Wise Turtle Publishing

Hello. I just enjoyed my first session of OVA, really like the system. Simple and easy to get in but with enough depth to keep me going for quite some time. However, I had a question and I was wondering if someone else has run into this problem.

Right now, I'm playing a beast master/summoner type of character. Basically, I am pretty weak and have support abilities for several animal companions I can summon. For this, I use the combination of the following two powers, with my ST's approval:

Human Arsenal(Animal Companion, monsters).

This worked out great during character creation and I currently have three monsters statted out. To keep it balanced, all monsters share a combined health and endurance pool, so I can't just keep summoning new monsters and basically have unlimited health and endurance. However, after the first session we noticed something that could potentially destroy my build, namely experience.

As other characters (myself included) will keep growing in strength, reaching sums of 30 and higher, my animal companions will still be stuck at a maximum of 5. Right now, my ST and me decided the animal companions I have will gain experience together with me, and any new companions will again start at a sum of maximum 5 (or maybe more, but we'll worry about that later).

Is there a set of rules we missed about animal companions and experience or is this actually a solid ruling as is?

TLDR: Playing a beast master using human arsenal(animal companion) and worried my animal companions will fall behind as experience totals will grow. Do we just give animal companions experience or is there a rule we missed?

Animal Companion and Human Arsenal follow the same pattern: you may not retrieve something from it of greater positive total than your level in the Ability. I would follow those rules for summoning instead of tracking individual experience for the monsters; make your monsters stronger by leveling up your own ability.

For summoning multiple monsters simultaneously, I'd say you split your summoning Ability levels among them (so level 3 summoning can get you, at max, one +3 monster, a +1 and a +2, or three +1 monsters).

Of course, if you like your rules better, use those; the game's to have fun.

As Dreamstryder pointed out, the easiest option is probably just to "level up" your creatures by maxing out your own Ability. This doesn't allow a lot of granularity though, so I can see why you may want to come up with your own system. As long as it's fun in play, it really doesn't matter.

Giving your creatures XP reminds me a little of Pokemon though, which made me think of an alternative.

Instead of Human Arsenal and Animal Companion, you could instead have an Ability called "Control" that you roll to give orders to your creatures. The more powerful your creatures are, the more difficult they are to control. Failing a roll makes them not perform or do something unintended.

Just a thought! I hope you continue to have fun with the game.