Animal companion has the minion trait.
Minion trait explains that while they don't get actions without you spending an action yourself. It also says that if they are not commanded they would defend themselves.
How does one defend yourself without actions.
Would they attack? Somehow? Without actions?
Defending yourself implies attacking you be especially with the later portion mentioning movement (so not attacking).
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Animal companion has the minion trait.
Minion trait explains that while they don't get actions without you spending an action yourself.
Well, the minion trait, in the glossary, works out fine. It just says they don't use the two actions they always get without you commanding them, except to defend themselves or avoid obvious harm.
Minion
Source Core Rulebook pg. 634 1.1Minions are creatures that directly serve another creature. A creature with this trait can use only 2 actions per turn and can’t use reactions. Your minion acts on your turn in combat, once per turn, when you spend an action to issue it commands. For an animal companion, you Command an Animal; for a minion that’s a spell or magic item effect, like a summoned minion, you Sustain a Spell or Sustain an Activation; if not otherwise specified, you issue a verbal command, a single action with the auditory and concentrate traits. If given no commands, minions use no actions except to defend themselves or to escape obvious harm. If left unattended for long enough, typically 1 minute, mindless minions usually don’t act, animals follow their instincts, and sapient minions act how they please.
Note that "your minion acts on your turn in combat" does not say "and at no other time." It's just specifying what happens when you do command them. What happens otherwise is later.
OTOH, under "Animal Companions and Familiars" it says (as of rules update 1.0)
Animal Companions and Familiars
Page 214: In the first paragraph, replace the first two
sentences with the following to clarify the specific action
required to command your animal companion, and that
it doesn’t require a check.
------------------------------------
An animal companion is a loyal comrade who follows your or-
ders. Your animal companion has the minion trait, and it gains
2 actions during your turn if you use the Command an Animal
action to command it; this is in place of the usual effects of Com-
mand an Animal, and you don’t need to attempt a Nature check.
The "gains two actions" implies the problem you pointed out. According to the Glossary entry it should be "uses" not "gains." So I recommend going with the minion trait definition, since that one works out, and not with the bit under Animal Companions And Familiars. :-/
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Animal companion has the minion trait.
Minion trait explains that while they don't get actions without you spending an action yourself. It also says that if they are not commanded they would defend themselves.
How does one defend yourself without actions.
Would they attack? Somehow? Without actions?
Defending yourself implies attacking you be especially with the later portion mentioning movement (so not attacking).
It doesn't actually say what you say it says. It does not say that minions do not get actions. It says ---
If given no commands, minions use no actions except to defend themselves or to escape obvious harm.
The sentence says they USE NO ACTIONS if not given a command EXCEPT to defend themselves. So I would presume they have their 2 normal actions to defend themselves if attacked. Most normal animal types would probably just run away, though I could see some acting more aggressively on defense, or simply dodging around not wanting to abandon their master, etc., but that's the GM's call.
---- Out-typed by 2 seconds!
This is interesting because assuming they don't run, they can tank, without you using actions.
How does one defend yourself without actions.
Animal Companions have 3 actions like all creatures. It's only if you want them to do your bidding that they are limited to 2 actions. A Fleeing or Confused AC uses 3 actions running away or attacking, for example.
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How does one defend yourself without actions.Animal Companions have 3 actions like all creatures. It's only if you want them to do your bidding that they are limited to 2 actions. A Fleeing or Confused AC uses 3 actions running away or attacking, for example.
I do not believe this is so.
A creature with this trait can use only 2 actions per turn and can’t use reactions.
There is no indication that the restriction only kicks in when you're actively commanding it. Nor is there any indication anywhere that minions only have the minion trait while you're actively commanding them. So, 2 actions and no reactions whether commanded or not.
I think they get two actions when commanded to do a specific task, such as combat. Otherwise they sit still for a minute and then go about doing things they want to do. If attacked I think they would do what most animals do and run away/ return to their owner as they have no reason to fight, they aren't defending territory or hunting so would guard your body at best.
I think the minion trait is there for combat balance, so would be fine to have your companion using 3 actions so long as those actions are for self preservation(running away), or guarding their unconscious owner(just sitting next to them making sure no one touches their owner).
At a very basic level your AC is still an npc animal that you get to command without needing a check and provide it with statistical advancement.
A creature with this trait can use only 2 actions per turn and can’t use reactions.There is no indication that the restriction only kicks in when you're actively commanding it. Nor is there any indication anywhere that minions only have the minion trait while you're actively commanding them. So, 2 actions and no reactions whether commanded or not.
Minion rule has a problem of scope. If you apply it all the time, you end up with crazy issues, like the inability to travel with an animal companion or the inability to adventure more than 10 minutes if you have 2 of Familiar, Animal Companion or Eidolon.
The lore says that an Animal Companion is a normal member of its race. As such, I apply the rules for a normal member of the race when it isn't commanded during combat. It's more logical than considering it's a Slowed 1 braindead animal.
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Minion rule has a problem of scope. If you apply it all the time, you end up with crazy issues, like the inability to travel with an animal companion or the inability to adventure more than 10 minutes if you have 2 of Familiar, Animal Companion or Eidolon.A creature with this trait can use only 2 actions per turn and can’t use reactions.There is no indication that the restriction only kicks in when you're actively commanding it. Nor is there any indication anywhere that minions only have the minion trait while you're actively commanding them. So, 2 actions and no reactions whether commanded or not.
No, the whole "you get this many actions per turn" thing only applies during encounters, which is the only time you take turns. That's why your travel speed in exploration mode isn't equal to your thirty times your Speed per minute. If you ran exploration mode like encounter mode, you'd be correct; also PCs would have to keep calling "Stride. Stride. Stride." to their ACs all day to keep them moving. In exploration mode the ACs just DTRT, at the normal travel speed of their race. It's unrealistic, but the whole minion thing is based on stomping (hard) on realism in favor of balance, and that's only needed during encounters.