Animal Companions

[Cr7pt0r]

I'm kind of disappointed that the only archtypes/classes that can get animal companions are:

- Barbarian (Mad Dog)
- Bloodrager (Bloodrider)
- Cavalier (All subclasses except Disciple of the Pike)
- Druid (All subclasses except Blight Druid and Elemental Rampager)
- Hunter (All subclasses except Forester)
- Inquisitor (Sacred Huntmaster)
- Magus (Arcane Rider)
- Monk (Sohei)
- Paladin (All subclasses except Divine Hunter and Divine Scion)
- Ranger (Base version, Demonslayer, and Nomad)
- Shaman (Wildland Shaman)
- Sorcerer (Sylvan Sorcerer)

I'm far in the game as a Sorcerer/Human and didn't know about this awesome option (including mounting your animal companions) until now...

I don't understand why animal companions are not universally available in the game and just restricted to some builds. bummer...

[ExavierMacbeth]

The reason they arn't is because animal companions are quite a bit more powerful than your average pet & not just for riding... For example my lvl 8 wolf has 30 AC, 96 HP, 30 strength, and a very very mean bite (that it can use while I am riding it & taking my normal attacks). Its actually more durable than my groups paladin most of the time.

The classes were all balanced based on different sets of primary & secondary abilities. Animal Companions are usually cost a penalty somewhere else to offset the power they have.

[Cutlass Jack]

You're disappointed that there's a huge list of classes that get them?

But If you go the Azata mythic path, you can get a dragon companion on any class.

[phadin]

Animal companions are a major feature for Druid, Ranger, and Hunter. For other classes, it costs other abilities to get the archetypes because they are so powerful. There were less in kingmaker because animals were not ridable. That meant no cavalier, or paladin mounts, or other classes that keyed on 'riding' companions. Hunter was also a new class in this game.


There are two other ways to get animal companions, in addition to the Azata mythic path.

Cleric - Animal Domain. (or any other class that can pick a domain to get domain abilities.)
Shaman - Nature Spirit (though they don't get it until level 16)

[thrythlind]

Animal Companions are a class feature. On the tabletop, anybody can buy a horse or make a deal with a warg or pegasus, but they will only have the standard stats of that creature.

Animal Companion means your companion levels up with you. I don't think they've implemented a way for you to get a horse or other animal without being one of the classes, which is a downside of doing a computer variation of a ttrpg.

[jlawleraz]

Different perspectives for sure. To me, it is a giant list that has access to an animal companion. Nature Oracles get one, too. And as mentioned, Azatas can get one so everyone can get that one no matter their base class. And that one lets players keep their previous animal companion if they had one, too.

[DragynDance]

There's a hidden item in the game called "Jade Statuette", you get it fairly early (I think chapter 2?) that gives the equipped character a semi permanent (if it dies you have to wait a day to get it back) animal companion triceratops, at an effective druid level of the characters level -4. It's still very strong, and you can ride it. As any class.

[Cr7pt0r]

Originally posted by DragynDance:

There's a hidden item in the game called "Jade Statuette", you get it fairly early (I think chapter 2?) that gives the equipped character a semi permanent (if it dies you have to wait a day to get it back) animal companion triceratops, at an effective druid level of the characters level -4. It's still very strong, and you can ride it. As any class.

Cool thanks for letting me know! Appreciate your reply. I gave you some steam points for it.

[Mauman]

I annoys me that Nature Oracles can only get the dog or horse. I mean, that's more or less how it is in the tabletop, but it's still annoying.

[Enemyz]

Just multiclass so you get a one....?

[thrythlind]

Originally posted by DragynDance:

There's a hidden item in the game called "Jade Statuette", you get it fairly early (I think chapter 2?) that gives the equipped character a semi permanent (if it dies you have to wait a day to get it back) animal companion triceratops, at an effective druid level of the characters level -4. It's still very strong, and you can ride it. As any class.

Oh, a figurine of wondrous power, huh... interesting.

[Mauman]

Originally posted by Enemyz:

Just multiclass so you get a one....?

Yeah, I know of that bug/feature....but I hate delaying spellcasting :P

[Hightower]

Originally posted by DragynDance:

There's a hidden item in the game called "Jade Statuette", you get it fairly early (I think chapter 2?) that gives the equipped character a semi permanent (if it dies you have to wait a day to get it back) animal companion triceratops, at an effective druid level of the characters level -4. It's still very strong, and you can ride it. As any class.

Its called Triceratop Statuette. During the siege of Drezen you kan find it inside the temple on the second floor, near some tempelar supplies.

[Kalec]

There is a mod called Tabletop Tweaks which adds a lot of feats, fixes things, adds new classes and all customizable if you don't like a fix. Among the added feats are Nature Soul and Animal Friend which can give anyone animal companions

[Kalamir]

Er, there are a few more classes whit Animal Companion. Cleric & Inquisitor (using animal Domain). Oracle using Nature Mystery (Dog or Horse only)

[Mindeveler]

Originally posted by phadin:

because they are so powerful. There were less in kingmaker

Even MORE powerful?
I thought they'd nerf them given that animal companions were one of the strongest feats in Kingmaker, surpassed only by truly OP stuff like Deadly Earth.
...then again... do they get anything like mythic levels in WotR to stay on par with stronger humanoids and enemies?

Originally posted by phadin:

I'm far in the game as a Sorcerer/Human and didn't know about this awesome option (including mounting your animal companions) until now...

Well, this game has plenty of cool feats, so if you don't spend several hours carefully examining all classes and reading internet guides, don't be surprised that you'll keep finding out that these cool feats exist when it's too late.

The fact that animal companions are limited to only several classes (and even that list is still very long) is perfectly justified by how strong they are. It's part of the balance, as simple as that.
Those classes gain animal companions but usually lose in other areas to compensate for that.