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I'm building a hunter with a gorilla companion, and had a question. First, some reference material:
Can my animal companion or familiar wear or use magic items?
It is intended that animal companions or familiars can not activate magic items. An animal companion could benefit from an item with a continuous magical effect like an amulet of natural armor if its master equipped the item for the animal companion. Animal companions of any type may not use manufactured weapons.Animal companions are also limited by their individual anatomies. In Pathfinder Society Organized Play, animal companions always have access to barding and neck-slot items so long as they have the anatomy. For example, a horse and pig can always have access to barding and neck-slot items. A snake does not have access to either. However, an item called out to be used by a specific animal is usable by that animal regardless of slot.
Additionally, animal companions have access to magical item slots, in addition to barding and neck, as listed on the inside front cover of the Animal Archive so long as they select the Extra Item Slot feat. The Animal Magic Item Slots table found in Animal Archive is not a legal except under the following conditions. First, an animal companion, familiar, or bonded mount, may choose one slot listed under its body type when taking the Extra Item Slot feat (this feat may be taken multiple times, each time selecting a different available magic item slot based on the creature’s anatomy). Second, access to specific magic item slots may be granted at a later date by another legal source. If you do not own a copy of the Animal Archive, your animal companion may only use barding and neck-slot items.
An animal or familiar has to have an intelligence of 3+ to activate an ioun stone. If the animal or familiar has less than a 3 intelligence, they may not activate an ioun stone.
The brownie, faerie dragon, imp, lyrakien azata, mephit, quasit, sprite familiars, granted by the Improved Familiar feat, use the Biped (hands) section of the chart. The carbuncle and voidworm protean, familiars granted by the Improved Familiar feat, uses the Serpentine section of the chart. If you do not own a copy of the Animal Archive, your animal companion may only use barding and neck-slot items.
No. An Intelligence of 3 does not grant animals sentience, the ability to use weapons or tools, speak a language (though they may understand one with a rank in Linguistics; this does not grant literacy), or activate magic devices. Also note that raising an animal companion’s Intelligence to 3 or higher does not eliminate the need to make Handle Animal checks to direct its actions; even semi-intelligent animals still act like animals unless trained not to. An animal with Intelligence of 3 or higher remains a creature of the animal type unless its type is specifically changed by another ability. An animal may learn 3 additional tricks per point of Intelligence above 2.
I'd like to use Shield Wall as a companion feat with my gorilla, but am not sure if I am reading this properly.
So, as I read it, I can open up additional slots with the Extra Items feat. Can I do that for a shield so we can qualify for this feat? My local GM said I could, but I figured I'd go with due diligence and see if anyone knows of an official ruling on this, if the no-weapons rule applies here, or if I'm missing something obvious.
Divvox2, I hate to tell you this but it is unfortunately likely true in this scenario: expect table variation.
My personal belief is that the rules on this are contradictory. If you look at the chart for animal item slots it has a column for "grasp". It says:
"Some creater body types are able to grasp and carry one object at a time in their paws, claws, or hands including weapons, rods, wands, and staves, though they may not be able to use such items effectively (GM's discretion) and take penalties for nonproficiency as usual."
So I disagree with claudekennilol that it is a straight out "no" in PFS. However, I think that at best something with a "GM's discretion") is going to be just that unless there is a specific PFS ruling.
I think the logical reading of those rules is to believe that with the proper Int and Proficiencies and Feats that your companion would be able to wield a weapon. Actually, I think I can remember some Paizo published material that had an Animal Companion using a weapon but I can't seem to remember where it was from.
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So I disagree with claudekennilol that it is a straight out "no" in PFS. However, I think that at best something with a "GM's discretion") is going to be just that unless there is a specific PFS ruling.
I think the logical reading of those rules is to believe that with the proper Int and Proficiencies and Feats that your companion would be able to wield a weapon. Actually, I think I can remember some Paizo published material that had an Animal Companion using a weapon but I can't seem to remember where it was from.
The answer is "no" for pfs because that's what the FAQ says. It doesn't matter if the chart says that some animals can use those items. The pfs faq says no so it supercedes it.
Can I improve my companion’s Intelligence to 3 or higher and give it weapon feats?
No. An Intelligence of 3 does not grant animals sentience, the ability to use weapons or tools, speak a language (though they may understand one with a rank in Linguistics; this does not grant literacy), or activate magic devices. Also note that raising an animal companion’s Intelligence to 3 or higher does not eliminate the need to make Handle Animal checks to direct its actions; even semi-intelligent animals still act like animals unless trained not to. An animal with Intelligence of 3 or higher remains a creature of the animal type unless its type is specifically changed by another ability. An animal may learn 3 additional tricks per point of Intelligence above 2.
To Divvox2's specific question, it doesn't say shields, but I believe the intent is clear enough that those would be included.
Specifically to your point, it does say weapons, so they can't.
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Nope, I'm not misunderstanding at all. A shield something that must must be wielded to get its benefit. Just like a weapon. Armor (barding) is something you strap onto an animal and they don't actively use it. It just protects then because it surrounds them. Much like a weapon, you need to know how to use a shield to wield it. Animals can't wield stuff, so they can't use a shield. That's how I read the faq. And that interpretation fully answers the question and in this case are not different and mutually exclusive.
i see that the PFS faq references INT as the issue regarding AC receiving shield or weapon proficiency.
what about the eidolon evolution "weapon training" in conjunction with the Primal Companion Hunter archetype? would this open up weapon proficiency with an AC?
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The phrase is "weapons or tools". To me a shield pretty clearly falls under that definition. It would be more than a lot silly to allow an ape to use a shield but to NOT let it use a fishing stick.
I wouldn't allow it at a PFS table. Which means that, at the very least, you can expect significant table variance.
If your companion has an Intelligence of 3, they could take Shield Proficiency as a feat. As long as they had a hand to wield it, they could use the shield (so, an Ape maybe could--expect table variation...I might not allow it because apes walk on their hands and it'd be very awkward for it to carry a shield as a result). You don't have to take Extra Items, though, because Shields are not slotted--weapons, shields, rods, wands, etc. are slotless. You just hold them in your hands.
claudekennilol: So you believe that because they did not specifically mention shields that they did mean shields?
I'm sorry, that logic doesn't follow.
The phrase is "weapons or tools". To me a shield pretty clearly falls under that definition. It would be more than a lot silly to allow an ape to use a shield but to NOT let it use a fishing stick.
I disagree. I can easily see a gorilla lacking the fine motor control with his big meat hook of hands to properly use a fishing pole. However, a big slap of steel strapped to his arm... no problem.
Now, if you give the ape human level intelligence and spend the proper time teaching it the use of the item in question (thats two feats: extra item slot and shield proficiency) you have made the requisite investment to allow him to use that item. I can see this even working for things he needs fine motor control to use.