Starfarer Companions And Mounts

Some classes, such as the ranger and paladin, can grant a loyal companion that you choose and train.

All companions have a neutral alignment and the same senses as an ordinary human. Your companion understands all of the languages that you speak. See Selecting and Customizing Your Companion below for instructions on creating your companion.

Each round on your turn, after you have acted, your companion can take either a move action or a standard action to attack (your companion doesn’t make a separate initiative roll). You must be able to issue simple commands to your companion, but you don’t have to spend actions to issue these commands.

You can instead choose to spend a move action on your turn to give your companion detailed commands. If you do so, your companion can take both a move action and any standard action this turn. If you also spend a swift action, your companion can take a swift action as well, or it can combine its actions into a full action.

To receive these commands, your companion must be able to see or hear you. If you become unconscious or otherwise unresponsive, or otherwise unable to communicate with your companion, your companion cannot take any actions until you are again able to command it.

Starting at 7th level, your bond with your companion has advanced to the point where it can more independently interpret your wishes. Each round on your turn, the companion can take a move action, take a standard action to attack, or make a full attack, even if you don’t spend any actions to give it detailed commands. The companion takes a –6 penalty to full attacks made without your detailed commands instead of the normal –4 penalty. You must still be conscious and able to communicate with your companion for it to take these actions.

At 20th level, your companion instinctively anticipates your wishes and may act completely independently. Each round on your turn, your companion can take a full suite of actions (either a full action or else a move action, a standard action, and a swift action) without requiring your direct control, and it makes full attacks without your direct control with the normal –4 penalty. You don’t need to issue commands to your companion for it to take actions.

Selecting and Customizing Your Companion

Selecting and customizing a companion is a multi-step process. First, choose the companion’s creature type: biological or technological. Companions can be traditional clever beasts and brave steeds or technological creations similar to a mechanic’s drone.

This choice effects some of the companion’s base statistics and the evolutions that the companion can select. Next, you select your companion’s base form, which, along with your class level, determines its base statistics. Next, choose your companion’s special abilities and feats. Finally, select your companion’s evolutions, which grant your companion additional abilities and allow you to fully customize it.

Other than those aspects determined by your companion’s type, base form, and evolutions, the exact details of your companion’s appearance and personality are up to you.

Companion Type

Biological Companion

A biological companion is considered magical beast for the purposes of spells and effects targeting it. Your biological companion gains natural attack as a bonus evolution at 1st level.

Like most magical beasts, a biological companion recovers from damage naturally through rest, and it may be healed like any other living creature. If a biological companion is reduced to 0 Hit Points, it begins dying. The biological companion immediately falls unconscious and can take no actions. On your turn, as long as you are within 60 feet of your biological companion, you can use a standard action and spend one Resolve Point to stabilize it. If the biological companion is not stabilized or healed to more than 0 hit points within one round of being reduced to 0 hit points, it dies. Additionally, if a biological companion takes damage from a single attack equal to or greater than its maximum Hit Points while it has 0 current HP, the biological companion dies. If a biological companion is unconscious but stable at 0 hit points and takes additional damage, it again begins dying.

If your biological companion is ever killed or lost, you can find and train a replacement companion for free after 24 hours of uninterrupted searching. You can take a single 8-hour rest during each 24 hours spent searching, but any other interruption greater than a moment of conversation requires you to add 12 hours to the time required to find a replacement companion.

In addition, every time you gain a class level in the class that grants your companion, you find and train a new biological companion, discarding your bond with your old companion, with the same amount of work. This allows you to change any or all of the choices you made for your biological companion (including ability scores, base form, feats, evolutions, and skills).

Technological Companion

Technological companions are considered constructs with the technological subtype for the purposes of spells and effects targeting it. Your technological companion is proficient in your choice of small arms or basic melee weapons, and it gains specialization in that weapon type once you reach 3rd level. Technological companions gain your choice of melee weapon mount or ranged weapon mount as a bonus evolution at 1st level.

