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Aelf
Acolyte
USA
46 Posts |
 Posted - 01 Dec 2005 : 18:52:18
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Our campaign now has a half-orc druid. This has caused a few discussions regarding his puppy ...
First off, we do realize that our objective is fun, not rules-lawyering, but are interested in how other groups handle Animal Companions as well as RAW.
So here goes: (I've included my own parenthetical observations.)
1. Does the companion act on its own initiative or on that of the owner?
(Since speaking is a free action, even if the companion is DM-controlled the PC should still be able to convey trick commands.)
2. Is the player of the companion's owner allowed direct control?
(Presently, we allow the owner to run the companion on her own action; they share the owner's initiative score and the owner can determine who acts first. This could be a slight negative as the companion's init is usually better which could leave it flat-footed longer than designed. Since the companion isn't much of a target in suprise or round-1 actions, it probably isn't an issue.)
3. Can any default tricks be assummed? How about on a recently arrived replacement companion? (This hasn't been an issue since direct control is allowed.)
I suppose one of the underlying issues here is balancing DM convenience vs. player power and am greatly interested in the experiences of other groups.
Best regards,
Aelf
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Regards,
Aelf, a bard of the Realms |
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Kentinal
Great Reader
4686 Posts |
Posted - 01 Dec 2005 : 19:41:00
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My view. I think in order of rank for decsion process, subject to revision.
1) The AC wants to be near with the PC or NPC, in someways considers family.
2) The AC will obey reasonable commands of the NPC or PC of the tricks that it has learned (It will not jump into a fire, it will not guard for 12 hours without food and water, for examples)
3) If the PC or NPC fails to provide the AC food or water it will seek it out when needed, the friendship being such that it will bring food back to the PC or NPC if finding enough (some more exotic ACs might also bring back water).
4) The AC will fight or at least seek to distract a foe of their PC or NPC. It will not engage strange creatures readily and clearly will never attack something that they know will kill them with a blow. (example: Wolf packs and bears appear to have a history of being adverse to each other. Some claims about each often killing the young of the others. The bear can take out any single wolf going in to kill it, so a wolf in pack or as an indvidual will snap at, dart about the bear. If posible render increasing small amounts of damage, but main goal is to drive it away.)
5) The AC has its own pirioties that it will not comply with the PC or NPC requests or orders.
As for DMing a lot depends on how the player seeks to use the AC. The AC is not a valient worrior that will fight to the death to protect the PC or NPC. The AC will think like an anumal that will respond to reasonable requests, that means obeying all orders given unless they are inane ones. With low Int some inane ones might be obeyed once, but animals remember and will not do the same thing twice. (you might be able to get a young AC to jump into a fire once, however you will not be able to get them to do it again). |
"Small beings can have small wisdom," the dragon said. "And small wise beings are better than small fools. Listen: Wisdom is caring for afterwards."
"Caring for afterwards ...? Ker repeated this without understanding.
"After action, afterwards," the dragon said. "Choose the afterwards first, then the action. Fools choose action first."
"Judgement" copyright 2003 by Elizabeth Moon |
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11703 Posts |
Posted - 02 Dec 2005 : 17:41:07
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I would not allow any tricks to just be assumed. It is still an animal, and it will only be able to understand the commands that it has been taught.
I would give the owner direct control... to a point. If he orders it to its death, it might require a hefty animal handle check to get it to obey. If it sees something that would obviously distract it (a honeybee hive maybe), it might not pay attention to its master (or at least require a decent animal handle check in order to regain its attention). |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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Brother Ezra
Learned Scribe
USA
268 Posts |
Posted - 04 Dec 2005 : 03:23:56
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My wife runs a human druid in our campaign. This is how we handle your questions:
1. The companion acts on it’s own initiative. If the companion’s initiative is higher than the druids on the first round, the companion delays until it can receive a command from the druid. It then acts on the next lowest initiative for the remainder of the combat.
2. The player is in control of their companion, but any actions undertaken must be within the limits of the tricks known by the companion and the intelligence of the animal in question. For example, our druid can command her companion to attack a specific foe, but the companion would not go out of it’s way to flank that opponent. It uses whatever special abilities it might already possess, but will not attempt any special combat maneuvers (i.e. bull rush, charge, aid another, etc.) unless that action is specifically detailed in a trick that it has learned.
3. We don’t assume that any tricks are known by default. It makes the value of bonus tricks at higher level much more important. Plus, at lower levels, it always leaves open the possibility that the companion doesn’t perform as desired with a failed Handle Animal roll. The look of consternation on my wife’s face when this happens is priceless.
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"Suffering is the touchstone of all spiritual growth."
-St. Sollars the Twice-Martyred |
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Aelf
Acolyte
USA
46 Posts |
Posted - 05 Dec 2005 : 15:10:29
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Thank you all for the responses; I really appreciate your efforts and insight.
Regards,
Aelf |
Regards,
Aelf, a bard of the Realms |
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Handling Animal Companions - Advice request
