The party is debating over whether they should sell the owlbear or keep it. We have a ranger in the party and they'd like to know if he can take the owlbear as an animal companion.
Would you allow this?
Here are the stats I gave them originally:
Owlbear Hatchling
N Small Magical Beast
Init +1; Senses scent, Spot +4, Listen +4
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AC 14, touch 12, flat-footed 12
HP 10 (1 HD)
Fort +6, Ref +1, Will +1
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Spd 30 ft.
Melee claw +6 (1d6+4)
Base Atk +1; Grp +1
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Abilities Str 19, Dex 12, Con 19, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 10
Special Qualities Scent
Feats Alertness
Skills Listen (1/+4), Spot (1/+4)
It has better abilities, but overall it isn't that much better than your typical animal companion. The party is also 32 point buy with action points, so I want them to be a little stronger than normal anyway. Would this creature be suitable for a ranger's companion at 4th level?
Something in the MM mentions that OwlBears can not be domesticated. I'm not sure what level you have to be to have a magical beast as a animal companion, but I think it would be high.
Now this is a hatchling, small magical beast...
It might be fun to allow it as something that follows the ranger around, but I think I would not let him train it in any way, without charm monster or something like that. It should always be biting people, tearing open theiir packs looking for rations, making noise when they are trying to be quiet.
I don't know how fast Owlbears grow, so it could stay small for a long time. It would be something that I think most players with ranger or druid characters would like to have as an animal companion, but the book rules seem against it...still in house rules, I'd say if you think it would add enjoyment to your game, go with it. That being said, I do think it should always be played as a wild creature, and not a henchman of the Ranger or Druid.
There are definately more effective animals in the adventure that a Player could try to befriend, but to have a pet owlbear...that's just kind 'o cool.
Although, with only 10Hp, I doubt it will last long.
ASEO out
Although, with only 10Hp, I doubt it will last long.
We're going to find out tonight. During downtime emails the party cleric decided to parade around town with it. They entered the Feral Dog and Merovinn became angry and approached the group. Kullen told Merovinn to come back and "finish his drink".
Rather than move cautiously, the same party member decided to go straight up to the half-orc with the branding and start asking him about the bones from the farmstead. He failed miserably in his diplomacy check. Rather than attack immediately, Kullen ordered a round of whiskey and challenged the cleric to a drinking contest. (The wizard tried to help with the diplomacy check too, failed and decided to join in the shots. He failed miserably, covering the owlbear in puke before passing out). The cleric beat him out in four rounds of fort saves, but then Kullen grabbed him in a rage and they both fell deep into the pit. In the commotion, Merovinn shouts at the owlbear "You dirty son of a b%%*+, you'll pay for Skutch's death!" and begins casting. Tonight's game begins with this encounter.
I'm going to play the hatchling like a kind of feral wobbling ET.
Let me know if I'm understanding the progression correctly. Let's just say we get past the "domesticated" piece. There's nothing that says a companion has to be "domesticated". It can be trained and follow orders after all.
Let's assume the ranger takes the owlbear at level 4. As a ranger, the animal companion will only advance half as slowly as a druid companion would.
Here are the advances the owlbear would be at when the ranger is 20th level:
+4 HD, +4 armor, +2 str and dex, 3 tricks, link, share spells, evasion, devotion
At 5 HD, it would be exactly like a normal owlbear. The other stats are very similar.
I really don't see much of a game breaker here, even with the added abilities. Are there any past articles that mention using magical beasts as animal companions? I'd be surprised if an owlbear has never been mentioned.
One weird thing is that the ranger is a dwarf with favored enemy aberrations; he hunts underground. Having an owlbear by his side would be even weirder still.
I really don't see much of a game breaker here, even with the added abilities. Are there any past articles that mention using magical beasts as animal companions? I'd be surprised if an owlbear has never been mentioned.
I don't think it will break the game, and as the DM you can ensure that. There is something abouth them remaining wild somewhere... "That's not my Owlbear, he just follows me around. I'll admit, I've come to like the fellow, but don't be trying to pet him...halfling in the last town lost a hand trying".
One weird thing is that the ranger is a dwarf with favored enemy aberrations; he hunts underground. Having an owlbear by his side would be even weirder still.
As a magical beast, I think the Owlbear wouldn't be that strange, and they often appear in underground burrows.
