can have only a certain number of animals befriended to the character. The character can have animal
friends whose Hit Dice total no more than twice the character's caster level. The character may dismiss animal friends to enable the
character to befriend new ones.

You can have Animal Companions of a total HD up to twice your level. You can have more than one Animal Companion (imagine a couple dozen tiny vipers following you around). And Dire Animals are fair game, since they are classified as Animals, and not Beasts or something else.

 

[AGGEMAM]

Eh? How do you figure that?

Check the DMG, page 46.

 

[Jack Haggerty]

Check the DMG, page 46.

Yeah... They stuck it in a corner of the SRD too. I'm at work, so I don't have my DMG right now.

From the SRD:

While the spell allows a character to have animals whose Hit Dice total double the character's caster level, that maximum assumes
optimal conditions. The typical adventurer should be able to maintain animal companions whose Hit Dice total half the maximum (caster level for a druid, half of caster level for a ranger). If the character spends most of her time in the animals' home territory and treats them well, she can approach and even achieve her maximum Hit Dice. If she spends most of her time at sea, in cities, or otherwise in places that the animals don't like, her animals desert, and she will not be able to retain even half her maximum. Remember, these creatures are loyal friends but not pets or servants. They won't remain loyal if being the character's friend becomes too onerous.

Though it seems a little silly to me. Why bother with the "class ability" at all? It's based on a spell. Why not just alter the spell so that's it 1 HD/level instead of 2?

 

[AGGEMAM]

Though it seems a little silly to me. Why bother with the "class ability" at all? It's based on a spell. Why not just alter the spell so that's it 1 HD/level instead of 2?

Too give NPCs druids an advantage, for one. And it is only logical, actually.

 

[Jack Haggerty]

Too give NPCs druids an advantage, for one. And it is only logical, actually.

Why give NPC druids an advantage?

Is it really that logical? I completely understand the idea behind animal companions being uncomfortable and even leaving in unfamiliar environments, but why should that limit the spell?

 

[Uller]

The number of HD worth of Animal companions a Druid can have is really a DM call. If the party spends lots of time in town or out of the animal's normal habitat, then it is only half. If the party spends most of its time in the animal's home range with only occasional dungeon/town forays, then the druid can have the max HD in animals. Everything in between is a grey area.

I always allowed Druids to take advantage of the fact that you can leave the animals for up to a week at a time and they will remain companions. When the druid has to go into town, he can leave his animals that might be uncomfortable in town(and will likely make the towns people unhappy) in the surrounding country side and visit them every few days to keep them loyal. The only problem is that there is a chance that local farmers and woodsmen might get upset with particularly large predators scarfing down livestock and wild game and might try to hunt the animal down or drive it off.