Natural bond

[kellendril]

The natural bond feat seems to be broken, for me at least. I have 11 total levels, and took natural bond thinking it would help my animal companion be more useful to me, but the companion is stuck at level 3. My understanding of the feat is that it should give me a companion of 8th level. Any insight on this?

[Blackman D]

well natural bond only makes up for 3 levels not 4, so it would be for a level 7 ranger

and have you tried to resummon it? i know familiars automatically unsummon when you level i dont remember if animal companions do

[kellendril]

I have summoned it many times since taking the feat. It just doesn't work right, regardless of the level (yeah, you are right about the level being 7)

[pho_]

Your ranger level for determining your animal companions level is -3.

I see ranger level 4 here .... so that means your companion would be like a lvl 1 druids companion.

Natural bond would add 3 to that (since you are multiclassed). Making your pet equivalent to a level 4 druids companion.

meaning you get a level 3 pet. Without natural bond your pet would be lvl 1 at this point.

It should progress to lvl 5 when you get ranger level 6
and 7 when you get ranger level 9
9 on ranger 12
etc..

leveling in other classes wont count towards your pets level.

[Blackman D]

yea i was gonna ask what level it was before he took the feat but i didnt know ranger pets level slower (shows you how much i play rangers )

[Lila_Laguna]

It works just fine:

The druids companion progression is a bit weird:
Level 1 druid = level 1 companion
Level 2 druid = level 1 companion
Level 3 druid = level 3 companion
Level 4 druid = level 3 companion
Level 5 druid = level 3 companion
Level 6 druid = level 5 companion
...

As a ranger you count - in concern of your companion - as a druid -3 levels = in your case 4 -1 = 1. Then add the +3 level bonus because of your feat natural bond = you count as a druid level 4.

Therefor the companion should be level 3 as it is for you in game as well.

[Lila_Laguna]

well looks like I am too slow of a typer

[kellendril]

Oh..Duh..I should have known that..

Ok, thanks.

[pho_]

The feat works fine here, I think. Whether or not it is worth it, well, that depends on your combat style.

natural bond helps quite a bit in lower levels for both melee and archery based rangers (and sorcs, in your case) by sometimes cutting off incoming melee monsters. Rangers pets are never really very strong fighters because rangers just dont have the buffs for them like druids do. you might be able to use your sorc buffs like improved mage armor or stoneskin to really help it alot. So, your pet might die alot, but it will also help you stay alive a little bit longer in some cases.

As you progress in levels your pet becomes less and less useful. So those who consider taking natural bond should take it early.

If you are going to stick to just 4 ranger levels in your build and focus on EK or sorc. your pet will hardly ever be useful except in some RP circumstances, where it can at least help you have some RP fun. It will be just an extra familiar for you, without a familiars abilities. but bigger

Animal Companions do tend to be useful if you are evilish and want to use them to set off traps. You summon it, and command it to open lock, and will happily sacrifice itself, bash the lock, and die.

[kellendril]

Thanks, but I wasn't really looking for build advice.

[Kaedrin]

http://www.bgtscc.net/viewtopic.php?f=64&t=12753