Animal Companions

Here are the rules for Animal Companions. Animal Companions are 1 of 3 types of Hero Companions. The other's are Robot Companions and NPCs or Non-Playable Characters.

The character sheet for Animal Companions is located here!

Animal Attributes

To create a new customized Animal creature, you should pick stats in the following order for a level 1 creature. Then, if the creature is a higher level, then level up the creature 1 level at a time. It is best to follow the order presented below, then go to the Animal Skills and Animal Feats section.

Creature Mature Size

Mature size refers to the size the animal will reach once it has matured. Lifecycles will determine the starting size, which has to be smaller. No companion can be larger than large without special rules. For more about maturity, review the Lifecycles section. Size determines many of the creature's base stats. Their Size AC Bonus, Hit Die, Ability Theme Scores via a modified point buy system. Please review the size table to the right.

Creature Size Table

Size	AC Bonus	Hit Die	Ability Points
Tiny*	+2	d4	9
Small	+1	d6	10
Medium	+0	d8	10
Large	-1	d10	10
Gigantic**	-2	d12	11
* Not possible to be the adult Mammal size
** Procure Difficulty +1, requires Xenophile

Animal Point Buy System

All animals start with Str 10, Dex 10, Con 10, Wisdom 5, Int 2, Cha 8. This changes the cost of buying a point. Example: Going from 5 to 6 would cost 1 point, as going from 10 to 11 would. Going from 6 to 7 would cost 2 points, from 7 to 8 would cost 3 points, and so on.

Creature Types

Type implies the classification or grouping of the animal companion, e.g., Mammal or Reptile. Each type provides a Natural AC Modification, Ability Modifications, and Special Features.

• Mammal
  • Description: Warm-blooded higher vertebrates that nourish their young with milk and have the skin usually more or less covered with hair.
  • Natural AC Mod: No bonus
  • Ability Theme Mod: +2 to either Str/Dex, while -2 to either Wis/Int/Cha, OR +1 to either Wis/Int/Cha without the +2 to Str/Dex.
  • Special Features: Cannot gain flight as Primary Locomotion has to learn it. Gains +1 skill point.
• Reptile
  • Description: They are distinguished by having dry scaly skin and typically laying soft-shelled eggs on land.
  • Natural AC Mod: +1 for Tiny/Small, +2 for Medium/Large, +3 for Gigantic
  • Ability Theme Mod: +1 to either Str/Con
  • Special Features: Cannot gain flight as Primary Locomotion at level 1; it must be learned later. If the companion possesses an attack that inflicts Bleed or Poison, increase the damage or DC of that effect by +1.
• Amphibian
  • Description: Ectothermic vertebrates that typically transition from an aquatic larval stage to a terrestrial adult stage.
  • Natural AC Mod: -1
  • Ability Theme Mod: +1 to Con. +2 to either Dex/Con/Wis
  • Special Features: Gains Swimming locomotion for free at level 1; this does not count toward its starting locomotion limit.
• Avian
  • Description: A feathered vertebrate adapted for flight.
  • Natural AC Mod: +1 when flying.
  • Ability Theme Mod: +1 to either Str/Dex/Con OR +1 to either Wis/Int/Cha
  • Special Features: Either Active Flight by default and then a sec Locomotion just at 1/2 speed or Gliding with a second Locomotion at full speed.
• Arthropod
  • Description: Invertebrate animal having an exoskeleton, a segmented body, and paired jointed appendages, including insects, arachnids, myriapods, and crustaceans.
  • Natural AC Mod: +1
  • Ability Theme Mod: +2 to either Dex/Con with -1 to Str AND -1 to either Wis/Int/Cha. -1 to Cha.
  • Special Features: Gains the Hard Shell, Hyper Awareness, or Natural Reflexes Natural Feature at level 1 for free.
• Aquatic
  • Description: An animal that spends all or most of its life in water, and is capable of breathing underwater.
  • Natural AC Mod: +1 while in a liquid
  • Ability Theme Mod: +1 to Con with -1 to Str. +2 to either Wis/Int/Cha with a -1 to either Str/Dex/Con.
  • Special Features: Swimming only locomotion by default. Can choose to gain a Land-based Locomotion (1/2 speed) at creation for the cost of either -1 Skill Point OR -2 Attribute points of choice.
• Plant
  • Description: Carbon-based vegetative organisms utilizing photosynthesis or organic decomposition for energy.
  • Natural AC Mod: +1
  • Ability Theme Mod: +2 to Con with -2 to Dex.
  • Special Features: Does not need standard food (requires light/water or organic waste). Thermal Weakness 2. Can learn Spit attacks as a natural weapon representing spore launching or acid-spraying.
• Ooze
  • Description: Simple, single-celled, or colonial organisms lacking rigid internal structures or distinct organs, such as jellies or slimes.
  • Natural AC Mod: -2
  • Ability Theme Mod: +2 to Con with -2 to Dex AND -2 to either Wis/Int/Cha.
  • Special Features: Amorphous Frame (Immune to critical hits, precision damage, and flanking). Corrosive attacks (Can choose to inflict Chemical damage with their natural attacks). Cannot take flight or jumping locomotion.
• Annelid
  • Description: Soft-bodied, segmented invertebrates that typically travel by burrowing or slithering, such as worms or leeches.
  • Natural AC Mod: No bonus
  • Ability Theme Mod: +1 to Str and +1 to Con with -2 to Cha.
  • Special Features: Vibration Sense (Gains Blindsight vibration detection up to 30ft, but is blind to light). Burrowing locomotion speed is 10ft (instead of 5ft) and does not count against its starting locomotion limit.
• Silicon-Based
  • Description: Exotic organisms whose biology is based on silicon-oxygen chains, often resembling living minerals or crystals.
  • Natural AC Mod: +2
  • Ability Theme Mod: +2 to Con with -2 to Dex AND -1 to Cha.
  • Special Features: Environmental Immunity (Immune to the effects of vacuum, toxic atmospheres, and standard organic poisons or diseases). Kinetic DR +1. Sonic Weakness 2.

