Animal Companion

You have an animal companion that fights alongside you. It is permanently bonded to you, of its own will, and is loyal to the end. The companion's abilities are based on its type and your level.

The companion is considered a minion. You must spend actions (typically free actions, using verbal commands) to give them direction, but they can act on their own according to their intelligence and instincts, such as when you are incapacitated or otherwise unable to give them direction. The animal is a normal animal, not imbued with special intelligence.

The form of the animal is up to you; it can be a normal animal, something unique, etc, but it must be of type Beast. You decide the animal's stats, creating them as an ordinary character, whose level is equal to your level - 2. There are special rules for when you are level 1 or 2, to wit:

• The companion is considered level 1
• Instead of starting with 8 proficiency points and a max of +4 per ability score:
  • If you are level 1, the companion starts with 4 proficiency points and a max of +2 per ability score.
  • If you are level 2, the companion starts with 6 proficiency points and a max of +3 per ability score.
• Instead of starting with 3 feats and 2 powers:
  • If you are level 1, the companion starts with 1 feat and 1 power.
  • If you are level 2, the companion starts with 2 feats and 1 power.

The animal levels up alongside you, gaining abilities as you choose.