|
Animal Companions are animals. They may have intelligence greater than 2; while this isn't stated explicitly, it must be true. Animal Companions (and other types of mounts/companions that reference the AC progression) are exceptions to the type description for Animal. They are of type Animal (augmented). See discussion HERE.
Creatures with intelligence of 3 or higher can understand one language, even if they cannot speak it. However, if it has Int 3, it can be neither the subject of diplomacy, handle animal, nor wild empathy. If Int 4 or higher, it is subject to Diplomacy. The DMG 3.5 had a section on interacting with intelligent mounts (such use required diplomacy). See discussion: HERE.
How is an animal companion with Int 3+, paladin's mount, etc., controlled and/or directed?
It just does as told? It is trained with Handle Animal, and then just does as told? Or is no training necessary (no need for tricks?) Is diplomacy needed?
How is an animal companion with Int 3+, paladin's mount, etc., controlled and/or directed?
From Handle Animal: "Special: You can use this skill on a creature with an Intelligence score of 1 or 2 that is not an animal, but..."
That's for other creatures, not animals. Or, if it understands speech, just ask it to do stuff.
Greetings, fellow travellers.
Maybe I should have read all the different topics concerning AC floating around...
Anyhow, druids get a class feature called Link (Ex)
A druid can handle her animal companion as a free action, or push it as a move action, even if she doesn’t have any ranks in the Handle Animal skill. The druid gains a +4 circumstance bonus on all wild empathy checks and Handle Animal checks made regarding an animal companion.
And a paladin's mount "functions as a druid's animal companion" - fluff wise I would say: you need to train it via handle animal skill (maybe with a decreased DC - with INT 3 it can actually understand what its told), but once it knows the trick, you tell it do this, do that and the AC does as told (within reasons of course).
Ruyan.