Lifecycles

Table: Maturing Levels

Animal Level	Advantage Die	Bonuses
1st	1d2	Animal Feat, Natural Characteristic, Natural Feature
2nd	1d2 +1	Animal Trick
3rd	1d4 +1	Natural Attack Improvement
4th	1d4 +2	Ability Score +2
5th	1d4 +2	Animal Trick, Natural Simple Improvement
6th	1d6 +2	Extra Damage, Animal Feat
7th	1d6 +3	Advanced Natural Feature
8th	1d8 +3	Natural Attack Improvement
9th	1d8 +3	Ability Score +2
10th	1d8 +4	Animal Trick, Natural Simple Improvement
11th	1d8 +4	Animal Feat
12th	1d10 +4	Extra Damage
13th	1d10 +5	Natural Attack Improvement, Natural Advanced Improvement
14th	1d10 +5	Ability Score +2
15th	1d12 +5	Animal Trick, Natural Simple Improvement
16th	1d12 +6	Animal Feat
17th	1d12 +6	Natural Attack Improvement
18th	2d6 +6	Extra Damage
19th	2d6 +7	Ability Score +2, Animal Trick, Natural Advanced Improvement
20th	2d6 +7	Natural Attack Improvement, Natural Simple Improvement

This refers to how a creature ages through their life. Starting at level 0, which can include either an egg or a newborn.