Like most constructs, a technological companion cannot recover from damage on its own. If a technological companion is reduced to 0 Hit Points, it becomes inactive until it is restored to 1 Hit Point or more. If a technological companion takes damage from a single attack equal to or greater than its maximum Hit Points while it has 0 current HP, the technological companion is destroyed.

If your technological companion is ever destroyed or lost, you can replace its body for free after 24 hours of uninterrupted work. You can take a single 8-hour rest during each 24 hours spent working, but any other interruption greater than a moment of conversation requires you to add 12 hours to the time required to rebuild your companion. In addition, every time you gain a class level in the class that grants your companion, you can rebuild your technological companion from scratch with the same amount of work, allowing you to change any or all of the choices you made for your companion (including ability scores, base form, feats, evolutions, and skills).

Companion Base Forms

Each companion has one of three base forms that determines its size, starting statistics, and initial evolutions, as well as the companion’s overall look and theme. These base forms should cover most creatures that are suitable for companions; when choosing your companion, you should work with your GM to decide which of the base forms most closely approximates your companion. These base forms are aquatic, avian, biped, quadruped, and serpentine, and they are presented below. Each is organized as follows, using the terms below.

Size: This is the base size options for your companion. Regardless of the size you choose, it does not change the companion’s other statistics.

Speed: This shows the companion’s land speed and its speeds for any additional movement types.

AC: This is the base Energy Armor Class (EAC) and Kinetic Armor Class (KAC) for this base form. Add the bonus to its AC from Table 26 and your companion’s Dexterity modifier to these numbers to determine the companion’s EAC and KAC.

Good Save: This type of saving throw is your companion’s best saving throw. This saving throw uses the Good Save bonus progression on Table: Companion Base Statistics.

Poor Saves: These types of saving throws are your companion’s worse saving throws. These saving throws use the Poor Save bonus progression on Table: Companion Base Statistics.

Ability Scores: This shows the companion’s base ability scores. The listed Constitution score applies to biological companions. Technological companions have no Constitution score. Any DCs or other statistics that rely on a Constitution score treat a technological companion as having a Constitution score of 10 (no bonus or penalty). Companions can’t use items that grant additional ability score increases.

Ability Increases: These are the companion’s ability scores that increase as you gain levels, as determined by the Ability Increase progression on Table: Companion Base Statistics.

Skills: Each base form determines which skills your companion is trained in. The listed skills are class skills for your companion, and it gains a number of ranks in the skill equal to your class level. Your companion can use these skills without the need for you to command it.

Initial Evolutions: Each base form begins with initial evolutions that are a part of the base form itself. These are in addition to the evolutions a companion gains by level. You can’t change these evolutions when you gain levels, rebuild your companion, or find a new companion unless you choose a new base form. The list of evolutions appears below.

Aquatic

At home in watery or other fluid environments, aquatic companions are effective choices for undersea adventures or exploring ocean-filled worlds. Examples of aquatic base form companions include dolphins, mecha-sharks, and sea wolves.

Starting Statistics
Size Medium or Small
Speed 20 feet, swim 30 feet
AC EAC 10, KAC 10
Good Save Fortitude
Poor Saves Reflex, Will
Ability Scores Str 14, Dex 12, Con 10, Int 6, Wis 10, Cha 6
Ability Increases Strength, Dexterity
Skills Athletics, Stealth
Initial Evolutions amphibious, swim speed, enhanced speed (swim)

Avian

Swooping through the skies above battle as scouts or distractions, avian companions are effective in all but the most confined environments. Examples of avian base form companions include eagles, empyrean wasps, and raptor drones.

Starting Statistics
Size Small or Tiny
Speed 30 feet, fly 30 feet
AC EAC 10, KAC 10
Good Save Reflex
Poor Saves Fortitude, Will
Ability Scores Str 8, Dex 16, Con 10, Int 6, Wis 10, Cha 6
Ability Increases Dexterity, Wisdom
Skills Acrobatics, Perception
Initial Evolutions atmospheric adaptation, distraction, fly speed

Biped

Highly adaptable, biped companions thrive in most environments. Examples of biped base form companions include cyberapes, deinonychus, and kangaroos.

