I always wondered what was happening with the rest of the Heroes while Wizard was hanging out with Street Samurai. I guess Fighter and Lumberjack Explosion went a little native.

Of course, movie references aren’t our focus today. The real star of the show is Lumberjack Explosion’s hot new magic item. While I honestly don’t know what kind of AC boost you get from Bard-ing, I will say that it’s smart to at least consider it. Easier said than done though.

As players, it’s only natural to look out for our own skins first. We put so much time and effort into our PCs, and the specter of death looms so large, we wind up making extra-double-super sure that we’ve got every possible advantage hanging at our sword belts and strapped onto our shield arms. But when you’re running a companion class, or when you’ve decided to adopt a l’il buddy, you’re suddenly equipping for two. All too often, one of those two goes neglected.

Tell me if you’ve heard this one before: “Sure my animal companion started off strong. But when you get into the late game they become less and less relevant.” Well gee, why do you think that is? While you’ve been stacking adamantine pantaloons for half the campaign, that poor riding schnauzer underneath your ironclad hobbit butt is rocking the same +1 saddle-blanket he’s had since level 2.

I’m not saying that you need to make a 50/50 split on gear. There’s a difference between PC and NPC after all, even if the care and feeding said NPC is your responsibility. By the same token though, I think that animal gear deserves more than the afterthought so many of us seem to give it. After all, more than your own life and death hangs in the balance. Having made the dire trip to the local pet sematary myself, trust me when I say it’s not a place you want to be.

So what about the rest of you guys? Do you prioritize your own gear, or do you make sure to outfit your battle buddies? Is there any especially good animal gear that the rest of us ought to know about? Sound off in the comments and let use hear about your favorite enchanted horseshoes and mithral spiked collars and such!

GET YOUR SCHWAG ON! Want a piece of Handbook-World to hang on you wall? Then you’ll want to check out the “Hero” reward tier on the The Handbook of Heroes Patreon. Each monthly treasure hall will bring you prints, decals, buttons, bookmarks and more! There’s even talk of a few Handbook-themed mini-dungeons on the horizon. So hit the link, open up that treasure chest, and see what loot awaits!