• Maturing
  • Description: The creature goes through 2 main phases of life: Childhood (levels 1–7) and Adulthood (level 8+). A creature may have an infancy stage (pre-level 1) and a senior stage of life (level 20+).
  • Rules: The creature size through level 7 is one size smaller than its mature size. Its Hit Die is 1 level lower as well during childhood (minimum d4). Childhood companions use their childhood size for size-based AC and Attack modifiers, but use their normal point-buy attributes. Once a Maturing creature reaches level 8 and becomes an adult, it grows to its mature size, its Hit Dice are retroactively re-rolled using its adult Hit Die size, and it gains a +1 to Con and another 2 attribute points to spend on either Str/Dex/Wis/Int/Cha. It also unlocks either a new Natural Attack or a new Natural Feature.
• Amphibian
  • Description: These creatures spend a portion of their early life either on land or at sea. Then, at a mature stage, their bodies undergo metamorphosis into a creature capable of inhabiting a different environment.
  • Rules: This Metamorphosis can occur in early life (level 4), midlife (level 10), or late life (level 16). This transition allows the creature to gain a new locomotion, and the player chooses whether to lose the previous locomotion entirely or retain it at 1/2 speed. The creature gains a new Natural Feature to live in a completely new and otherwise deadly environment, such as breathing underwater, breathing in extreme altitudes, or resisting extreme pressures and temperatures. This includes a DR 1 to any one damage type and +1 attribute point to spend on either Str/Dex/Wis/Int/Cha.
• Metamorphosis
  • Description: This is when a creature completely changes into something totally new. The creature can change up to 2 different sizes.
  • Rules: For every size difference, there is 1 level when the creature is in a helpless state, such as a cocoon or some sort of hibernation. During these levels, the creature levels up as if it were still its original self, but cannot interact with the world unless specified otherwise. While in this helpless state, the companion is considered helpless in combat (AC becomes 5 + Dex modifier, and adjacent attackers can execute coup de grace attacks) but gains **Hardness 5** due to its protective shell. It can be carried by a Medium or larger ally. The resulting creature that comes out of the Metamorphosis is a whole new creature. It follows the creation rules outlined on this page, except that it is built at a higher level. This implies that its Hit Die is retroactively updated to the higher die value, and its attribute points are completely re-spent based on its new, larger size. Metamorphosis can happen in early or mid-life (level 4 or 10, respectively). The new creature must retain the Metamorphosis Lifecycle attribute, and it gains a bonus Natural Attack and Natural Feature.
• Fission
  • Description: This creature matures by dividing its cellular structure, allowing it to temporarily split into multiple smaller, coordinated entities, such as slimes or amoebas.
  • Rules: As a full-round action once per encounter, the companion can split its body into two identical clones. Each clone is one size smaller than the original (minimum Tiny) and possesses exactly half of the companion's current HP and Advantage Die tier. They act on the same initiative, share the same command checks, and must remain within 60 feet of each other. If a clone is reduced to 0 HP, it dissolves, and the companion permanently loses that maximum HP until they rest. The clones can merge back into a single creature as a full-round action if they are adjacent.

Locomotion

Locomotion Table

Locomotion	Speed
Bi-pedal	30ft
Tripedalism	30ft
Quadrupedalism	40ft
Active Flight	60ft
Gliding	40ft
Undulation	30ft
Jumping	20ft
Swimming	30ft
Burrowing	5ft

This is a description of how the animal moves around in its space, establishing its base combat speed. A companion's creature type dictates its starting locomotion. Secondary locomotions can be gained during character creation (via specific creature type options), through metamorphic lifecycle changes, or by selecting specific feats during leveling. A companion can possess multiple modes of locomotion, but only its designated Primary Locomotion determines its default combat speed.

Below are some notes on the different modes of locomotion:

• Bi-pedal / Tripedalism: The companion's freed forelimbs can be used as basic manipulators capable of carrying objects, opening doors, or holding items, though they cannot operate weapons or perform complex tasks unless trained.
• Quadrupedalism: x2 carrying capacity for its Strength and size.
• Active Flight / Gliding: Requires a DC 15 Handle Animal or Athletics check to maintain control when flying in high winds, storms, or other turbulent aerial terrain.
• Undulation: This is sidewinding, concertina, or rectilinear forms of movement used by snakes, worms, and similar species.
• Jumping: Instantly gains the Jumper feat.
• Swimming: This covers a very broad range of movement through liquids. By default, land motion is possible at 5ft speed.
• Burrowing: Burrowing is limited to loose soil, dirt, sand, mud, or clay. Burrowing through solid rock or reinforced steel is impossible without special features.