ASEO out
Although, with only 10Hp, I doubt it will last long.We're going to find out tonight. During downtime emails the party cleric decided to parade around town with it. They entered the Feral Dog and Merovinn became angry and approached the group. Kullen told Merovinn to come back and "finish his drink".
Rather than move cautiously, the same party member decided to go straight up to the half-orc with the branding and start asking him about the bones from the farmstead. He failed miserably in his diplomacy check. Rather than attack immediately, Kullen ordered a round of whiskey and challenged the cleric to a drinking contest. (The wizard tried to help with the diplomacy check too, failed and decided to join in the shots. He failed miserably, covering the owlbear in puke before passing out). The cleric beat him out in four rounds of fort saves, but then Kullen grabbed him in a rage and they both fell deep into the pit. In the commotion, Merovinn shouts at the owlbear "You dirty son of a b@!#@, you'll pay for Skutch's death!" and begins casting. Tonight's game begins with this encounter.
I'm going to play the hatchling like a kind of feral wobbling ET.
Let me know if I'm understanding the progression correctly. Let's just say we get past the "domesticated" piece. There's nothing that says a companion has to be "domesticated". It can be trained and follow orders after all.
Let's assume the ranger takes the owlbear at level 4. As a ranger, the animal companion will only advance half as slowly as a druid companion would.
Here are the advances the owlbear would be at when the ranger is 20th level:
+4 HD, +4 armor, +2 str and dex, 3 tricks, link, share spells, evasion, devotion
At 5 HD, it would be exactly like a normal owlbear. The other stats are very similar.
I really don't see much of a game breaker here, even with the added abilities. Are there any past articles that mention using magical beasts as animal companions? I'd be surprised if an owlbear...
Technically a ranger or Druid can't take a magical beast - or I don't think they can. Apparently Dragon #216 had a feat that would get you a magical beast but I have no details. BoED has a feat that will get you an exalted companion. There is also a feat that will raise your level by three in terms of the power level of your animal companion. Personally I'd let it go through but insist that the ranger burns at least one feat on this ASAP.
Warning: Long post. Please forgive my antagonistic stance.
Owlbears were the creation of a wizard who according to some of the sources (from memories of old Monster Manuals/Monstrous Compendiums/Creature Ecology), didn't survive their creation.
There is a problem with having an Owlbear companion. Look in the new Monster Manual. It says "Owlbears are extraordinarily vicious predators with a reputation for ferocity, aggression, and sheer ill temper. They tend to attack nearly anything that moves without provocation."
An owlbear attack on a town's citizens would not endear the adventurers to them. It could get them arrested and/or executed, in fact (this could be an adventure idea, but any ranger should know that this would be a bad idea).
If you want to change the Owlbear creation stories to make them more user friendly, go right ahead. Otherwise, keep them as monsters. To do otherwise could result in problems for the party and to your campaign.
Warning: Long post. Please forgive my antagonistic stance.
Owlbears were the creation of a wizard who according to some of the sources (from memories of old Monster Manuals/Monstrous Compendiums/Creature Ecology), didn't survive their creation.
There is a problem with having an Owlbear companion. Look in the new Monster Manual. It says "Owlbears are extraordinarily vicious predators with a reputation for ferocity, aggression, and sheer ill temper. They tend to attack nearly anything that moves without provocation."
An owlbear attack on a town's citizens would not endear the adventurers to them. It could get them arrested and/or executed, in fact (this could be an adventure idea, but any ranger should know that this would be a bad idea).
If you want to change the Owlbear creation stories to make them more user friendly, go right ahead. Otherwise, keep them as monsters. To do otherwise could result in problems for the party and to your campaign.
Your technically right of course but think of it as an interesting role playing oportunity. Of course it might be a little uncomfortable to try and role play the scene where the Owlbear scarfs down several toddlers that wandered within arms reach. "Umm...Hi ma'am...ummm...about your two children...umm, see its like this..."
Excerpt from the Arms & Equipment Guide:
Owlbears are theoretically trainable. However, it is not necessary to train an owlbear to attack, and not very productive to teach them anything else. Owlbears are best employed by leaving them in an enclosed area and tossing in raw meat occassionally. Further interaction is usually pointless.
If raised from chicks, owlbears become very attached to their trainers. They never transfer this devotion to anyone else though, and continue to display their famously surly attitude to anyone who isn't their trainer.
