Best class with the animal companion

[I hecking love science!]

I've been trying to come up with a fun build for my first serious playthrough. I always liked RPG classes with animal companions, and as a fan of dinosaurs I was pleasantly surprised when I found out that they are in the game. I've decided to build my character around the triceratops, but I'm not sure which class is the best for that. I've been thinking about the Beast Rider, but I'd still have wait until level 7 in order to ride my trike. Is it the best possible option?

[The Hat]

Good choice!

If you are going lich

Dhampir, Sylvian sorcerer because the spellbooks merge (apparently). Gebian Necromancer background, Deathtouched Pet type, Mythic Pet levels. Boon Companion. Triceratops tanks better than the boar. It will completely block movement forcing enemies to attack it. Its size when its in position is usually great, sometimes it sucks because its out of position and can't reach the enemy or very rarely it'll shield someone who needs to die fast. Overall though of the pets i've tried i'd not swap it.

If you are not going lich

I like the sacred huntsmaster and bulwark triceratops is also great, with a nomad background for the +3 HP. At the start that's helpful. The scared huntsmaster I made was a dual wielding medium armor dex fighter, healer, secondary tank with a animal companion main tank. I might make them a shield user if I did it for a full playthrough, as there are not many tanky companions.

Currently though I am tanking with 2 pets, triceratops and boar. Its working out fine. As long as most of the rest of the party are ranged or casters, because they block everything.

[Brainsaw]

FYI, you can ride animal companions that are at least 1 size bigger than you are. Therefor, if you're small (e.g. halfling) you can ride medium animal companions from the get go.

Another handy bit of info: you can combine classes that have an animal companion (don't forget about lvl 5 paladin's Divine Bond, which is basically the same but not listed in the feat progression table for some reason). For one, this allows you to bypass animal restrictions of classes. For example: a Paladin can only get a horse at lvl 5, but if you already took a triceratops as a lvl 1 Divine Hunter (or whatever other class), you simply bond with that animal instead. The result: a lvl 5 paladin that can ride a triceratops instead of a horse :) You also don't lose out of any lvls this way: by continueing the existing companion, levels from both classes are added together to determine max animal lvl.

Also keep in mind that AC is pretty damn important for your animal mount to survive (as is mobility on your own character), but that barding (animal armor) has a pretty important drawback: it limits the max AC you get from dex. In fact, the best way to stack AC, is by stacking dex, so medium & heavy barding isn't all that useful (in fact, it's probably a bad idea). You may also give your mount 1 point in int (to get 3 int) to unlock some nice feats.

[[Heretic]Rivga]

Originally posted by Yeast Chan:

I've been trying to come up with a fun build for my first serious playthrough. I always liked RPG classes with animal companions, and as a fan of dinosaurs I was pleasantly surprised when I found out that they are in the game. I've decided to build my character around the triceratops, but I'm not sure which class is the best for that. I've been thinking about the Beast Rider, but I'd still have wait until level 7 in order to ride my trike. Is it the best possible option?

Sacred huntsman sub of inquisitors, or Cav.
The key is team work feats that the animal gets too. Instantly 2 people with the teamwork feats.

Remember the animal levels up but only with the classes that have an animal companions. So 7 levels of Brast rider and 13 of fighter will leave your animal at level 7, the feat Boon companion can offset 4 levels of this, but it would still level the animal at level 11.

[Bastion]

Hunter (when its not bugged) hands down best pet class, they get more with thier pet than any other class, you can also take the undead pet if you want to go lich. Hunter grants your pet all your teamwork feats as well as having its own and couple with outflank or precise shot for free at 3rd level you can really use your pet and hunter to control the battle field. Later if you also so choose you can mount up. Also hunter has one of the most versatile spells lists around as it has both druid and ranger spells, want to melee, sure thing lead blades and barkskin, want to ranged? gravity bow and aspect of the eagle.