Starting Statistics
Size Medium or Small
Speed 30 feet
AC EAC 11, KAC 11
Good Save Will
Poor Saves Fortitude, Reflex
Ability Scores Str 12, Dex 14, Con 10, Int 6, Wis 10, Cha 6
Ability Increases Strength, Dexterity
Skills Acrobatics, Stealth
Initial Evolutions enhanced ligaments, enhanced senses, share senses

Quadruped

Fierce protectors and steadfast mounts, quadruped companions often stand on the frontlines in battle. Examples of quadruped base form companions include camels, robosteeds, and xenobears.

Starting Statistics
Size Large or Medium
Speed 40 feet
AC EAC 10, KAC 13
Good Save Fortitude
Poor Saves Reflex, Will
Ability Scores Str 14, Dex 12, Con 10, Int 6, Wis 10, Cha 6
Ability Increases Strength, Dexterity
Skills Athletics, Perception
Initial Evolutions enhanced armor, enhanced speed, mount

Serpentine

Ambush predators and unobtrusive observers, serpentine companions can serve as scouts or as part of a strike force. Examples of serpentine base form companions include constrictor snakes, nanovipers, and sand wyrms.

Starting Statistics
Size Medium or Small
Speed 20 feet, climb 20 feet
AC EAC 10, KAC 13
Good Save Reflex
Poor Saves Fortitude, Will
Ability Scores Str 12, Dex 14, Con 10, Int 6, Wis 10, Cha 6
Ability Increases Strength, Dexterity
Skills Athletics, Stealth
Initial Evolutions camouflage, enhanced armor, climb speed


Companion Base Statistics

Your companion’s abilities are determined by your class level in the class that grants you the companion and the evolutions you select for your companion. Table: Companion Base Statistics on page 133 determines many of the base statistics for your companion. These base statistics modify the starting statistics determined by the companion’s base form. The terms used in Table: Companion Base Statistics are as follows.

Master Level: This is equal to your class level in the class that grants your companion. If you have levels in more than one class that grants a companion, your levels in those classes stack to determine the abilities of your companion—you do not gain additional companions

Hit Points: This is the companion’s maximum number of Hit Points. For the purposes of spells and other effects that rely on Hit Dice or level, your companion’s equivalent Hit Dice or level is equal to your class level in the class that grants your companion. Companions do not have Stamina Points.

Base Attack Bonus: This is the companion’s base attack bonus.

Armor Class: Add the listed bonus and the companion’s Dexterity modifier to base Armor Class values listed for its base form to determine the companion’s total EAC and KAC. Your companion cannot wear armor of any kind, and you cannot increase your companion’s AC further without selecting the appropriate evolutions.

Good Save Bonus, Poor Save Bonus: These are the companion’s base saving throw bonuses. Each base form designates which saving throw uses the good save value and which ones use the poor save value.

Ability Increase: Increase two of your companion’s ability scores, as designated by its base form, by this amount.

Feats: This is the companion’s total number of feats. You can select a companion’s feats from those listed in the Companion Feats section below. A companion cannot select a feat that requires a base attack bonus of +1 until it gains its second feat at 3rd level.

Evolutions: This is the number of custom evolutions you can add to your companion.

Special: Your companion gains these abilities when you reach the appropriate level, as noted on the table. These abilities are described in the section below.

