When using handle animal, how often do I need to issue a command? For example, my animal knows the "Attack" Trick. Must I command the animal to attack each round, or will it continue to attack the same creature once the command is given. On one hand, the Handle Animal text says simply that the Animal will preform the indicated command on it's next action, however the text of the "Down" Trick in particular indicates that the animal continues to attack on its own.
If I am a Treesinger druid archetype, does the DC of all of my handle animal checks go up by +5 because I am using the HA skill on a "low intelligence non-animal"? Seems like yes but... ouch.
What happens if I use the ability score increase as my Animal Companion advances in levels to increase its INT score above 2? Anything special? I ask because it is suggested that if it has INT of above 2, it can not be an animal. OtoH, the Animal Companion skill implies animals can have an INT above 2, as it says that animals with a INT of 3+ can select any feat they can use.
For the "Come" trick, in what situations would this apply? EG: When would an animal 'normally not come' as I call it?
What is the "default" behavior for a companion in combat? That is, what happens if the command I issue fails? The animal does nothing? If my animal knows the "defend" trick and I fail to issue a command, does its behavior revert to "Defend"?
What does "defend" really mean anyway? Will my animal move to attack creatures attacking me? Will it make AoOs against creatures that come towards me?
Not really a rules question but, advice for feats to give my Companion? The list was relatively unimpressive.
It requires a check anytime you want to make a decision for the AC.
Round 1 vs 5 opponents you tell Fido to attack the one on the far left.
Round 2 Fido kills him
round 3 Fido will likely go for the nearest opponent. If you want him to go for the wizard you have to use handle animal.
As far as the difficulty of the checks goes. the Dc is based on the animals Int. if the int changes the DC changes.
IF the AC hasnt been trained the Come trick it wont come. An example is my Golden Lab knows her name if theres nothing to distract her and i call her she comes. However, if theres a really smelly fish smell she ignores me.
IF she had been trained in the come trick she would come even with the fish smell.
A good general rule on 'what will my Ac do' is this. Assume if you do not give the AC a command or it has to make a decdision on its own that you have not given it a command for it will act like a normal animal.
as far as defend goes it will presumably do what it says.
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Originally, and I think it is a carryover from 3.5, animals could not have an intelligence over 2. However, further development has allowed and intelligence higher and the creature can remain an animal, though it doesn't gain sentience without something else causing it, such as an awaken spell.
An animal companion can place an ability score increase from the table in the druid section into intelligence, which allows for more tricks, access to more feats, and perhaps even a rank in linguistics to be able to understand a language.
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Almost all of your questions can be answered by perusing Animal Companions on the SRD.
A GM might rule the animal won't come to you if it is distracted, afraid, impeded or if doing so is not in its nature. Dogs might refrain from traveling through thorn-covered bushes, falcons and horses don't instinctively know to come when called, etc.
Default behavior for an animal is up to the GM. At my table, combat trained carnivores might default to Attack obvious threats or Defend tricks while many herbivores and birds might only default to Defend since offense isn't usually how they deal with threats.
An animal taught to Defend will intimidate, intercept and/or attack threats to its charge. It's charge is usually you unless you direct it to defend someone else. Depending on the level of the threat, the animal might just try to frighten the threat away (Intimidate,) or attack if the threat gets too close. It should usually seek to place itself between a threat and its charge in order to keep its charge out of reach.