Natural Attack

These are natural attack abilities that animals either have at birth or can learn over time. The size of the creature also helps to determine the damage die. All attacks can also have special effects that the creature can learn as tricks as they level up.

Natural Attack Table

Attack	Effects	Tiny	Small	Medium	Large	Gigantic
Claw	Bleed/Poison/Trip	1d4	1d6	1d8	1d10	1d12
Claws	Bleed/Poison	1d2	1d4	1d6	1d8	1d10
Bite	Bleed/Poison/Trip/Grapple/Burn	1d2	1d4	1d6	1d8	1d10
Grip	Grapple/Trip	1d2	1d4	1d6	1d8	1d10
Trample	Trip/Shoved	-	1d4	1d6	1d8	1d10
Slam	Trip/Shoved	1d4	1d6	1d8	1d10	1d12
Whip	Trip/Grapple/Poison	1d2	1d4	1d6	1d8	1d10
Sting	Poison/Bleed/Burn	1d2	1d4	1d6	1d8	1d10
Spit	Poison/Bleed/Burn	1d2	1d2	1d4	1d4	1d6
Gore	Trip/Shoved	1d4	1d6	1d8	1d10	1d12
Tail Sweep	Trip/Shoved	1d2	1d4	1d6	1d8	1d10

Below are some notes for Natural Attacks.

• Trample: This cannot be used by a Tiny creature. The target of this attack has to be the same size or smaller.
• Slam: The target of this attack has to be the same size or smaller.
• Whip: This is a melee attack with a Reach effect. By default, the Reach effect is 5ft. This can be extended.
• Spit: This is considered a Ranged attack and not a Melee attack.

For more on the Natural Attacks and their effects the Natural Attacks page.

Natural Characteristics

A Natural Characteristic is an attribute of an Animal that they have at birth and that sticks with them through their life. Unlike Natural Features, which a Creature can have multiple of them and improve over time.

Carrier

Or Beast of Burden. These animals can carry heavy loads on their backs and/or pull heavy loads. Often, they were ridden in ancient civilizations.

• This Animal can be ridden by any creature its size or smaller. It has twice the carrying capacity of a creature of its Strength and size, and 3 times the pull capacity. Gains a free Slam or Trample attack (or its improvement if already possessed).

Tracker

Keen senses allow them to find prey even after the target has long since left the area. Sometimes these animals will hunt a single animal for days.

• This Animal gains a +1 Misc Perception bonus that only applies in the wild. +1 Survival Bonus that increases to +2 at 10th level when tracking prey. Gains the Trick Hunt/Track for free.

Ambusher

These animals like to take their prey by surprise, and either use their surroundings to mask their approach or even change themselves to hide in plain sight.

• This Animal gains Sneak attack. Sneak attack acts like a Bonus Natural Attack that automatically succeeds if its main attack is successful against an unaware or flanked enemy. The Bonus damage is the Creature's Advantage Die.

Aggressor

These animals are often very wild and more difficult to tame. They are aggressive and predatory and can be extremely intimidating.

• Double the price of the animal, and the Procure Diff is +1. Gains an Improved_Natural_Attack Feat for free at levels 1 and 10.

Defender

Loyal to their master, trainer, or friend. These creatures stay awake while their friend sleeps, look left when the friend looks right, and try to make sure nothing surprises them. These creatures make excellent pets for those most paranoid.

• Hero always has Luck when rolling Perception checks against enemy combatants. Pick one of the following as a free Trick: Guard, Watch, Detect, Menace.

