Animal companion

From PathfinderWiki
The advantage of animal companions.
See also: Construct companion, drake companion, eidolon, familiar, and spirit animal

An animal companion is an animal chosen by a druid, hunter, or a ranger as an adventuring aide. The nature of the bond between the individual and their animal companion is particularly strong and loyal. The nature of the bond advances the capabilities of the animal as the druid, hunter, or ranger gain experience over time, even resulting in the companion growing in size considerably. A ranger's bond to an animal companion is not quite as strong as that of a druid's, such that only more experienced rangers are able to bond to an animal companion and a ranger's choice of animal companion is more limited than a druid's. Hunter or ranger-appropriate animal companions are marked by a superscript H or R, respectively, in the list below.1234

Types of animal companion used on Golarion

Gunner and Denna, his she-wolf companion.
Adowyn, the hunter, also has a wolf companion: Leryn.

The following animals are bonded by druids and rangers on Golarion.567891011

Other classes

In addition to rangers and druids, other classes can also bond to animal companions, including paladins and cavaliers. For these classes, the animal companion is often used solely as a mount. Suitable animals for these classes are marked in the list above with a superscript C for cavalier and a superscript P for paladin.4 Some oracles can also take an animal companion.32

Other animal companions

A sea crawler, an Azlanti animal companion.

Elemental companions

Sometimes, an animal companion is infused with raw elemental power—air, earth, fire, or water—that manifests in an element-appropriate fashion, such as the power of flight for an air-infused companion; toughened skin for earth-infused; flaming attacks for fire-infused; and the ability to thrive under water for water-infused companions.33

Plant companions

Fungal pilgrim druids are specialised in their care for nature by seeking to become more plant-like, eventually transforming into a fungal form. Their animal companion eventually becomes a fungal creature.34

Urdefhan animal companions

Urdefhans train, kill, and then raise as undead skaveling animal companions.3536

Vampiric animal companions

Some vampires and dhampirs can call a vampiric animal companion.37

Verminous companions

Some druids choose to bond to a companion classified as vermin. Known vermin companions include: giant ants; giant beetles; giant centipedes; giant crabs; giant leeches; giant mantises; giant scorpions; giant slugs; giant spiders; and giant wasps.38

Cavaliers native or travelling frequently in the Darklands may find the usually available animal mounts unsuitable and vermin tamer cavaliers have learnt to train Darklands creatures to perform as their mounts, such as giant beetles,C giant centipedes,C giant geckos,C giant slugs,C or giant spiders,C all better suited to the terrain.39

Alien animal companions

Numeria

In Numeria, some animals from the planet Kasath are found and can be taken as animal companions, including pilos and soricos.40

Castrovel

Maraxes are a large predator on their home-world of Castrovel and may be taken by lashunta as animal companions; some are also found on Golarion, in Numeria and southern Garund.41

Triaxus

On Triaxus, the seventh planet in Golarion's Solar system, wollipeds are trained as mounts and animal companions.42

Named animal companions

Taldara Meirlanel and Mordimor, her animal companion.
Lini and Droogami, her animal companion.

The following are known animal companions of particular people on Golarion:

Name Type Associated person
Biter Badger Harsk
Denna Wolf Gunner
Droogami Snow leopard Lini
Fallow Grain Horse Ling Yayao
Feargus Wolf Damon Vancaskerkin
Kij, Rej & Yarkus Hawks Birdfood
Leryn Wolf Adowyn
Mordimor Badger Taldara Meirlanel
Ruanni Cougar Jang
Steelbristles Boar Torgra Stigardsdam
T'kamo Black bear Linnorm King Nankou

References

For additional as-yet unincorporated sources about this subject, see the Meta page.

