Animal question(s)

[Dafydd]

So, first off, I understand I can only deploy 1 attack animal in a scenario. My question is, can I get an Eagle animal (playing a hunter with an AC) and teach it to serve someone else in the group?

I was thinking to have it bombard and distract (get to my question on that in a minute) by being commanded by someone else in the group.

Since I have an AC, I know I can not control it directly. Was wondering if this would be a good work around, being that it focuses on the cooperate part of Explore! Report! Cooperate!

Second question. The Falconer Ranger archetype lists 2 more tricks. Are these tricks teachable by anyone or are they exclusive to the falconer only? (Specifically, the Distract trick, for the reason above)

[DesolateHarmony]

Work around?

[DesolateHarmony]

Let me elaborate. The reasons for only one combat animal at the table are twofold: one, to make sure that no one's turn takes excessively long, and two, to assist in leaving room for everyone to shine. There used to be situations (Master Summoner, I am looking at you) where one player would dominate play time and also the scenario itself. So, the campaign leadership worked out a solution.

Now, you want to bring in another animal, and profess that it is for someone else to play. Either, the other player won't know how it works, and it will take time for their turn, or you will play it for them, or, they will know how to play it, but could have, as easily, gotten their own.

Do you understand how this appears to others? Work around, really?

[Mystic Lemur]

How are you getting a second animal companion? Or are you talking about a normal eagle?

Classes with animal companions add their levels together when determining the strength of the animal companion, they don't get separate companions.

[Dafydd]

The point of the eagle dropping holy water/alchemist fire/acid etc was to give someone who could not do much/anything to a foe a chance to feel useful in an encounter they would not be able to do anything in.

For example, an evil outsider climbing on a wall, out of reach of the melee members. Instead of them standing around and staring at the monster, they can be directing an eagle to drop holy water on it. (except the eagle blitz, this happened in a game recently)

I understand it would require explaining it a couple times. However, it becoming a common tactic would make that less of a factor. If I planned to take the character across the country frequently, then yes, I would agree with you.

This would be a normal eagle. Well, combat trained for bombard and distract. From Animal Archive, it would be 60g and I would need to redo a trick or 2.

Basically, I am looking to take on a couple of the costs (bird, training, most of the splash weapons) so others can be useful. If no one was interested in taking the bird, it would be staying home. Same as if it would not be appropriate for that adventure (the mostly social scenarios).

[Nefreet]

So, are you the one deciding that another character isn't useful? Or are other players coming to you?

Because if others are coming to you for advice, they can purchase their own eagle.

I don't see how your character enters the picture.

[Andreas Forster]

Commanding an eagle required the commanding character to be trained in Handle Animal.

If a player spends a rank in Handle Animal in case he can't do anything else in an encounter, he would also spend the gold to get an animal. So either the other characters wouldn't be able to make use of your eagle or they wouldn't need to because they have their own eagle.

[claudekennilol]

Andreas Forster wrote:

Commanding an eagle required the commanding character to be trained in Handle Animal.

If a player spends a rank in Handle Animal in case he can't do anything else in an encounter, he would also spend the gold to get an animal. So either the other characters wouldn't be able to make use of your eagle or they wouldn't need to because they have their own eagle.

Or it's taught the serve trick for each and every other player the OP is going to play with. He could buy one eagle per every night he plays to ensure he always has an eagle that can serve any given PC!

on point: You asked about the "serve" trick. The serve trick is per PC. If you want it to listen to two specific PCs, then you need to teach it serve twice. If you play again another night and those two PCs are there, well, then you have to teach it serve again so it can serve that PC.

Serve is really useful if you have a static group (especially if they don't have handle animal) but it's almost useless in PFS unless you've got a specific friend/spouse/whatever that you play regularly with.

[BigNorseWolf]

The serve trick lets you use the other persons handle animal skill.

So ranger with handle animal picks up a store bought critter, uses a move action to command it (because he has no link with the animal)

Person without handle animal uses the animal companion, has to use a move action and the rangers handle animal mod to command it. (because the serve trick doesn't give you empathic links ability to handle your animal faster)

I see a few problems with this but no outright ban...

1) You are skirting the one critter clause. The DM could very easily say you've crossed over the line, and I think I'd agree with that ruling.

2) Its a little pushy to try to dictate another players move action every combat

3) Its kind of crass to effectively say your character is useless, here let me make you kinda useful. (It might even be true, still crass though)

[Mergy]

It's actually a full-round action to push an animal that isn't a companion.

I would veto this at my table. Even if your motives are to give other people play time, the one animal limit applies even if you give the bird to someone else.

[BigNorseWolf]

I'm pretty sure for this trick they'd be getting a trained critter, so you only need to command, not push.

[claudekennilol]

Mergy wrote:

It's actually a full-round action to push an animal that isn't a companion.

I would veto this at my table. Even if your motives are to give other people play time, the one animal limit applies even if you give the bird to someone else.

You can train animals that aren't companions...