Pets - are they animal companions too?

[Tonguez]

My PC Rogue has bought a Mastiff pup (riding dog states without the riding) and will raise it as a pet (teaching tricks - hopefully including attack! and Hold) .

What is the status of this animal? What if I multiclass to Ranger of Druid or some such does it become a Companion or remain a Pet?

 

[Umbran]

An Animal Companion is an animal that has had the Animal Friendship spell cast upon it. If you cast Animal Friendship on the dog, it'll be a Companion. Otherwise, it's just a pet, and handled under the appropriate skill rules.

 

[Tonguez]

So whats the difference between me breeding a pack of dogs who are loyal and loving to their master (and with say +10 in Animal Handling, trained to fight/fetch/guard/track(scent) etc)

and me using a spell to get a pack of dogs...

 

[Negative Zero]

i agree, good Q. i'd like to see opinions on this too

~NegZ

 

[Caliban]

So whats the difference between me breeding a pack of dogs who are loyal and loving to their master (and with say +10 in Animal Handling, trained to fight/fetch/guard/track(scent) etc)

and me using a spell to get a pack of dogs...

In the first instance, the XP you gain from monsters the trained animals help you kill should be reduced (since the animals are effectively NPC's helping you in the combat they would gain a 1/2 share of the XP), in the second, the animals are considered part of your class abilities and won't effect your XP gain.

 

[smetzger]

In the first instance, the XP you gain from monsters the trained animals help you kill should be reduced (since the animals are effectively NPC's helping you in the combat they would gain a 1/2 share of the XP), in the second, the animals are considered part of your class abilities and won't effect your XP gain.

But, if you have sunk Skill Points into Handle Animal you are using your abilities.

 

[Umbran]

What's the difference? Well, aside from Caliban's assessment (which I feel is correct) there's a number of differences...

1) Time. To raise and train a pack of dogs takes a lot of time that you could not generally spend adventuring. Animal Friendship takes one action per casting. This becomes even more apparent when you're dealing with wild animals, but it is still an issue with domesticated ones.

2)If you cast Animal Friendship, teaching simple tricks does not require a skill check. No matter what your skill modifier, there's always a chance of failure.

3)You asked "What if I raise a pack of dogs who are loyal and loving...?" You'll note that "loyalty" does not appear in the Handle Animal skill - Handle Animal does not at all guarantee the level of loyalty one needs in combat.

This last one is the biggie - while we've all heard stories about a dog who is loyal enough to amazing things for it's owner, the fact of the matter is that such dogs are rare, and you cannot train the animal to have such loyalty. It is a matter of temperament. The Animal Friendship instills this temperament magically. If you went by mundane means, you'd have to go through training on a whole lot of dogs before you found ones suitable to the task.

 

[Tonguez]

Dogs as NPCs Hmm this may be something to consider - though I'm not entirely convinced...

1) Time. To raise and train a pack of dogs takes a lot of time that you could not generally spend adventuring. Animal Friendship takes one action per casting. This becomes even more apparent when you're dealing with wild animals, but it is still an issue with domesticated ones.

Luckily the game I play in allows for between time - which I will use for my Dog

2)If you cast Animal Friendship, teaching simple tricks does not require a skill check. No matter what your skill modifier, there's always a chance of failure.

Of course - and I don't mind


3)You asked "What if I raise a pack of dogs who are loyal and loving...?" You'll note that "loyalty" does not appear in the Handle Animal skill - Handle Animal does not at all guarantee the level of loyalty one needs in combat.

I don't agree here. As someone who has grown up with dogs and gone hunting with them I don't think it is too much to ask for a dog to 'Attack', Fetch or even Track if it has been trained adequately and by a skilled trainer (at least +10ranks (maybe more)+mod + etc )

I agree that expecting a pet dog to act like Lassie is pushing it. But as all the Police dogs, Guide dogs, Army dogs, farm dogs and hunting dogs prove any dog can be trained adequately for a variety of tasks (combat included)

 

[Caliban]

But, if you have sunk Skill Points into Handle Animal you are using your abilities.

Skills are not Class Abilities.

 

[kreynolds]

Skills are not Class Abilities.

Bingo!