Companions of 3.5 Stadard Ranger

[GarretJax]

I've read on this companion of a Ranger and from what I gather it is just a pet that know tricks.. correct? There no real link between the Ranger and Companion, other than they are drawn to each other..?? That is what I took from the description. If I am incorrect or missing an element of this please inform. I was told that it is not like the empathic link like between a wizard or sorcerer and the familiar.
So, the Ranger pretty much get a good "friend" that tags along but can only really guess what the companion is thinking or feeling.

[Skunkape]

The animal companion is the same kind that the druid gets, accept not as powerful. But it does get stronger as the ranger gains experience and levels, just like the druid's animal companion, though not as powerful.

I've had a ranger with an animal companion in a long running campaign, we reached level 20 by the end of the campaign, which spanned about 2 1/2 years play time. While I had taken the Beastmaster prestige class during the campaign and was not strictly a ranger, my first animal companion was very powerful by the end of said campaign.

[nijineko]

the companion is just that, a friend. there are easy ways of improving abilities and communication, however. speak with animals, for one. awaken for another. there are more. a number of druid spells come to mind.

[GarretJax]

Got it. Thank you.