The most useful trick to teach a guard owlbear is a version of "Alert" (see the New Tricks sidebar), whereby it makes a distinct noice when it fights something besides another owlbear. Owlbears can be taught other tricks, but they always perform them sullenly and violently. Any time an owlbear is commanded no to attack, its master must make a successful Handle Animal check (DC 15) or it attacks anyway.
Excerpt from the Arms & Equipment Guide:
Well there you go. I would think that this qualifies and answers the questions.
Get that handle animal check up there, or don't takt the critter into town. I would still role play it as a very wild and destructive pet, always getting into things and chewing on the horses.
ASEO out
The party is debating over whether they should sell the owlbear or keep it. We have a ranger in the party and they'd like to know if he can take the owlbear as an animal companion.
Would you allow this?
The module mentions that while they can't be domesticated, they are sometimes trained as guardians. My group decided to keep it and train it as a sort of "guard bear" for the miner's shack. Speaking of which... a thanks to DRAGON for the miner's shack article, as one of my players used it to do improvements and repairs. He re-drew the map, including the new owlbear lair running into the basement for the cub (chick? chub? chib? whatever....)
That would work.
My PCs sold it off to the old ranger since he promised to make sure it wasn't exploited. The party includes some nature lovers so selling it to just anyone wasn't an option, even if it was a magical beast. Nor did they want to kill it or think they could raise it themselves.
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My pc's actually gave the owlbear to Kullen as a bribe to find out more about Filge in episode 1 (session 3). After Smenk's arrest (episode 2,session 8) following evidence found in the Labryinth of Vecna, The PC's went to Kullen, explained the situation regarding Smenk, and now he is in their employ! It did require a fight between Kullen and the party leader (a halfling paragon/rogue).
Here is a chart of things that should/could happen at least once a day if the baby Owlbear accompanies the party. Handle Animal and like checks may be able to change the creatures course of action if the DM wishs.
Roll d20
Baby Owlbear Calamity Chart
1 Bites/scratches someone (roll randomly for anyone around)
2 Destroys a random piece of PC equipment (looking for food, sharpening claws or just chewing on stuff)
3 Messes in an inopportune place
4 Refuses to move in the desired direction for d20 rounds
5 Heads off on own in random direction for d10 rounds then returns
6 Makes loud keening noise for d8 rounds
7 Goes berserk and attacks anything around for d4 rounds
8 Goes to sleep and can not be woken for d4 hours
9 Makes loud keening noises for d8 rounds or until fed
10 Barfs in random direction covering area with contents of its stomach
11 Bites a random PC (roll randomly for all PCs around)
12 Makes loud keening noise for d8 rounds or until scratched behind ear
13 Runs around crazily for d4 rounds circling the party and wrecking things in vacinity
14 Perks ears and stairs off in random direction for d4 rounds
15 Growls for no reason for d4 rounds
16 Inappropriately sniffs someone (roll randomly for all those around) for d4 rounds
17 Tries to climb highest thing around (tree, statue, stairs, furniture, pillar) for d4 rounds
18 Digs, or attempts to dig (if ground prevents digging) for d6 rounds
19 Falls asleep for d20 rounds. Tries to bite any who disturb sleep
20 Stops to preen for d8 rounds. Tries to bite/scratch any who interfere
ASEO out
Roll d20
Baby Owlbear Calamity Chart
Fantastic!
My sorceror is making an impassioned, logical, argument toward's gaining the baby owlbear as an improved familiar. Now I know this probably won't work within the rules but I am interested on if and how others would handle this. Same as above? I have never considered animal companions to be the same as familiars and would love some input.
Here is a chart of things that should/could happen at least once a day if the baby Owlbear accompanies the party. Handle Animal and like checks may be able to change the creatures course of action if the DM wishs.
Roll d20
Baby Owlbear Calamity Chart1 Bites/scratches someone (roll randomly for anyone around)
2 Destroys a random piece of PC equipment (looking for food, sharpening claws or just chewing on stuff)
3 Messes in an inopportune place
4 Refuses to move in the desired direction for d20 rounds
5 Heads off on own in random direction for d10 rounds then returns
6 Makes loud keening noise for d8 rounds
7 Goes berserk and attacks anything around for d4 rounds
8 Goes to sleep and can not be woken for d4 hours
9 Makes loud keening noises for d8 rounds or until fed
10 Barfs in random direction covering area with contents of its stomach
11 Bites a random PC (roll randomly for all PCs around)
12 Makes loud keening noise for d8 rounds or until scratched behind ear
13 Runs around crazily for d4 rounds circling the party and wrecking things in vacinity
14 Perks ears and stairs off in random direction for d4 rounds
15 Growls for no reason for d4 rounds
16 Inappropriately sniffs someone (roll randomly for all those around) for d4 rounds
17 Tries to climb highest thing around (tree, statue, stairs, furniture, pillar) for d4 rounds
18 Digs, or attempts to dig (if ground prevents digging) for d6 rounds
19 Falls asleep for d20 rounds. Tries to bite any who disturb sleep
20 Stops to preen for d8 rounds. Tries to bite/scratch any who interfereASEO out
Chart based on the behavoir of ASEO's cat.