Supporter

Attentive and loving to their master. These creatures seem to have a talent for empathy and a sixth sense about emotions in other species that most creatures lack. They often bond with people at birth and create lifelong relationships. They provide Emotional, Mental, and even physical support.

• Hero gains a Morale Bonus in the form of Advantage when dealing with Feints, Distractions, Psionic attacks, saving throws, and any Wisdom saving throws against Frightened, Cowering, or Panicked (which they receive whenever that condition is placed upon the Hero, even if the rules say the Character cannot normally save). The Animal also learns the trick Aid for free.

Scouter

Excellent sense of direction, these animals often have a territory they hunt on that goes for 100s of miles, and maybe gone from their nest for days or even weeks. These creatures love to roam and are often curious by nature.

• +1 Perception and Survival Bonus when attempting not to get lost in the wild. +2 at level 10. Passive Perception +1. Gains the trick Get Help for free.

Enforcer

These creatures are often highly trainable yet predatory and carnivorous. They can be trained to strictly obey and only go so far in an attack, making them great at taking control of an opponent without having to commit to deadly force.

• Gains the Trick Guard for free. Gains another Trick of choice for free. Gains 1 more Favored Skill. Gains +1 starting Skill Point. Gains the Advanced Combat Techniques Feat for free.

Pack Hunter

Pack-oriented animals that thrive on cooperation, coordination, and flanking tactics alongside their handler or pack-mates, such as wolves, hyenas, or velociraptors.

• Gains Pack Tactics (gains a +1 bonus to attack rolls for every ally adjacent to the target). Additionally, when the companion is flanking an enemy, it grants the flanking bonus to all allies attacking that target, regardless of their position. Gain the trick Aid for free.

Survivor

Incredibly hardy animals adapted to toxic wastes, radiation zones, or post-apocalyptic ruins, capable of digesting anything and resisting deadly poisons, such as vultures, alien rats, or swamp beasts.

• The companion is completely immune to natural diseases, biological poisons, and radiation. It gains Advantage on saving throws against extreme environmental hazards (high heat, extreme cold, or toxic gases). It can digest inorganic materials or decayed waste without harm. Gains the trick Fetch for free.

Natural Features

Natural Features are passive bonuses to an animal that improve over time. Animals gain a Feature at level 1 and possibly more as they level up. For Animals, there are two types of Natural Feature, Simple and Advanced. The difference has to do with which levels they gain improvements on and when those improvements become available. Advanced Features are not available until level 7, while simple improvements are available starting at level 1.

Natural Features Table

Natural Feature	Description
Simple Improvements (1, 5, 10, 15, 20)
Hyper Awareness	+1 Perception Misc Mod and +1 Passive Perception per improvement.
Graceful Motion	+1 to Dex score per improvement.
Raw Speed	+10ft speed per improvement. Also gains +1 Dex at level 10.
Night Eyes	Night vision. Gains Sneak Attack advantage in darkness (remains vulnerable to standard sight-based blindness).
Echo Location	+1 Perception Mod. Can see objects in total darkness using auditory sonar. Ignores sight-based blindness and gaze attacks, but is completely nullified if the creature is Deafened or in a zone of magical silence.
Local Adaptation	DR +1 to one damage type per improvement. Players must provide a description of the physical adaptation.
Climber	Climb speed is the same as base speed. Gains +1 AC while climbing (this feature does not scale at higher improvement levels). Ignores the climbing disadvantage while attacking.
Teachable	+1 Trick at each improvement level.
Camouflage	+1 Misc Mod to Stealth. Stealth becomes a favored skill. +1 to Stealth Misc Mod for every improvement.
Bioluminescence	Can emit light (bright light 15ft, dim light 30ft) at will as a Simple action. Once per encounter, can overload organs to release a blinding flash: adjacent enemies must make a Dex save (DC 10 + Con Mod) or be Dazed for 1 round. Each improvement increases light radius by +10ft and flash DC by +1.
Advanced Improvements (7, 13, 19)
Hard Shell	+1 Natural AC per improvement; reduces movement speed by 5ft for every 2 AC gained.
Tough Skin	Gains DR +1 for Kinetic/Electrical (no Thermal/Chemical protection) per improvement.
Natural Reflexes	Gains Advantage on all Dex saves. Gains +1 Dex every other improvement, starting with the first one.
Large Girth	Gains Advantage on all Con saves. Gains +1 Con every other improvement, starting with the first one.
Wild Rage	Gains the Rage ability for 1d4 + (1 per improvement) rounds. During rage, the creature gains Strength, Dexterity, and DR boosts based on its current improvement level (Lvl 7: +4 Str, +2 Dex, DR 1; Lvl 13: +5 Str, +3 Dex, DR 1; Lvl 19: +6 Str, +4 Dex, DR 2). While raging, attacks use 1 higher die tier, and the creature gains Advantage on Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution saving throws.
Brute Strength	Gains +1 Str per improvement.
Influencer	Gains the Animal Tricks: Get Help, Menace, Distract, and Disway. Gains Advantage on all these tricks. Can provide a +1 Morale bonus to all saving throws of the companion owner.
Rapid Healing	Regrows wounds rapidly. Outside combat, heals at twice normal rate. In combat, automatically recovers HP at the start of its turn as long as it has at least 1 HP remaining (Lvl 7: +1 HP/round; Lvl 13: +2 HP/round; Lvl 19: +3 HP/round).

