How does a raging barbarian Handle Animal?

[Abraham Z.]

Has this ever been resolved? Rage prohibits most Cha, Dex, and Int skills but there are barbarian powers and archetypes that require the use of Handle Animal. I assume most GMs just hand wave this but I wonder if there's ever been any answer given.

[MeanMutton]

I'd fall back on the "Specific overrides general" rule. For this specific case, the Handle Animal skill can be used during the rage because it's required as part of the rage power. In general, though, you can't do it to, say, tell your attack jaguar to back down from attacking.

[Cuup]

Mean GM's will make you take Moment of Clarity to use it.

[N N 959]

I have not seen a FAQ which allows any exception. If there is no such allowance, think of it as class defining aspect. If you want to Rage, then you're not going to be giving your animal commands. If you want to give your animal commands, then you're not going to be Raging. Alternatively you can give you animal an attack command before the Rage and then exit the Rage and tell the animal to back down.

If we're talking about the Mad Dog archetype, none of the gained abilities require Rage and the Barbarian loses about half their Rage powers. This reinforces the notion that Raging isn't suppose to be as beneficial to the Mad Dog.

[Avoron]

If it's that important to you, just grab the Skilled Rager feat or Coherent Rage trait.