My suggestion is to alter animal companions to an "Underdark" theme.

I'm not an expert on Underdark creatures, but a few examples might be something like.

Bats - Dire Bat (Higher Level) Lizards (The Lizards the Drow Ride >.>) - Basilisk Spider - Dire Spider Rothe - Uber Rothe

Just a few rough suggestions, I simply would like to see Ranger/Druid companions that aren't surfaced based, as this would make little sense.

I agree with this-- i think an updated animal companion selection should be made & based upon the more likely denizens of the underdark.

This is moot if it can't be scripted however, but if so, ideally, the creatures list should include some of the creatures on this list

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=books/fr/pets

I think thats a great idea. Additionally, maybe the druid wild shapes should also reflect this thought. I see druids as having a tough time fitting into the setting unless they are adapted somehow. Just a thought.

This may be shifting into a realm slightly off the topic, but as well as giving druids/ranger animal companions that are underdarkish(since you find your animal companion from the surrounding wilds), it'd be important to let druids and rangers use their wilderness bonuses to attack, hide, and move silently in the caverns and caves of the underdark.

Altering animal companiosn tends to be a very hard and complex task, particularly if you want them to level up with the PC.

The rest is all generally doable.

EDIT

In one of my flashes of insightful brilliance [/ego], I figured out an easy way to morph all the companions. Just need a list of what to change to what, now.

My personal inklings

Hawk - Bat Spider - Same Dire Wolf - Deep Lizard Wolf - Dunno, but it'll keep the Fear howl, so something apporpiate to have that. Dire Rat - Same Brown Bear -? Boar - Rothe Badger - ?

Wolf - Hooked Horror Bear - Umberhulk Badger - Stag Beetle (Or Eyball)

Why such powerful creatures though? A hook horror that is a pansy and a stag beetle that can't kill a badger at level 1? That's for low level companions when we've balanced them... Maybe have a theme for the companions so that they aren't named the way their appearance is. So we have those types of creatures but don't name them like "Hook Horror" and "Stag Beetle"

Well, they'd always be named whatever you name them.

And always the same level in Animal as their original.

Their stats, appearance are prettymuch completely malleable with how I"m doing it though.

They could always be considered "Younger" when they're low level. I doubt all Hooked Horrors or Umberhulks burst out of their mothers with muscles brimming and the inate thirst for blood.

The idea would be they'd just have lower Stats (HP, AB, STR, CON, DEX, etc) and they'd advance in power, just like the Ranger/Druid's normal companions. So when you're a level 1 druid and you have that Stag beetle, it'll likely be an easy kill. When you're level 11 and have that Stag Beetle, it'll be tearing crap apart because it's a level 11 Beetle the size of an Elephant.

As for "Switching" the creature type (As in, a Fire Beetle, then a Stink Beetle, then a Stag Beetle, depending on level) I thought about this, but then it didn't make much sense to me ICly. Assuming your Druid/Ranger really cares about their companion, I doubt they'd simply trade in their fire beetle for a stink beetle and so on as they got more powerful. It'd make more sense for the creature to advance with the character as it'd reveal a bond your character shares with the creature, seeing as they've been together for a long period.

So lesse....

Progression will be just the normal levelling up in Animal? Or Stat changes as well.

If b), what level do we want the "True" creature to be fully grown? (then I'll just slice it into whatever divisions, stat wise)

or do we want a progression like this? (i'll use a stag beetle's stats)

Level 1 - Str 16/Dex 3/Con 10, Natural AC 2 Level 3 - Str 18/Dex 5/Con 12, Natural AC 4 Level 6 - Str 20/Dex 7/Con 14, Natural AC 6 Level 9 - Str 22/Dex 9/Con 16, Natural AC 8 Level 12 - Normal stag Physical Stats - 23 Str, 10 Dex, 17 Con, Nat AC 10

I'm more inclined to just use one set of stats, and it's normal levelling alongside the master, or two tiers at best, if it's normal stats are far out of league.

