1)Should the War Dog have Scent Trait? From the perception description it seems that it was supposed to.
2) Should the Alpha wolf have Notable Attack (Bite) Which would account for it's +2 Damage.
3) Why does the Alpha wolf have +5 Attack and +5 skills bonus when the War Dog has only +3 Attack and +3 skill bonus? Is this correct?
4) The Order of the Phoenix Mastiff has no skills assigned. Should it have the same skills as both the Alpha wolf and the War dog? (Athletics, Melee: Unarmed, Perception (no +5 since it doesn't have scent) Tracking) If not, what skills should it have.
5) Since you can only get the Mastiff with your Tier 2 Path does your Loyal Companion Tier start at level 2 (Sort of like the way the infernal servant errata states.)

When you first choose this bloodline power, you gain it as a Tier 3 Talent.
Page: 233 (Errata)
Under Infernal Servant change the following sentence to the end of the Benefits entry: You may take the higher tiers of Loyal Companion in order to further improve upon your Infernal’s stats, regardless of the talent’s requirements. If you already possess a Loyal Companion that companion is lost and replaced with your Infernal. With the exception of matching maximum stamina, the infernal gains none of the Tier 1 and Tier 2 Loyal Companion benefits.
6) When I am finished with the guide, who do I submit it to, to try and get it approved?
Thanks in advance
Pete Kost

This is a list of the Animal Companions so far. Did I miss any?
Dog, War
Elite (Tier 1) d8, Med, Beast
Avoidance Fortitude Discipline
17 19 14
St (Wo): 35 (2) Pace: 30’
AR: 0 Initiative: 3d10
Attacks: Bite: +3 (a) d8 (d8) +2
Speed: 5, Range: Melee
Grab (see Ravenous)
Talents: Die Hard (d8+2), Ravenous
Traits: Notable Attack (Bite)
Flaws: Bestial Intellect
Skills (+3, 18, 15)
Athletics, Melee: Unarmed, Perception (at +5 see scent) Tracking
Encounter Tier Value: 1.5

Wolf, Alpha
Common [Ex Specimen] (Tier 1.5) d8, Med, Beast
Avoidance Fortitude Discipline
19 18 14
St (Wo): 26 (2) Pace: 40’
AR: 0 Initiative: 3d10
Attacks: Bite: +5 (a) d8 (d8) +2
Speed: 5, Range: Melee
Grab (see Ravenous)
Talents: Wolf Pack Tactics, Ravenous, Monstrous Maneuver (Take Down)
Traits: Scent
Flaws: Bestial Intellect
Skills (+5, 21, 16)
Athletics, Melee: Unarmed, Perception (at +5 see scent) Tracking
Encounter Tier Value: 1.5

It looks like the Alpha Wolf might already have the Exceptional Specimen Variation.
That would account for the +2 in all skills.
Can you still take an Alpha Wolf as a Heirloom Animal?
What happens if you take a Wolf as a Heirloom Animal?
Do you get to again add the Exceptional Specimen Variation pluses?
Or by taking the wolf do you get what amounts to a free Heirloom Animal Talent.

Exceptional Specimen Variation Tier Value: + 0.5
Avoidance +1
Fortitude +1
Discipline +1
Stamina: +5 Skills: +2
Wounds: +1 Qualities: +1
Special: Choose one of the following: An additional Quality, Die Bump to the creature’s base die (maximum of d12), or an additional 6 Stamina.

Mastiff (Current)
Mastiff Elite (Tier 2) d10, Med, Beast
Avoidance 22 Fortitude 21 Discipline 21
St (Wo): 30 (2) Pace: 40’ AR: 3 Initiative: 3d10
Attacks: Bite: +6 (a) d8 (d10) Speed: 5, Range: Melee
Talents: Die Hard, Ravaneous, Monstrous Charge, Natural Armor, Toughness
and Tracking
Flaws: Bestial Intellect
(Although the Text states it is changed to (Weak Characteristic: Mental)
Skills (+6, 21, 14)
Encounter Tier Value: 1.5


Mastiff (Proposed)
Mastiff Elite (Tier 2) d10, Med, Beast
Avoidance 22 Fortitude 21 Discipline 21
St (Wo): 30 (2) Pace: 40’ AR: 3 Initiative: 3d10
Attacks: Bite: +6 (a) d8 (d10) Speed: 5, Range: Melee
Talents: Die Hard, Ravaneous, Natural Armor, Toughness
Traits: Monstrous Charge
Flaws: Weak Characteristic: Mental
Skills (+6, 21, 14) ) Athletics , Melee: Unarmed, Perception , Tracking
Encounter Tier Value: 1.5

