Druid animal companion and wildshape

[gr15hnak]

A question came up regarding a druid handling his companion when he is wild shaped into an air elemental. Can the druid control his companion or not?

[Run, Just Run]

Interesting, I don't think it says anything in the PRD my sugestion ask James Jacobs, heres the link http://paizo.com/forums/dmtz2u4o?Ask-James-Jacobs-ALL-your-Questions-Here#0

[gr15hnak]

It was down mainly air elemental cant be seen by pet and cant be understood

[Run, Just Run]

People can use handle animal with untrained animals so I would say that he could. It may take a while for James Jacobs to get to your question but he works for Paizo so he would know best.

[Ashenfall]

gr15hnak, what do you mean by "can the druid control his companion?"

Are you asking if the druid could push the companion, as per the handle animal skill?

[gr15hnak]

Basically as wildshape states when a druid changes form he cannot speak hence not being able to give verbal commands to his animal companion.

I misread something about the air elemental and thought it was nearly invisible meaning that the pet would struggle to see the druid if the druid was trying to direct his companion with gestures.

Anyway can the druid control his companion with just gestures if he is in an animal/elemental form using the handle animal skill? And if not does this not make the druids wildshape harder to utilise as you cannot control your pets actions unless you waste time and a usage turning back to give the companion verbal commands which in some cases speed is required if you need to retreat as an example

.

[Ashenfall]

You're correct that wildshaping prevents speech. Note that if the druid wildshapes into a critter of his animal companion's species, then they could communicate as normal for animals of that species.

Also note that there is a feat called wild speech, in one of the books (can't remember which one, or if it's Paizo or 3rd party). Wild speech simply allows normal speech when wild shaped.

As for air elementals, yes, they are nearly invisible, but that doesn't translate into any specific game effect. And, as I read the rules, a druid wildshaped into an elemental should be able to communicate via speech, albeit in groans, whispers, howls, crackles, rumbling, etc. (Still needs natural spell to cast spells though)

All of that aside, there is nothing in the handle animal skill description that states that speech is required to command an animal. All the skill refers to is "commanding" an animal. Would a deaf/mute be completely incapable of training animals? If so, then why?

If you had a GM who wanted to impose what they thinks "makes sense" over the RAW, then anything more than a -4 penalty for non-verbal use of handle animal is deserving of a rochambeau. Circus trainers sometimes use verbal commands, but not always. Police canine handlers use a mix of verbal and non-verbal signals. This paragraph assumes normal humanoid form, btw.

Let's think in-game for a moment, also. If a ranger is tracking his favored enemy (read: hunting), why should he be forced to give away his and his companion's stealth, when a hand gesture might do?

As for being in an elemental shape, I think you'd have to take each situation in it's own consideration. If you're a water elemental, fighting underneath the ship, I'd rule you couldn't command your companion who is up on the deck. If you were an air elemental flying just above the battle, then I'd personally allow the check, but I wouldn't think a check penalty would be inconceivable.

Finally, I'd also allow a druid an easier time at handling his companion, than if it were some random critter, even considering the +4 bonus.