  1. Jason Bulmahn, et al. “Chapter 3: Classes” in Core Rulebook, 53–54. Paizo Inc., 2009
  2. Jason Bulmahn, et al. “Chapter 3: Classes” in Core Rulebook, 66. Paizo Inc., 2009
  3. Jason Bulmahn, et al. “Chapter 1: Classes” in Advanced Class Guide, 26–27. Paizo Inc., 2015
  4. 4.0 4.1 Mikhail Rekun. “Wild Companions” in Wilderness Origins, 23. Paizo Inc., 2019
  5. 5.00 5.01 5.02 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.06 5.07 5.08 5.09 5.10 5.11 5.12 5.13 5.14 5.15 5.16 5.17 5.18 5.19 5.20 5.21 5.22 5.23 5.24 5.25 Jason Bulmahn, et al. Core Rulebook. Paizo Inc., 2009
  6. 6.00 6.01 6.02 6.03 6.04 6.05 6.06 6.07 6.08 6.09 6.10 6.11 6.12 6.13 6.14 6.15 6.16 6.17 6.18 6.19 6.20 6.21 6.22 6.23 6.24 6.25 6.26 6.27 Paizo Inc., et al. Bestiary. Paizo Inc., 2009
  7. 7.00 7.01 7.02 7.03 7.04 7.05 7.06 7.07 7.08 7.09 7.10 7.11 7.12 7.13 7.14 7.15 7.16 Paizo Inc., et al. Bestiary 2. Paizo Inc., 2010
  8. 8.00 8.01 8.02 8.03 8.04 8.05 8.06 8.07 8.08 8.09 8.10 8.11 8.12 8.13 8.14 8.15 8.16 Paizo Inc., et al. Bestiary 3. Paizo Inc., 2011
  9. 9.00 9.01 9.02 9.03 9.04 9.05 9.06 9.07 9.08 9.09 9.10 9.11 Paizo Inc., et al. Bestiary 4. Paizo Inc., 2013
  10. 10.00 10.01 10.02 10.03 10.04 10.05 10.06 10.07 10.08 10.09 10.10 10.11 10.12 10.13 10.14 10.15 10.16 10.17 Jason Bulmahn, et al. Bestiary 5, 312–313. Paizo Inc., 2015
  11. 11.00 11.01 11.02 11.03 11.04 11.05 11.06 11.07 11.08 11.09 11.10 11.11 11.12 Paizo Inc., et al. “Appendix 7: Animal Companions” in Bestiary 6, 311–312. Paizo Inc., 2017
  12. 12.0 12.1 Jason Bulmahn & F. Wesley Schneider. Bonus Bestiary. Paizo Inc., 2009
  13. 13.0 13.1 13.2 Tyler Beck, et al. “Bestiary” in Battle of Bloodmarch Hill, 82–83. Paizo Inc., 2015
  14. 14.0 14.1 14.2 Jim Groves, et al. “Bestiary” in The Lost Outpost, 83–84. Paizo Inc., 2017
  15. 15.0 15.1 15.2 Crystal Frasier, et al. “Bestiary” in In Hell's Bright Shadow, 82–83. Paizo Inc., 2015
  16. Alex Greenshields, et al. “Bestiary” in Osirion, Legacy of Pharaohs, 55. Paizo Inc., 2014
  17. 17.0 17.1 Steve Kenson, et al. “Orc Traits” in Orcs of Golarion, 22. Paizo Inc., 2010
  18. 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 18.4 James Jacobs, et al. Kingmaker Player's Guide, 7. Paizo Inc., 2010
  19. Paris Crenshaw, et al. “Bestiary” in Siege of Stone, 82. Paizo Inc., 2017
  20. Jeff Quick. Figurines of Wondrous Power” in Classic Treasures Revisited, 25. Paizo Inc., 2010
  21. Dennis Baker, et al. Orcs” in Monster Codex, 172. Paizo Inc., 2014
  22. 22.0 22.1 22.2 22.3 Amanda Hamon, et al. “New Animal Companions” in Animal Archive, 28–29. Paizo Inc., 2013
  23. Crystal Frasier, et al. “Bestiary” in Trail of the Hunted, 82. Paizo Inc., 2017
  24. Dennis Baker, et al. Hobgoblins” in Monster Codex, 124. Paizo Inc., 2014
  25. Paris Crenshaw, et al. “Bestiary” in Siege of Stone, 82–83. Paizo Inc., 2017
  26. 26.0 26.1 26.2 Tyler Beck, et al. “Bestiary” in Battle of Bloodmarch Hill, 86–87. Paizo Inc., 2015
  27. 27.0 27.1 27.2 James Jacobs & F. Wesley Schneider. “Bestiary” in Souls for Smuggler's Shiv, 83. Paizo Inc., 2010
  28. Dennis Baker, et al. Ratfolk” in Monster Codex, 177. Paizo Inc., 2014
  29. 29.0 29.1 Dennis Baker, et al. Kobolds” in Monster Codex, 128. Paizo Inc., 2014
  30. Crystal Frasier, et al. “Bestiary” in Trail of the Hunted, 83. Paizo Inc., 2017
  31. Neil Spicer & James Wilber. “Bestiary” in The Snows of Summer, 83. Paizo Inc., 2013
  32. Tim Akers, et al. “The Moon” in Blood of the Moon, 29. Paizo Inc., 2013
  33. James Case, et al. “Planar Allies” in Plane-Hopper's Handbook, 26. Paizo Inc., 2018
  34. Robert Brookes, et al. Sekamina” in Heroes of the Darklands, 16–17. Paizo Inc., 2017
  35. John Compton, et al. Urdefhan” in Inner Sea Monster Codex, 59. Paizo Inc., 2015
  36. John Compton, et al. Urdefhan” in Inner Sea Monster Codex, 61. Paizo Inc., 2015
  37. Tork Shaw. “Feats” in Blood of the Night, 28. Paizo Inc., 2012
  38. Jason Bulmahn, et al. “Chapter 1: Spellcasters” in Ultimate Magic, 36–37. Paizo Inc., 2011
  39. Robert Brookes, et al. Sekamina” in Heroes of the Darklands, 17. Paizo Inc., 2017
  40. Mark Garringer, et al. “Bestiary” in Fires of Creation, 82–83. Paizo Inc., 2014
  41. Adam Daigle, et al. “Bestiary” in The Divinity Drive, 86–87. Paizo Inc., 2015
  42. Jason Nelson & Sean K Reynolds. “Bestiary” in The Frozen Stars, 91. Paizo Inc., 2013