Animal Bonuses and Experience Points

[Green Giant]

Looking at the animal listings in FRED, I was wondering what exactly the animal bonus or experience point listing on the animals was used for. Is it an unexplained carry over from a previous edition? What should I be using those numbers for?
-Thanks much folks.

[Lord Liaden]

It's just something to make the point totals for the Characteristics and Powers/Skills of the animal balance with the Disadvantages side of the character sheet, since the animals often have more abilities than their listed Disadvantages could account for. Makes it consistent with how characters are written up. You can ignore it without detriment to using the animals in your game, although it is possible to have animals gain experience if used as sidekicks and the like.

[Green Giant]

just to flog a point,
If an animal were to join play as a follower would it have to earn it's balance of these bonus points before it could start improving it's abilities. Also, do the extra points give any idea to combat difficulty as in the case of monsters.
thanks folks

-Green

[Monolith]

Originally posted by Green Giant
just to flog a point,
If an animal were to join play as a follower would it have to earn it's balance of these bonus points before it could start improving it's abilities. Also, do the extra points give any idea to combat difficulty as in the case of monsters.
thanks folks

An Animal Bonus is just as the name implies. It is a bonus to the animal so that the totals balance out. An Animal Bonus is not "Experience" for an animal.

Point totals can be a very poor indicator of combat ability, for animals as well as characters. I would not base combat effectiveness on how many points the animal has. I would instead look at the animal's CV, SPD, Levels, DEF, and Damage output. Those are the true indicators of combat effectiveness.