This is likely something best left to the DMs, since my knowledge about this stuff is next to 0 (As to which would be better), and it's not -my- server :P

Wolf = Night Hunter (Deep Bat) Panther - Krenshar Bear - Stone Lizard Spider - Spider Dire rat - Dire Rat Dire Wolf - Deep Hound Hawk - Hook Horror Boar - Rothe Badger - Slicer Beetle

The current statistical batch

50 Total (determined by measuring Dire Wolf original) STR/DEX/CON value 1:1 Special Ability(value of 2 points) Nat Ac (value of 1/2 point per point) (Dire Wolf had 0, so this value can be changed without altering the 50 total)

Night Hunter 12/18/15 = 39 + Special + 4 Nat AC = 50 Krenshar 15/18/13 + Special + 4 Nat AC= 50 Spider 15/17/14 + Special + 4 Nat AC = 50 DireRat 12/19/14 + Special + 6 Nat AC = 50 Stone Lizard = 19/10/17+ 8 Nat AC = 50 Deep Hound = 18/15/13 + Special + 4 Nat AC = 50 Hook Horror = 18/15/12 + Special + 6 Nat AC = 50 Rothe = 14/18/16 + 4 Nat AC = 50 Slicer Beetle = 21/10/15 + 8 Nat AC = 50

All these were based upon the general ratio of STR/DEX/CON found on the normal creature). 1d8 attacks.

Replacing hook horror (aberration) with "Deep Pig" (dire boar model).

Descriptions:

Stone Lizard Crawling along its belly in the deepest depths of the earth, this strange lizard is a marvel of adoptation. Its pebbly skin blends in well with the rock that surrounds it, and its reptilian circulatory system retains heat sufficiently that creatures endowed with ultravision rarely spot it. Should any predator notice it, it also has a very nasty bite.

Deep Hound

An ugly and misshapen beast that prowls the darkness of the world beneath. Swift and inclined towards establishing packs with others of its kind, the deep hound is a cunning predator and scavenger. Strong jaws can crack the bones of prey, and wary senses alert the beast to lurking dangers.

Deep Pig

These clever and shrewd beasts are excellent survivors in a world where most things consider them as prey. The deep pig survives on an appetite of fungus and mushrooms, and has an extraordinarily keen sense of smell that allows it to root out buried food-sources and avoid predators.

Stats for a Deep Pig?

Using the existing stats for others.

Oh, and for the whole set, need suggestions on

Skill (one only), Feats (up to level 20, 1 per 5 levels), Special? (Poison etc)

In example

Stone Lizard Discipline (try and knock over a crawler), Toughness(1), KD(5), (Weapon focus (10), Great Fort(15), Armor Skin(20), Special:None

Current Conceptuals

Stone Lizard - Melee Tank (Defensive feats, SKill : Discipline, special : enhanced AC)

Deep Hound - Tactical Striker/Detector (Hamstring(Called shot), Springs,, Skill discipline, Special : Bonus Skills Listen/Spot)

Deep Pig - ?

Night Hunter - Terror-inspirer(Negative Causing Abilities instead of feats, Skill : Taunt, Special : Fear Howls 1/5 levels)

Spider - Debilitation Melee (Accuracy Feats, Skill: Tumble, Special : Poison)

Dire Rat - Same as spider except Special : Disease.

Rothe - Rage Melee (Damage yield/Save boost feats/Spring, Skill : Concentration(can't be taunted away from it's target), Special : Rage)

Slicer Beetle - Damage Tank (Damage boosting feats, Skill : Discipline, Special : Increased Damage)

Krenshar - Melee Flanker(Spring/Mobility, Skill Tumble, Special : Sneak Attack)

Deep Pig:

The Deep Pig is a shrewd and quick-breeding variation of the common boar. Years of struggling to survive in the lightless depths of the earth have forced it to adopt substantially. It is almost completely blind, relying on its keen sense of smell to discover fungus and mushroom growth, old caches of rotting meat, and to alert it to lurking predators. It is perhaps most notable for its horrific and nauseating stench. This, of course, also helps its ability to survive: to serve Deep Pig meat on your table to a guest is considered by the drow to be the gravest sort of insult.

- troglodyte stench ability? If not, just some extra hit-points.

Also, more or less the same subject, do we want to alter the familiars for Mages, or leave them with Panther/Raven, and assume magic allows them access to these exotic (for the Underdark) critters?

(As a side benefit, they can be all rebalanced out in the process, much like the companions are, and save on scripting weird HP decrease functions. Also taking out the pocket rogue pixie etc.)

I think Wizard familiars are fine - most of the familiars are outsiders or magical sort, and it makes sense a wizard would have access to them.

Implemented. Thanks for the good ideas, and additional thanks to Black_Rose for doing the scripting work involved.