Animal Companion

You have a supernatural connection with a loyal animal you've befriended during your life. It can be fully domesticated, or a wild animal that knows and trusts you. It can remain out of the way until you summon it (using a whistle or some other form of signal or command), or remain by your side. Summoning your companion is a free action, and you can do it even while controlled, however it can only be done outdoors. When your companion is summoned into combat, it can be buffed by allies or attacked by enemies. This companion is immune against any form of control moves except appropriate animal-affecting moves, charm monster, and confusion. If you are incapacitated or stunned, your companion can act in your place, using basic moves while rolling with its own stats. If you dismiss or lose a companion you can get a new companion by the next nightfall, but you can only have one companion at a time.

Choose a species:

• Wolf, Cougar, Bear, Eagle, Dog, Hawk, Cat, Owl, Pigeon, Rat, Mule (it doesn't have to be these animals exactly, so long as it is mundane, native to local, temperate climates, and no more massive than a horse).

Depending on its type, it may not be desired or acceptable in the limits of a town or city.

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Choose base stats for your animal companion and add it to your inventory (0 weight):

• Heavy beast: Grit 1d6, Str 2, Dex 0, Con 3, Int 1, Wis 2, Cha 1, HP 8, Armor 2

• Tiny beast: Grit 1d4, Str 0, Dex 1, Con 1, Int 3, Wis 2, Cha 2, HP 6, Armor 1

• Fierce beast: Grit 2d4, Str 2, Dex 1, Con 2, Int 1, Wis 2, Cha 1, HP 8, Armor 1

• Feral beast: Grit 2d4, Str 3, Dex 0, Con 2, Int 0, Wis 1, Cha 0, HP 8, Armor 1

While these stats come into play when you are controlled (and theanimal companion acts in your place ), they also determine the following:

• Str is your pet's bonus when it uses Hack&Slash

• Dex is the bonus your pet provides to your own Dex rolls when it is summoned and present (hasn't run away).

• Int is the bonus it applies to Sniff 'Em Out.

• Wis is the number of rounds your pet will fight for you (via Swift as the Coursing River) before running away until the next encounter.

• Cha is how friendly and likeable it is. Add its Cha to your own Cha on defy danger rolls.

When your companion reaches 0 HP, it automatically runs away, and won't return to you for a day.

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Animal Tongue

You can communicate with animals (including people shapeshifted into animals). Inexplicably, when you speak, they seem to understand you perfectly; while their speech doesn't sound intelligible, you can somehow get the gist of what they're trying to say.

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Faster than his Shadow

Free Action

You can switch weapons without spending a Standard Move for Switch It up.

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Sniff 'Em Out

Ritual

Once a week you can try to track down a local monster or great beast with the aid of your animal companion (and a DM). For this roll, do not apply your own stats, but your companion's +INT.

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Swift as the Coursing River

Interrupt

Whereas most warriors strive to hit hard, you hit fast and light. So long as you’re wearing light or no armor, you can do one of the following as an interrupt:

• When using a bow you can use Volley at half your grit (1d4).

• When using a thrown weapon you can use Volley at your full grit (1d8).

• When using two one-handed weapons (a one-handed weapon in each hand), you can use Hack&Slash at half your grit (1d4).

• Your pet can attack an enemy, doing its damage using Hack&Slash, or defend you using Defend. It can only do this a number of times per encounter equal to its WIS, or until it is reduced to 0HP and runs away (whichever comes first).

While wearing light or no armor, apply half of your dexterity bonus to your armor (rounding up). You lose this bonus while you are vulnerable or helpless, and it is reduced by debilities normally.

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