Animal Companion and Total Defense

[Albion, The Eye]

Per the rules, can you order an Animal Companion to go specifically into Total Defense?

[Belafon]

You could push it to go into total defense. Handle Animal DC 25. That would take your move action if it is your companion.

The rules on push are that it is used to make an animal "perform a task or trick that it doesn’t know but is physically capable of performing." Some GMs who think that companions are overpowered might say that an animal is not physically capable of going into total defense.

I personally take a dim view of people trying to make animal companions independent (just because you gave your ape an Int upgrade doesn't mean it suddenly automatically moves in ways that avoid AoOs and likes to use warhammers), it's still an animal. But I'm much more lenient with the "push" action. (You can push your ape to take a certain path or to swing that warhammer.) Because it means the PC is actively directing the companion in what to do.

[Valandil Ancalime]

I don't see why not. Why do you think you can't?

[Albion, The Eye]

Belafon wrote:

You could push it to go into total defense. Handle Animal DC 25. That would take your move action if it is your companion.

The rules on push are that it is used to make an animal "perform a task or trick that it doesn’t know but is physically capable of performing." Some GMs who think that companions are overpowered might say that an animal is not physically capable of going into total defense.

I like this - thanks Belafon! I can see the reasoning behind not allowing companions to do it all, but it is not something I will enforce with my players.

Belafon wrote:

I personally take a dim view of people trying to make animal companions independent (just because you gave your ape an Int upgrade doesn't mean it suddenly automatically moves in ways that avoid AoOs and likes to use warhammers), it's still an animal.

Completely agreed ;)

Valandil Ancalime wrote:

I don't see why not. Why do you think you can't?

I was asking ‘according to the rules’ because I didn’t see a trick specifically for it, and I am not a master of Animal Companion rules.

[Mysterious Stranger]

Teach an Animal a Trick: You can teach an animal a specific trick with 1 week of work and a successful Handle Animal check against the indicated DC. An animal with an Intelligence score of 1 can learn a maximum of three tricks, while an animal with an Intelligence score of 2 can learn a maximum of six tricks. Possible tricks (and their associated DCs) include, but are not necessarily limited to, the following.

The list of tricks is not limited to those in the book. Animals are quite capable of backing off and avoiding being attacked. Many animals actively avoid fighting and only attack when they have no choice. For the animal to do this on command would require a custom trick or being pushed.

[Belafon]

Mysterious Stranger wrote:

Teach an Animal a Trick: You can teach an animal a specific trick with 1 week of work and a successful Handle Animal check against the indicated DC. An animal with an Intelligence score of 1 can learn a maximum of three tricks, while an animal with an Intelligence score of 2 can learn a maximum of six tricks. Possible tricks (and their associated DCs) include, but are not necessarily limited to, the following.

The list of tricks is not limited to those in the book. Animals are quite capable of backing off and avoiding being attacked. Many animals actively avoid fighting and only attack when they have no choice. For the animal to do this on command would require a custom trick or being pushed.

Also an option if you are the GM.

If you do allow total defense to be a custom trick you’ll need to come up with a DC to learn it. I’d probably set it at DC 15 for herbivores and DC 20 for carnivores (depending on the exact animal) because: A) it makes sense and B) it’s kinda funny to do it that way.