Table: Companion Base Statistics

Master Level HP BAB Armor Class Good Save Bonus Poor Save Bonus Ability Increase Feats Evolutions Special Abilities
1st 10 +1 +0 +2 +0 1 1 Link, share spells
2nd 20 +2 +1 +3 +0 1 1
3rd 30 +3 +2 +3 +1 2 2 Evasion
4th 40 +3 +3 +3 +1 +1 2 2
5th 50 +4 +4 +4 +1 2 3
6th 60 +5 +5 +4 +1 3 3 Devotion
7th 70 +6 +6 +5 +2 +1 3 4
8th 80 +6 +7 +5 +2 3 4
9th 90 +7 +8 +5 +2 4 5
10th 100 +8 +9 +6 +2 +1 4 5
11th 110 +9 +9 +6 +3 5 6 Advanced evolutions
12th 120 +9 +10 +6 +3 5 6
13th 130 +10 +11 +7 +3 +1 5 7
14th 140 +11 +12 +7 +3 6 7
15th 150 +12 +13 +8 +4 6 8 Improved evasion
16th 160 +12 +14 +8 +4 +1 6 8
17th 170 +13 +15 +8 +4 7 9
18th 190 +14 +16 +9 +4 7 9
19th 210 +15 +17 +9 +5 +1 8 10
20th 230 +15 +18 +9 +5 8 10

Link (Su)

You have an empathic link with your companion to a 1-mile distance. You can communicate empathically with your companion, but cannot see through its eyes. Because of the link’s limited nature, only general emotions can be shared.

Share Spells (Ex)

If you can cast spells, you may cast a spell with a range of personal on your companion (as a spell with a range of touch) instead of on yourself. You may cast spells on your companion even if the spells normally do not affect creatures of the companion’s type (magical beast). Spells cast in this way must come from a class that grants a companion. This ability does not allow the companion to share abilities that are not spells, even if they function like spells.

Evasion (Ex)

If a companion is subjected to an attack that normally allows a Reflex save for half damage, it takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw.

Devotion (Ex)

A companion gains a +4 morale bonus on Will saves against enchantment spells and effects.

Advanced Evolutions (Ex or Su)

Beginning at 11th level, you can chose from the list of advanced evolutions whenever your companion gains a new evolution.

Improved Evasion (Ex)

When subjected to an attack that allows a Reflex saving throw for half damage, a companion takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw and only half damage if the saving throw fails.


Companion Feats

When choosing feats for your companion, you can choose from the following: Blind-Fight, Cleave, Deadly Aim, Far Shot, Great Cleave, Great Fortitude, Improved Combat Maneuver, Improved Critical, Iron Will, Jet Dash, Kip Up, Lightning Reflexes, Lunge, Mobility, Multi-Weapon Fighting, Nimble Moves, Opening Volley, Penetrating Attack, Shot on the Run, Skill Focus, Skill Synergy, Slippery Shooter, Spring Attack, Strike Back, Suppressive Fire, Versatile Focus, Versatile Specialization, Weapon Focus, and Weapon Specialization.

GMs can expand this list to include feats from other sources.


Companion Evolutions

Evolutions are modifications that you can add to your companion. The form of these modifications can change based on the type of your companion—for instance, the amphibious evolution might be a rebreather module or a gill implant—but their function is the same regardless of their type. If an evolution requires a saving throw, the difficulty class is equal to 10 + ½ your class level in the class that grants the companion (minimum 1). Evolutions are set once chosen, unless you rebuild your companion or find a new companion. Some evolutions have prerequisites for selection based on possession of other evolutions.

You must be at least 11th level to select advanced evolutions. Unless otherwise stated, you may only choose an evolution once.

Basic Evolutions

Amphibious (Ex)

Your companion can breathe easily in air or under water.

Atmospheric Adaptation (Ex)

Your companion is acclimated to high altitudes, allowing it to function normally in thin atmospheres and granting it a +4 insight bonus on Fortitude saves to resist the effects of severely thin atmospheres.

Camouflage (Ex)

Your companion’s skin or hide subtly changes color to match its surroundings. Whenever your companion stays stationary for 1 round, it gains a +5 bonus to Stealth checks (this bonus doesn’t stack with the invisibility spell or similar effects). If your companion takes any action, it loses this bonus until it once again spends 1 round remaining still. At 11th level, you can choose this evolution again to increase the bonus on Stealth checks to +10.

