It seems that a Cleric with the Animal Domain can't really make much use of his ability without also having around pet animals who are already inclined to obey or cooperate with him. Is this true? What's involved in obtaining these pets, and readying them to be of use? And how, then, can I use them?
Preferably, I'm looking for options that could fly in PFS.
A LITTLE RESEARCH
"Speak with Animals (Sp): You can speak with animals, as per the spell, for a number of rounds per day equal to 3 + your cleric level."
The spell takes a standard action and verbal and somatic components, and "A spell-like ability has a casting time of 1 standard action unless noted otherwise."
Speaking is a free action. "Handling an animal is a move action, while “pushing” an animal is a full-round action."
"Using Diplomacy to influence a creature's attitude takes 1 minute of continuous interaction. Making a request of a creature takes 1 or more rounds of interaction, depending upon the complexity of the request."
QUESTIONS
1. I think the key detail is that using diplomacy to make a request can take as little as one round, and the spell like ability gives the ability to speak with animals for at least a round. So imagine it's intended use is to ask animals to do things. Is this significantly different from handling an animal? Is there any synergy between the two abilities? Exactly what rolls would a player have to make to ask a friendly but untrained dog to fetch something?
2. What would it take to use this ability in combat? A standard action to trigger the ability, and a free action to speak to the animal, or a move action, as with handle animal?
3. Would this ability provide any help in training an animal?
IDEAS
I imagine that I could ask animals questions like "what did you see," or "what did you smell," or "what do you hear?" That seems useful for scouting.
I could ask: "What may I call you?" which could make it easier to issue commands later. Perhaps useful for an animal I have just come into contact with.
These things, at least, would be universally allowed by just about any GM. Beyond this I'm uncertain.
That was actually incredibly helpful! I hadn't considered subdomains before, and I found an Oceans subdomain of water that fit my concept pretty well. I've ended up with the Oceans and Weather domains which actually seem to fit well with Shimye-Magalla, an amalgamation of Gozreh and Desna from Sargava.
"It’s generally known that Shimye-
Magalla reflects Gozreh’s female aspect—that
which matches the capriciousness of the
sea—and pairs it with Desna’s love of
travel, freedom, and the stars by which
the Bonuwat navigate."
Good new aside, I'm still interested in the original topic, of legal and effective ways to make use of the 'speak to animals' cleric ability.