I love the idea of the owl bear companion. My players are getting their characters together to start this adventure path, and I have requested that there be at least one druid or ranger, so that this critter can tag along behind. I like the random event chart, and will probably print it out to use more than a few times. I see it as every creature is different, and an owl bear raised by a halfling druid may overcome it's nature to be a bit more affable.
In the past, I have saddled PC's with a young grimlock, a baby goblin, an "Elmo" (I don't remember now where I got it, but it came from the Elemental Plane of Play... Very chaotic creature) and an Essential Robot of Gnomish Origin (E.R.G.O.) that I culled out of a dragon magazine. Besides the owlbear, I can't wait to figure out what other creatures I can attach to the party this time.
If I recall, isn't an owlbear an aberration and therefore out of bounds for ranger animal companions?
Forgive the question...I'm a newb.
Owlbears are listed in the MM as 'Large Magical Beasts'...as such, they are possible animal companions, but also highly unlikely.
The MM clearly states in the description of the monster that they are valuble when purchased to be "free-roaming guardians", but their inherently wild and untamable nature would make them unmanageable as they grew from being a hatchling.
All fun of ASEO's 'Owlbear Hatchling Random Calamity Table' aside, the beast would constantly attack and try to kill convenient targets within reach, day and night - for food, if not for instinctive drive for domination or sport. Keeping it well fed would do little to deter this behavior, as it would be acting instinctively in the same way to defend its food...
Domesticating, training and keeping one of these as a trusty companion would be as much folly as doing the same with a Grizzly Bear - Yes, it has been done, but only by the foremost experts in animal handling...and even then, with mixed success. What ranger or druid would invest that much effort and expense in such a risky endeavor? Any player who wants this is going for the "Wow" factor - they're thinking like the player of a game, not like an experienced animal trainer. C'mon, role play - this is a wild beast, not a 'power-up'.
As a DM, I rarely go against the text; in this case, it is right there in black and white - bad idea.
*my 2 cents*,
M
The Owlbear cub (named Arlo, lovingly adopted by the party's halfling rogue, and then painfully said goodbye to) in my campaign was sold to Fester Trollump for Henway's menagerie. I *know* my PCs are going to want to go and see it when they get to the Free City...
If I recall, isn't an owlbear an aberration and therefore out of bounds for ranger animal companions?
Forgive the question...I'm a newb.
Owlbears are listed in the MM as 'Large Magical Beasts'...as such, they are possible animal companions, but also highly unlikely.
The MM clearly states in the description of the monster that they are valuble when purchased to be "free-roaming guardians", but their inherently wild and untamable nature would make them unmanageable as they grew from being a hatchling.
All fun of ASEO's 'Owlbear Hatchling Random Calamity Table' aside, the beast would constantly attack and try to kill convenient targets within reach, day and night - for food, if not for instinctive drive for domination or sport. Keeping it well fed would do little to deter this behavior, as it would be acting instinctively in the same way to defend its food...
Domesticating, training and keeping one of these as a trusty companion would be as much folly as doing the same with a Grizzly Bear - Yes, it has been done, but only by the foremost experts in animal handling...and even then, with mixed success. What ranger or druid would invest that much effort and expense in such a risky endeavor? Any player who wants this is going for the "Wow" factor - they're thinking like the player of a game, not like an experienced animal trainer. C'mon, role play - this is a wild beast, not a 'power-up'.
As a DM, I rarely go against the text; in this case, it is right there in black and white - bad idea.