Wild Cat Elite (Tier 1) d8, Med, Beast
Avoidance 18 Fortitude 17 Discipline 14
St (Wo): 35 (2) Pace: 40’ AR: 0 Initiative: 3d10
Attacks: Bite: +3 (a) d4 (d8) Speed: 3, Range: Melee
Claws: +4 (a) d6 (d8) Speed: 4, Range: Melee
Talents: Quick, Weapon Mastery (Claws)
Traits: Monstrous Charge
Skills (+3, 19, 16) Athletics, Acrobatics, Melee: Unarmed, Perception, Stealth
Encounter Tier Value: 1.5
Winged Raptor Common (Tier 1) d6, Med, Beast
Avoidance 17 Fortitude 19 Discipline 14
St (Wo): 20 (1) Pace: 10’, Fly 60’ (Agile) AR: 0 Initiative: 2d10
Attacks: Talon: +3 (a) d4 (d6) Speed: 3, Range: Melee
Manuver. Martial Maneuvers: Passing Strike
Talents: Quick, Owl Eyed, Wary
Skills (+3, 17, 14) Acrobatics, Athlectics, Melee (Unarmed)
Encounter Tier Value: 1.0

Hawk Common (Tier 1.0) d6, Small Hawk Beast
Avoidance 19 Fortitude 15 Discipline 17
St (Wo): 25 (1) Pace: 10’ Fly: 60’ (Agile) AR 0 Initiative: 2d10
Attacks: Talon: +3 (a) d4 (d8) +2 Speed: 3, Range: Melee (Quick quality)
Beak: +3 (a) d4 (d6) Speed: 3, Range: Melee
Manuver. Martial Technique: Passing Strike
Talents: Quick, Owl Eyed, Wary
Traits: Notable Attack (Talons), Powerful Attribute (Quickness)
Flaws: Small
Skills: (+3, 17, 14) Athletics, Melee: Unarmed, Perception
Encounter Tier Value: 1.0

Light Warhorse Common (Tier 1) d8, Large, Beast
Avoidance 18 Fortitude 20 Discipline 16
St (Wo): 31 (1) Pace: 60’ AR (n): 0 (2) Initiative: 3d10
Attacks: Hoof: +3 (a) d6 (d10) Speed: 3, Range: Melee
Talents: Toughness , Wary
Traits: Beast of Burden, Natural Armor, Powerful Attribute (Might)
Flaws: Bestial Intellect
Skills: (+3, 18, 15) Athletics, Melee (Unarmed), Mettle, Perception
Encounter Tier Value: 1.0

Heavy Warhorse Elite (Tier 2) d10, Large, Beast
Avoidance 17 Fortitude 20 Discipline 16
St (Wo): 41 (2) Pace: 50’ AR (n): 0 (2) Initiative: 3d10
Attacks: Hoof: +3 (a) d6 (d12) Speed: 3, Range: Melee
Talents: Toughness, Wary
Traits: Beast of Burden, Natural Armor, Powerful Attribute (Might), Trample
Flaws: Bestial Intellect
Skills: (+3, 19, 16) Athletics, Melee (Unarmed), Mettle, Perception
Encounter Tier Value: 2.0


Lesser Elemental Common [Chosen Element] (Tier 1) d8, Med, Elemental
Avoidance 17 Fortitude 15 Discipline 14
17 15 14
St (Wo): 26 (1) Pace: 30’(See Variation) AR: 3 Initiative: 3d10
Attacks: Unarmed: +3 (a) d8 (d6) Speed: 5, Range: Melee Damage type by Element
Talents: Toughness and as per Elemental Variation
Traits: Natural Armor and as per Elemental Variation
Flaws: Vulnerability: Opposed Element, Bestial Intellect
Skills (+3, 19, 16) Melee: (Unarmed), plus skills granted by Elemental
Variation below
Encounter Tier Value: 1.0
Air
Avoidance Fortitude Discipline
+1 +0 +1
Air Elementals gain
Pace: Fly (Perfect) 20’
Talents: Quick, Uncanny Reaction
Skills: Acrobatics, Range (Marksman)
Attack: May use unarmed attack to attack to a range of 30’ utilizing Range (Marksman)

Infernal Servant [Racial]
Many of Sarish’s children possess an infernal Servant, a slave
that is bound to their will.
Requirements: Hero Tier IV, val’Mehan
Benefit: You gain the Loyal Companion Talent (pg. 200).
Instead of an animal, you possess a Common Tier III
Infernal (Devil) of your choosing. When you first choose this
bloodline power, you gain it as a Tier 3 Talent.
You may take higher tiers of Loyal Companion in order to further
improve upon your Infernal’s stats.regardless of the talent’s requirements. If you already possess a Loyal Companion that companion is lost and replaced with your Infernal. With the exception of matching maximum stamina, the infernal gains none of the Tier 1 and Tier 2 Loyal Companion benefits.

