In Jade Regent, can animal companions fill job roles in caravans?


Jade Regent


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RAW seems to indicate that they can, but I'm not clear on the exact definition of allied NPCs.

We have:

"Travelers: Travelers are all creatures who belong to the caravan with the exception of any draft animals used to pull the wagons. Player characters, NPCs, animal companions, mounts, and cohorts are all considered travelers for this purpose. Familiars are covered by their master as far as traveler count is concerned. Every traveler (save for passengers) provides a benefit to a caravan in some way."

So, at this point we know that they are considered travelers, but not much else.

Next:

"Travelers
Every person associated with a caravan who accompanies it on its journey is known as a traveler, and every traveler on a caravan fills a different job during the caravan’s journey—even if that job is simply being a passenger."

This is a little fuzzier, since it says "every person", but given the above, I think this has to count animal companions because at the very least they have to be passengers.

And finally:

"Jobs can be performed by PCs, allied NPCs, or NPCs hired for the position."

They're not PCs or hired NPCs - are they allied NPCs, or does this wording exclude them from holding jobs?


Beyond something simple like a Guard position or something, then no I wouldn't allow it personally


I could see them serve as guards, but that's it.
If the animal companions master's job is scout, they could do that too.

But not really sure tbh.


Get an ape animal companion, pick things up, then put them down.

It does look like as written animal companions and mounts are treated as travelers and can fill any reasonable job at DM's discretion. I think those phrases shouldn`t contradict each-other.


Jestem wrote:
Beyond something simple like a Guard position or something, then no I wouldn't allow it personally
Quatar wrote:

I could see them serve as guards, but that's it.

If the animal companions master's job is scout, they could do that too.

But not really sure tbh.

Of course, the animal would have to meet the requirements for a job. And most jobs require ranks in things that animals can't generally have. But the requirement for guide is just BAB +1, and for scout its 1 rank of survival. So this doesn't seem like a dealbreaker to me.


By GM's discretion, yes. Simple jobs could be handled by animal companions.


The problem is that AC are simply not smart enough to do complex jobs, even with Int 3.
Most stuff they do still relies alot on instinct and training.


There's the work trick to get them to pull a load.

Shadow Lodge

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Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber; Starfinder Superscriber

Am I the only one whose first thought was a dancing bear filling an entertainer slot?


BigNorseWolf wrote:
There's the work trick to get them to pull a load.

So... their job is "horse" ?


Quatar wrote:

The problem is that AC are simply not smart enough to do complex jobs, even with Int 3.

Most stuff they do still relies alot on instinct and training.

I disagree... a 3 INT breaks the animal barrier by allowing Animal Companions to put a skill rank into ANY SKILL in the game...

By RAW.. an Ape with 3 INT can Communicate with Sign Language(Linguistics-Sign Language)... infact REal Apes in the REal World have been taught over 500 words with Sign Language...

With a 3 INT... you no longer need to teach the animal tricks... They are smart enough to follow simple commands or sentences.

Now a Wolf with a 3 INT would still have a hard time being a COOK... or a Wagon Driver...

But an APE with 3 INT? Easily done... Still a GM Call of course


An ape cook or wagon driver sounds absurd to me. An ape scout or guard, certainly. An ape with an INT of 3 who took survival as a skill rank could easily gather fruit or other food in the wilds and bring it back to camp, or could travel through treetops looking for dangers. This would primarily work in terrain the ape was native to, however. Wolves could be the same, hunting and bringing small game back to camp, or keeping alert for foes.


Paladin of Baha-who? wrote:
An ape cook or wagon driver sounds absurd to me. An ape scout or guard, certainly. An ape with an INT of 3 who took survival as a skill rank could easily gather fruit or other food in the wilds and bring it back to camp, or could travel through treetops looking for dangers. This would primarily work in terrain the ape was native to, however. Wolves could be the same, hunting and bringing small game back to camp, or keeping alert for foes.

Absurd but Could happen.. although most DM's would probably not allow it(Cook or Driver... or even a healer with a Rank in Heal)... although that Ape with INT 3 could put Ranks into Profession(Cook) LOL

Also remember that 4th Level Druid Ape Animal Companions are LARGE Creatures... you are talking about an Ape that is over 6 feet tall and weighs over 500 pounds with a 22 STR...

Do you really want to use the Ape as a Cook? or even a Driver (if the Wagon Seat doesn't break)..

Thats a Guard right there... give it Combat Reflexes and let it go to town when the Caravan is attacked..

and with a Druid it would probably need to cast Good berry to feed the Ape which needs Fruits to survive.. and the Druid's Survival skill will be vastly superior to the Ape's skill.


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Border Collies and St Bernards can be trained to handle animals...they could theoretically keep horses moving along a road in the absence of a human at the reins. (I've worked on a farm and watched one dog keep six hundred sheep in line - and she wasn't even an Animal Companion.) It's really more about style and flavor - do you like the look of it?


Sure they can handle other animals. Unfortunately that's not a job in a caravan that improves it's statistic or gives it any more abilities.
They're also great at peeing at trees and marking their territory, but again that doesn't help. :)

As I said, I can see the animal accompanying it's master on it's scouting job, helping out and essentially counting for two scouts. Or helping out another NPC on hunt/scouting trips. So essentially yes, can do the job, but they can't be the only scouts of the caravan, there has to be another.
I can see them patroling the camp and guarding it.

I don't see them cooking meals, driving carts, fortelling the future, healing the sick, casting spells, handle trade with settlements or fixing the caravan.

That only leaves the entertainer job. I personally think there's a bit more to being an entertainer than being cute and fuzzy and doing some tricks. But YMMV and you may allow it. I guess you could allow it similar to scout, that he helps another entertainer with their performance, and counts as an additional one. Again, doesn't have to be the AC's master, but the AC can't be the only entertainer in the caravan.

A familiar on the other hand, especially an improved one might be able to handle a few of those skills the AC can't, depending on the familiar. Fortune telling, healer and spellcasting for example.


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Quatar wrote:

caravan.

A familiar on the other hand, especially an improved one might be able to handle a few of those skills the AC can't, depending on the familiar. Fortune telling, healer and spellcasting for example.

According to RAW.. and Ape with 3 INT and a rank in Use Magic Device could cast Healing or do Spellcasting... use a Wand of Cure Light Wounds,ect


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Imagine this from the Varisian driver's perspective.

Quote:


Bark bark!

"What's that, Lasso? Fallen log ahead?"

Bark bark bark!

"We'll need to ford a river?"

Woof woof bark!

"I didn't even consider that."

Bark bark.

"We'll do that, then. Are you sure that the oxen will hold out?"

Yap yap yap yap yap--

"Fine, fine, I believe you. Rally the drivers, then. We ride at dawn."

I would not trust this person to be in charge of my caravan.


pH unbalanced wrote:
Am I the only one whose first thought was a dancing bear filling an entertainer slot?

Now all you need is a ferret that walks a tight rope that's 2ft of the ground and a dog that walks on its front paws and you have an animal circus. 2cp for a ticket to the show.


Did that huskie just brew some mead?

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