Magical Companions
Pathfinder offers three distinct permanent companion mechanics — animal companions, familiars, and eidolons. Each has a primary class (druid, wizard/witch, summoner), but all three are accessible far more broadly: feats like Boon Companion and Improved Familiar, dozens of archetypes, and several prestige classes grant companion access to nearly any character. The mechanics differ significantly: animal companions scale with a natural bond and advance through their own stat progression; familiars are small magical partners that grant the master constant bonuses and extend their senses; eidolons are fully customizable outsiders shaped from a pool of evolution points. Select a page below for the full rules for each type.
Animal Companions
Druids gain an animal companion at 1st level; rangers at 4th (effective druid level = ranger level − 3). Cavaliers, hunters, and several archetypes also qualify. The companion uses its own stat block adjusted by the Animal Companion Base Statistics table — adding Hit Dice, ability score bonuses, natural armor, and bonus tricks as the handler's effective druid level rises. Companions advance through a two-stage progression: a base form (available at lower druid levels) and an alternate form unlocked when the companion grows large enough. The handler's Handle Animal skill controls how many tricks the companion knows and how reliably it obeys.
Familiars
Wizards and sorcerers summon a familiar by spending 24 hours and 100 gp in a ritual. Witches receive a familiar that stores and delivers their spells — losing it means losing spell access until replaced. All familiars grant their master a constant special ability dependent on the familiar type (e.g., a cat grants Low-Light Vision; a raven grants a +3 bonus on Appraise checks). As the master advances, the familiar gains better natural armor, higher Intelligence, and a series of familiar abilities — including Alertness (when adjacent), Improved Evasion, Share Spells, and eventually Speak With Master. The familiar uses the master's base saves when they are better. Losing a familiar costs the master 200 XP per master level; a replacement can be summoned after one week.
Familiars — full rules, special abilities & familiar listEidolons
The summoner's eidolon is a custom outsider built entirely from scratch using evolution points — a budget that grows every level. You choose a base form (biped, quadruped, serpentine, or one of the alternate forms) that sets starting limb slots and ability scores, then spend evolution points on limbs, natural attacks, movement modes, ability score increases, and special qualities. The eidolon shares a life-force link with its summoner: when the eidolon is reduced to 0 HP it is banished; if the summoner falls unconscious the eidolon is immediately sent back to its home plane. Only one eidolon can be summoned at a time and it cannot be targeted by spells that would return it to its plane (such as dismissal) while the bond is active.
Rules All Companions Share
| Topic | Animal Companion | Familiar | Eidolon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Uses master's saves? | No — own saves, improved by HD | Yes — uses better of own or master's | No — own saves, improved by level |
| Share Spells | Yes (within 5 ft.) | Yes (within 5 ft.) | Yes (within 30 ft.) |
| Empathic Link | No | Yes (1 mile) | Yes (1 mile) |
| Acts on own initiative? | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Death / loss penalty | 1 week wait; no XP loss | 1 week wait; 200 XP × master level | Banished to home plane; re-summon next day |
| Max HP link to master | No | Yes — familiar HP = ½ master's total | No |