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Archives of Nethys

Archives of Nethys

Pathfinder RPG (1st Edition) Pathfinder RPG (2nd Edition) Starfinder RPG

Rules Index | GM Screen | Player's Guide
Player Core / Chapter 3: Classes / Companions / Animal Companions

Companion Advancement

Source Player Core pg. 211 2.0
You can advance an animal companion, usually due to one of your class feat choices. Normally, you can advance a young animal companion to a mature animal companion, advance a mature companion to either a nimble or savage companion, and advance a nimble or savage companion into a specialized companion.

Mature Animal Companions

Source Player Core pg. 211 2.0
When you advance a young animal companion to a mature animal companion:
  • If your companion is Medium or smaller, it grows by one size.
  • Increase its Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, and Wisdom modifiers by 1.
  • Increase its proficiency rank for Perception and all saving throws to expert. Increase its proficiency ranks in Intimidation, Stealth, and Survival to trained, and if it was already trained in one of those skills from its type, increase its proficiency rank in that skill to expert.
  • Increase its unarmed attack damage from one die to two dice (for instance 1d8 to 2d8)

Nimble Animal Companions

Source Player Core pg. 211 2.0
To advance a mature animal companion to a nimble animal companion:
  • Increase its Dexterity modifier by 2 and its Strength, Constitution, and Wisdom modifiers by 1.
  • Increase its proficiency ranks in Acrobatics to expert.
  • It deals 2 additional damage with its unarmed attacks. Its attacks become magical for the purpose of ignoring resistances.
  • It learns the advanced maneuver for its type.

Savage Animal Companions

Source Player Core pg. 211 2.0
To advance a mature animal companion to a savage animal companion:
  • If your companion is Medium or smaller, it grows by one size.
  • Increase its Strength modifier by 2 and its Dexterity, Constitution, and Wisdom modifiers by 1.
  • Increase its proficiency rank in Athletics to expert.
  • It deals 3 additional damage with its unarmed attacks. Its attacks become magical for the purpose of ignoring resistances.
  • It learns the advanced maneuver for its type.

Specialized Animal Companions

Source Player Core pg. 211 2.0
Specialized animal companions are more intelligent and engage in more complex behaviors. Most animal companions can have only one specialization. The first time an animal gains a specialization, it also gains the following.
  • Its proficiency rank for unarmed attacks increases to expert.
  • Its proficiency ranks for saving throws and Perception increase to master.
  • Increase its Dexterity modifier by 1 and its Intelligence modifier by 2.
  • Its unarmed attack damage increases from two dice to three dice, and it increases its additional damage with unarmed attacks from 2 to 4 or from 3 to 6.
  • The extra benefit of the specialization listed below.

Ambusher: In your companion's natural environment, it can use a Sneak action even if it's currently observed. Its proficiency rank in Stealth increases to expert (or master if it was already an expert from its type), and its Dexterity modifier increases by 1. Its proficiency rank for unarmored defense increases to expert.

Bully: Your companion terrorizes foes with dominance displays and pushes them around the battlefield. Its proficiency ranks for Athletics and Intimidation increase to expert (or master if it was already expert from its type), its Strength modifier increases by 1, and its Charisma modifier increases by 3.

Daredevil: Your companion joins the fray with graceful leaps and dives. It gains the deny advantage ability, so it isn't off-guard to hidden, undetected, or flanking creatures unless such a creature's level is greater than yours. Its proficiency rank in Acrobatics increases to master, and its Dexterity modifier increases by 1. Its proficiency rank in unarmored defense increases to expert.

Racer: Your companion races. It gains a +10-foot status bonus to its Speed, swim Speed, or fly Speed (your choice). Its proficiency in Fortitude saves increases to legendary, and its Constitution modifier increases by 1.

Tracker: Your companion is an incredible tracker. It can move at full Speed while following tracks. Its proficiency rank in Survival increases to expert (or master if it was already an expert from its type), and its Wisdom modifier increases by 1.

Wrecker: Your companion smashes things. Its unarmed attacks ignore half an object's Hardness. Its Athletics proficiency increases to master, and its Strength modifier increases by 1.