[Druid] Handle Animal to Command Animal Companion?

[kuey]

Under the Nature skill, it states that to command an animal, you need the animal to obey you and hence need to do handle animal first in that round.

For animal companions, would that be necessary? The sections for druid, nature skill and animal companions are silent on that. My inference is that under the druid section, animal companions are described as being obedient to simple commands. This seems to suggest that a handle animal is not needed - a druid can directly command the animal companion. Otherwise, the druid would need to take two actions (handle animal, command animal) for the animal companion to take two actions. Not really worth it.

[Tiene]

My first impression is the same as yours and I would also like clarification on this matter. The only ray of hope right now for me is that it says animal companions have the minion trait and the minion trait says you can command the minion to give it two actions (whether it's an animal, undead, or what-have-you.)

[GM-JZ]

Is there any clarification on this?

[N N 959]

You do not need to Handle Animal on a Companion. You do need to use Command Animal or it does nothing, until you get a feat which allows it to act on its own. However, you only need to use one action on Command Animal, regardless of the actions taken by the Companion.

[GM OfAnything]

pg 284 wrote:

Animal companions are loyal comrades who follow your

orders. They have the minion trait, so they gain 2 actions
during your turn if you use the Command an Animal
action to command them; this is in place of the usual
effects of Command an Animal.

Unlike other animal friends, Animal Companions have the minion trait. They don't use the regular Command an Animal rules, they use the minion rules.

[The Rot Grub]

N N 959 wrote:

You do not need to Handle Animal on a Companion.

Is there a source for this?

[The Rot Grub]

The Rot Grub wrote:

N N 959 wrote:

You do not need to Handle Animal on a Companion.

Is there a source for this?

GM OfAnything wrote:

pg 284 wrote:

Animal companions are loyal comrades who follow your

orders. They have the minion trait, so they gain 2 actions
during your turn if you use the Command an Animal
action to command them; this is in place of the usual
effects of Command an Animal.

Unlike other animal friends, Animal Companions have the minion trait. They don't use the regular Command an Animal rules, they use the minion rules.

Handle an Animal requires 1 action. (Unless we can find a source saying otherwise.)

Command an Animal requires 1 action.
This seems to say that you can use 2 actions, to let an animal companion use 2 actions.

[McMaverick]

Mark Seifter, could we please get some clarification on this?

[Edge93]

The Rot Grub wrote:

The Rot Grub wrote:

N N 959 wrote:

You do not need to Handle Animal on a Companion.

Is there a source for this?

GM OfAnything wrote:

pg 284 wrote:

Animal companions are loyal comrades who follow your

orders. They have the minion trait, so they gain 2 actions
during your turn if you use the Command an Animal
action to command them; this is in place of the usual
effects of Command an Animal.

Unlike other animal friends, Animal Companions have the minion trait. They don't use the regular Command an Animal rules, they use the minion rules.

Handle an Animal requires 1 action. (Unless we can find a source saying otherwise.)

Command an Animal requires 1 action.
This seems to say that you can use 2 actions, to let an animal companion use 2 actions.

Where are you getting the idea that you have to use Handle Animal here? It says that you spend a Command an Animal action to give a companion 2 actions, in place of the usual application of command an animal. There is no need for Handle Animal.

[LordVanya]

I broke this down exhaustively in an older thread.
On their the rules seem vague, but when you consider how the description block are supposed to be read, it is very clear that Handle an Animal is not needed to Command an Animal Companion / Minion.
Presumably, the devs think this is presented clearly enough that there has never been a ruling.
Hopefully, the final book will be more clear.