Combat trained animals

[HOBOJOE]

How do combat trained animals work? I play a rogue and the gm has played it as the only time I need handle animal check is when teaching it a new trick. Playing a game recently another player said I have to make handle animal check to make the combat trained ram attack a foe. After a few minutes of discussion I rerun my turn without using the combat trained ram. Can I get some guidance from someone on combat trained animals.

[Starglim]

The Handle Animal skill works as written in the core rules. If your animal knows a trick, such as Attack, you make a Handle Animal check, DC 10, as a move action, for it to perform that trick. If it's your animal companion, this check is a free action and gets a +4 bonus.

[Chess Pwn]

yup, what starglim said. If you try to have it do something it doesn't know it's a longer action and DC 25 handle animal check.

If the animal is injured the DC goes up by 2.

Also the GM is technically the one running your pet, so that's why you have commands to tell it what you want it to do.

[Nefreet]

Flutter's Druid's Log for Animal Companions is a good read.

[Ascalaphus]

A common cause for confusion is seeing an experienced player use a companion, because there will be some things happening that you don't see.

A druid/ranger/hunter or other class with animal companions has an ability called Link, which makes telling their companion to perform a trick it knows a Free Action. So you don't see those players spending any big actions commanding their companions.

The DC to tell an animal to perform a trick it knows is DC 10 (12 if the animal is injured). The Link ability gives a +4 bonus to command your companion. So most characters with animal companions will try to have a high enough bonus (+11) that they always succeed at the check. When that happens the player generally doesn't bother to even roll the check, knowing that it always succeeds. But what the new player is seeing/learning is that the druid doesn't roll checks!

[FLite]

Also keep in mind that non-animal companion and non-familiars do not advance as the character does. Bringing those on an adventure past about 5th level, where Area Effect damage starts being common, is just going to get them killed.

[Nefreet]

Hmm. The thought just occurred to me. If you can spend Prestige to Retrain your Animal Companion or Familiar, could you likewise purchase a Combat Trained Tiger and add hit points to it?

[BigNorseWolf]

an animal from tigermart is not an animal companion. Its equipment.

[Tigers "R" Us]

Well, sure, that's because TigerMart sells de-fanged domesticated overbred lap tigers! They ain't good for nothin' more than pettin'!

But over here at Tigers "R" Us we sell quality, unused tigers fresh from the Mwangi Expanse! The only encounter they've had with people was at the end point of a spear, so they're mighty feisty!

Remember folks, if you're looking for a cheap Tiger, that's your business. But if you're looking for a designated mankiller, that's our business!!

[Flutter]

Tigers "R" Us wrote:

Remember folks, if you're looking for a cheap Tiger, that's your business. But if you're looking for a designated mankiller, that's our business!!

There's absolutely no reason i'm asking this, but if you had to pick a 1 hd animal to spend the rest of your life as, what would it be?

[FLite]

Nefreet wrote:

Hmm. The thought just occurred to me. If you can spend Prestige to Retrain your Animal Companion or Familiar, could you likewise purchase a Combat Trained Tiger and add hit points to it?

1. No. That rule applies to "CFEs" only (class feature entity) a purchased animal is not a CFE.

2. even if you did, at 3 PP / hp, it would eat all your pp, and top out only 21 points higher, for 66 hp.

[Kaze no Mori]

Flutter wrote:

Tigers "R" Us wrote:

Remember folks, if you're looking for a cheap Tiger, that's your business. But if you're looking for a designated mankiller, that's our business!!

There's absolutely no reason i'm asking this, but if you had to pick a 1 hd animal to spend the rest of your life as, what would it be?

Perception, DC 35:

Stealth: 1d20 + 26 ⇒ (9) + 26 = 35

Passing this check allows you to see this fox run out of a nearby alleyway.

Climb, Limb-Climber: 1d20 + 30 ⇒ (15) + 30 = 45

It then climbs up one of Flutters legs and onto the Horse's head.

A tiny fox appears on Flutters head and yips in excitement.

In fluent common, albeit with a Tian accent, the fox says "Front row seat for the action! What are ya gonna make this one Flutter? A mouse, a cat? Oh, a wallaby! Make him a wallaby!"