First time ranger Animal Companion question

[tayger]

I've scoured my books, and the web(still looking through forum posts as well) to try and find an answer on this before i go into play with my wolf companion tonight but I just wanted to verify/get some feed back:

It only takes one bonus trick to train an animal for a purpose, correct? As it technically only takes one of the animals natural tricks to learn a purpose(this is taken from "An animal can be trained for only one general purpose, though if the creature is capable of learning additional tricks (above and beyond those included in its general purpose), it may do so. Training an animal for a purpose requires fewer checks than teaching individual tricks does, but no less time.")

RAW that looks as it is saying a non animal companion with 3 tricks(1 int) can learn combat training, as well as two other tricks. Therefor my animal companion that has 6 natural+1 bonus can be trained in combat training correct?

[Starglim]

A general purpose replaces the same number of tricks as it grants:

Handle Animal wrote:

Essentially, an animal's purpose represents a preselected set of known tricks that fit into a common scheme, such as guarding or heavy labor.

Your animal companion with 2 INT can have combat training plus its bonus trick.

[tayger]

Starglim wrote:

A general purpose replaces the same number of tricks as it grants:

Handle Animal wrote:

Essentially, an animal's purpose represents a preselected set of known tricks that fit into a common scheme, such as guarding or heavy labor.

Your animal companion with 2 INT can have combat training plus its bonus trick.

But it states than an animal(not specific to a companion) can learn one general purpose, and then other tricks on top of the general purpose. So a Three trick pony could essentially learn: Combat training general purpose as one, Flee, and Get help. So wouldn't that only count as one bonus trick as well then and leave me with six non automatic teachable tricks?

[N N 959]

tayger wrote:

RAW that looks as it is saying a non animal companion with 3 tricks(1 int) can learn combat training, as well as two other tricks. Therefor my animal companion that has 6 natural+1 bonus can be trained in combat training correct?

I don't think so. My understanding is that training for a "purpose" means you need to make less checks. It does not give you bonus tricks. Each trick your animal learns in the "purpose" uses up one of the tricks it can learn.

[Starglim]

tayger wrote:

Starglim wrote:

A general purpose replaces the same number of tricks as it grants:

Handle Animal wrote:

Essentially, an animal's purpose represents a preselected set of known tricks that fit into a common scheme, such as guarding or heavy labor.

Your animal companion with 2 INT can have combat training plus its bonus trick.

But it states than an animal(not specific to a companion) can learn one general purpose, and then other tricks on top of the general purpose.

If it has tricks available, yes. For example, an INT 2 dog could be trained for guarding (4 tricks) and also know the seek and track tricks.

tayger wrote:

So a Three trick pony could essentially learn: Combat training general purpose as one, Flee, and Get help.

That is 8 tricks. A standard pony with INT 2 can learn 6 tricks. Are you getting that example from somewhere specific?

[tayger]

tayger wrote:

tayger wrote:

So a Three trick pony could essentially learn: Combat training general purpose as one, Flee, and Get help.

Starglim wrote:

That is 8 tricks. A standard pony with INT 2 can learn 6 tricks. Are you getting that example from somewhere specific?

No specific example, it just comes across the way it is written for General Purpose that it only takes one trick slot. It seems the consensus is that if the GP takes 6 tricks, it takes that many slots. I just find it a little unfavorable that I'm going to get a wolf companion that I'm going to have to roll high to get him to attack anything until I can find 6 game weeks, where after 13 sessions we've only progressed about a week and a half, two tops.

[Starglim]

You could ask your GM about using some variation of PFS rules for your animal companion's tricks.

[tayger]

Starglim wrote:

You could ask your GM about using some variation of PFS rules for your animal companion's tricks.

I was not aware that the PFS rules let your first AC come into play knowing all tricks. My GM occasionally does PFS play so, I think I'll go along with your idea.