Animal Tricks

Animals have a sense of self and a primal intelligence that can act as both an advantage and a disadvantage. Animals do not instantly obey the commands of their owners unless you have the Companion feats or are otherwise specified. This is in part because they simply may not want to, and in part because they may not understand. Getting them to understand what you want and instilling the knowledge that you, the owner, know best is all part of training an animal companion to learn new tricks.

Aid

The Companion can use the 'Aid Another' action. They can only aid in Skill checks, and only in those they themselves can perform. They can also now be aided by their owner.

Attack On Sight

Unlike the normal attack command, this is similar to the Guard trick except that it is simpler. If the creature encounters a person or thing they do not know they instantly attack. If the owner is with the animal, they roll initiative alongside it. If the owner acts before the animal, they can attempt a DC 15 Handle Animal (or Charisma) check as a reaction to stop the animal from attacking. Otherwise, the animal may get a surprise round if it sees the target before the target sees it.

Entertain

The creature gains the Perform skill as a favored skill and gains a +1 misc bonus on Perform checks. They can aid their owner in Perform checks, Profession checks (if the profession is in entertainment), and also in checks attempting to distract.

Guard

Similar to Attack On Sight, except the animal will simply attempt to look menacingly and block people or things from passing by. They will only attack if they are attacked.

Combat Technique

Allows the animal to use a Combat Technique from the Techniques page.

Watch

Similar to Guard, but the animal attempts to remain stealthy (using its Stealth skill) and raises an alarm (such as barking, growling, or screeching) when an unknown person or thing comes within view or hearing range using its Perception skill.

Bombard

(Requires Flying or Glide) This is an advanced version of the Charge combat technique. It allows the creature to keep moving after a charge attack. It also allows the creature to attack by dropping an object on top of the enemy target if it was handed to them by their owner. Dropping an object requires a standard ranged attack using the animal's Dexterity modifier.

Bury/Hide Object

(Requires Intelligence or Wisdom at 8 or higher) The animal will attempt to hide a given object either by burying it or placing it under debris. The animal rolls a Dexterity or Survival check (or Stealth check) to determine how well hidden the object is, which sets the DC for others to find it. The animal must succeed on a DC 10 Survival or Wisdom check once per day to locate and retrieve the object again.

Deliver

The animal can take a given object and travel across great distances and time to deliver it to a person, place, or thing, requiring a DC 10 Survival check per day of travel.

