Handling Animal Companion in unusual places.

[Lyalis Holiscient]

Decided to make a ranger with an ACom, my gm informed me that I will need to make Handle Animal checks to keep it with me in certain areas. For example if I have a wolf and we are in a dungeon I will have to make periodic HA checks to keep it from running out of the dungeon because wolves aren't native to dungeons and don't want to be there. This just seems a bit harsh to me I mean its my stinking animal companion, my rangers best friend why would it just run off? I understand gm always has final say but im coming here to find out if this is at all reasonable.
First time poster.

[Bob Bob Bob]

So the short answer is that yes, you do need to make a check for an animal companion to follow you. You only need to make it once though. I could maybe see an argument if you pass from one type of zone to another very different type, but it's still a simple check.

So now the long version. Teach your companion the Heel trick. Now you just need to make a DC 10 Handle Animal check to get it to do the Heel Trick. At level 4 (when a ranger gets an animal companion) you have 4 (ranks)+4 (Link on animal companion) +3 (class skill) + Cha. Even with 7 Charisma you make a DC 10 check on a 1 (and a 1 doesn't fail skill checks).

For reference: "Heel (DC 15) The animal follows you closely, even to places where it normally wouldn’t go."

[Lyalis Holiscient]

Thanks so much for the help.

[Weirdo]

Lyalis Holiscient wrote:

I mean its my stinking animal companion, my rangers best friend why would it just run off?

A very good friend of mine really hates dancing. Try to take her to a dance and she's gone.

[thunderbeard]

I generally assume that animal companions are as well trained as, say, a police dog. It might not like being in a dungeon, but wolves den underground and a stonework tunnel is no more alien to one than a jaunt through town (the plane of shadow, on the other hand, or the edge of the Mana Wastes, might require a little more trouble...

The best way to deal with this is the Carry Companion spell. It's a little high-level for your tastes, and a wand is 6,000 gp, which can get pricey—but a party druid/wizard/witch can cast it for you at level 3. Hosteling Armor is another option, though it's also pricey and requires heavy armor proficiency—but my ranger, with a large wolf companion and hosteling full plate (with proficiency from a fighter dip), has the wonderful ability to shoot a ten-foot wolf out of his chest at people, which is pretty great.