Druids can 'Handle Animals'

[Darthslash]

So been wondering this since I first started.

If I'm a Druid with lots of skill points invested in Handle Animal, and I want to train an animal to fight, or combat, it takes a successful handle animal check and anywhere from a week, to 3 weeks of training.

But what if I cast 'Speak with Animals', since I can actually talk to the animal I'm training, would that reduce the amount of training time, or reduce the skill check DC?

Thx,
Darthslash

[Ashtathlon]

I would say give a bonus to the roll, since you can get some feed back, maybe reduce the time by 25%.
but you would have to cast it every day, during the training.

[Remy Balster]

If I were to GM in this situation, I'd give up to a +4 circumstance bonus to your Handle Animal checks depending on what questions you asked of the animal.

Figuring out how to motivate it and form a closer bond with it and such would be the biggest factor.

There are no hard rules regarding this interaction though. So it is entirely GM fiat.

[Sadurian]

You can speak to people, but that doesn't mean that they are automatically trained. Yes, the animal would get the general idea that he is supposed to attack the ogre, but he might hesitate at doing so, go to find some mates to help beat it up, get in the way of the rest of the party, etc, etc.

Training an animal is like training a soldier. It's not about individual skills so much as the correct way to attack on command as part of a group.

[Claxon]

To my knowledge it's not covered in the rules. Like Remy I believe I would apply a bonus to the handle animal check. If I were being extra generous for every 2 points you beat the DC by I might reduce the required time by a day, or something like that.