Page: 233 (Errata)
Under Infernal Servant change the following sentence to the end of the Benefits entry: You may take the higher tiers of Loyal Companion in order to further improve upon your Infernal’s stats, regardless of the talent’s requirements. If you already possess a Loyal Companion that companion is lost and replaced with your Infernal. With the exception of matching maximum stamina, the infernal gains none of the Tier 1 and Tier 2 Loyal Companion benefits.

I have been following both of these threads, and I am really confused by what your asking, It seems like your missing the lead up to the questions your asking, perhaps you could break your questions apart and give the full scenario (and maybe some examples) ?

It would be simpler if each question was its own thread.

Ok, here is the first one. When I get an answer to that I will try the second one.
1)Should the War Dog have Scent Trait? From the perception description it seems that it was supposed to.

Dog, War Elite (Tier 1) d8, Med, Beast
Avoidance Fortitude Discipline
17 19 14
St (Wo): 35 (2) Pace: 30’
AR: 0 Initiative: 3d10
Attacks: Bite: +3 (a) d8 (d8) +2 Speed: 5, Range: Melee
Grab (see Ravenous)
Talents: Die Hard (d8+2), Ravenous
Traits: Notable Attack (Bite)
Flaws: Bestial Intellect
Skills (+3, 18, 15) !!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Athletics, Melee: Unarmed, Perception (at +5 see scent) Tracking (Scent is referenced here)
Encounter Tier Value: 1.5

For question 3, there's a half tier difference between the war dog (1.0) and tbe wolf (1.5).

With a sweep of his hat,

Paul

Thanks Paul,
I am trying to put together a guide for creating and advancing Loyal Animal companions.
To help other people (and myself) understand what templates to use, and consolidate the rules from the various official books into one place.
If there is already one out there, then if someone can point me to it, I can quit working on it.
Just trying to help.

My original question was (In a different thread) what wolf template should be used for a wolf Loyal Companion.
I was told the Alpha wolf. But the Alpha wolf seems to be a step above the War Dog companion.
It appears that the Alpha wolf already has the Exceptional Specimen Variation that you would get if you took your wolf as a heirloom.

Thus my other questions about a wolf Loyal companion from the above post
Cut from above
(It looks like the Alpha Wolf might already have the Exceptional Specimen Variation.
That would account for the +2 in all skills.
Can you still take an Alpha Wolf as a Heirloom Animal?
What happens if you take a Wolf as a Heirloom Animal?
Do you get to again add the Exceptional Specimen Variation pluses?
Or by taking the wolf do you get what amounts to a free Heirloom Animal Talent.)

Pete Kost

well the simple answer is unless you have access to buy a wolf you cant take it as a loyal companion.

loyal companion does not grant you the animal.

btw I said it before..

we don't "approve" guides, but once your done, if would like me to give it the once over, send it my way

So, you're saying there's a *chance*?

ok let me break this down to what i think is getting asked:

"You have created a special bond with an animal you already own."

Right so unless you can A purchase it (Ie Table 2-34 ARPG) or own it from another source, taking this talent does nothing for you.

Table 2-34
Dog, common hunting -75sc
Dog, guard or war - 1Gc
Eagle or Falcon - 50Gc
Horse(s) 75Sc - 20Gc

Note Taking Heirloom Animal Needs official clarification (Pete you see this) on what animals can be taken with heirloom, horses and probably dogs easily fall into this category and are accepted by *most* judges, but any other animal might get dismissed out of hand depending on how a judges sees it.

This means, there is no way to get wolf as a loyal companion in the shared world campaign at character creation. It should be noted there are way to get them they just aren't covered by the shared world campaign, and i presume that's what we are talking about here.

responding to #1,2 and 3 Those are the stats, I would take them exactly as presented unless there is errata put out for them (I don't think there is any currently, after doing a quick check of the FAQ) Yeah war dogs should have scent, but since were looking at it the bonus from scent has dropped from +5 to +3 in the bestiary

#4 the Order of the Phoenix's Skills are assigned on Page 12 of the Order of the Phoenix's document, they are "(+6, 21,14) Melee: Unarmed, Athletics, Tracking"

#5 nope, this kind of situation is pretty common in having to make up Tiers of talents, look at the talents granted by the Verdant champion (Min Tier 2 path, talents go from Tier 1-5), there are ways to get loyal companion more than once per tier, but I'll leave those as a mystery, but keep in mind that your not allowed to take a tiered talent more than once per tier.

your list of animals:
Mastiff is only for Knights of the Phoenix
Wolves aren't accessible, see my comment above
Wild Cats are only for Val'Dellov's that take the right bloodline power
I don't know where you are taking elementals from, but afaik they aren't allowable for loyal companions.
Infernal servants are pretty clearly outlined