Climb Speed (Ex)

Your companion gains sharp claws, sticky pads, or suction cups on its extremities, granting it a climb speed equal to its base speed.

Distraction (Ex)

As a standard action, your companion is able to let out a frightening roar or make an intimidating display directed against one enemy within 30 feet that can see or hear it. The enemy must succeed on a Will save or be shaken until the end of your next turn. This is a mind-affecting, sense-dependent effect.

Enhanced Armor (Ex)

Your companion gains a +2 bonus to its AC. At 11th level, you can choose this evolution a second time as an advanced evolution.

Enhanced Senses (Ex)

Your companion gains low-light vision, darkvision to 60 feet, and a +2 insight bonus to Perception skill checks.

Enhanced Speed (Ex)

Your companion increases one form of its movement speed by 10 feet. You can select this evolution multiple times. Its effects do not stack; each time you select this evolution, it must apply to a different movement type.

Extra Ammo (Ex)

One of your companion’s weapon mounts can hold two additional batteries, magazines, or other type of ammunition in addition to its usual weapon and ammunition capacity. Your companion must have the ranged weapon mount mod before selecting this mod. You can select this mod more than once, up to the number of weapon mounts the companion has.

Enhanced Ligaments (Ex)

Your companion is equipped with powerfully reinforced limbs. It can jump up to 30 feet as a move action (either vertically, horizontally, or in any combination that does not exceed 30 feet). Once used this ability is used, your companion must wait 1 minute before it can use this ability again.

Melee Weapon Mount (Ex)

Your companion is equipped with a harness or robotic arm to which you can affix a one-handed melee weapon, allowing your companion to wield that weapon and attack with it. This weapon cannot be disarmed. Wielding a two-handed melee weapon requires two melee weapon mounts. If you do not already have a weapon to equip, you must purchase it separately. Swapping out a weapon in a melee weapon arm requires 1 hour of work. You can select this evolution multiple times, each time adding an additional melee weapon mount to the companion.

Mount (Ex)

Your companion is able to carry a rider as a combat-trained mount. If you ride your companion, it must be at least your size or larger. To carry another rider, the companion must be at least one size larger than the rider. You can direct your companion mount in battle without attempting Survival checks.

Natural Attack

Your companion’s unarmed strikes deal 1d6 slashing damage. This attack doesn’t count as archaic. Your companion gains a unique weapon specialization with their unarmed strikes at 3rd level, allowing it to add 1–1/2 × your character level to its damage rolls for its unarmed strikes (instead of just adding your character level, as usual).

Resistance (Ex)

Your companion gains resistance to an energy type of your choice— acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic—equal to your class level, to a maximum of 10. You can select this evolution multiple times. Its effects do not stack; each time you select this evolution, it must apply to a different energy type from the list above.

Scent (Ex)

Your companion gain blindsense (scent) with a 10-foot range. At 11th level, you can select this evolution again as an advanced evolution to extend the range of your companion’s blindsense to 30 feet.

Shared Senses (Su or Ex)

Either through an ocular implant or a mystical connection, you can see through your companion’s eyes as a move action, maintaining this connection as long as you like (as long as your companion is within 1 mile). You can end this connection as a swift action. While you are sharing your companion’s senses, you are blinded.

Strong Back (Ex)

Your companion’s Strength score counts as 4 higher for the purpose of how determining much bulk it can carry, but all of this extra bulk must be stored gear and cargo, not mounted weapons or the like. This does not affect the companion’s actual Strength score in any way, merely how much it can carry. Due to its size, a companion might still be unable to carry awkward or unwieldy items.

Tracking (Ex)

Your companion can make Perception checks to find and follow tracks as if it were using the Survival skill.

Squeeze (Ex)

Your companion can move at full speed and is not considered entangled while it is squeezing.

