I know this is going to come up today. I have a druid with an Ape animal companion. The "dungeon" the PCs will be needing to trough will involve climbing a cliff, going into a cave, and jumping down into underwater totally submerged cavern system.
Now, RAW, a druid can pretty much get their animal companion to do any trick it doesn't know via a Push DC check as a move action.
I'm seeking how you guys would handle a situation where the Druid is going to want to take the Ape into the dungeon. I'm sure water breathing will be case on all party members and the ape.
Options I can think of:
1) Allow the Druid to "push" the ape to go in the water, and not worry with it the rest of the dungeon.
2) Require the Druid to "push" the ape every round to keep it from freaking about about diving in the water.
3) Simply say that the ape (orangutang)is just not going to dive into the water.
It's a bit bothersome to me that the idea of a diving orangutang, even that could magically breath water and has a rank in Swim, would not freak out and refuse to go there.
So how would you guys run with this in your game as GMs?
Yeah, I don't think a druid's animal companion was meant for this dungeon since the entrance 99% likely to be used by players is up a moderately difficult cliff to climb, when they then drop down to submerged tunnels. Just not a good animal companion to deal with both of those hurdles together. Also, the options for new animal companions other than aquadic are not good, as they are in a isolated island chain with the biggest animals being monkeys.
And I would be on the player arguing for the ape to dive in and go on an underwater adventure. That's what I'm trying to prepare for. My instinct as a GM is that's one of those details that the rule don't account for --- ie. the reason you have a GM and are not playing a video game. But I've got a rule lawyer to also deal with.
That's why I'm looking for advice/rule suggestions/GM help.
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All this is more advice then rules. If your just going by the rules hop in the water and make a swim check.
It all depends on your play/GM style. Is it just a game? Or do you try for some kind of realism, keeping in mind there is magic and dragons? Or is it somewhere in between? Realistic it take a long time to get an Orangutan to get into water. They hate water and are not swimmers. The fact that he has a rank in swim makes me think that this may have been trained out of him. Was it ever talked about player to GM? Or was this a surprise? Has it been there for levels or just popped in?
I'm not sure what level the Druid player assigned a rank in Swim to the ape. I just know the Ape has never swam yet in the game.
I could understand a rank in Swim as they are on a boat in case the animal fell overboard. But willingly diving through an underwater cave system I think is too much.
If the Ape had a rank of swim and could breathe underwater, I would be totally fine with it swimming around.
I'm kind of shocked this is an issue, though. I thought every Druid gave their companion Intelligence 3 (and a dot of linguistics so it can understand common) at the earliest possible level so they could stop dealing with the trick system and just have a pet with human intelligence.
Just let him push. That is what it is for. He will need to push it every round and somhow give it commands under water. But if he can solve the logistical issues just let him use push it is what it is for.
@mplindustries Some GMs may play that way. Animal Companion/Handle Animal/Int 3/ and 1 Rank Linguistics do not in any way negate the trick requirements. The animal companion with a higher INT than 3 is an exception to the rule that animals can't have higher than INT 2. It's an exception to the what defines the animal subtype rule, not an exception to the Animal Companion/Handle Animal rules.
@Mojorat That's probably what I'll do.
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@mplindustries Just because Lassie can understand what you are saying does not mean that she is going to do whatever you suggest. I am in the same camp as Riggler. It would not change the dynamic of the AC/HA rules. I give bonues when you try to handle/push a critter that can understand you but that is about it.
@mplindustries Just because Lassie can understand what you are saying does not mean that she is going to do whatever you suggest. I am in the same camp as Riggler. It would not change the dynamic of the AC/HA rules. I give bonues when you try to handle/push a critter that can understand you but that is about it.
Oh, so are there rules then, somewhere that I don't know about, for pushing a different kind of loyal companion? Do you need to make Diplomacy checks to push your Eidolon to attack enemies? Or spend weeks teaching your cohort (from the Leadeship feat) to watch your camp at night?
I don't see why a loyal animal companion with human intelligence would have different rules than another sort of loyal companion with human intelligence...