Animal companions with an Intelligence of 3 or higher can select any feat they are physically capable of using.
This is left up to GM fiat of whether or not the companion is physically capable of using the feat. For instance, some GMs may allow you to let your monkey operate a crossbow, but I think there would be a far lower number of GMs who would let a horse operate a crossbow.
An Octopus, I'd say "Yes". Horse and Ostrich? Probably "No". Unless the player has a REALLY good explanation for how they do it... Maybe a custom-made weapon?
IRL octopi have been trained to manipulate and solve Rubik's Cubes, so I think they would have no problem with a crossbow.
Yeah, octopus I could see. The rest, not so much.
Are there actual rules saying this, though, is more what my main question is?
Yes, there is.
Animal companions with an Intelligence of 3 or higher can select any feat they are physically capable of using.
I actually disagree that octopi should be allowed to use crossbows, but I would certainly be less opposed to the idea than a horse.
Believe it or not, sometimes the RAW answer is "Use your own reasoning and apply it how you think it most appropriate". That is paraphrasing from an FAQ about how animal companions can take feats. Sometimes RAW is your own reasoning.
I can't think of any text saying a dwarf with no limbs couldn't wield a crossbow but I wouldn't allow it in my game. Well maybe but with extreme penaltiesWell NO limbs I think would be covered by a crossbow being a "two-handed weapon"
Actually, by that token, one could say it suggests you need hands in particular too. Hm.
Pretty much this. So, a horse could work a crossbow ... that was customised to the point it's not Simple Weapon (light crossbow) as much as it is Exotic Weapon (horse crossbow). Would designing something like this fit under Craft (weapon) or do we need Profession (really weird armourer) skill?
Octopi get away with some thought due to how flexible a tentacle can be, although it might have other issues. ('Um, boss, this is a shoulder stock. I'm kind'a missing something for that..')
Monkeys already use crossbows. Except we call them 'humans' for some weird reason.
Other animals case-by-case, but most critters are going to fall under what I wrote for a horse. Oh, and don't forget size! Your raccoon's paws might be able to work a heavy crossbow ... but it's doing 1d6 damage a shot.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Best place to start would be Table: Magic Item Slots for Animals, no? I don't know what book it's from or where it is on the prd, but anyway.
Horses can't use crossbows. Not unless they're small and pink and have aggressively cheerful personalities.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Horses can't use crossbows. Not unless they're small and pink and have aggressively cheerful personalities.
Slow down there. Between this, the Discussion thread, and who knows where else you may just use up your quota of miniature equine references for the day before dawn even breaks.
I had a monkey familiar who had a musical box that would operate a handle/crank that made it play music. It would then collect tips. This was a front though, it would use this as a way to get close to his mark. He was really an assassin monkey. When he pushed a button, the music would still play, but would also shoot out crossbow bolts as a heavy repeating crossbow. 1d6 damage for a tiny animal.
Check this for relevance on this conversation.
Basically it states that certain animals would be able to wield certain weapons; however, some animals will absolutely not be able to wield certain weapons. It further goes on to say that most animals, even if trained to use a weapon, will most of the time stick to their natural weapons.
Obviously, Awakened changes pretty much everything. I think something like that would require Exotic Weapon Proficiency and investment into Knowledge: Engineering to figure out how to make such a weapon for say a horse. The other issue is that how does a horse reload the crossbow without hands?
In the case where it would be possible, it would probably take longer than a human. At least a full round action. If it was oversized, I'd scale that up by the size difference.
The rules have been stated by campincarl. It's now on the joker whose silly idea this is to persuade the GM a Horse or an ostrich is 'physically capable' of wielding a weapon.
Go ahead, persuade me...
Why would a horse use a crossbow when a successful engineering check could work in a mechanized self loading treadmill trebuchet!
Of course I am very surprised that no one mentioned anthropomorphic animal spell. If you have access to awaken, then you have access to that.
Why would you be required to take the feat?
They could attempt to use it at -4 to hit, if they chose to.
Horses, without thumbs, might fire it using their tongue, but aiming wouldn't be an option.
What an odd thread.