Swim Speed (Ex)

Your companion gains a swim speed equal to its base speed.

Ranged Weapon Mount (Ex)

You can affix a small arm or another one-handed ranged weapon on your companion, either via a harness, implant, or modification, allowing it to wield that weapon and attack with it. This weapon cannot be disarmed.

Mounting a longarm, a heavy weapon, or another two-handed ranged weapon requires two ranged weapon mounts. A ranged weapon mount can hold up to two batteries, two magazines, or two of another type of ammunition for the affixed weapon, provided this ammunition is of light bulk or less. Multiple ranged weapon mounts used to affix a single two-handed weapon count as a single ranged weapon mount for the purpose of how much ammunition it can hold. The weapon mount reloads these batteries or magazines automatically, which takes the usual amount of time for the weapon. Spent batteries or magazines are stored within the ranged weapon mount. You can replace all of a ranged weapon mount’s batteries or magazines as a move action. You must purchase separately or already have the weapon and ammunition for use with a ranged weapon mount.

You can replace the weapon with any other weapon that meets the criteria for your ranged weapon mount (for example, if you have two ranged weapon mounts, you could replace a longarm with a heavy weapon). Swapping out a weapon in a ranged weapon mount requires 1 hour of work. You can select this evolution multiple times, each time adding an additional ranged weapon mount to the companion.

Advanced Evolutions

Burrow (Ex)

Tough claws or drill attachments grant your companion a burrow speed equal to its land speed.

Fly Speed (Ex or Su)

Your companion gains a fly speed equal to its land speed, by gaining either wings or mystical anti-gravity power. It can use its flight for 10 minutes per day. These minutes do not need to be consecutive, but they must be spent in 1-minute increments. You can select this evolution a second time to remove the limit on the amount of time your companion can fly.

Greater Camouflage (Ex)

Once per day as a standard action, your companion can turn invisible for 10 minutes, as per the invisibility spell. If it makes an attack during this time, the invisibility ends. Your companion must have the camouflage evolution to select this ability.

Greater Resistance (Ex)

Choose one type of energy for which your companion already has the resistance evolution. Increase your companion’s resistance to that energy type by 5. You can select this evolution multiple times. Its effects do not stack. Each time you select this evolution, it applies to a different energy type for which your companion has the resistance evolution.

Improved Natural Attack (Ex)

The base damage from your companion’s unarmed attacks increases to 3d6. Additionally, when making a full attack with its unarmed strikes, your companion can make a third attack, suffering the same penalties as usual. Your companion must have the natural attack evolution to select this ability.

Reach (Ex)

You extend your companion’s limbs or neck, increase its reach with its natural attack by 5 feet. Your companion must have the natural attack evolution to select this ability.

Thick Skin (Ex)

Your companion’s hide or outer coating toughens, granting it damage reduction 2/—. This increases to DR 3/— at 14th level and increases by 1 again at 17th level and 20th level.

Tympanic Membranes (Ex)

Your companion uses basic echolocation to notice unseen foes. The companion gains the blindsense (sound) ability with a range of 30 feet.

Venom (Ex)

Your companion gains venom glands or a toxin pump that grants it a poison attack. As a standard action, your companion can make a ranged attack versus EAC against an enemy within 30 feet. If the attack is successful, the enemy must succeed on a Fortitude save or be afflicted by Companion’s Venom. Your companion cannot use this ability again until you take a 10-minute rest to regain stamina.

Companion’s Venom
Type poison (injury); Save Fortitude (special) Track Constitution; Frequency 1/round for 3 rounds; Cure 1 save

Vacuum Resistance (Ex)

Due to physiological modification and development of internal air bladders, your companion no longer suffers the hazardous environmental effects of being in a vacuum. Additionally, it can go without breathing for a number of hours equal to your class level. You must have the atmospheric adaptation evolution to select this ability.


The Starfarer's Companion from Rogue Genius Games
Classes Races Companions Feats Spells
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