Allowing Pets (non-combat)

[Satyrn]

How do I allow players to have pets...like they found a cat wandering around town and want to keep it....

I'm not really sure what sort of info you're looking for.

Like, are you thinking that characters need a class feature, a feat or the like in order to be allowed a pet? Are you just looking for a rule to reference to determine if the cat gloms onto the party? Or ways to roleplay the cat while it's around, and how it survives alone in town when the players delve into a dungeon?

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

My take on it is that, if that they can totally have pets if they want. But the pets can’t do anything that requires a check – no tracking, scouting, or fighting. Anything else starts infringing on Animal Companions and Familiars. They exist solely as flavor text. Because I'm not going to be mean and kill off their pet.

 

[Oofta]

My take on it is that, if that they can totally have pets if they want. But the pets can’t do anything that requires a check – no tracking, scouting, or fighting. Anything else starts infringing on Animal Companions and Familiars. They exist solely as flavor text. Because I'm not going to be mean and kill off their pet.

But ... but ... threatening a PC's loved ones and pets is a time honored tradition! Think of the awesome scene where the BBEG growls out the line "Surrender or Fluffy becomes kibble! BWAHAHAHA!"

Of course that may explain why all my player's PCs are orphaned hermits who only interact with other PCs.

 

[Aiden_Keller_]

"Can we keep him?"

THANK YOU SO MUCH!

 

[Aiden_Keller_]

That makes more sense.

I am planning on using it!

 

[Aiden_Keller_]

But ... but ... threatening a PC's loved ones and pets is a time honored tradition! Think of the awesome scene where the BBEG growls out the line "Surrender or Fluffy becomes kibble! BWAHAHAHA!"

Of course that may explain why all my player's PCs are orphaned hermits who only interact with other PCs.

Urchin Background gives you a pet mouse...they should be that instead of hermit....

 

[Aiden_Keller_]

I'm not really sure what sort of info you're looking for.

Like, are you thinking that characters need a class feature, a feat or the like in order to be allowed a pet? Are you just looking for a rule to reference to determine if the cat gloms onto the party? Or ways to roleplay the cat while it's around, and how it survives alone in town when the players delve into a dungeon?

They found a stray and want to keep it...I have no issue with this and have its stats based on the PHB...but like...I don't know how to make it react if they are attacked (the party is traveling on the road)...its not BONDED to them...I don't WANT to kill it or MAKE it run...but that MIGHT happen...

 

[Swarmkeeper]

They found a stray and want to keep it...I have no issue with this and have its stats based on the PHB...but like...I don't know how to make it react if they are attacked (the party is traveling on the road)...its not BONDED to them...I don't WANT to kill it or MAKE it run...but that MIGHT happen...

Since it is a cat, it is very unlikely to listen to any orders, amirite? Therefore, the DM decides what it does most of the time. You could even create a table of random actions that happen during combat. Something like:

2d4
2 = attacks enemy
3 = dodges
4 = hisses and dashes
5 = hides
6 = hisses and paws at air menacingly
7 = falls asleep in sunny spot on side of road
8 = sharpens claws on druid's wooden shield or paladin's plate mail boots

You have control over the enemies, too. In the first combat where the party has their pet, you might, for example, have a goblin who had a cat as a goblin-child and so knocks out the party's cat instead of killing it because it reminds him of his favorite pet that his terrible mom cooked up one day so he shows some mercy. The party may not realize that the cat is not actually dead until the battle is over.

Now watch them protect the cat at all costs during the next encounter. Could be fun.

 

[aco175]

I would echo some of the others in that is a non-combat item that does not seem to take damage. It could hide or run, or not enter the cave in the first place, but it avoids the fireball completely. It is a roleplay item for flavor. If the player wants it to attack or scout or be more like a NPC, then it may die or be targeted. It should do less than animal companions and familiars and you can give a few things out as the PC levels if he is trying to train it.

 

[Umbran]

They found a stray and want to keep it...I have no issue with this and have its stats based on the PHB...but like...I don't know how to make it react if they are attacked (the party is traveling on the road)...its not BONDED to them...I don't WANT to kill it or MAKE it run...but that MIGHT happen...

Okay, real world: Cats are territorial. They are not typically creatures of the road. In the real world, when faced with danger in a place that isn't their territory, a cat will bolt. Yelling, clashing of swords and shield, the zap of spells? That cat is out of there.

On top of this - cats are not creatures of the mid-day. Evening, night, dawn, sure. But during mid-day, when the characters are most active? Sleep-time for kitty.

The adventuring life is not a good match of Fluffy.

So, you have a very basic decision - does this cat behave like a normal cat, or does it behave like a story-cat? Decide that, and the rest follows.