I have a PC who is playing a Seeker>Pathfinder and he has a Tusk Cat as his animal companion. I was wondering how people were using animal companions in combat situations and if anyone was "leveling" the companion. To me it seems a natural progression would be to make the companion better as the PC gains more XP as well as give it the opportunity to fight.

The PC's backstory incorporates the fact that he rescued this Tusk Cat from the wild right after it was born. It's parents had died and he felt a connection with the animal because he had lost his parents as well at a young age. Instead of having the cat be at full stats right off the bat, I would put them at 50% of what they are listed as in the book and then allow them to be modified as we went.

When we had our very first combat session, I didn't think to include the companion in the initiative order but the player made the argument that he is a very well trained and lethal animal that could help the party via voice commands he gives it. I allowed it during that encounter, but I wonder how others would have handled that situation?

In the Pathfinder skill tree it had skills like Share Pain that definitely makes it sound like these companions should be engaged in combat. I am wondering if I should allow both his companion to have a turn as well as the PC.

In other skill trees (in other CRB's) they mention skills that allow a PC to "give orders" which counts as part of their turn during the round. I'm not sure if I should allow both to play through the same round, or if I should make the "order command" he gives his companion an action, thus allowing either the PC or the companion an action for that round.

Thoughts?

I'd have him roll initiative for the cat. I'd allow him to 'level up' the cat in some fashion for xp. His xp, not the cat's, he's the one training it.

In the Stay On Target sourcebook it mentions spending 3 advantages or a triumph (from a PC's combat check) to allow an astromech to take an action...seems like that would work well for companions.

Most important part of this rambling post (sorry!):

You really need to read the full talent description of Animal Bond on FaD page 138-139. It outlines exactly how a PC controls or directs the bonded animal during a structured encounter.

You should also read the Sidebar on FaD page 415 about Juvenile creatures. Its a good guideline for having a young companion that then gets better during the campaign.

Its important to remember the animal is not Dominated as well, so you as GM can inject Narrative into the creature. I would definitely be using PC's Threat/Despair and NPC's Advantage/Triumph to get that creature hindering the Party, whether thats getting in the way or stealing needed rations or alerting NPC's to the PC's presence. But the PC's should take Narrative advantage of the Creature when using their own Advantage/Triumph or NPC's Threat/Despair.

Then finally there is the advancement. I'm not sure exactly how to handle that, but i have a couple of ideas based on 2P51's idea:

1. The PC could invest XP in a 2nd Talent tree (buying it for the normal costs), but the Pet gets the talents not the PC, bit tricky and cumbersome. This would also include Skill rank training in any appropriate Skills (Survival, Coordination, Stealth, Vigilance, Resilience etc) at the usual skill cost for the PC. The Pet shouldnt be getting a Force Rating so some talents are out too, but the Hunter tree looks to be quite a good one if this is the way your group decide to go.

2. The creature can only gain ranks in skills. They cost PC's XP.

You could come up with some training rules for skill ranks too to replace the XP cost to the PC. It would be a Survival Skill check, the difficulty is the number of ranks in the Skill the Creature will have after successful training, upgrade the difficulty by the Creatures Willpower. Add setback for each rank of Discipline the Creature has. Extra Setback if the PC hasn't got much free time. Only 1 check per week allowed. Its clunky but i think it may have enough restrictions to not be abused. It would also allow use of the 'Animal Empathy' 'Hunter' and 'Beast Wrangler' Talents.

There may need to be a Skill rank cap for the creature too, but i'm not to sure what it should be, i guess it depends on the skill and the creature.

Would the Hunter talent work with bonded animals?

24 minutes ago, Lukey84 said:

Would the Hunter talent work with bonded animals?

In what way?

Hunter adds a boost dice to all checks involving beasts or animals. If I made the assist maneuver on my turn could I grant a boost dice to it?

If you have a hunting mynock of your own that rolls initiative and attacks in a combat turn, for example? I do not see why not.

9 hours ago, MonCal said:

If you have a hunting mynock of your own that rolls initiative and attacks in a combat turn, for example? I do not see why not.

Just an FYI, companion animals do not roll initiative checks for combat (contrary to what I stated in my initial post.) If you have a companion you wish to utilize in an encounter, then you have to burn a maneuver to command the animal which allows them an action and maneuver themselves immediately after you make the command.

14 hours ago, Lukey84 said:

Hunter adds a boost dice to all checks involving beasts or animals. If I made the assist maneuver on my turn could I grant a boost dice to it?

Who would you be assisting, your companion animal? I don't really see why you would waste your turn assisting your animal, but I suppose if you are directly assisting them then I would say any boost dice could be applied if you are interacting directly with an animal. In the sourcebook Savage Spirits, on pg. 70 it mentions that your bonded animal companion can use the assist action with their master and generate 2 boost dice to their masters next check instead of the normal bonus from the check as long as they are within short range of their master...however that is the other direction, the animal helping their master.

6 minutes ago, Ender07 said:

Just an FYI, companion animals do not roll initiative checks for combat (contrary to what I stated in my initial post.) If you have a companion you wish to utilize in an encounter, then you have to burn a maneuver to command the animal which allows them an action and maneuver themselves immediately after you make the command.

Who would you be assisting, your companion animal? I don't really see why you would waste your turn assisting your animal, but I suppose if you are directly assisting them then I would say any boost dice could be applied if you are interacting directly with an animal. In the sourcebook Savage Spirits, on pg. 70 it mentions that your bonded animal companion can use the assist action with their master and generate 2 boost dice to their masters next check instead of the normal bonus from the check as long as they are within short range of their master...however that is the other direction, the animal helping their master.

So spend a maneuver to command them to assist me and gain 2 boost dice back, that sounds pretty great! I was looking at the Tayan Falcon, SoR i think, and it has a dive-bomb attack that can stagger the enemy which seems pretty handy.