How to Handle a Druid's Animal Companion

[jefgorbach]

At one time I would have agreed that animals were too ignorant to learn anything beyond simple tricks (roll over, fetch, guard, etc), viewing Lassie and company as the peak of what a druid's companion could be expected to accomplish ....

.... then I got beagles. My trio of lovable "little kids" have completely rewritten my opinion regarding what untrained critters can learn to accomplish simply from observing daily behavior surrounding them. (Who knew a 13"h beagle could EASILY open closed doors? Reach the top of standard kitchen counters? I didnt ... until I had to start LOCKING the knobs.)

They, coupled with various articles/vids of wild creatures employing simple tools (gulls/otters using rocks to open clams, monkeys using twigs in a variety of ways including advanced grooming, etc have VASTLY expanded what I've come to believe even minimally intelligent companions could achieve simply by following the example of its daily companions.

Considering the National Geographic has several articles regarding chimps hunting with twig-spears and gorillas defending their region with thrown dirt-clumps/wooden clubs, its quite conceivable for any semi-dexterous creature with near-human IQ to do likewise, with their ability to properly utilize armor/weapons corresponding to their exposure to such.

 

[Gavinfoxx]

Don't the Attack and Attack Any tricks cause it to automatically target the nearest threat? And you only have to Handle Animal if, for example, you want to change the animal's attack priorities?

 

[TheAuldGrump]

This FAQ/Blog Post sort of addresses the corner cases where this might be possible and how to handle it.

FAQ on Intelligent Animals

After reading the FAQ, then spending some time thinking about it... I think that I will ignore it for my own campaigns, and keep the hard limit on Intelligence for animals - sentient creatures can increase their Intelligence by going up in levels/hit dice/etc. but animals need to be Awakened. Lassie may have been a well trained collie, but he did not gain sentience. (Despite the name, all the Lassies were male.)

If a player wants Scooby Doo then he will have to awaken a great Dane.

Thank you for pointing it out to me, even if I pretty much disagree with that part of the FAQ.

The Auld Grump

 

[Noumenon]

Also: When the animal companion hits fourth level, you can put the stat boost into Int, which will allow your animal companion to take any feat it qualifies for, not just the feats listed for animal companions.

I couldn't find this Int prerequisite for feats listed on the SRD (feats page, animal companion, animal type). Could it have been a 3.0 thing?

 

[Flatus Maximus]

I couldn't find this Int prerequisite for feats listed on the SRD (feats page, animal companion, animal type). Could it have been a 3.0 thing?

Animal Companions - Pathfinder_OGC

Scroll down to the Feat section, Animal Feat subsection. It's the last line of text.

 

[Noumenon]

I need to start being very careful about what forum my Google search results are pointing to. I see now it's a pathfinder thing.