So I'm experimenting with a Draconic bloodline Bloodrager, with this Blood Conduit archetype. As such, I've taken the improved grapple feat that's offered - nifty thing, no prereqs needed.
Now! Here's where it gets sticky, and I wasn't even sure where to begin looking online. Given my current feats, I'd like to move into picking up greater grapple, and/or maybe body shield. However, the prereqs require you to have improved unarmed strike...which I got to skip due to my archetype. So am I screwed on the feat tax? If I want to build on my grapple feats, am I just going to have to take a feat I shouldn't need?
I understand balance reasons and whatnot, but it's just a bit unclear and my DM isn't positive on it, either.
HERP. Yes, the general purpose - I misread that bit about Guard/watch. And thanks for the clarification between the two. I'd sort of assumed 'watch' was a bit less...effective than 'guard', I suppose. But it seems both have their merits, depending on what you're going for.
As for 'heel,' I guess I hadn't realized that it didn't necessarily bring the animal to you, since it says 'follows you closely.' I assumed this meant it came to your side and followed along dutifully.
Forseti wrote:
"The rules also seem to imply that no other command than "down" will make the animal break off combat."
Yeah, I was wondering, I suppose, if I could rig it a little to avoid being forced into taking 'down' right away. Alas! Seems I'm trying to be clever with something that just doesn't work that way.
Mysterious Stranger wrote:
"Don’t forget if he moves away from his target he provokes an attack of opportunity. It is also good for when you want to have it stop attacking but be able to attack on command."
That's a fair point as well - though I doubt I'll have him stop attacking unless a combatant is surrendering, as my paladin twin would be mighty mad if my wolf killed someone who was no longer fighting (woops). But yeah, using 'come' to have him stop attacking could be a huge waste of movement if I want him to switch targets as well. Which begs the question of, if I do want him to switch targets...do I just tell him to attack another enemy, or would I need 'down' before I can tell him to target swap? Or would that be up to the DM/situation at hand, you think?
Another question of mine is on these 'general purpose' tricks. It seems like it takes just as long as it normally would to teach the ACom all the tricks, but you only roll once for all of them after that amount of weeks. This seems detrimental, rather than beneficial, to me. What if you spend 6 weeks training the Acom...only to fail that one roll with a fateful 1 on animal handling? Is there an upside to the general purpose groups of tricks that I'm missing?
Was there a consensus on what 'defeat' means, or do we think that's simply situational/up to the DM, as well? I'll admit that a 2 int animal going off of instinct isn't the smartest...but dogs/wolves can read body language pretty well - if someone drops weapons and clearly looks frightened, or is no longer acting hostile...would the animal attack? Would that be considered 'defeated'? To play devil's advocate, in the heat of battle, a 'surrendering' enemy might not be noticed by an angry animal. (Maybe I'm nitpicking, haha!)
My question is regarding the specifics of some of the tricks. I'll copy and paste them here, before inquiring:
Commands:
Come (DC 15) The animal comes to you, even if it normally would not do so.
Heel (DC 15) The animal follows you closely, even to places where it normally wouldn’t go.
Attack (DC 20) The animal attacks apparent enemies. You may point to a particular creature that you wish the animal to attack, and it will comply if able. Normally, an animal will attack only humanoids, monstrous humanoids, giants, or other animals. Teaching an animal to attack all creatures (including such unnatural creatures as undead and aberrations) counts as two tricks.
Down (DC 15) The animal breaks off from combat or otherwise backs down. An animal that doesn’t know this trick continues to fight until it must flee (due to injury, a fear effect, or the like) or its opponent is defeated.
Watch (DC 15): The animal can be commanded to keep watch over a particular area, such as a campsite, and raise an alarm if it notices any sizable or dangerous creature entering the area. This trick is often included in the Guarding purpose.
Guard (DC 20) The animal stays in place and prevents others from approaching.
Now, I've dug around for a topic like this, and most are old, or simply unclear in the responses. I would like clear and defined differences between certain commands.
For instance, why take 'Watch' when 'Guard' says it covers it, right? Well, why take 'come' if 'heel' will essentially cover that? An ACom with 2 int can only learn so many tricks, and with it taking a week of in-game time to train a pet, I'm trying to move as fast as I can.
Now, I'll spare you the long story of the Lunar Oracle taking a pet to help with DPS/being a tank, but that's the TL;DR bare bones of it. However! We are encountering a lot of social combat, and moving through major cities, as well. This wolf was picked up when I was level 3, so I didn't have any backstory time to have taught him tricks already. I've got his first two tricks he came with as attack, so he'll attack undead and other creepy things (zombies, skeletons, and vampires suck...no pun intended).
Now, I've taught him 'heel' because I thought it better than 'come' - it seems like both commands rolled into a better one, right? If I'm wrong, please hit me with examples. But this relates to my other inquiry, as well - why take 'down' if I can tell my pet to 'heel'? Does that work? What constitutes 'defeat'? ( Down - "...or its opponent is defeated") Is it when a combatant is dead? Unconscious? Putting its hands up in surrender? What does 'defeat' mean in reference to an animal with 2 int? I'm inclined to think either unconscious, or dead. But as we're moving through a lot of social circles, I don't always want my fancy gods-given pet to tear people's throats out every time we fight. I'd also rather not waste a week teaching it 'down' if I can teach it 'stay', for instance. Or 'guard'. Sometimes I can't take my BIG wolf into inns, and I don't want him wondering off to steal food, or eat someone's house cat, you know?
Thanks ahead of time for your insight! (And while I know a lot of this could be DM adjudication, I was hoping for a general consensus, or some rule that I've overlooked!)
