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| 3 people marked this as FAQ candidate. |
The other forum posts have seemed to focus on weapon-using animals or the requirement of Handle Animal, but I had a question on communicating with animals.
The recent blog post states that:
Gaining a language does not necessarily grant the ability to speak. Most animals do not possess the correct anatomy for speech. While a very intelligent dolphin might be taught to understand Common, there's no way for him speak it. There is also the issue of learning the language. The rules are mostly silent on this front, due to ease of play for PCs, but a GM should feel safe in assuming that it might take years to actually teach Common to an intelligent animal. All of this, of course, assumes that the animal even bothers to fill that language slot. Possessing the ability to use a language does not necessarily mean that such an ability is utilized.
I spent a skill point in Linguistics with my intelligent wolf animal companion to learn Common. Prior to the blog post, I thought that this would be a good way for the animal to "learn the language," and clarifications from James Jacobs on the forums agreed.
I (and the GMs I played with) all interpreted this as meaning that my animal companion could understand simple speech and therefore execute more complex combat maneuvers (eg Overrun, when to Power Attack and when not to, moving around for a flank, etc).
Even though I personally disagree with requiring tricks to command intelligent animal companions, I am OK with this (and my Druid didn't skimp on the Handle Animal). However, does the new ruling mean that I can no longer instruct my INT3+ wolf to Power Attack against certain foes and not others? Or to use the Lunge feat against creatures with reach? Or can I issue the "Attack" trick, and then shout in common "go for the kill" or "stay back?"
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OP's question was originally asked in the PFS forums before being moved here.
The other forum posts have seemed to focus on weapon-using animals or the requirement of Handle Animal, but I had a question on communicating with animals.
The recent blog post states that:
Gaining a language does not necessarily grant the ability to speak. Most animals do not possess the correct anatomy for speech. While a very intelligent dolphin might be taught to understand Common, there's no way for him speak it. There is also the issue of learning the language. The rules are mostly silent on this front, due to ease of play for PCs, but a GM should feel safe in assuming that it might take years to actually teach Common to an intelligent animal. All of this, of course, assumes that the animal even bothers to fill that language slot. Possessing the ability to use a language does not necessarily mean that such an ability is utilized.I spent a skill point in Linguistics with my intelligent wolf animal companion to learn Common. Prior to the blog post, I thought that this would be a good way for the animal to "learn the language," and clarifications from James Jacobs on the forums agreed.
There is a fundamental idea associated with skill development that the acquisition of skill ranks represent the fruition of prior investment of effort, not an on-off button. Whether this is thought of and role-played in advance or retconned in after is immaterial. So, for example, a PC who takes a rank in Linguistics and learns Elven has been studying it for a period of time; he doesn't wake up and know it one day.
The advancement of animal companions is odd. It has them functionally changing size and physical characteristics over a short period of time. It is an extraordinary ability; no magic is involved. In other words, it steps outside of fundamental systems of the game. Game Mastery can't address it. It is possible to come up with all sorts of explanations for it, but any such explanation is only as valid as someone accepts it as such.
The blog on animal intelligence notes that the acquisition of language is a silent topic in the rules, but that it can be assumed to take years. While some campaigns might make practice of mapping this out, most approach these by retcon. Fluffy has been growing all along. Fluffy has been becoming smarter and seems to pay more attention. Fluffy now has the language comprehension appropriate to an intelligence of 3.
I (and the GMs I played with) all interpreted this as meaning that my animal companion could understand simple speech and therefore execute more complex combat maneuvers (eg Overrun, when to Power Attack and when not to, moving around for a flank, etc).
Even though I personally disagree with requiring tricks to command intelligent animal companions, I am OK with this (and my Druid didn't skimp on the Handle Animal). However, does the new ruling mean that I can no longer instruct my INT3+ wolf to Power Attack against certain foes and not others? Or to use the Lunge feat against creatures with reach? Or can I issue the "Attack" trick, and then shout in common "go for the kill" or "stay back?"
Understanding that this was asked in a PFS context, the general answer is that some GMs will see the ability to fine-tune direction of your animal in different ways. Expect table variance. :)
What is universal, for PFS, is that you should now expect to use Handle Animal to control your animal, regardless of what language capacity you and your GM agree he has. Where you will have variance is whether you can fine tune that instruction via language, or whether distinction in attack options requires that you Push the animal with a DC 25.
If you play in a close group of like mind, you might see little variance. If you travel to conventions, you will likely see more variance and should be prepared for it to exist even if it isn't in your favor.
While I appreciate you are seeking a definitive answer, you won't get one. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. The good news is that people dealt with it all the time in past shared world environments and it generally doesn't interfere with your ability to enjoy the game unless you set your expectations without regard to that idea of table variance.
Good gaming!
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| 1 person marked this as FAQ candidate. |
The blog post leaves a lot up to GM interpretation. I was hoping that as the GM's of the PFS campaign that Hyrum and Mark could provide some clarification on this. With the old system, the forum posts by James Jacobs made it fairly clear what was legal and what was not, so I had little problem with table variation.
I suppose I will just have to expect a lot of table variation with my animal companion. The problem is that this makes animal companion advancement via feats kind of odd. Because there is no mechanic for telling the animal companion to use these new feats aside from a "Push," allowing animals to gain feats like Power Attack and Improved Overrun seems strange.