The Healer’s Companion

The healer’s companion is different from a normal creature of its kind in many ways. The standard companion for a healer is a celestial unicorn. It is superior to a normal celestial unicorn and has special powers, as described below.

Healer’s Companion Basics: Use the base statistics for a creature of the companion’s kind, as given in the hyperlinked creature description, but make the following changes:

Healer Level: The character’s healer level, which has a direct effect on the extent of the companion’s special powers.

Bonus HD: Extra eight-sided (d8) Hit Dice, each of which gains a Constitution modifier, as normal. Bonus Hit Dice improve the companion’s base attack and base save bonuses. A companion’s base attack bonus is the same as that of a cleric of a level equal to the companion’s HD. A companion has good Fortitude and Reflex saves (treat it as a character whose level equals the creature’s HD). The companion gains extra skill points and feats for bonus HD as normal for advancing a monster’s Hit Dice (see the Monster Manual).

Natural Armor Adj.: The number noted here is an improvement to the creature’s existing natural armor bonus. It represents the preternatural toughness of a healer’s companion.

Str/Dex/Int Adj.: Add this figure to the companion’s Strength, Dexterity, and Intelligence scores.

Empathic Link (Su): The healer has an empathic link with her companion out to a distance of up to 1 mile. The healer cannot see through the companion’s eyes, but they can communicate empathically. Note that unicorns see the world differently from humans, so misunderstandings are always possible.

Because of this empathic link, the healer has the same connection to an item or place that her companion does, just as with a master and his familiar.

Improved Evasion (Ex): When subjected to an attack that normally allows a Reflex save for half damage, a companion takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw and half damage even if the saving throw fails.

Share Saving Throws: For each of its saving throws, the companion uses its own base save bonus or the healer’s, whichever is higher. The companion applies its own ability modifiers to saves, and it doesn’t share any other bonuses on saves that the healer might have (such as from magic items or feats).

Share Spells: At the healer’s option, she may have any spell (but not any spell-like ability) she casts on herself also affect her companion. The companion must be within 5 feet at the time of casting to receive the benefit. If the spell or effect has a duration other than instantaneous, it stops affecting the companion if the creature moves farther than 5 feet away and will not affect the companion again even if it returns to the healer before the duration expires. Additionally, the healer may cast a spell with a target of “You” on her companion (as a touch range spell) instead of on herself. A healer and her companion can share spells even if the spells normally do not affect creatures of the companion’s type (magical beast).

Devotion (Ex): A companion’s devotion to its master is so complete that it gains a +4 morale bonus on Will saves against enchantment spells and effects.

Improved Speed (Ex): The companion’s base ground speed increases by 10 feet.

Spell Resistance (Su): A companion’s spell resistance equals its master’s healer level + 5.

Alternative Celestial Companions

A healer of sufficiently high level can select her celestial companion from the following list. Apply the indicated adjustment to the healer’s level for purposes of determining the companion’s characteristics and special abilities. For example, if a 14th-level healer takes a gynosphinx as a companion, the gynosphinx’s special abilities are determined as if the healer were 10th level instead of 14th (due to the –⁠4 adjustment). These companions are symbols of healing in various cultures.

1. Available only in an aquatic environment.