Ranged PC with Super Animal Companion/s?

[Airweaverichi]

Ok My last Character was killed off and I am looking to a Ranged Fighter with a Super Animal Companion or 2.

I Can use any 3.5 books or DR Mags in this and I have had the Improved Animal Companion Feat Approved the NBoF update of the 3.0 feat gives +3 Effctive druid level and can be taken Multiple times.

I will be starting at Level 3.

my idea so far

Race: Human (for Bonus Feat and fluff lol)
2 Flaws Noncombatant, and Meager Fort.

1st Level Druid w/ Animal Focused Variant (DR374) Animal Compaion +2
Feats (1st) Exalted Companion (human) Skill Focus (Handel Animal) (F1) Improved Animal Companion (F2) Point Blank Shot

2nd level Fighter (For Bonus Feat)
Feats (FBF) Precise Shot

3rd level Ranger
Feats (3rd) Natural Bond???????

4th level Ranger
(Combat Style) Rapid Shot

5th level Beastmaster
Animal Companion +3

that's as far as i have gotten and at the moment i have, if i have done the math right, an animal Companion that has an effective druid level of 12 (Direwolf with 13HD?). but i would really like to have a mark up to 20. Maxing out both the Animal Companion and my ranged damage. Animal should come first IMO and if i can get more then one with fairly good stats I would like that.  this optimizing is harder then i thought it would be lol.
 
oh he is wolf based due to back story reason and cause I am starting at lvl 3 i have gotten the OK to also have the War Beast template on my pet.

Thank you in advance, Cheese is welcome I have been playing with the idea Vow of Poverty on the wolf

Also I know you can't awaken a Companion but what about a Wild Cohort?

[Maat Mons]

Is there any chance I could convince you to go with dogs instead of wolves?  Feral dogs could serve almost any story purpose that wolves could. 

The urban companion alternative class feature gives you a familiar with some very important upgrades.  Dragon 277 and 280 both give dog as an option for a familiar (on pages 65 and 61, respectively).  The extra familiar feat (Dragon 280, p62) gives you another familiar each time you take it.  Put your 5 feats into it, and you'll start with a pack of 6 dogs at your command. 

A nice thing about familiars is that they use your base attack bonus, your skill ranks, and 3/4 (in this case) of your hit points.  You don't have to take levels in a specific class to keep your minions advancing in power.  You just have to make yourself good in those areas. 

[Airweaverichi]

I did make an edit up top sorry i didn't think anyone would read it that fast. But urban wouldn't work i am a "Beast Champion of Ehlonna"

and i did more math at lvl 5 my wolf would have a ECL of 15 with the Cesetial template on it and 13 HD or am i wrong?

[Airweaverichi]

Also with the Extra Familiars i would be scared of the XP loss my DM likes to kill pets while we sleep.

[Maat Mons]

One of the advantages urban companion has over regular familiars is that you don't lose xp if they die.  Also, you can get a new one in 24 hours instead of a year and a day.  That was part of what I meant when I said "very important upgrades." 

But dogs don't work for your concept.  I understand.  That idea (I've been calling it "who let the dogs out" in my head) will be tucked away to be suggested the next time I can tangentially relate it to something.  (Unless badger, eagle, or small constrictor snake would work.  Okay, I'll stop pushing now.) 

[phaedrusxy]

Have you seen the "supermount" builds? You basically stack different classes that give companions using feats and PrCs that apply to and advance everything at once, to get a mount/companion of far higher level than you should have. I'm not that saavy as I've never built or played one, but if you google "D&D supermount" you'll get several hits which should help you.

[nijineko]

one of the supermount builds managed to stack familiar, animal companion, and mount all onto one creature.

and who is keeping watch when something sneaks in to kill animals? somebody slacking? where is your alarm spell or effect? rope trick? portable hole-stable?

[awaken_D_M_golem]

"Archer" and Supermount ... hmm


Maybe a standard Cleric Archer build, that mixes in Prestige Paladin 2 and Leadership feat.

[Airweaverichi]

OK I was doing some thinking at work today and research on breaks,
 here is what i have worked out.

First of i guess i should have given you the stats i rolled in the first post
STR-16/DEX-18/CON16/INT-16/WIS-17/CHA-15

Taking 2 Flaws, Noncombatant and Meager Fort
Taking 2 traits, Quick and Uncivilized

1st Lv same as before Take Druid with the Animal Focused Var (DR347)
So I get +2 Druid lvls to pet then taking the feats Exalted Compnaion (add a +2 lvl mod on pet), Improved Animal Companion (NBoF Approved by DM but can't be used more then once Another +3 druid lvls for pet), Point Blank Shot (Cause i will need Precise shot), And Skill Focus (Handel Animal) (Beastmaster Req)

2nd-4th Mystic Ranger (DR336)
that gives me 1 more Druid lvl for pet and gives access to Spells much sooner inculding a few 0 lvl spells taking the feat Precise Shot and at 4th taking WIS+1

5th Beastmaster counts as a full druid lvl and gives me an extra +3 druid levels bringing me to a pet of an 11th lvl druid

6th-20th Back to Mystic Ranger at 12th lvl i will have access to 5th lvl spells.

Feats:
6th- Item Familiar - Who wouldn't want a Super Composite Longbow as an archer
8th- WIS+1
9th-Natural Bond- by this point i have lost lost 3 druid lvls so +3 Druid lvls to pet
12th- WIS+1 and Animal Cohort I will have awaken beast to cast also so it should work i haven't read it not working on a cohort correct me if i am wrong
15th-?????????????????? should i go with ranged Feat or pet feat
16th-DEX+1
18th-?????????????????? Again not sure what to go with
20th-DEX+1

Pet i will be going with to Start is a wolf with the celestial template and warbeast template so wolf starts 2hd the warbeast will add 1hd then my effective 7lvs of druid gives it 4hd so it will start with 7HD and a +2 lvl Adjustment making it an effective lvl9 pet with a lvl 3 master

at lvl 12 it will be an effective lvl 22 Direwolf and I will be picking up another wolf not sure if dire or just wolf with animal cohort which i will promptly 
awaken

at lvl 20 it would be a effective lvl 26 Direwolf yeah i know the super lvling slows down at the end if i could talk my DM to letting me use Improved Animal Companion as written i would use the last 2 feats for that and have an effective lvl 32 Direwolf

So if you guys see any flaws in this build or have any sugestions for the last 2 feats or any inprovments they would be greatly welcomed thanks again.

[Arz]

Shifter Ranger 4/Beast Heart Adept 10/Beastmaster 6
Bonus Feats: Alertness, Endurance, Extra Shifter Trait, Rapid Shot, Track
Feats: Longtooth Elite, Shifter Savagery, Great Rend, Shifter Multiattack, Shared Fury, Exalted Companion, Natural Bond

The trick here is that exalted companion turns animals into magical beasts which then qualify for all the BHA tricks and everyone gets to shift. Buy a mantle of rage.