*my 2 cents*,
M
As a DM, I for one am all for making options and choices available to the players. If my group wind up trying to foster the owlbear (there is a ranger in the group), I'll let them give it a go. After all, as they're the PCs, what's wrong with one of them becoming one of the most accomplished animal trainers in all of Greyhawk and beyond? So long as everyone at the table is having fun, I'm not going to be quashing any attempts by them to flesh out their characters and expand their enjoyment. If a player is just making a power grab, a good DM can usually tell, and if so the character will wind up facing unpleasant consequences (those'll be around whether it's a power grab or not, because come on - it's a friggin' OWLBEAR). In the end, though it may not be the brightest thing in the world to do, trying to train a supposedly "untrainable" critter is a great bit of story for a character, and if it can be pulled off then it will make that character and the game as a whole extremely memorable, ensuring that the player will talk about it for years to come. Now, what DM would complain about that?
Chart based on the behavoir of ASEO's cat.
Damn busted cold...
Although we may have figured out what was wrong with my cat...We think he was allergic to fish that is sneakily hidden in many cat foods. So we changed the food, which led my other three cats to hold a protest event we delicately refer to as Poopapaluza. I'm still having to scrub the carpets.
What I really need is just a cat pelt. That way I can pet it when I want to. And when I come home from work, it would be like "Honey, where is the cat?" "Where ever you left it dear."
ASEO out
Oh the joys of having 4 cats. I could probably make this into a d100 chart...
ASEO out
Owlbears are listed in the MM as 'Large Magical Beasts'...as such, they are possible animal companions, but also highly unlikely.
That should read they are NOT possible animal companions, they need to be an animal subtype that becomes a Magical Beast but is treated as an animal for some purposes. Whats the difference? Magical Beasts get a better BAB and HD making them more powerful than an equivelent animal.
Not to say I wouldn't allow it. It's probably not significant, but enough that I would probably assigning a -2 level adjustment to the player for choosing it or a feat to call an Magical Beast, but technically speaking, its against the rules.
Something I read said that if raised from a cub, that they were fiersly loyal to their adoptive parents (MM I think). Still doesn't make them wonderful pets, but they could still be I guess more like cohorts than animal comapnions.
ASEO out
In our group, we are using the owlbear cub as a "guard dog" to protect the old mine and Land Farmstead that our group bought. It is a great deterent for people interested in the Whispering Cairn.
My 2 cents is that the creature is a magical beast. On page 36 of the Players Handbook it states an animal companion is treated as a magical beast for purposes of determining which spells will affect them.
I would allow a druid or ranger to take a feat which would allow them to take a magical beast (with certain hit dice limitations naturally) as a companion. I would also limit any non-fighting actions the companion took, and if the PC isn't present the Owlbear would likely get into trouble/gobble up dead bodies.
Chief Creative Officer, Publisher
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In our work campaign, the owlbear cub ("Beaky") is currently in the possession of Balabar Smenk, who had it stolen from the mining office while the PCs made their final foray into the Whispering Cairn.
They've been planning to rescue the party mascot for a couple of months, but have not yet worked up the courage to take on Smenk directly.
Perhaps this week?
--Erik
In our work campaign..
Just pause for a moment, everyone, and consider this... playing D&D on the job, and rather than getting weird looks from everyone in the office (not to mention getting fired), being able to call it "work." Good lord... that'd be a dream come true.
My 2 cents is that the creature is a magical beast. On page 36 of the Players Handbook it states an animal companion is treated as a magical beast for purposes of determining which spells will affect them.
Ooops... turns out I was right for the wrong reason. This came up on another DnD bored I read, page 36 of the PHB is wrong. See the official PHB errata at http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/er/20040125a
Animal Companion
Player’s Handbook, page 36
Contrary to the text, a druid’s animal companion is not
treated as a magical beast; it remains an animal.
Trim the first paragraph of the sidebar so that it reads as
follows:
A druid’s animal companion is superior to a normal
animal of its kind and has special powers, as described
below.
So actually magical beasts never come into the equation at all... I'd still allow it cause it entertained me, but deffinetly not allowed by the rules.
My 2 cents is that the creature is a magical beast. On page 36 of the Players Handbook it states an animal companion is treated as a magical beast for purposes of determining which spells will affect them.Ooops... turns out I was right for the wrong reason. This came up on another DnD bored I read, page 36 of the PHB is wrong. See the official PHB errata
...Errata... (picture me doing the Seinfeld 'Newman') Ok, so it's against the rules, but I'd allow it. My other DM buddies might not.
I'd pass on trying to make an owlbear an animal companion or a guard dog. I figure that any PC who attempts formal training will most likely end up with hands like a high school shop teacher.
Just my two magic beans. . .