Detect

The animal is trained to seek out the smells of explosives and poisons, unusual noises or echoes, air currents, and other common elements signifying potential dangers or secret passages. When commanded, the animal uses its Perception skill to try to pinpoint the source of anything that strikes it as unusual about a room or location. Note that because the animal is not intelligent, any number of strange mechanisms, doors, scents, or unfamiliar objects may catch the animal's attention, and it cannot attempt the same Perception check more than once in this way. They gain an advantage with Perception and Study checks when attempting to detect something about a place or object.

Distract

The animal can attempt to grab the attention of a target opponent using the Feint combat technique.

Dissuade

The animal can attempt to discourage a target from attacking itself or its owner. The animal makes an Intimidate check opposed by the target's Wisdom saving throw. If successful, the target is discouraged from attacking the animal or its owner for 1 round (choosing other targets if available). If the only possible targets are the animal or its owner, this trick has no effect.

Fetch

The animal goes and gets something. If you do not point out a specific item, the animal fetches some random object.

Feign Death

The animal can fall prone and go completely limp on command, pretending to be dead or disabled. Enemies must succeed on a Sense Motive check (opposed by the animal's Bluff check, made with a +4 bonus) or believe the creature is deceased and ignore it in favor of active threats. The animal can spring up from this state as a free action, gaining Advantage on its first attack roll in that round.

Flee

The animal attempts to run away or hide as best it can, returning only when its handler commands it to do so or if it thinks it's safe. Until such a command is received, the animal does its best to track its handler and any creatures with him or her, remaining hidden but within range of its sight or hearing. This trick is particularly useful for thieves and adventurers, as it allows the animal to evade capture and later return to help free its friends.

Get Help

With this trick, a trainer can designate a number of creatures up to the animal's Intelligence score as “help.” When the command is given, the animal attempts to find one of those people and bring them back to the handler, even if that means journeying a long distance to the last place it encountered the target creature.

Hunt/Track

This trick allows an animal to use its natural stalking or foraging instincts to find food and return it to the animal's handler. An animal with this trick may attempt Survival checks (or Wisdom checks if the animal has no ranks in Survival) to provide food for others or lead them to water and shelter (as the “get along in the wild” use of the Survival skill). An animal with this trick may use the aid of another action to assist Survival checks made by its handler for these purposes.

Menace

A menacing animal attempts to keep a creature you indicate from moving. The animal makes an Intimidate check opposed by the target's Wisdom saving throw. If successful, the target is menaced. If the target attempts to move from its current space or take a hostile action, the animal immediately gains an opportunity attack. If the target complies and remains still, the animal ceases attacking but continues to menace.

Rescue

The animal is trained to drag or carry incapacitated or helpless allies away from danger. When commanded, it moves to an adjacent ally who is down, helpless, or unconscious, grabs them (using a free-action grapple that does not harm the ally), and uses its move action to drag them up to half its speed away from hostile targets.

Stay

The animal stays in place, waiting for you to return. It does not challenge other creatures that come by, though it still defends itself if it needs to.

Throw Rider

The animal can attempt to fling a creature riding it to the ground. Treat this as a Trip combat technique. An animal that knows both the Throw Rider and Guard tricks can be trained to automatically attempt to throw anyone other than its trainer who attempts to ride it.

Animal Skills

Animal companions have a limited skill list to choose from. Some skills not on these lists can be learned/trained, or otherwise gained as the companion levels up. By default, the companions do not have access to the same skills as normal Characters.

Below are the Skills available for an Animal companion. More skills can be obtained while leveling. At level 1 an Animal gains 3 of these skills as favored. Then at each level, an animal gains 1 + Int mod (minimal 1) worth of Skill points to spend.

• Acrobatics
• Athletics
• Bluff
• Diplomacy
• Intimidate
• Perception
• Sense Motive
• Stealth
• Survival

Animal Feats

At level 1 Animal companions gain 1 Feat. Additional feats can be earned as the companion levels up.

• Go to the Animal Feats page for a complete list of Animal Feats.